The BittyStrong Podcast with Alyssa Ritchey

Sam and I have been working side by side through the entire 2020 Olympic process. He has been helping my body stay in one piece through all my grueling training sessions. One day I was training in my garage when I was not able to stand up a very light 45kg front squat, I knew it was time to start seeing someone to keep my body healthy for the 2020 Olympic Quad.  I was 5 weeks out from 2018 World Championships and it was the first competition of the Olympic quad.

Here is what this short episode covers:

Our Story and my injury leading up to Worlds 2018.

Fixing a Hip Shift.

Injury Protocols.

"Sam has been a Licensed Physical Therapist since 2009 and joined our PT Link team in 2014. He holds both a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (2009) and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science (2006) from The University of Toledo. During his time at The University of Toledo he developed a Clinical Practice Guideline for Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders and contributed to research pertaining to the influence of inflammation on muscle hypertrophy which was published in the American Journal of Physiology and Cell Physiology.

Sam is a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and has earned certifications in Dry Needling and High Velocity Low Amplitude Manipulation. He has completed the ImPACT concussion training workshop and is an APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor. Clinically, Sam focuses on helping patients move better to live a pain-free life. He uses a wide variety of manual therapy techniques and corrective functional exercise to reduce common movement and posture dysfunctions that lead to pain. Sam also has extensive experience in sports medicine, orthopedics and working with patient that suffer from neck and back pain." (Information from PT LINK website)

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VISIT THE CLINIC: Work with Sam one on one at the PT Link Clinic in,

433 W. Dussel Drive

Maumee, OH 43537

[P] 419.559.5591 x 5

[F] 866.268.5006

or visit PT LINK website for more information

Cassidy McWherter: "Worth every single shot for our little miracle."

Cassidy McWherter, a 6-time Crossfit Games athlete, a mother, and the owner of two gyms, Crossfit Waterside & Waterside Elite, joins BSP CEO, Alyssa Ritchey, to discuss how she and her wife went through the ups and the downs of IVF to have their baby boy plus:

Who is Cassidy McWherter?

How she met her Wife Aly.

Who carried the baby? Why?

Will there be another baby and who will carry. Whose eggs will be used?

Aly explains IUI versus IVF.

Talk about the entire process of In-vitro.

Finding out IVF worked.

Nutrition & exercise during the process of IVF & her pregnancy.

One Day | Our Personal Guide to IVF

Where can everyone follow Cassidy McWherter’s, Aly’s, and Oakley’s Journey:

Instagram:

@cassidy_lancemcwherter

@aly_brooke22

@oakleybrooksmcwherter

@crossfitwaterside 

@watersideelite

Gym contact: [email protected] 

This episode is Sponsored by Chili Pad use this link to save on all their chili systems and to help support this podcast.

What topics on the podcasts would you like to hear more about? Let me know at: [email protected]

Gretchen Mills: "It's okay to take your time to be selfish, your time for yourself is just as important as your time spent with your kids."

Gretchen Mills, a mother of two, and a runner, joins BSP CEO, Alyssa Ritchey, to discuss how she handles her children decision making & the stress of being a young mother, her constant battle with her eating disorder, and other battles with her kids and herself, plus:

Being a Mother

How she got started in running

Managing her frustrations after not setting a goal

Struggling with the Death of Her Father

Battling an eating disorder

Letting Kids make their own decisions

The importance of your identity and your alone time with your husband after having children

Follow Her:

IG: @mama_gmills

This episode is Sponsored by Chili Pad use this link to save on all their chili systems and to help support this podcast.

What topics on the podcasts would you like to hear more about? Let me know at: [email protected]

Jo Aita: “Some people just aren't willing to do the things I do”

I truly believe that just because you don’t have the followers on social media or well known doesn’t define your success as a human being.  Which is why I, bsp CEO, sits down with Joanne Aita, a coach, a mother, and a 50 year old masters athlete in powerlifting & weightlifting, to discuss what she has done overtime in athletics as a coach and an athlete, and the type of woman you want to get to know plus:

Background in both sports of weightlifting and powerlifting.

How has your training developed and changed over time since you have gotten older?

Her Recovery Techniques: Tai chi. ART massage. Fish oil. ZMA. epsom salt baths. Ice. contrast showers. Acupuncture. Mobility. Stretching.

Her Injuries in Sports.

Her intense warm up.

Her Training Duration; How often & how long?

Jo asked me a question about my future in weightlifting.

Jo and Max in the backroom.

How Jo takes an athlete through the last few days of their weight cut.

Alyssa’s last 48 hours of weight cut.

Reconstitution after final weigh-ins. How long does it take to get rehydrated after a sauna or hot bath during your last few hours of a weight cut before you compete.

Why Pedialyte & not gatorade OR should I do both? What food should I eat?

Discovering your hashimoto’s. How has it impacted her life?

Her miscarriages due to Hashimoto’s autoimmune disease.

Jo Ann Aita

JTS Coach

Max’s Gym Coach & Co-owner

IG: @joannaita7 @maxsgym

For 1:1 Online Coaching 

https://www.jtsstrength.com/

For Max’s Gym & Team Aita

https://teamaita.com/

And to email me directly:

This episode is Sponsored by Renaissance Periodization use code alyssa10 to save on all their nutrition templates and their new diet app and to support this podcast and my journey as an athlete.

What topics on the podcasts would you like to hear more about? Let me know at: [email protected]

Kristi Brewer: “To me it comes down to what do you want more? I want weightlifting more than I want a social life, more than I want to watch tv--I haven't watched tv in 18 years. I want/need to lose 2lbs, more than I want that cake or cookie. It literally comes down to what you want more. Priorities. 

My biggest pet peeve is when people say “I don't have time.” Do you want to know who doesn't have time?” I don't have time.  I train to be an elite athlete, I have an autistic child, I have another child in sports and social life, my husband is a medical doctor he works 7:30am-7:30pm….so when people say they don’t have time. It literally comes down to what you want. You will make time for the people and things you want.”

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Kristi Brewer, A mom of two girls, a wife, a teacher through a pandemic, a part time CPA, an elite weightlifter, an all around badA in life, joins BSP CEO, Alyssa Ritchey, to discuss how she handles Kalea's autism, training for weightlifitng, hustling her kids to practices, her diet, plus:

Kristi’s story from pregnancy until present. 

From corporate America to being a mom to becoming a world class athlete.

How do you manage your emotions when your autistic daughter, Kalea, loses control?

Kalea’s autism.

Being an elite athlete and being a mom.

Time blocking.

Asking for help.

How does being a supermom transfer to being an athlete on the stage?

From Crossfit to weightlifting.

Age stigma. 

Body image.

Diet regimen.

Follow Kristi's Journey:

IG: @k_mighty

Auya

This episode is Sponsored by Renaissance Periodization use code alyssa10 to save on all their nutrition templates and their new diet app.

What topics on the podcasts would you like to hear more about? Let me know at: [email protected]

Chad Wesley Smith: “We are passionate about the Pursuit of Progress. Progress is never finished, we are never finished learning; never finished refining our methods; never finished progressing.”

Chad Smith, an all around athlete from collegiate track & field to powerlifter & strongman to Jiu Jitsu and now he uses weight training to stay healthy.  Chad, the CEO of Juggernaut Training Systems, joins BSP CEO, Alyssa Ritchey, to discuss his journey as an athlete, a business owner, and a coach.

His journey as an athlete

Developing Juggernaut Training Systems

Managing JTS through the current pandemic

Athlete Development

Well rounded training program

His weight loss journey & losing 100lbs

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www.alyssaritchey.com // be sure to click on the SHOP PAGE //

https://www.jupmodesupply.com/collections/alyssa-ritchey-frickin-strong

Instagram: @chadwesleysmith

Website: https://www.jtsstrength.com

Instagram: @juggernauttraining

Youtube: Juggernaut Training Systems

This episode is Sponsored by Renaissance Periodization use code alyssa10 to save on all their nutrition templates and their new diet app.

What topics on the podcasts would you like to hear more about? Let me know at: [email protected]

Lauren Goldenberg: "After I missed my first lift I decided to change my mindset. I am going to go out there and show them what a 56yr old woman that weighs 108lbs can do and I kept that mindset since…..I mean what do we have to lose at our age. We are out there to have fun, stay fit, and compete.”

58 year old, Lauren Goldenberg, has set the standard for the older aged women in the sport of weightlifting. In this episode Lauren joins BSP CEO, Alyssa Ritchey, to discuss how she has not let her age hold her back, plus:

Athletic History Growing Up

Competitive Mindset

How her training volume changes as she ages

How she keeps her body healthy with nutrition, supplements, and by using the proper recovery tactics

Limitations she experiences as she ages

How often she competes

Follow Lauren Goldenberg:

https://www.facebook.com/thefamilytraveler

https://www.instagram.com/lauren904g/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thethefamilytraveler/

This episode is Sponsored by Renaissance Periodization use code alyssa10 to save on all their nutrition templates and their new diet app.

What topics on the podcasts would you like to hear more about? Let me know at: [email protected]

Sam Dancer: “When we don't pay attention or abandon our body, we allow there to be space for something that doesn't belong, to reside in us.”

Sam Dancer, A division one collegiate football athlete and track & field at Western Illinois University, and the owner of QTown Fitness, joins BSP CEO, Alyssa Ritchey, to discuss how he healed his Hashimoto's, and other physical and mental stressors and symptoms he was/is dealing with, plus:

Looking healthy has nothing to do with internal health

Exercise is not the end all

Intuitive Eating

Why faith is the antidote to stress

Allowing yourself to feel your emotions

Follow Him:

IG: @samdancing

His Gym: @qtownfitness

This episode is Sponsored by Renaissance Periodization use code alyssa10 to save on all their nutrition templates and their new diet app.

What topics on the podcasts would you like to hear more about? Let me know at: [email protected]

A teacher, a mom, and elite weightlifter compete on a team at the @freshcoastfitfest competition and end the weekend with a third place finish. In this weeks episode on -The BittyStrong Podcast- we discuss the highlights, the struggles of the @freshcoastfitfest competition, and what we learned from them.

We also tap into a few other topics.

Keega, a new mom, shares with us her post-pregnancy journey; what it felt like to compete in her new body, and the discipline it took to prepare for a tough competition, and how she got her shredded six pack in less than one year after having her baby girl, Remy. [she is in the middle of the pic]

Betsy, the teacher, fears being in front of a big crowds competing, but decided to take charge and step into the arena with Team Ka-Pow. She talks about how she overcame her fear and the boost of confidence she gained after battling it out that day with Team Ka-Pow at The Fresh Coast Fitness.

Alyssa, the elite weightlifter, discusses the mental hurdles she overcame from only training a short 5 intense weeks for the competition and the difference between being in the back/on stage for a weightlifting competition to competing on the crossfit floor again on a team.

We end the conversation with the fire questions.

Get Your Diet Under Control with Renaissance Periodization use code ALYSSA10 to get a discount.

Follow Keega:

@Keegaram

Follow Betsy:

@Eabowen92

Follow Alyssa:

@alyssaritchey1

Listen on iTunes, Audioboom, and Spotify.

I am talking with Ryan Garcia, a Marine who has owned his Crossfit gym for 7 years since April 2013. Ryan shares how the corona virus has greatly impacted his gym and how he has kept it thriving in these challenging times. Ryan reveals how he prepared his father for his 6th consecutive Boston Marathon using Crossfit.

His Gym:

https://wildhorizonscrossfit.com

Follow Ryan Garcia:

@Ryanidas23