The CrossFit Podcast

Dr. Nick (aka The Fittest Doc) joins Jocelyn Rylee to unpack how CrossFit shaped his approach to medicine. They dig into lifestyle versus pharmaceuticals, the role of identity in lasting change, and why doctors need to prioritize their own health.

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Community Highlight

The Phoenix is built on one idea: recovery is stronger in community.

Since 2006, they’ve reached nearly a million people impacted by substance use and mental health challenges — and CrossFit has become their most popular program. More than 100,000 people have found sobriety and support through Phoenix CrossFit classes, with 83% staying sober beyond the three-month mark.

We spoke with Gavin Young, a Phoenix leader and longtime CrossFit athlete in recovery, who shared how daily progress in training — one more rep, one more pound, one more second — becomes a cornerstone in rebuilding lives.

From Boston to Denver to Philadelphia, The Phoenix is proving what’s possible when fitness meets recovery: a resilient community built on hope, accountability, and shared struggle — one workout at a time.

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This marks the seventh episode of a special CrossFit Podcast collaboration with the CrossFit Medical Society. 

Olympian and Power Monkey Fitness co-founder Dave Durante joins the CrossFit Podcast to talk about the transition from elite competition to lifelong fitness. After representing the U.S. in gymnastics at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Dave discovered CrossFit, and it changed his life.

He shares how CrossFit helped him stay healthy and strong beyond his competitive years, the story behind Power Monkey Camp, and why gymnastics remains one of the best foundations for athleticism at any age.

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Community Highlight

After two decades studying cancer genetics, Dr. Jennifer Beebe-Dimmer wanted to give patients something they could act on today. That’s how the CAPABLE program was born, a free, 12-week, CrossFit-based intervention for cancer survivors.

Coached by Level 1 trainers, participants train three times a week and complete pre- and post-testing for strength, conditioning, and biomarkers. Since 2019, more than 275 people have gone through the program, most of whom had never done anything like it before.

The results speak for themselves: significant improvements in quality of life, body composition, sleep, and A1C, with cognitive function up next.

Beebe-Dimmer calls CrossFit the “secret sauce,” not just for the workouts, but for the coaching and community that keep people coming back.“

When I look back at my career, this will be the most meaningful thing I’ve done.”

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You’ve probably heard of the workout CHAD1000X (1,000 weighted step-ups for time) and The Step Up Foundation – the organization using fitness to raise awareness for mental health and veteran suicide prevention. 

In this episode, we get to know the selfless leader behind both: Sara Wilkinson. After losing her husband, Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson, to suicide in 2018, Sara turned grief into purpose, creating a global movement that’s brought thousands together each year to honor his legacy and support others who are struggling.

She opens up about what it means to carry grief, how community heals, and the importance of looking people in the eye and asking, “How are you, really?”

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Community Highlight

Cory and Sara Fulana don’t just run two gyms — they run on purpose.

At Silk City CrossFit and CrossFit Hartford, service is part of the workout. Every month, they rally their community for something bigger — suicide awareness events with Uplift, women’s WODs supporting local female-owned businesses, Toys for Tots drives, marathon rows for the Boys and Girls Club, and Hero WODs that honor those who have served.

Their question is always the same: How can we give back?

Because for Cory and Sara, CrossFit isn’t just about fitness — it’s about using strength to serve others.

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CrossFit CEO Don Faul and Affiliate Council Chair Zia Rohrbaugh join host James Hobart for a pulse check on what’s happening across the company and the community. They discuss the role of CrossFit HQ and CrossFit affiliates, the importance of the CrossFit brand for affiliates, and how to support international communities.

Stay till the end to hear from special guests Troy Peterson of ValorFit and Mike Egan, as they preview their plans for Veterans Day. 

Support Mike in his effort to break a world record and raise money for ValorFit HERE.

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“Forging Elite Fitness®” has been part of the CrossFit brand since 2003. And now, it’s representing CrossFit front and center once again after a few years of lurking behind the scenes. But what does it really mean? And what doesn’t it mean? And why are we bringing it back? 

In this show, Denise Thomas is joined by Nicole Carroll, Craig Howard, and Jocelyn Rylee to unpack the phrase that debuted its revival tour this week in our new “Forging Elite Fitness” video and accompanying article. They’ll talk about where the misunderstanding often lies: Is it only about Games athletes? Is “elite” too aggressive? Or does it perfectly capture what CrossFit does for anyone who walks through the door, from grandparents to Games competitors?

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Dr. Fatty Acid, the viral creator behind @When_Nerds_Teach, joins Denise Thomas for a refreshingly honest conversation about finding CrossFit, battling fatty liver disease, navigating Wegovy, and rediscovering strength. A lifelong teacher, she talks about humor, vulnerability, and learning to love movement for what it gives, not how it looks.

Topics Included

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Community Highlight

At just 16, Harrison Kennedy is already competing at the highest levels of CrossFit, but his story is about more than training.

After facing mental health struggles, Harrison found purpose again at CrossFit Delta Fox in northern England, a gym partnered with The 180 Project, which helps people rebuild their lives after prison, addiction, or trauma.

Now he’s giving back, coaching younger athletes and showing them the same thing CrossFit showed him: that community and hard work can change everything.

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James Hobart, Adrian Conway, and Craig Howard discuss competition within the fitness world. They share their perspectives on the role of rivals and how it impacts their community. The conversation explores both external competition and healthy rivalry among affiliates.

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This marks the sixth episode of a special CrossFit Podcast collaboration with the CrossFit Medical Society. 

CrossFit affiliates are the force transforming how the healthcare system operates.

Zia Rohrbaugh of CrossFit Counter Culture and Josh Plosker of Invictus Boston have turned their gyms into full-service “health homes,” offering blood panels, IV therapy, and access to Community Care health plans — all built around CrossFit’s foundational principles.

In this conversation, Jocelyn Rylee explores how affiliates bring these systems to life, how members save money through HSA and FSA programs, and what it means for the future of CrossFit and community-based healthcare.

TOPICS INCLUDED

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Community Highlight

In 2011, Jaeho Woo discovered CrossFit as a college athlete in Seoul. What started as training for basketball became a lifelong passion — one that eventually took him to the most remote place on Earth.

After serving in the Korean military and coaching CrossFit, Jaeho opened an affiliate in Seoul — then shipped 500 lb of equipment to Antarctica to found the first CrossFit affiliate on the continent.

For 10 months, he’s coached his 18-person crew in a tiny gym surrounded by glaciers. When the endless dark set in and isolation hit hard, Jaeho kept showing up — knocking on doors, reminding his teammates: When you train together, you feel better, and you’re never alone.

As he prepares to leave Antarctica, Jaeho’s message is simple: Isolation is real. Resilience comes from connection. Wherever you are, don’t go it alone.

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Are the CrossFit Games CrossFit? 

How does the test for the Fittest on Earth fit into the grand scheme of CrossFit as a brand? 
Where are the pain points and synergies between the tip of the spear and the rest of the community? 
The sport expression of CrossFit is a vital one, but how is it best incorporated into the brand so it serves the entire CrossFit ecosystem?  

James Hobart, Dave Castro, and special guest Seth Page discuss this relationship and where they see the Games contributing to or detracting from the CrossFit brand.

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This marks the fifth episode of a special CrossFit Podcast collaboration with the CrossFit Medical Society. 

Calley Means is a former food and pharma lobbyist turned healthcare reform advocate. He co-authored “Good Energy” with his sister, Dr. Casey Means, and co-founded TrueMed, a company working to make root-cause health solutions like exercise and nutrition eligible for HSA/FSA dollars. 

In this conversation, Calley explains why our healthcare model is built to manage disease instead of preventing it, how CrossFit and lifestyle interventions are effective, and what policies and cultural shifts could finally turn the tide against chronic illness.

Topics Covered

Resources Mentioned

Community Highlight

Nick Johnson founded CrossFit Liminal, a nonprofit affiliate outside Atlanta serving one of the most diverse refugee communities in the U.S. What started in his garage with five members from Syria and Nepal, has grown into programs for Afghan women, refugee youth training for free, and community events like “Ruck for Refugees.”

As Nick puts it: “Trauma gets you out of your body. CrossFit gets you back in it.”

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