This week I made it back to Gym Jones with my old coach and mentor Rob Maximus McDonald. If you don’t already know, this is the guy that coached us (Hack’s Pack) to win back to back affiliate cup championships. He was a UFC fighter and is now the general manager of the Iron Cult Gym Jones in Salt Lake City.
This week we interview 2x Crossfit Games Athlete, Rory Zambard. Having been active in the Crossfit community for the last 10 years she gives us a break down her experience with the evolution and development of Crossfit as a sport. We discuss the intricate role that Crossfit has played in her life, both as a competitor and as a tool for personal growth. Also, how it continues to play a role in her life and the various stages that are encountered when identifying as a Crossfit Athlete or Coach. Enjoy the Show.
This week I interviewed Andre Labbe in New Orleans, LA. Andre has been a rehab specialist and a strength and conditioning coach for the past 20+ years and has worked with numerous college and professional programs for the development and maintenance of their athletes. Most recently he was the Physical Therapist for the New Orleans Saints and college teams such as LSU. We talk about how to “bulletproof” yourself and/or your athletes. Enjoy the show!
This week we interview Lucas Parker, Canada’s most beloved lumberjack. Topics covered include; his training evolution over the last few years, what he has learned from his many appearances at The Crossfit Games, how to deal with emotional distress, what goes into being one of the most calm and collected individuals out on the competition floor, and also how to prepare both mentally and physically for practically anything that is thrown your way.
Coach Hatch is arguably the most successful weightlifting coach in the nation. NFL Record Holders, NBA Superstars, Olympians in several different sports… He’s coached ’em all. I met him in 2012, after we had won the Crossfit Games for the first time. He immediately instilled in me the fact that you NEVER sacrifice technique for added weight. His gym is a factory for developing dynamic strength, power, and speed. He is an incredible story teller and even better coach. Enjoy the show.
Since beginning to work with Jason Khalipa in 2013, Chris Hinshaw has quickly become regarded as the most successful endurance coach in the sport of Crossfit. In the 2014 Games he worked with over two dozen individual Games athletes. He works with athletes such as Rich Froning, Camille Leblanc-Bazinet, Mat Fraser, Lindsey Valenzuela, etc. All the best in other words.
I met Rob McDonald (Bobby Maximus) in 2011 as he programmed for our team the first year I went to the Crossfit Games. He also trained two individuals that year, Tommy Hackenbruck and Taylor Richards-Lindsey. We were a hard working group if nothing else. However, when Rob would show up to train us on occasion, I remember thinking that every workout was the hardest one I’d ever done. He communicates with athletes in a way that pushes them to their limits, and he is good at finding each person’s buttons.
This week Drew Canavero and I interviewed Jim McDonald, the creator and producer of SuperTraining TV and Mark Bell’s PowerCast. Jim has been the man behind the scenes of one of the nation’s most famous gyms for a while now. We talk about the evolution of the fitness industry and specifically how his gym feels about Crossfit athletes.
This week’s interview is my most technical yet, but for good reason. Dave Bradley, owner of i99fit has worked with elite level gymnasts for years. He answers some of the most frequently asked questions amongst Crossfit athletes. “How do I get better at muscle ups?” “How do I learn to walk on my hands?” “I know lots of drills, but I don’t know what order to do them in…” He goes over progressions for the two sexiest movements in Crossfit: The Muscle Up and the Handstand Pushup. He goes over detailed descriptions of form, drills, and progressions. Dave is a true coach. He is passionate about teaching and is a phenomenal motivator. He shares with me what he thinks are the most important traits of a good coach and how to become better.
Obviously watching any of the weight loss shows such as “Biggest Loser” and “Extreme Weight Loss” are impressive and inspiring. I had honestly never paid much attention to the people’s actual stories. I had a naïve, almost mean view of people that were extremely overweight. I thought they were just lazy, weak people that chose not to put the fork down. Then I watched Bruce Pitcher’s episode of Extreme Weight Loss, and I couldn’t have been more wrong.
