Varied Not Random

-Matt Janin is the owner of Spark CrossFit, located in Perth, Australia.
-His gym has only been open for 6 months.
-After struggling to find his path in the world & coaching for a few years, he decided to follow his passion & open his own gym.
-His coaching philosophy is heavily focused on longevity, moving well, and teaching people how to be consistent and listen to their bodies rather than just redlining every single workout.
-Pat & Boz discuss the highs & lows of being a gym owner with Matt.

-EC Synkowski just wrote & published a book entitled “A Good Nutrition Book”.
-She & Pat discuss why she decided to write it.
-What makes finding the truth about food so difficult.
-Why consistency is key.
-Which diet is the best?
-Pat & EC discuss this topic & many more.

-DJ is the owner of CrossFit Escondido in San Diego, CA. 
-He originally bought the gym with a partner, but now he is the sole owner.
-The gym had some areas in the community/culture/vibe that were causing issues & needed to be addressed once he took over.
-He never intended to be a trainer or gym owner, but life led him down this path. 
-As it turns out, coaching & owning a gym are his true callings. 
-Pat & Adrian discussed this journey with DJ.

-Brett Stuckey & his wife Corey are 1 of the 7 owners of CrossFit Seabright in Santa Cruz, Ca.
-His wife was a member of this gym, under the previous owner, when she learned the gym was going to close.
-She brought up the idea that they should buy it with a group of other members.
-They decided to give it a shot & took over the gym in January of 2026
-Pat & Adrian discussed this journey with Brett.

-Pa'ana Alapai is the owner of CrossFit Waipi`o on the island of Oahu.
-She purchased the gym in 2018.
-As a new gym owner she needed to create the gym culture they wanted. 
-She learned how to run the business, how to treat people & make the gym feel like a family.
-Pat & Adrian discuss these topics with Pa'ana.

-What programs, fads, exercises or events perhaps acted as a gateway for people to try CrossFit?
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-Dan is the owner of King William District CrossFit.
-In this episode Pat & Adrian discuss all aspects of his experience as a CrossFit affiliate owner.

-People quit various fitness programs for a wide variety of reasons.
-Pat & Adrian give their opinions on why they believe some people might quit doing CrossFit.

-Pam started off doing CrossFit for 6 years & then fell in love with powerlifting.
-She is 68 years old & holds American Records for the Squat, Bench Press & Deadlift. She also holds a couple of World Records as well.
-She tells us about her fitness journey, lessons learned & what it takes to get strong.

-In Part 2 of this lighthearted series Pat & Boz give their answers to the final 10 of 20 fun, CrossFit related questions ranging from the hardest workout they’ve ever done to one CrossFit myth they wish would die.

-In Part 1 of this lighthearted episode Pat & Boz give their answers to the first 10 of 20 fun, CrossFit related questions ranging from the hardest workout they’ve ever done to one CrossFit myth they wish would die.

-A VNR listener wants to know why so many CrossFit gyms seem to program a heavy lift followed by another workout instead of simply doing one workout a day.
-Pat & Boz discuss this topic.

-How much fitness do you really need?
-How heavy of a back squat is required for real life?
-How many pull-ups do most people need to accomplish normal tasks?
-How fast of a mile is necessary for everyday living?
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-VNR listener Beck wants to know, “How many machines does a garage gym need?”
-He has a C2 rower, but recently has been trying to decide if he should get a ski erg and/or an air runner?
-He lives in a very hot environment & says the space in his garage gym is somewhat limited, so he is not taking this decision lightly.
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-Someone on Reddit asked the question, “Is Intensity a Lie?”
-They said that it seems Intensity is the defining characteristic of what makes CrossFit truly CrossFit.
-They also said it seems that CrossFitters care more about intensity than other things like movement quality.
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-Jeff wants to know how he can convince his friends & family to work out with him.
-He has lots of people in his life that are battling health issues & he would like to get them on a better path.
-The problem is that everyone thinks CrossFit is too hard & crazy.
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-A VNR listener wants recommendations for ensuring their garage gym equipment lasts as long as possible.
-At the end of the show a funny social media meme about CrossFit is shared.
-Pat & Adrian discuss these topics.

-Matteo is a CrossFit Level 3 Trainer. He is a full time coach. In addition to coaching he is an instrumental part of CrossFit Linchpin & has helped create several Varied Not Random cycles. 
-In this episode Matteo discusses how he would manage a typical one hour class when the workout of the day is classic heavy day.
-Pat discussed this topic with Matteo.

-Two topics are tackled today.
-What can Gym owners learn from Garage Gym athletes?
-How can modern day CrossFit gyms recapture the “fun & less structured” feeling of the earlier years of CrossFit?
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-Zone 2 training is a form of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise performed at roughly 60-70% of your maximum heart rate.
-It is usually performed by running, biking or rowing for at least 45 minutes.
-This training emphasizes aerobic metabolism, where your body primarily burns fat for fuel while building mitochondrial efficiency, capillary density, and overall endurance.
-It has become a popular topic of discussion in the CrossFit community, but is it necessary to include in your training?
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-Strict Pull-ups are a foundational, yet highly challenging movement.
-In this episode Pat & Adrian discuss why building a base of strict pull-ups is important, as well as how many pull-ups is considered a “base”.
-They also offer various methods to get your first strict pull-up or get more.

-Mark is a CrossFit trainer & his CFL1 is about to expire.
-He coaches at a local gym a couple of times each month.
-He loves coaching & wants to improve, but feels he cannot justify the cost of a CFL1 or CFL2.
-Mark wants to know how someone should approach certifications vs continuing to learn & improve on one’s own time.
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-Pat is doing some self-experimentation this year. His goal is to do a 72-hour water-only fast once every 4 months.
-He did his first one in January 2026.
-He just completed his second one in May, his final one for the year will take place in September.
-This time Pat says it was a relatively easy experience to not eat for 3 days.
-He approached a couple of elements differently this time, perhaps this made the difference.
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-A VNR listener wants to know if doing the CrossFit Hero workout “Murph” still counts if he has never used a weight vest.
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic as well as “Murph prep”.

-Pat recently attended a CrossFit Level 2 Seminar.
-This involves two days of instruction as well as lots of real time coaching of athletes.
-Participants are evaluated by CrossFit staff & given feedback necessary to improve.
-Pat discusses this experience with Adrian.

-Matteo is a CrossFit Level 3 Trainer. He is a full time coach. In addition to coaching he is an instrumental part of CrossFit Linchpin & has helped create several Varied Not Random cycles. 
-In this episode Matteo discusses how he would manage a typical one hour class when the workout of the day is very short, like “Grace”.
-Pat & Adrian discuss this topic with Matteo.

-Pat & Adrian discuss a Reddit thread entitled, “What's something you want your box to know that you can't imagine sharing to their face?”
-Five of the most upvoted topics are covered in today’s show.

-Diogo Monteiro is the owner of CrossFit Black Edition.
-He & his wife started this gym over 9 years ago with the intention of making it a special place.
-Over the years they have created a top notch training facility with a strong, inclusive culture.
-In this episode Pat & Adrian talk with Diogo about what makes a gym successful, how to create systems that work & lessons he has learned along the way.

-Adrian & his wife decided to do a 72 hour fast.
-At this time of this recording, Adrian had about 6 hours left before it ended.
-These are his real thoughts & experiences about the experience. 

-People will often do a workout, & then repeat that “same” workout months later.
-This is a fair comparison if all elements of the workout remain the same each time.
-However, what often happens is an athlete will use a heavier loading the second time & then be disappointed if/when they do not beat their previous score.
-Comparison is a useful tool, but it is also the thief of joy.
-In this episode Pat & Adrian discuss this scenario.

-People seem to have endless excuses as to why they don’t work out.
-We’ve looked at the Top 10 most common excuses people use as to why they can’t work out & see if they are valid.
-This episode covers excuses 6 through 10 on the list. Last week’s show covered excuses 1-5.

-People seem to have endless excuses as to why they don’t work out.
-We’ve looked at the Top 10 most common excuses people use as to why they can’t work out & see if they are valid.
-This episode covers excuses 1 through 5 on the list. Next week’s show will cover excuses 6-10.

-Danny is 5 feet & 7 inches tall.
-He excels at pull-ups & burpees.
-His back squat & deadlift numbers are excellent.
-Movements like wall balls & rowing are very difficult for him.
-He is frustrated because he cannot change his height & feels these movements will always be a struggle.
-Pat & Adrian discuss these issues.

-What makes a movement “functional”?
-Are movements like snatches, handstand push-ups & double-unders functional?
-Are movements such as these necessary to be fit?
-Pat & Adrian discuss these issues.

-Most of us work physically harder in the gym than we do in the real world.
-The workouts we do in the gym ideally allow us to do difficult things outside of the gym.
-Pat & Adrian discuss real life applications of their fitness.

-Joel is a 50 year old dad with 2 kids. He works from home full time & he is EXHAUSTED.
-He works out at his local gym at 5am five times a week.
-His sleep quality is poor & his sleep quantity is low.
-His nutrition needs work.
-He feels stuck & like he is no longer making progress in the gym.
-He uses a wearable health/fitness tracker that constantly tells him he needs more rest.
-Joel is asking Pat & Boz to help him navigate this phase of life.

-Annie Thorisdottir is widely known for being a Two time Champion at the CrossFit Games. She is also much more than that.
-In this episode Pat talks with Annie about her fitness journey through the lens of motherhood.
-Annie is a mother of two small children & she is pregnant with her 3rd.
-She has gone from spending all day in the gym enduring multiple training sessions to working out one hour a day.
-Annie is open & honest about the physical, mental & emotional lessons she has learned along the way.

-20 years ago Pat & Adrian did not know each other, but they attended the same CrossFit Level 1 seminar.
-With two decades in the rearview mirror they reflect on how & why that experience was so impactful.

-Pat decided to do a 72-hour fast.
-During this time he only consumed water, black coffee & sea salt.
-Pat discusses why he chose to do this, how he felt both physically & mentally, as well as whether or not he would do it again.
-Pat & Adrian discuss this.

-Pat Wynne placed 5th at the 2025 CrossFit Games in the 70+ Division.
-While she did not participate in athletics growing up, she has always been competitive.
-She found fitness through step classes & workout DVDs, before eventually falling in love with CrossFit.
-After beginning CrossFit in 2010 at age 55 she trained relentlessly until achieving her goal of qualifying for the CrossFit Games in 2025.
-This is her story.