Red Wolf CrossFit - Pack Mentality

Brittney has been a member at Red Wolf for five years, so we brought her on the podcast to talk about her experience.

We get into how she got started, her fitness journey over the last five years, and what she's learned along the way.

We also talk about something almost everyone struggles with: finding the time to work out when life gets busy and getting yourself to the gym when motivation is low.

Brittney shares what she'd tell someone who's been putting off getting started or having a hard time sticking with...

What happens when you show up to one of the biggest CrossFit competitions in Southern California sick and running a fever?

In this episode Coach Aaron joins me to break down his experience competing Gymreapers Wodapalooza SoCal.

We talk about the challenges of competing while sick, how personalized 1:1 coaching helped prepare his athletes for the competition, and why individualized coaching can make such a big difference in performance.

We also share our biggest takeaways from the weekend, what we liked, what could have been better, and Aaron's...

Red Wolf member Lisa joins us to share her fitness journey and her experience at Gymreapers WZA SoCal. We talk about what led her to take on the competition, what she learned along the way, and how training at Red Wolf helped her feel prepared. It’s a conversation about challenging yourself, building confidence, and putting your hard work to the test.

Joshee P., owner of CrossFit Anaheim, joins us to share how the Gymreapers WZA Gym Tour got started and talk about life as a gym owner. We also go behind the scenes of Gymreapers WZA SoCal, exploring the media production, planning, and work that goes into capturing the event.

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Ashley, a mom of three and longtime Red Wolf member, joins us to talk about making time for herself through motherhood. She shares what first brought her to Red Wolf, what keeps her coming back, and her experience in Coach Caitlin’s postpartum program. We also explore personal growth, lessons that carry over into parenting, and her advice for other moms thinking about joining.

How did Gill go from getting into CrossFit to owning CrossFit Papio in Omaha, Nebraska? We get into her story, her experience running the gym, and what it was like volunteering at Gymreapers Wodapalooza for the first time.

Caitlin joins us to recap Gymreapers WZA SoCal! We talk about what she thought of the event, how we prepared at the gym, and our impressions of the competition overall. Plus, we highlight standout Red Wolf performances and look ahead to what’s next.

Coach Aaron joins Matt to talk about the habits that helped him lose 40 pounds over the last year. No magic fix or extreme plan, just cutting out alcohol, getting serious about protein, and showing up to train consistently.

They also get into why the hours outside the gym matter just as much as the workout itself, how to make healthier food something you actually want to eat, and why small choices add up over time. If you’re trying to get back on track or build a routine you can actually stick with, this one’s fo...

Gymreapers Wodapalooza SoCal brings 30,000 people and 1,500 athletes to the Huntington Beach Pier this September and Matt Banwart has a front-row seat to all of it.

He's owned Red Wolf CrossFit on Beach Boulevard since 2012, and he breaks down what the festival actually looks like from the sand, plus why the gym everyone assumes is for hardcore competitors is mostly busy parents squeezing in an hour before work.

What you'll learn:

- What the Gymreapers Wodapalooza SoCal festival is, why HB beat out every other SoCal beach town for it, and what spectators can...

In this episode of Pack Mentality, we sit down with Jen to explore her inspiring transition from yoga to CrossFit. Jen opens up about the initial intimidation of trying something new, and the breakthrough moment she achieved her first bar muscle-up in just 19 minutes of one-on-one coaching.

Key Takeaways:

•Jen’s shift from yoga to CrossFit for better muscle development.

•Overcoming the fear of new movements and celebrating major milestones like the bar muscle-up.

•The "best of seven" philosophy for staying consistent in the gym.

•How the su...

Every gym can write the same workout on the whiteboard, but not every gym gets the same results.

In this episode, Coach Aaron pulls back the curtain on the coaching decisions members rarely see: scaling, movement corrections, confidence building, injury modifications, accountability, and the small adjustments that add up to life-changing progress.

If you’ve ever wondered what you’re really paying for when you join a gym, this episode has the answer.

For years, the "perfect" plan was the plan I never actually started. The perfect meal prep, the perfect program, the perfect Monday morning reset all of it was just a comfortable way to avoid the fear of failing.

In this episode, we get honest about why chasing perfection in fitness isn't discipline, it's procrastination dressed up in a spreadsheet.

I break down the psychology behind analysis paralysis, why your brain rewards planning with a dopamine hit even when nothing gets done, and how the obsession with getting it right is the very thing keeping you...

Caitlin unpacks the truth about training splits for busy, high-stress adults. If you’re struggling to balance work, family, and fitness, the traditional Monday-Wednesday-Friday routine might actually be holding you back.

Caitlin breaks down the two most effective strategies for real-world progress: the flexible "Opportunity-Driven" approach and the structured "4 Days On, 1 Day Off" split. We discuss why you need to start "banking" your workouts to prepare for life's inevitable interruptions, the crucial role of momentum in building strength, and why working out only two to three times a week makes progress incredibly difficult.

Matt welcomes Abdul, coach and gym owner to the podcast for an open conversation about life, fitness, and the habits that hold us back. Drawing from his hands-on experience on the floor and behind the business, Abdul shares his perspective on the fitness world, the common mistakes both clients and gym owners make, and practical advice for anyone looking to sharpen their health and mindset.

In a rare role reversal, Joshee P. takes over the mic to interview usual host Matt Banwart about his fourteen-year journey as a gym owner. Matt opens up about his early hiring failures and the pivotal shift toward prioritizing personality and hospitality over technical certifications, sharing how his wife’s fine-dining background helped shape their gym's unique culture.

The conversation dives deep into the logistics of their massive community-led gym move and Matt’s behind-the-scenes experiences at Gymreapers Wodapalooza. Together, they discuss the future and the mission to bring back the "golden era" festival vibe for Gymreapers Woda...

The internet is increasingly pushing the idea that people are powerless over their weight, claiming obesity is almost entirely biology, discipline is an illusion, and hunger always wins.

While biology, hormones, sleep, stress, medications, and environment absolutely influence behavior, influence is not the same as control. The problem with this messaging is that it often turns awareness into helplessness, causing people to stop believing change is possible before they even try.

Fat loss is difficult, but humans are uniquely capable of building habits, creating structure, managing their environment, and overriding impulses over time. The most...

Ever notice how two people can do the exact same workout, in the exact same class, and six months later one gets amazing results while the other barely changes?

Most people think it’s genetics.

Sometimes it is.

Most of the time it’s everything happening outside the gym.

In this episode, we talk about why the workout starts before the workout, why having a goal matters, why being exhausted isn’t the same thing as making progress, and why recovery might be the most important part of training.

The pe...

Most people think unhealthy and unfit people fail because they don’t know what to do.

That’s usually not true.

The #1 pattern I notice over and over is they spend more energy trying to avoid the work than actually doing the work.

They’re constantly looking for a way around discomfort instead of through it. The problem is your body adapts to what you repeatedly avoid.

If you constantly avoid hard things, eventually your entire life becomes harder.

In thi...

Most people think aging is just about getting older, but a huge percentage of what we call “aging” is lifestyle stacking against people every single day. In this episode I break down the biggest things speeding people up physically and mentally: excess body fat, processed food, poor sleep, stress, inactivity, muscle loss, alcohol, sugar, all of it and why almost everything funnels back to inflammation, insulin resistance, and losing muscle.

I used to think I worked hard.

Then I almost died at 20 and realized I had no idea what hard actually was.

In this episode I talk about how that experience changed the way I look at effort, pressure, business, training, and life in general. We get into why environment matters so much, why some people are driven by winning while others are driven by not losing, and why I honestly think hating to lose has been one of the biggest advantages in my life.

I also talk about why I work the...

Hey something was on my mind and I wanted to share it with you

I talked to someone recently who has been training for years. He shows up, works hard, and does what he thinks he is supposed to do. He still feels stuck.

That conversation got me thinking.

A lot of people are putting in effort and spinning their wheels. They are showing up, sweating, and checking the box, but they are not actually moving forward.

In this episode, I talk about why that happens and why the environment you...

Before diving into the main topic, Caitlin shares a candid recap of her experience competing at Wodapalooza in Miami… battlng through a severe ankle sprain and torrential rain to secure a 22nd place finish. Then, they break down the three essential "shortcuts" to 10x your fitness faster: getting around the right people, cutting out the noise of social media trends, and keeping your routine simple and consistent. If you are tired of making excuses and ready to embrace the discomfort required for real change, this episode is your blueprint. Everyone says the "boring basics" is the ultimate key to su...

You already know what works.

Eat better. Train consistently. Stay disciplined.

So why are you still in the same place?

In this episode, I break down a real conversation with a 25 year old who has spent nearly a decade trying to change and is still stuck. Not because he doesn’t know what to do, but because nothing around him has actually changed.

Same environment. Same habits. Same outcomes.

We get into the real reason people don’t progress, and...

Everyone sees the new building. Third location. Thirteen years in. What they don’t see is the five years before it, knowing we were going to move and choosing patience anyway. Not upgrading a space we wouldn’t stay in. Every dollar strategic. Every “not yet” intentional. In this episode, I break down why we really moved, the pressure behind it, and why sometimes the hardest and smartest move is holding the line until the right time.

If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to simplify things, we have a ton of free resources, guides...

This episode is a full reflection on Caitlin’s 2025. The proudest moments, the toughest challenges, and the lessons that reshaped how she approaches coaching, competing, and life.

We start by unpacking one of the biggest questions in health and fitness: why people struggle to stay consistent. From lack of time and motivation to fear, cost, and social pressure, we break down the most common real-world barriers to healthy habits and why understanding them matters more than willpower alone.

Then we dive into Caitlin’s year.

Coaching:

Th...

Kids say funny stuff. But every now and then they drop truth bombs that make you rethink how you’re moving through life. In this episode, Lily talks about snacks, family, bravery, fitness, God, love, and why adults need to be kinder and stronger. It’s hilarious, pure, and way wiser than it should be. If you’re a parent, this one hits. If you’re not, it’ll make you want to call yours.

Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Search “red wolf crossfit - pack mentality”

Why What You’re Doing Isn’t Working

If your “plan” is showing up and doing whatever, you’re rolling dice. Random workouts create random results. That’s why people grind for months, feel smoked, and look exactly the same.

What Changes If You Do This Instead

In 60 minutes, you can keep muscle, stay lean and recover fast enough to do it again tomorrow. No burnout. No guessing.

Exactly How It Works

Two simple templates:

Busy adult (3–4 days/week): wa...

Everyone says they want progress.

Almost no one wants what progress actually brings.

In this episode, we break a dangerous myth in fitness and life:

That things are supposed to get easier.

They’re not.

We unpack the Fitness Flywheel:

• Why workouts get harder as you improve

• Why new problems showing up means you’re winning

• How fitness quietly upgrades your sleep, nutrition, confidence, and standards

• Why most people quit right before the flywheel really starts worki...

Will walked into Red Wolf as a 220-lb powerlifter who could squat 500 lbs… and crawl through a 12-minute mile. His doctor literally told him to “start working out” while he was already training 5x/week. Cholesterol was trash, endurance was zero, and CrossFit had a very bad reputation in his world.

In this episode of Pack Mentality, we break down how Will went from “strong but stuck” to shredded, fitter, and healthier. He talks about how he dropped 20 lbs and a huge chunk of body fat while only losing 5–10 lbs off his big lifts.

We also get int...

Most gyms hand you a waiver and a prayer. Red Wolf hands you a plan.

In this episode, we break down how Red Wolf turns overwhelmed, confused beginners into confident, stronger, leaner athletes using a proven system. You’ll hear exactly how the 6-Week Ramp-Up Program delivers clarity, structure, and real results backed by data, stories, and a process that actually works. If you’re tired of guessing, tired of starting over, and tired of zero progress…this is the roadmap you’ve been missing.

What You’ll Take Away

-Why most gyms fail you...

What kind of coach would rather never do conditioning again than stop lifting heavy?

In this episode of Pack Mentality, Matt sits down with Coach Aaron to dig into his no-BS philosophy on strength, coaching, and why most people stay stuck for years in the same spot.

You’ll hear them go from fun rapid-fire “this or that” (lifting vs conditioning, squats vs deadlifts, no music vs only country 🤢) into the deeper stuff:

Most people have a system problem.

Matt breaks down the exact framework Red Wolf uses to turn average into EPIC.

Effort. Patterns. Individualize. Calibration.

If your results are average, your effort probably is too.

If your patterns suck, your progress will too.

And if you’re still guessing instead of calibrating… that’s why you’re stuck.

Learn how to train with intention, build systems that compound, and connect effort to results.

In this heartwarming episode of Pack Mentality, Matt sits down with Red Wolf veteran Karina a mother of three, a preschool teacher, and a proud CrossFitter for over nine years. From humble beginnings as a young immigrant figuring out life in a new country, Karina opens up about the challenges she faced, the fears she overcame, and how fitness became her anchor through it all.

You’ll hear how her first CrossFit workout (spoiler: it was Murph) nearly crushed her but instead, it lit a fire. She talks about battling intimidation, building confidence one lift at a ti...

In this episode, I break down the three supplements I swear by for stress, recovery, and better sleep, especially if you’re juggling your career, parenting, and CrossFit.

These aren’t magic pills but they will help your nervous system chill, your body recover, and your brain shut off when it needs to.

If you’re constantly tired, wired, or feel like you’re doing everything right but still not recovering… this episode is for you.

Disclaimer: This isn’t medical advice. Always talk to your doctor before starting any supplement especially if you’re on me...

Most people quit because their systems can’t support their goals. Matt and Caitlin unpack why your daily routine, recovery habits, and environment dictate whether you stay consistent or crash. This episode shows how to build systems that carry you when motivation disappears.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to identify the early signs of burnout before it kills your progress

• Why “feeling ready” is a trap and how to take action even when you’re not motivated

• Simple systems to build consistency when life feels chaotic

• The difference between willpower, momentu...

Detox teas. Booty bands. “2 workouts a week is enough.” Welcome to Instagram Fitness, where fake coaches sell PDFs, ex-Games athletes rebrand CrossFit, and quick fixes run wild.

In this episode, we cut through the BS and talk about what actually works.

• Fake Insta Coaches: Zero experience, just shredded bodies and copy-paste programs.

• Quick Fix Culture: “Abs in 7 days” scams that burn people out instead of building them up.

• The 2–3 Days/Week Myth: Why beginner advice keeps you stuck if you never progress.

• Ex-Games Athletes Selling “Non-CrossFit” CrossFit: The hypocrisy of blami...

Coach Kim returns to Pack Mentality after two years and everything has changed. In this raw and honest episode, she opens up about feeling stuck, overtraining, and the moment she realized doing more wasn’t the answer.

Now, after fully committing to individualized programming, investing in a physiology coach, and finally learning to train with intention, she’s seeing growth on the leaderboard and in life.

Inside this episode:

• How focusing on less led to faster progress

• Why her 3rd-place finish at Bridgetown meant more than any PR

• The shift from...

Christian holds a B.S. in Nutrition & Dietetics (Clemson), a Master’s in Kinesiology (Cal State Fullerton, biomolecular exercise phys lab), is a CF-L1 since 2017, and was mentored by Dr. Andy Galpin. He’s the founder of Sherpa Frontier, a physiology-first coaching company for elite athletes and high performers.

What we cover (fast, actionable, no fluff):

-Physiology-First: Why principles beat methods and how to pull the right levers (nutrition, sleep, training, blood sugar, recovery).

-Blood Work That Actually Matters: Hidden markers (MCV, homocysteine, SHBG, A1C, CRP) that explain your...

Ryann’s journey is raw, inspiring, and proof that it’s never too late to take control of your health. From being on pregnancy bed rest and battling postpartum anxiety to pulling 265 lbs off the floor and crushing strict pull-ups. This story will hit home for anyone who’s ever doubted themselves.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

• How Ryann went from postpartum anxiety and 200 lbs to strict pull-ups and a 265 lb deadlift

• The exact moment she realized Red Wolf was different from every other gym she tried

• Why measurable progr...

In this episode of Pack Mentality, we sit down with Allie, a mom of two who completely transformed her life. After hitting a wall with cookie-cutter workouts and late-night DoorDash, she made the leap to real structure, real coaching, and real results at Red Wolf.

Allie shares how she:

• Went from 30% to 11% body fat

• Gained 6.5 pounds of muscle in 8 weeks

• Overcame postpartum self-doubt

• Built mental toughness by doing hard things daily

• Finally found a community that holds her to a higher standard

She open...