Linchpin Conversations

1. What to focus on for Recovery 2. Warm-up or Stretching...which is more important? 3. Favorite Open Workouts 4. Garage Gym Tours

Having an 8 month old baby girl caused big disruptions in 3 of the 5 workouts I did last week. No problem! That's life & we offer you solutions so you can still make fitness happen no matter what.

1. CrossFit Crush list 2. Scores on Whiteboard - helpful or hurtful? 3. Resources for knowledge 4. Time Caps

Real stories of fitness from real people living busy lives. These people motivate me 100X more than any professional athlete ever could. I hope you enjoy them.

1. What sports do Emily & I enjoy watching and/or participating in? 2. Pull-ups vs Chin-ups 3. Pros & Cons of the CF Games evolution over the lsat 15 years

Fake solutions to real problems will not put you on a successful path. Avoid flashy, unsustainable behavior & embrace the fundamentals. Discipline & consistency go a long way when you are armed with the truth.

CrossFit is infinitely scalable. Often people think if scaling the reps, loading, rounds, and/or complexity of the movements. Scaling can also apply to the intensity of the workout as well. This is not only beneficial to new athletes, but to intermediate & advanced athletes.

1. Was Emily Sherwood able to do a 1:43 "Grace" as Rx'd at 6.5 months postpartum because of her former gymnastics background or because she used to be a CF Games athlete? 2. If someone can only do Accessory Work once a week is it worth it? 3. How to introduce a new person to CrossFit.

We've done over 230 episodes of Linchpin Conversations since it began. A wide array of topics have been discussed on almost every aspect of fitness. Here is a summary of some of our favorite, covering episodes 1-50. Episodes 3, 14, 20, 23, 27, 29, 37, 40, 42 & 45.

Ideally, you scale or modify the workout based upon a self assessment you conduct during the warm-up. However, sometimes it becomes apparent only AFTER the workout begins that you should have scaled it.

1. Should you run, bike or row during the warm-up? 2. How should you strategize Tabata style workouts? 3. Should you do the optional Accessory work?

We often refer to "training for real life". In this episode we explain what that means, why it is critically important & how you can prepare for it.

1. What about Castro? 2. Would I program the CFG Open if asked? 3. Gymnastics Skills Sessions 4. Favorite book of 2021

Only 19% of people stick with their New Year's resolutions. Success leaves clues. We share some best practices to help you make meaningful & long lasting changes to truly change your life for the better.

1. What are a few of my favorite workouts I've created? 2. Trapped on a desert island, what would be the 3-4 workouts I'd do for the rest of my life? 3. If you identify personal deficiencies, what is the process to improve them?

If you truly want to be prepared for any challenge life throws your way, then training with intelligently designed variance is critical. It can be easy for many people to let biases creep into their training, but that does not produce well rounded fitness. Variance is the key!

Layne is approaching 6 months old. I've had to modify, scale & rearrange more workouts in the last 6 months than the previous 16 years. Here are my lessons learned & observations.

1. Why are Sumo Deadlift High Pulls one of the L1 movements, but rarely programmed? 2. Nasty workouts that were never repeated. 3. Accessory Engine building.

Dr. Smith shares her unique, expert perspective about the current state of the world. She has seen first hand what happens to people who do not make their health & fitness a priority.

1. What is the Linchpin "DT" challenge? 2. What are 1st, 2nd & 3rd Wave adaptations? 3. Can you be too strong? 4. Rower vs Air Bike. 5. Develop strict or kipping movements first?

We discuss how movements & loadings change across various Age groups in competition & whether or not that should influence your training if you're a Masters athlete.

1. What is intentional interference in workouts? 2. What are benefits of a "Heavy Day at a High Heart Rate"? 3. What are slow twitch & fast twitch muscle fibers?

Matteo Pizzi is a CrossFit Level 3 Coach who has taken courses to improve his knowledge about programming & modifying workouts to meet the needs of Adaptive Athletes. Matteo lives in Milan, Italy & is a full time coach. He is a member of the Linchpin community & creates an Adaptive Athlete video every week for the CF Linchpin YouTube channel. He shares what he has learned with us during this conversation.

Zack Lewis is a husband, father, school teacher & a CrossFitter. At his heaviest he weighed over 400 lbs. He has lost over 100 lbs & is till making progress towards his goal. Zack candidly talks about his journey, his struggles, & the ups & downs we all face when trying to make big changes in our lifestyle.

1. How to use workout data optimize your fitness. 2. What data should go in the "notes" section on btwb? 3. What makes programming intelligently designed? 4. What are some programming "secrets"?

I'm very happy that some of my all-time favorite CrossFit workouts were created many years ago...& I explain why.

1. Veteran's Day workouts/traditions. 2. Devices that measure recovery. 3. What goes into prepping for a Live broadcast like the Rogue Invitational? 4. How will my fitness today truly help when I'm 75 years old?

We discuss what is included in the CF Linchpin private track from the detailed warm-ups, 5 different workout options, goal times, videos talking about the intended stimulus, movement demo videos, optional accessory work, btwb specialty programs for strength & gymnastics, an amazing global community, videos on modulating intensity, access to our private Facebook group & much more for ony $10 a month.

1. Does missing a workout throw off the entire training block? 2. What are the benefits of pairing push & pull movements? 3. What athlete did I want to meet at the Rogue Invitational? 4. What was my favorite event from the Rogue Invitational & what athletes stood out to me?

I discuss the competitors, the leaderboard, the venue, the Strongman competition, the prize money, the live broadcast & the hotel workouts I did.

If you only hang out with other CrossFitters you may get a jaded perspective regarding your level of fitness. The truth is you are probably doing far better than you give yourself credit for! My recent trip to Disney brought to my attention how unhealthy & sick a large segment of the population is.

1. What is the best way to get back into working out after COVID or any long time off? 2. What to do if you don't have enough time to work on flexibility. 3. How do you deal with relative who constantly expose you to poor food choices?

Distance coaching is becoming more common every day. Eric is a Linchpin member who lives in New York, but he coaches athletes from all around the world. He shares his best practices & lessons learned to effectively coach someone from a distance using video.

1. What is the history/evolution of CF Linchpin? 2. Is cooling down & stretching actually effective? 3. Applying the Sickness-Wellness-Fitness continuum to CF Linchpin.

Understanding & implementing these concepts is mission critical to your success in CrossFit regardless if you are brand new or have been working out for a decade.

An interview with Abbie Pritchard. Abbie is my sister-in-law & over the last 18 months she has lost nearly 100 pounds. She walks us through her weight loss journey, shares best practices as well as lessons learned.

Do you have limited time each day to workout? We provide you the simple information you need to take control of your fitness even if you only have 30 minutes a day. We cover how to modify any workout, including heavy days to fit a tight timeline.

1. Knee push-ups vs elevated push-ups 2. Some strength & conditioning coaches say training only 3 times a week is optimal, why does CrossFit train more? *WARNING...Question 2 leads down a long rabbit hole. 🤓

Brian & Anne are members of CF Linchpin who train in their garage/driveway every day. After learning their 70-year old neighbor, Mr. John, recently fell in his home & was unable to get up, they decided to help him get back in shape. They share their experiences & lessons learned through this incredible journey.

1. What is the process for coming up with the various workout options each day? 2. Did I ever get a question at a CrossFit seminar that I could not answer? 3. What advice would I give to a new CrossFitter? 4. What advice would I give to an experienced CrossFitter? 5. Hand width grip for various styles of pull-ups.

Hard skills vs soft skills required to be an effective coach are discussed with real life examples.

1. What movement is effective, but not programmed for some reason? 2. Best way to incorporate hypertrophy work with Linchpin? 3. Are Dumbbell workouts enough to be for life? 4. How has Linchpin evolved over the years?

Jay King is a CrossFit Level 3 Coach as well as a school teacher. He started a CrossFit kids program at his school that had 400 children participating in it. Jay shares his knowledge & expertise regarding programming, training & coaching for kids.

1. Does the Linchpin programming & goal times get adjusted based on data from the community? 2. What to do when a gym owner is making bad programming decisions. 3. What is the future of CrossFit Health?

A member of the Linchpin community asked for suggestions to help sustain his health & fitness over time. He said he struggled with consistency & getting back into working out after life/work disrupted his schedule. Recommendations are given to help increase consistency.

1. What was my favorite lecture to give at CrossFit Seminars? 2. Status of the On-ramp programs. 3. In-person meet-ups are happening. 4. Goal times & dumbbell workouts. 5. Favorite tv shows and/or movies.

We also discuss how "Nobody Cares. Train Harder." and "Scaling is Cool." can both coexist in an athlete's life.

1. Should you prioritize sleep or training? 2. Which is worse, Hell Week or a baby with colic? 3. If you could only do 1 workout for the rest of your life... 4. Signs of Good vs Bad programming in gyms

He discusses what lead him to CrossFit, why he opened a gym, what their community is like, how they dealt with COVID and offer advice to new gym owners.

1. The mysterious post-it notes on my wall are explained. 2. Does athlete participation influence Linchpin programming? 3. What are some of my quick & easy meals? 4. Does my wife plan on competing again? 5. Is it okay not to workout during a vacation?