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 th...

-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 tr...

-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 journe...

-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...

-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...

-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.