Chasing Excellence

Kelly and Juliet Starrett are world-class trainers and longtime leaders in the CrossFit space. They join us this week to talk about their newest book, Built to Move , which is a masterclass for all of us who want to continue to kick ass into our 90s. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 Why Kelly and Juliet wanted to write Built to Move 📍 What the 10 out of 10 Club is (and why we should want to get in it) 📍 How...

In this clip from a longer episode from 2019, Ben and Patrick talk about responsibility, focus, and the need for all of us to better pay attention to the few things inside our control. Watch the full episode here. 📍 Subscribe: Apple Pods: tinyurl.com/3nu78tsh Spotify: tinyurl.com/ekhp3cce YouTube: tinyurl.com/9uktjdfs [[]---[]]   Chasing Excellence is an audience-supported project. To go deeper &...

How can we increase the skill of adaptability? That’s the listener question we’re talking through this week, hitting on the reality of change, the role our ego and attitude plays, and what we can learn from Sesame Street. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 How to incorporate training for a half-marathon into CrossFit 📍 If there should be an upper limit on daily protein powder intake 📍 The shift in routine Ben...

Here’s a clip from a conversation Ben had recently with Bryan from the Young & Alive Company. They talk about focus, distraction, the voice in our heads, and what we can learn from the Navy SEALs. Watch the full conversation here. 📍 Subscribe: Apple Pods: tinyurl.com/3nu78tsh Spotify:  tinyurl.com/ekhp3cce YouTube:  tinyurl.com/9uktjdfs [[]---[]]   Chasing Excellence is an audience-supported...

How do you set priorities when so many things feel important? That’s our question; we’ve got our friend Jon Gilson here to help answer it. Also, your questions about Zone 2 training, doing work we don’t hate, and outgrowing friends. Learn more about Optimal Agency here. Thanks to our sponsors this week: LMNT | Caldera+Lab | UCAN EXPECT TO LEARN:  📍 What Zone 2 training is and whether CrossFitters...

Here’s a clip from a conversation Ben had recently with James Geering of the Behind the Shield podcast. They chat about how to get the conversation moving in the right direction as it relates to health, manufactured stress, and how to be influential. Click here for the full episode. 📍 Subscribe: Apple Pods:  tinyurl.com/3nu78tsh Spotify:  tinyurl.com/ekhp3cce YouTube:  tinyurl.com/9uktjdfs   [[]-...

In many ways, the 5 Factors of Health are as much a hedge against stress as a pursuit of performance and longevity. We unpack how stress manifests itself in the body and why it’s so important we are aware of it. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 How to think about weightlifting as you get older 📍 What you need to recognize as you make progress on losing a lot of weight 📍 Some suggestions for what to do if you...

Ben was recently on EC Synkowski’s podcast, The Consistency Project, talking about how CrossFit New England thinks about nutrition challenges. Here’s a segment of that episode where Ben discusses the 3 challenges that the gym currently runs. Click here to listen to their full convo. 📍 Subscribe: Apple Pods:  tinyurl.com/3nu78tsh Spotify:  tinyurl.com/ekhp3cce YouTube:  tinyurl.com/9uktjdfs [[]---...

Chris Kresser is one of the most respected clinicians and educators in the fields of Functional Medicine and ancestral health and one of Ben’s go-to’s for all things nutrition. He joins us this week to talk about nutrient density, feeding kids, gut health, and a bunch more. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 The reasons Chris says eating a clean diet isn’t enough anymore 📍 Why our microbiome is so important to...

In this Quick Set from a previous episode, Ben shares his experience living with and dealing with dyslexia. For the full episode, search the feed for “What We’re Reading #02.” 📍 Subscribe to the show:  Apple Pods: tinyurl.com/3nu78tsh Spotify:  tinyurl.com/ekhp3cce YouTube:  tinyurl.com/9uktjdfs [[]---[]]   Chasing Excellence is an audience-supported project. To go deeper & to help us do even...

We’re talking about what it means to “trust the process” this week, breaking down the 10 things we all need to keep in mind as we pursue our goals. Also, your questions about breath work, leadership, feeding kids, and more. EXPECT TO LEARN:  📍 Where F45 may fall short in comparison to CrossFit 📍 Why awareness is the most important step of making things better 📍 The reason why Ben switched his b...

How do you define success? What impact do you want to have? What problem are you trying to solve? Just a few of the big questions we’re talking about and through this week. We’re also cooking up a new monthly challenge, so stay tuned til the end! EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 What “overload” looks like in the gym, and when you should use it 📍 What to consider if you’re not losing the weight you think you s...

Friend-of-the-show EC Synkowski joins us this week to answer your questions about training for a 500lb deadlift into a sub-5:00 mile test, back injuries, and whether CrossFitters should try to work out during multi-day fasts. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 EC’s woo-woo moment that helped her tackle her long-time back problems 📍 EC’s first big question to ask about fasting 📍 Ben’s prescription for a weak ba...

Steven Kotler is expert on flow. He joins us to talk about why it’s important to develop multiple pathways to flow, why our mindset around aging needs a major rewrite, and the surprising correlation to lifelong confidence. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 What flow is and why it’s so important 📍 Why dynamic motion training is essential 📍 What it means to “get geezered” 📍 Why stability equals confidence 📍 T...

Introducing the CompTrain 3x3, where Ben answers your questions about the pursuit of elite athletic performance and mental toughness. This week, we’ve got 10 questions from the first 6 episodes of that show to give you a taste. Find the show on YouTube Learn more about our sponsors: Blinkist | LMNT EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 When to know if self-induced pressure is a good thing 📍 How the male/female cal...

We’re talking about the actions to take (nearly) every day to balance the five factors of health. We’re also answering questions about red light therapy, cutting people out of our lives, and nasal breathing during CrossFit. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 The usefulness of nasal breathing during hard CrossFit workouts 📍 Why meditation and breath work are hard habits to stick to 📍 Some tips on eating well wh...

We get philosophical this week, discussing a way to think about the purpose of suffering and the very nature of existence. We also answer your questions about blending CrossFit with yoga and dealing with negativity at work. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 The ideal body fat percentage for long-term health 📍 Why the fear of death is actually an amazing gift 📍 How lucky we are to experience emotion 📍 Why thi...

Dr. Robert Waldinger is the head of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, and the author of The Good Life . We discuss the importance of connection, being proactive in our relationships, judgment, curiosity, and more. EXPECT TO LEARN:   📍 How impactful social isolation and loneliness are on our health 📍 Why good relationships are stress regulators 📍 What “secure attachment” is and why it matt...

We’re talking about how to communicate your values better so you can build them up alongside the people in your life. We’ve also got listener questions about prehab, healthy eating based on your age, massage guns, and more. EXPECT TO LEARN:   📍 Ben’s go-to protocol for healthy shoulders and hips 📍 Why you’re never too young to benefit from healthy nutrition 📍 The benefits of massage guns 📍 Han...

We’re talking about how to know what a “healthy” body looks like in a world of Instagram, PEDs, and photoshop. We’ve also got listener questions about protein intake, getting more sleep, and coaching CrossFit kids, and more! EXPECT TO LEARN:   📍 Ben’s thoughts on “self-help” 📍 How to get enough protein in during the day 📍 A few ways to get more sleep, even when super busy 📍 Why we want to star...

We’re talking about when things don’t turn out as we hope, but do turn out for the better. We’re also answering your questions about CrossFit programming, protein intake, hard conversations with in-laws, and citing our sources. EXPECT TO LEARN:   📍 Whether doing “double strength” before a metcon is a good idea 📍 Best practices for staying healthy while traveling a ton 📍 How to get enough protei...

To start the year off right, we’re revisiting the most popular episode we released in 2022. We’re talking about the levels of focus, how to wrestle with internal distractions, what anxiety feels like, and more. GET A QUESTION IN THE QUEUE:   Send Patrick a DM with your Five Factors questions!   ABOUT US:   📍 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder...

This week, we’ve got a conversation Ben had recently with Danny Miranda. They chat about why focus is a more important resource than time, how to distinguish between inner and outer purpose, and hearing the voice in our heads. EXPECT TO LEARN:   📍 When Ben decided he needed to live a life of impact 📍 How to avoid believing our own B.S. 📍 Why we need to listen, then learn, the help 📍 The spark...

We’re talking about the value and purpose of work, why it’s so important to spend our time doing something we enjoy, and balancing risk and safety. We’re also giving some new podcast, documentary, and book recommendations. EXPECT TO LEARN:   📍 How to avoid injury when starting CrossFit  📍 Why you have to practice for when stakes get high 📍 What our kids eat for lunch at school 📍 Why it’s hard...

We’re talking about what it would look like for more people to have a C+ level of health & fitness, and why that would be a win. Also: your questions about learning from folks we disagree with & starting a strength program. EXPECT TO LEARN:📍 The simple difference between beginner & advanced athletes 📍 What we mean when we say “Chasing Excellence 2.0” 📍 What the Sick-Well-Fit continu...