SMART MOVE INSIDER

In this episode, we talk about one of the biggest traps in fitness: unrealistic expectations. We discuss: • Why social media makes everyone else's progress look faster than it really is • Why most people underestimate how long skills and strength take to build • The difference between wanting a goal and actually prioritising it • Why class programming can't solve every individual weakness • How to...

"I trained all year… took a few weeks off… and now I feel like I'm back to square one." If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. We break down: • What actually drops when you stop training • Why CrossFit makes loss of fitness FEEL worse than it really is • The difference between losing conditioning vs losing strength • Why your engine is probably still there • The biggest mistake athletes...

It's one of the most common questions we hear in the gym and honestly… it's a good sign. It means you care about moving well. In this episode we talk about: • Why comparing yourself to others in class creates confusion • Why good technique doesn't look identical for everyone • The 3 principles behind proper movement: positions, control and repeatability • Why beginners often feel unsure and why th...

Many people believe lifting weights after 40 is dangerous. "My knees already feel stiff." "I don't want to ruin my back." "My doctor said I have a disc bulge." But here's the reality: most people over 40 have some kind of "imperfection" on an MRI, even if they feel completely fine. In this episode we break down where the fear around weightlifting and joint damage actually comes from and why avoidi...

În acest episod din Smart Move Insider , stăm de vorbă cu antrenoarea Lore Crăciun despre unul dintre cele mai răspândite mituri din nutriție: ideea că carbohidrații îngrașă. Discutăm ce sunt de fapt carbohidrații, diferența dintre carbohidrații simpli și cei complecși și de ce reprezintă principala sursă de energie a corpului. Vorbim și despre motivele pentru care carbohidrații au ajuns să aibă o...

You're strong. You can lift heavy, do pull-ups, and survive long metcons. But the moment there's a run in the workout… everything falls apart. In this episode we answer a common question: "I struggle with running and feel like I have no endurance. How can I improve without getting injured?" We explain why running often feels so difficult for strength-focused athletes, why most people train it the...

În acest episod din Smart Move Insider , discutăm cu antrenoarea Lore Crăciun despre unul dintre cele mai comune obstacole în alimentație: poftele alimentare. Vorbim despre de ce apar ele cu adevărat și de ce, de multe ori, nu țin doar de voință. Discutăm trei cauze principale: alimentația dezechilibrată, factorii emoționali precum stresul sau oboseala, și obiceiurile construite în timp. Pe parcur...

Starting CrossFit can feel overwhelming. New movements, new terminology, different weights, different standards and everyone around you seems to know exactly what they're doing. In this episode, we talk about why this feeling is completely normal and why almost every athlete goes through it in the beginning. We break down the biggest mistake beginners make, what actually matters in the first month...

What you eat around your training can make or break your performance. Eat too little and your workouts suffer. Eat the wrong things and progress stalls, energy drops, or fat loss feels impossible. In this episode, we break down how to fuel your body properly for CrossFit. We talk about what to eat before and after training, how nutrition should change for lifting days, metcons, and endurance work,...

For many athletes, RX feels like a badge of honor. For others, it's a constant source of pressure, comparison, or frustration. But very few people actually stop to ask what RX is supposed to represent in the first place. In this episode, we break down what RX really means inside a CrossFit workout. We talk about how RX weights are chosen, who RX is actually designed for (and who it isn't), and why...

Is training three times a week enough to make progress, or do you need to show up more often to really see results? In this episode, we break down the thin line between doing too little and doing too much. We talk about realistic expectations, individual goals, recovery, and how training frequency should look when you are just starting CrossFit. Whether your goal is to get fitter, feel better, or...

In Part 2 of this two-part series, we continue answering one of the most common questions beginners ask: What are the most common mistakes in CrossFit, and how can I avoid them? Building on the foundation from Part 1, we cover the remaining two key mistakes we see most often in new athletes, based on more than 10 years of coaching experience. These are the habits and decisions that tend to hold pe...

In this two-part series, we answer one of the most common questions we hear from new CrossFit athletes: What are the most common mistakes beginners make, and how can I avoid them? Drawing on more than 10 years of hands-on coaching experience, we break down the mistakes that most often slow progress, create frustration, or lead to unnecessary setbacks early on. In Part 1, we focus on two of the fou...

Welcome to the first episode of the new year. As we step into 2026, we want to talk about what real, sustainable progress should actually look like. In this episode, we focus on setting realistic expectations, the difference between long-term progress and dramatic January goals, and why patience and consistency matter more than short bursts of intensity. We also discuss how progress often shows up...

As we approach New Year's Eve, this special episode is a moment to pause and look back on the year that just passed. In the constant race to get better, many athletes overlook the progress they have already made. In this episode, we reframe what progress really means and highlight improvements members often ignore, such as better movement quality, increased confidence, improved work capacity, show...

Christmas is just around the corner, one of our favorite times of the year for rest, family, and connection. But it often comes with a lot of food, sweets, and pressure to be either perfect or to give up completely. In this 15-minute AMRAP episode, we focus on removing fear and guilt around the holidays. We explain why a few festive days will not undo months of consistent training, why progress is...

In Part 2, we continue with the next set of unwritten rules that every CrossFitter should follow. We talk about training with integrity (yes, that means doing all your reps), welcoming new athletes, and keeping good gym hygiene. We also cover the importance of communicating with your coaches and how to represent yourself when visiting another CrossFit gym. A practical guide to being a respectful,...

In this episode, we dive into the first five unwritten rules of CrossFit, the ones that keep classes running smoothly, the community strong, and your progress on track. From booking and cancelling classes responsibly, to giving your full attention at the whiteboard, leaving your ego at the door, scaling smart, and encouraging others without turning into an amateur coach, these are the habits that...

In this episode, we answer the question:  How do coaches decide the time cap for a workout? Bart explains why time caps aren't random, they're built around the intended stimulus, the intensity we want, and how long each movement should realistically take for different levels of athletes. We talk about pacing estimates, smart scaling, and why finishing within the time cap usually means you're hitti...

Today we answer another thoughtful question from our Smart Move community. Imagine you're a masters athlete, 55+, who didn't do much sports before discovering CrossFit. Since joining, your progress went up quickly at first, then continued steadily over time. Now you're wondering: As a late-starting masters athlete, can you still make real progress in CrossFit? And if you're taking blood pressure m...

In this episode, we answer the first question from our Smart Move community: When you're an athlete between levels, how do you choose the right weights in metcons? Should you scale down to maintain good form and fast intensity, or scale up and accept going slower but heavier? We break down what it really takes to move from one level to the next—showing up consistently, training strength with inten...

In this episode, Sergiu and Bart dive into one of the most common questions in CrossFit: "Why do I still get sore after months of training?" They break down what muscle soreness actually is, why it happens, and whether it's a good sign or not. You'll also learn how CrossFit constantly challenges your body — through intensity, load, and time — to keep you from ever fully adapting to the stimulus. P...

Sergiu and Bart, both Level 3 CrossFit Trainers, are on a constant pursuit of mastery — in training, coaching, and life. In this episode, they introduce a new series: "The 15-Min AMRAP." Short, actionable conversations designed to help you move better, think clearer, and make your journey inside Smart Move CrossFit smoother and more intentional. And if you're listening from outside the community a...

In this final episode of the season, Sergiu and Coach Bart hit pause to look back on the past six months. Did you set goals in January? Said you'd learn something new or show up more for yourself? Now's the time to check in. We talk about what to do during the summer — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Whether you need to catch up, recover, or simply enjoy life, this break is your...

În acest episod, stau de vorbă cu Sergiu Olteanu, antrenor la Smart Move și omul din spatele unei povești pline de curaj, disciplină și echilibru. Discutăm despre cum a descoperit CrossFit-ul, ce l-a atras la acest sport și cum i-a schimbat viața, atât fizic cât și mental. Aflăm ce alte pasiuni are, cum își găsește motivația și ce înseamnă pentru el să facă parte din echipa Smart Move. Printre sub...