Skol Sessions

In this episode, Coach Erik sits down with Viking Athletics members Kayse and Amber Barry to discuss their new business, Eminence Hormone and Weight Loss Center. They discuss Kayse's and Ambers' backgrounds in medicine, what led to this business venture, treatments offered, and who might be a good candidate. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:08 Amber & Kayse Medical Background 05:00 Perimenopaus...

Does it ever seem to you like some people are just built to deadlift, while you struggle with yours? That's because this is actually the case. We all have different body leverages caused by the ratio of our lower legs to our upper legs, leg to torso ratio, etc. This is called anthropometry. In this episode, Coach Erik and Coach Alex discuss their anthropometric differences and the resulting tr...

In this episode, Coach Erik and Coach Nivi discuss the 2024 CrossFit Open. They explain the thought behind the CrossFit Relentless Intramural Open at Viking Athletics, and why we host it for the members. Then they review each of the 2024 CF Open WODs, viewing them through the lens of "traditional CrossFit."

Inflammation is a popular buzzword these days. Certain foods are demonized as being "pro-inflammatory," while others are "anti-inflammatory." Furthermore, there are several people in the fitness and nutrition space selling diets and supplements as "anti-inflammatory." Inflammation in and of itself is not a bad thing. Short bouts of inflammation are important to help t...

In this month's episode, Coach Erik talks with member and psychologist Michael Shelby about body dysmorphia: what it is, where it comes from (historical variations and pop culture today), our own history with it, and how to combat it. Enjoy! Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:50 Michael Shelby - Background 04:00 Dysmorphia Defined 06:00 Origins of Body Dysmorphia for Men 11:00 Leanness vs. Health...

Are you pushing at 100% intensity every time you set foot in the gym? Maxing out your lifts daily and going full send on your metcons? Do you avoid repeating WODs? If so, you're spending all your time testing your fitness, rather than building it. Most of what we do in the gym should be training, with the occasional test to gauge progress. That's this month's topic. Enjoy! Chapters: 00...

In this episode Coach Erik dives into what kind of education is necessary to be a coach. Do degrees matter? What about certifications? And how much does practical experience count for? All this and more. Enjoy!

In this episode of Skol Sessions, Coaches Erik and Nivi discuss Hero WODs. Why we do them, where they come from, and how they fit in with our local community, and the CrossFit community at large.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of exercise for our nation's youth, which has been on the decline for a couple of reasons. We talk about what led to it, and how we, at Viking Athletics, can help plug that gap. Interested in learning more about our youth program? Please email Coach Monique Mount at monique@vikingathletics.net.

In this month's episode, Coach Erik is once again joined by Coach Nivi. They break down each of the 2023 CF Open WODs, discuss what was being tested, how the Open went overall, and the direction of the CF Games.

In this episode, Coach Erik is once again joined by Coach Nivi to discuss the 2023 CF Games Open. In it, they cover: - How the Intramural Open will be run at Viking Athletics this year - Why you should participate - The changes we expect to see now that there is a new CF Games Director. Enjoy!

In this episode, Coach Nivi Carbonell joins Coach Erik to talk about mindset and mentality. Specifically, what's the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset? How do we change our thought process to go from one to another? And how can we adjust our expectations and strategies to achieve our goals? We hope you enjoy the discussion!

In this episode Coach Erik interviews Dr. Charlie Cavo, the Chief Medical Officer of Pounds Transformation Medical Weight Loss. He and his team have 3 locations across Connecticut. He and Erik discuss Pounds target demographic, their approach to nutrition, and the interplay between MD's and nutritionists and how it has evolved in the last several years. Enjoy!

Numerous former CrossFit athletes are establishing their own brands and bashing CrossFit as a way to promote their "new" methods. And, in the early days of the CrossFit Games, it was a running joke that the best CrossFit athletes "didn't actually do CrossFit." In this month's episode, we explore these ideas and discuss what makes CrossFit, CrossFit.

Why do people joke that anything over 5 reps is cardio? What is cardio, how is it different from conditioning, and how do they feed off one another? If you want to understand how to train properly to achieve your goals, it's important to know the difference between 5+ reps of lifting, cardio, and conditioning - they're not the same. In this month's episode, we pop the hood and look at what happens...

CrossFit HQ recently released a video in which many high level trainers maintain that all you need to be a coach is your CrossFit Level 1. BUT then they all qualify this statement by charging L1 trainers to keep learning, and to keep developing. In other words, the L1 is just a starting point. In this episode, Coach Erik shares his thoughts on the subject, reviews many of the certifications he's t...

In this episode, Coach Erik discusses "Murph." It's more than just a CrossFIt hero WOD. We delve into the history of the workout, why it's so important in the CrossFit world, and how/why we prepare for it at Viking Athletics. Enjoy!

In this episode Coach Erik describes the CrossFit Relentless Intramural Open. To do it justice, he covers the history of the CrossFit Open, which involves a history of the Games, and CrossFit in general. And of course, some speculation on CFHQ's decision to part ways with Dave Castro.

In this episode, Coach Erik dives into the Coach/Athlete relationship. How does this relationship evolve from your time as a youth athlete to where you are now? What is the difference between a coach vs. a trainer? What are the responsibilities of the coach, and what are your responsibilities as a paying athlete? We unpack all this and more!

In episode 2, Coach Erik chats with former NBA player and Viking Athletics member Donyell Marshall about strength training as injury prevention for other sports. They cover Donyell's experiences both as a player, and as a coach.

In our inaugural Viking Athletics podcast, we're discussing why we're launching a podcast, and the intended format. Then, we delve into a common question that Coach Erik gets: "Is [insert program here] a good program?" What makes a good program, and why does Viking Athletics harp on programming so much? Take a listen and find out!