Varied Not Random

-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 very short, like “Grace”. -Pat & Adrian discuss this topic with Matteo.

-Pat & Adrian discuss a Reddit thread entitled, “What's something you want your box to know that you can't imagine sharing to their face?” -Five of the most upvoted topics are covered in today’s show.

-Diogo Monteiro is the owner of CrossFit Black Edition. -He & his wife started this gym over 9 years ago with the intention of making it a special place. -Over the years they have created a top notch training facility with a strong, inclusive culture. -In this episode Pat & Adrian talk with Diogo about what makes a gym successful, how to create systems that work & lessons he has learne...

-Adrian & his wife decided to do a 72 hour fast. -At this time of this recording, Adrian had about 6 hours left before it ended. -These are his real thoughts & experiences about the experience. 

-People will often do a workout, & then repeat that “same” workout months later. -This is a fair comparison if all elements of the workout remain the same each time. -However, what often happens is an athlete will use a heavier loading the second time & then be disappointed if/when they do not beat their previous score. -Comparison is a useful tool, but it is also the thief of joy. -In thi...

-People seem to have endless excuses as to why they don’t work out. -We’ve looked at the Top 10 most common excuses people use as to why they can’t work out & see if they are valid. -This episode covers excuses 6 through 10 on the list. Last week’s show covered excuses 1-5.

-People seem to have endless excuses as to why they don’t work out. -We’ve looked at the Top 10 most common excuses people use as to why they can’t work out & see if they are valid. -This episode covers excuses 1 through 5 on the list. Next week’s show will cover excuses 6-10.

-Danny is 5 feet & 7 inches tall. -He excels at pull-ups & burpees. -His back squat & deadlift numbers are excellent. -Movements like wall balls & rowing are very difficult for him. -He is frustrated because he cannot change his height & feels these movements will always be a struggle. -Pat & Adrian discuss these issues.

-What makes a movement “functional”? -Are movements like snatches, handstand push-ups & double-unders functional? -Are movements such as these necessary to be fit? -Pat & Adrian discuss these issues.

-Most of us work physically harder in the gym than we do in the real world. -The workouts we do in the gym ideally allow us to do difficult things outside of the gym. -Pat & Adrian discuss real life applications of their fitness.

-Joel is a 50 year old dad with 2 kids. He works from home full time & he is EXHAUSTED. -He works out at his local gym at 5am five times a week. -His sleep quality is poor & his sleep quantity is low. -His nutrition needs work. -He feels stuck & like he is no longer making progress in the gym. -He uses a wearable health/fitness tracker that constantly tells him he needs more rest. -Joe...

-Annie Thorisdottir is widely known for being a Two time Champion at the CrossFit Games. She is also much more than that. -In this episode Pat talks with Annie about her fitness journey through the lens of motherhood. -Annie is a mother of two small children & she is pregnant with her 3rd. -She has gone from spending all day in the gym enduring multiple training sessions to working out one hou...

-20 years ago Pat & Adrian did not know each other, but they attended the same CrossFit Level 1 seminar. -With two decades in the rearview mirror they reflect on how & why that experience was so impactful.

-Pat decided to do a 72-hour fast. -During this time he only consumed water, black coffee & sea salt. -Pat discusses why he chose to do this, how he felt both physically & mentally, as well as whether or not he would do it again. -Pat & Adrian discuss this.

-Pat Wynne placed 5th at the 2025 CrossFit Games in the 70+ Division. -While she did not participate in athletics growing up, she has always been competitive. -She found fitness through step classes & workout DVDs, before eventually falling in love with CrossFit. -After beginning CrossFit in 2010 at age 55 she trained relentlessly until achieving her goal of qualifying for the CrossFit Games i...

What do you do for rest? Do you take Deload weeks? Do you prefer Active Recovery or Full Recovery? Do you take time completely off from training? Pat & Adrian discuss these topics.

2026 is finally here & lots of people will make goals around health & fitness. What are some good goals to focus on? What steps can be taken to help make goals more successful? Pat & Adrian discuss these topics. -2026 is finally here & lots of people will make goals around health & fitness. -What are some good goals to focus on? -What steps can be taken to help make goals more...

-A VNR listener fractured their spine a few months ago. -This injury did not happen in the gym. -They want to return to working out, but they are scared. -They realize that scaling will be important, but want to know what else they should consider to be successful. -Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-In this episode multiple topics are covered in a “quick fire” format. -Does working out in public bother you?  -Favorite finisher or accessory? -Thumbs wrapped around the pull-up bar…yes or no? -Guilty food pleasure that is total trash. -A “go-to” warm-up when you don’t want to think too hard. -Can you be “Fit & Fluffy”? -Strategy for “Death By” workouts. -What is a “good base of strict pull-...

-A VNR listener wants to know if someone cannot do a week of their scheduled programming because they are traveling for work, etc…when they return should they make up the week they missed? Or, should they jump right back in on the current day’s workout & forget about the week they missed? -Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-A VNR listener wants to know if training for HYROX will get someone fit enough to handle the challenges of real life? -Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

-A VNR listener’s CrossFit gym is closing & he’s not sure what to do next. -There are some gyms close to him, but they are not CrossFit affiliates. -He & his wife have built a nice home gym, which they plan on using. -They are concerned about possibly missing the community aspect & the coaching they received at their previous gym. -They want advice on how to move forward with their fit...

-What is Menopause? What are the various stages? -Should women in menopause avoid training with intensity? -Should nutrition change during this phase of life for women? -Does menopause cause weight gain? -EC Synkowski is the owner of “OptimizeMe Nutrition”. She tackles these questions & discusses this topic with Pat & Adrian.

-Are Goal Times actually necessary to improve your fitness? -Can you still get fit completely disregarding them? -Do they only exist to help maintain order during a structured class that needs to manage the clock? -Pat & Adrian tackle this topic.

-A VNR listener wants to know how to find the proper balance of doing CrossFit while pursuing another sport. -What are the pros & cons of doing another sport? -Do other sports have the ability to improve your CrossFit capacity? -Pat & Adrian tackle this topic.