Raff's Brain

The Big 5-0: An Exploration of Birthdays in Four Chapters Written & Performed by Rob Raffety Recorded by Travis Edwards On this special episode of Raff’s Brain , you’re invited into the room for Rob’s LIVE 50th birthday show, The Big 5-0 — recorded at Settle Down Easy Brewing Co. in Falls Church, VA with a packed house, the epic funk band Telula , a misbehaving drone, and one very questionable...

In this heartfelt and humorous episode of Riffin' with Raff , Rob reconnects with cousin and fitness coach Zachariah Lawson for a post-Thanksgiving debrief. They discuss what happens when discipline takes a backseat to family, food, and freezing weather—and how to bounce back with intention. Rob reflects on walking as a new lifestyle, why environment matters more than we think, and the hilari...

What happens when your yoga class only has three people, your instructor watches your every move, and your knees refuse to cooperate with Scandasana? In this episode of Hot Yoga Problems, Rob experiments with a brand-new structure for the show—complete with session ratings, favorite poses, and a wild card prompt brought to you by his new chatbot co-host. Things get introspective, absurd, and total...

Rob Raffety checks in with his cousin and trainer, Zachariah Lawson, to share wins, lessons, and future goals in this uplifting Fitness at 50 episode. Rob's down over 12 pounds and ready to cruise through the holidays with discipline—and a side of Ray-Ban-powered vlogging dreams. From carb cycling and cardio science to overcoming imposter syndrome and embracing the slow grind, this one’s pack...

In this episode of Hot Yoga Problems , Rob leaves a brutally intense hot yoga class and immediately starts questioning everything—especially Partridge pose. From the driver’s seat, he riffs on how far he’s come in his practice, why he doesn’t get completely destroyed by class like he used to, and whether that progress means he’s leveled up… or just gotten used to a special kind of suffering. Rob b...

In this episode of Hot Yoga Problems , Rob Raffety recounts an unforgettable morning: a fire alarm welcomes him to class, strobe lights flashing, and some folks evacuating — except the yogis, who flow through the madness before normalcy resumes. From comedic misfires (photosensitivity vs. photosynthesis) to sincere reflections on aging, neighborhood joy, and technology’s upside, this is 14 minutes...

In this week’s Fitness at 50 check-in, Rob and Zack reunite to reflect on recent life chaos, recommit to progress, and explore the mental game of staying on track. Rob shares updates on travel, weight loss, and resisting serious temptation (we’re looking at you, popcorn machine), while Zack offers grounded advice on consistency, calorie tracking, and keeping the routine alive. They also dive into...

What happens when your hot yoga class only has two students? Rob Raffety takes us inside the most intimate group session imaginable—a 6AM class on the Monday before a holiday, where sparse attendance and a substitute instructor create a strangely intense dynamic. With only one other student, Rob faces the pressure of hyper-visibility, replays memories of one-on-one training, and reflects on what c...

Rob Raffety and Zach Lawson are back for another week of Riffin’ with Raff , and Rob’s fresh off a chaotic, carb-curious trip to West Virginia. From resisting snacks on the road to philosophical breakthroughs on the yoga mat, this episode covers the good, the bad, and the deceptively sugary. Rob breaks down his B-grade nutrition and subpar fitness performance with brutal honesty, while Zach drops...

Rob Raffety is back in the studio and back on the mat after a six-day break from hot yoga, and the reentry is rough. In this introspective and humor-laced episode of Hot Yoga Problems , he explores how the body betrays us after just a few days away from the practice. Expect rants on rural yoga, metaphors about rubber bands, parking woes on curved streets, and the philosophical weight of the phrase...

Rob Raffety checks in with trainer Zachariah Lawson as their Fitness at 50 journey hits a few real-life speed bumps—namely, a broken Apple Watch, a road trip to West Virginia, and the lure of bar food and old habits. This episode is packed with practical advice and mindset shifts for anyone trying to stay on track amid travel, family visits, and tempting social situations. Zach also shares how cli...

Rob Raffety hits 300 classes at Core Power and he's not just sweaty—he’s reflective. This milestone kicks off a classic Hot Yoga Problems stream where Rob waxes philosophical (and absurd) on performance, mutual respect between man and mat, and how GI Joe mirrors yoga showdowns. He also floats the idea of tracking every class with AI, ranking each session, and even analyzing his diet-to-yoga p...

In this Hot Yoga Problems episode of Raff’s Brain , Rob walks into his local hot yoga studio expecting the usual stretch-and-sweat routine. Instead, he's greeted by an absurd ask: three blocks and a strap . What follows is 10 minutes of creative prop usage, unexpected balance challenges, and a deep dive into aging eyes, daylight savings confusion, and what happens when life changes gradually—...

Rob Raffety and Zach Lawson are back in this week’s Riffin’ with Raff , tracking the progress, plateaus, and powerful insights of fitness at 50. Rob’s down 12 pounds and feeling creatively energized, but he’s also staring down Halloween candy like it’s a personal enemy. Together, they dive into the psychological games of fitness, the slow evolution of healthy habits, and how fast food is a lot mor...

In this episode of Hot Yoga Problems , Rob Raffety takes a gloriously winding walk through the challenges and absurdities of the Bird Dog Pose — a move that starts simple and ends with a strap-assisted backbend worthy of Cirque du Soleil. You’ll get unexpected thoughts on yoga class music (spoiler: Neil Young’s Harvest Moon does not need a techno remix), reflections on post-yoga locker room traffi...

Is “no worries” secretly the most passive-aggressive phrase in the English language? Rob Raffety returns to Hot Yoga Problems with a high-heat monologue full of sweat-soaked wisdom, 50th birthday reflections, and rage-turned-rap on the roads of DC. In this episode, Rob rants about studio etiquette, explores the chaos of turning 50, breaks down his podcast break, and shares how freestyle raps are h...

Midlife fitness isn’t about chasing perfection — it’s about showing up daily, even when you don’t want to. In this episode of Riffin’ with Raff , Rob checks in with cousin and personal trainer Zach Lawson to talk about what’s actually working on his fitness journey at 50. From 10,000 steps a day to navigating hotel gyms and cheat meals, this honest convo is packed with practical tips, mindset shif...

Rob Raffety is back on Riffin’ with Raff with coach and cousin Zachariah Lawson for another honest, funny, and motivating check-in on his fitness journey at 50. This week? A plateau. But it’s not just about the scale—it's about life. Rob juggles turning 50, celebrating 20 years of marriage, and hosting a giant party—all while trying to stay intentional with his habits. Zach brings insight int...

Hot yoga just broke Rob Raffety. In this episode of Hot Yoga Problems , Rob recounts his harrowing encounter with what he believes to be the most difficult pose in human history: Eka Pada Koundinyasana II —a physically impossible feat that sounds more like a spell from Harry Potter than a yoga posture. With ChatGPT stepping in as his digital co-host and Scooby-Doo-style sidekick, Rob tries to trac...

Rob Raffety is four weeks into his “Fitness at 50” experiment and still going strong—thanks in large part to weekly accountability calls with his cousin and coach, Zachariah Lawson. This episode captures their candid check-in: the highs, the hiccups, and the hilarious. Rob opens up about cheat days, power outages, and resisting the urge to give up on a rainy day. Zach keeps the insights flowing wi...

In this brutal episode of Hot Yoga Problems , Rob faces the dreaded yoga crossroads: C2 or Yoga Sculpt? After making what seemed like a minor switch-up, he’s thrown into a class that tests his body, soul, and sense of spatial reasoning. From the vengeful Yogi instructor to the mind-bending misery of Cow Face Pose , Rob peels back the sweat-soaked layers of discomfort and discovery. Add in a quick...

In this episode of Hot Yoga Problems , Rob gets real about the unspoken yet unforgettable aromas of the hot yoga studio. No, we’re not talking sweat and stink—we’re diving into the unexpectedly pleasant world of peppermint oil showers, floral perfume blasts, the occasional ganja ghost, and even the chemical tang of fresh alcohol wipes. From ASMR audio fantasies to deep thoughts on the Apple Watch’...

In this episode of Hot Yoga Problems , Rob Raffety explores the mysterious and very real state of being hot yoga drunk . After leaving his mat behind at the studio (again), Rob starts to piece together the symptoms of this sweaty stupor — disorientation, forgetfulness, and a blissed-out, borderline deranged sense of well-being. It’s not about booze, folks — it’s about the bizarre chemical cocktail...

In this week’s Riffin’ with Raff , Rob dives into Week 2 of his midlife fitness reboot with cousin/trainer/life coach Zachariah Lawson. Spoiler alert: it’s harder than Week 1. The novelty is wearing off, the cravings are creeping in, and the 10,000 steps feel like 100,000 when you're walking laps at 10 PM with a 20-pound ruck pack. Still, the scale’s trending in the right direction—and so is...

In this episode of Hot Yoga Problems , Rob Raffety gets taken down a few notches by a deceptively chill Core 2 class. Riding high on a streak of good sessions, Rob walks in with swagger — only to walk out annihilated in body, mind, and spirit. From confusing transitions to poses that sound more like livestock than fitness, this 12-minute tale is a journey through self-delusion, physical exhaustion...