The CrossFit Podcast

In this episode of the CrossFit Podcast, host Jocelyn Rylee sits down with Michelle Hespeler and Dr. Sule Tinaz of Yale School of Medicine to explore the science and lived experience behind high-intensity exercise for Parkinson’s disease. Hespeler was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at age 40. A former physical education teacher, she began experimenting with structured, high-effort training long before exercise was widely discussed as part of Parkinson’s care. Tinaz is a neuroscientist and movement disorders specialist whose research focuses on how exercise affects the brain itself. Together, they share results from a pilot study using MRI and PET imaging that showed increased dopaminergic signals after six months of high-intensity exercise. They unpack what those brain changes may mean, why effort matters more than perfection, and how exercise can improve movement, cognition, independence, and quality of life. Topics Covered High-intensity exercise as a disease-modifying strategy for Parkinson’s Brain imaging evidence of exercise-driven neuroprotection Why effort and self-efficacy change outcomes in chronic disease How exercise compares to medication in Parkinson’s treatment Early warning signs, prevention, and environmental risk factors Resources Mentioned Beat Parkinson’s Today Parkinson’s Foundation Community Highlight  Yvette Lepore has been fired for watching the CrossFit Games at work. She’s worked 60- to 80-hour weeks, missed Christmas with her family, burned out in corporate America, and come back from a serious medical emergency that forced her to step away from her career. Through all of it, she never missed a workout. Not because she was chasing PRs, but because it was the one place she felt steady when everything else wasn’t. Now she’s retired from corporate life, getting her Level 1, and stepping back onto the coaching floor so she can pay it forward. 

CrossFit was born from curiosity, trial and error, and the willingness to test ideas in real time. In this conversation, host Jocelyn Rylee and senior content writer Stephane Rochet revisit the roots of that culture and explore why self-experimentation remains one of the most powerful tools for improving performance, health, and well-being. They reflect on the early days of nutrition inside CrossFit, the experiments that shaped their own training, and why results-driven thinking cuts through dogma. From zone ratios to carb backloading, fasting, fruit fasts, and the realities of changing needs across life stages, this episode highlights how paying attention, tracking outcomes, and staying open-minded can reshape your relationship with food and training. Topics Covered The origins of self experimentation within CrossFit culture How to define “what’s working” in training and nutrition Lessons learned from decades of nutrition experiments Adjusting habits across changing life stages Building life skills around food, tracking, and personal agency Resources Mentioned Barry Sears and the Zone Mark Bell Mike Burgener Jocko Willink Community HighlightAmy and Jim Gay have been part of CrossFit Adaptation for over a decade. Last year, they became the gym’s new owners and quickly faced a challenge. Located just outside D.C., many members were hit hard by recent federal job cuts. One by one, people were getting laid off and preparing to cancel their memberships. Amy and Jim didn’t flinch. They told them, “Just keep coming in.”Then a coach had an idea: start a sponsorship program. Now, members with the means can chip in — either once or monthly — to cover membership costs for others going through tough times. The response has been huge. When things got hard, the community didn’t shrink. It stepped up. Amy and Jim’s advice to other affiliate owners? Don’t treat your gym like a normal business. The real magic is in the details — staying close, listening, and showing up. Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

The CrossFit Podcast team is pulling back the curtain for this special episode. Get a look behind the scenes at what it took to restart the CrossFit Podcast, what we learned the hard way, and the top moments of the show in 2025.  Spend a little bit of your holiday season with us — Denise Thomas, Jocelyn Rylee, and Maggie Mullen. We hope this episode brings you some holiday cheer, ideas for what to binge next, and a bit of perspective on what matters most. From all of us to you and your family — both CrossFit and nuclear — happy holidays, and please tell us how 12 Days of Christmas (or whatever WOD you’re hitting) goes.  Topics Covered Why CrossFit brought the podcast back and what changed in 2025. The turning point episode: Has CrossFit Lost Its Soul With James Hobart. Why we do this podcast – the most meaningful moments. Top five episodes worth revisiting from 2025. Episodes Mentioned Top Five Episodes Worth Revisiting Dr. Chris Palmer Episode James Hobart Episode Dr. Fatty Acid Episode Dr. Allison Brager Episode Nicole Carroll Episode 1 Community and Culture Show Forging Elite Fitness The Standard Big Impact Nick Wells and Gino Aviles (Redemption Road; Episode) Helen Taylor (Core City Kids; Episode) Scott and Gwenna Bradley (Underground PDX; Episode) Angie Manson (Elevate Addiction Services; Episode) Sara Wilkinson (Step Up Foundation; Episode) Other Mentions Dr. Rhonda Patrick Episode Maggie Mullen Episode Resources Mentioned Nikki Boyer “Brain Energy,” by Dr. Chris Palmer Brian Little, Ted Talk on Introversion and Extroversion Community Highlight CrossFit PolFed RAC exists because one officer, Pierre De Pelsemaeker-Godart, kept sharing something he cared about. In 2010, when his team in the Brussels Federal Judicial Police moved into an unfinished government building, Pierre had just discovered CrossFit. With no gym, no equipment, and no dedicated space, he organized workouts wherever he could—outside in the park, inside the office, and eventually in an empty underground concrete room. Pierre led his colleagues in building a training space from scratch using pallets, cardboard, and bodyweight movements. More officers joined because the workouts were simple, consistent, and open to anyone. By 2014, a small sports room became their home base. They pooled money for second-hand equipment, competed in the CrossFit Open, and officially founded the nonprofit CrossFit PolFed RAC. Years later, the affiliate is still active, serving dozens of members, because one person believed training together could change his workplace — and did the work to make it real. Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here. Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com].

This marks the ninth episode of a special CrossFit Podcast collaboration with the CrossFit Medical Society.  Italy once held one of the lowest obesity rates in the developed world, but that’s changing fast. CrossFit Country Manager and longtime affiliate owner Matteo Pozzati joins the show to talk about the cultural shift in Italy, the rise of chronic disease, and how CrossFit is stepping in to rebuild true health from the ground up. Matteo shares his journey from coaching in Venice to teaching hospital workers how to move safely, leading Italy’s affiliate community, and fighting to preserve CrossFit’s identity amid the noise of mainstream fitness. He and host Jocelyn Rylee discuss why elite coaching matters, how education is the bridge to better health, and what it’ll take to connect CrossFit affiliates and healthcare systems worldwide. Topics Covered The decline of the Mediterranean diet and rise of chronic disease in Italy Bringing CrossFit methodology into hospitals and health care education Building bridges between affiliates and medical professionals Preserving CrossFit’s identity and elite coaching standards Nutrition, culture, and the return to traditional food practices The global challenge of connecting CrossFit to health systems Community Highlight For nearly two decades, Erin Richter has been fighting for health on the front lines — and refusing to give up. She opened CrossFit Old School in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 2008, staying there, as she put it, “because this was the area that needed it the most.” Today, her affiliate serves kids as young as 3 and adults in their 80s. She partners with addiction recovery centers, supports people with disabilities, and helps those told they’d never squat again find their strength. She’s built nonprofits, raised thousands for local causes, and worked with the state to bring CrossFit into public schools. Erin doesn’t chase PRs or the spotlight, just impact. In a city dubbed the “Obesity Capital of the U.S.,” she’s quietly changing lives every day. Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here. Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com].

Dr. Nick (aka The Fittest Doc) joins Jocelyn Rylee to unpack how CrossFit shaped his approach to medicine. They dig into lifestyle versus pharmaceuticals, the role of identity in lasting change, and why doctors need to prioritize their own health. Topics Covered How CrossFit reshaped Dr. Nick’s discipline and medical practice Lifestyle-first vs. pharma-first approaches to chronic disease Performance as a predictor of future health Building credibility: Should doctors practice what they preach? The role of affiliates in bridging healthcare and community Resources Mentioned CrossFit for Health Summit Dr. Nick’s Website Community Highlight The Phoenix is built on one idea: recovery is stronger in community. Since 2006, they’ve reached nearly a million people impacted by substance use and mental health challenges — and CrossFit has become their most popular program. More than 100,000 people have found sobriety and support through Phoenix CrossFit classes, with 83% staying sober beyond the three-month mark. We spoke with Gavin Young, a Phoenix leader and longtime CrossFit athlete in recovery, who shared how daily progress in training — one more rep, one more pound, one more second — becomes a cornerstone in rebuilding lives. From Boston to Denver to Philadelphia, The Phoenix is proving what’s possible when fitness meets recovery: a resilient community built on hope, accountability, and shared struggle — one workout at a time. Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here. Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com]

You’ve probably heard of the workout CHAD1000X (1,000 weighted step-ups for time) and The Step Up Foundation – the organization using fitness to raise awareness for mental health and veteran suicide prevention.  In this episode, we get to know the selfless leader behind both: Sara Wilkinson. After losing her husband, Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson, to suicide in 2018, Sara turned grief into purpose, creating a global movement that’s brought thousands together each year to honor his legacy and support others who are struggling. She opens up about what it means to carry grief, how community heals, and the importance of looking people in the eye and asking, “How are you, really?” Topics Included The story behind Chad1000X and its growth into a global movement How Sara transformed grief into purpose through The Step Up Foundation Compassion, resilience, and the power of community in healing Suicide awareness, mental health, and the language we use around loss The realities of military life, brain injury (CTE), and post-service transition The importance of small acts of kindness and connection Resources Mentioned Chad 1000X The Step Up Foundation Home Base (Boston-based veteran brain clinic) Sound Off (mental health therapy platform for veterans) Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS) Boston Frogman Swim 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Sara Wilkinson on Instagram Willpower and Resilience, Live Big Jocko Podcast Cleared Hot Podcast Community Highlight Cory and Sara Fulana don’t just run two gyms — they run on purpose. At Silk City CrossFit and CrossFit Hartford, service is part of the workout. Every month, they rally their community for something bigger — suicide awareness events with Uplift, women’s WODs supporting local female-owned businesses, Toys for Tots drives, marathon rows for the Boys and Girls Club, and Hero WODs that honor those who have served. Their question is always the same: How can we give back? Because for Cory and Sara, CrossFit isn’t just about fitness — it’s about using strength to serve others. Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here. Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com] or complete our survey here.

“Forging Elite Fitness®” has been part of the CrossFit brand since 2003. And now, it’s representing CrossFit front and center once again after a few years of lurking behind the scenes. But what does it really mean? And what doesn’t it mean? And why are we bringing it back?  In this show, Denise Thomas is joined by Nicole Carroll, Craig Howard, and Jocelyn Rylee to unpack the phrase that debuted its revival tour this week in our new “Forging Elite Fitness” video and accompanying article. They’ll talk about where the misunderstanding often lies: Is it only about Games athletes? Is “elite” too aggressive? Or does it perfectly capture what CrossFit does for anyone who walks through the door, from grandparents to Games competitors? Let us know what you think –> podcasts@crossfit.com Follow us on YouTube to join us every Thursday at 10 am PT.