Botox and Burpees

Sam Rhee sits down with Raina Yurchak @yurchak_cfwe_life, longtime CrossFitter who turned a tough season of grief into a life built around training, community, and family. 

We talk about the mental game behind big performances, the realities of owning CrossFit West Essex and Caldwell, and how discipline in the gym carries into work and parenting. 

• meeting her spouse at the gym 
• what gym ownership teaches...

Sam Rhee sits down with Chase Ferraro @ccferraro93 to talk about how a random Saturday workout turns into four years of serious CrossFit progress and a tight gym community. 

We also get real about balancing a family business, marriage, nutrition, and a long rehab after major knee surgery while still staying hungry to improve. 

• using competitions and qualifiers to stay motivated 
• building friendsh...

@botoxandburpeespodcast Host Sam Rhee sits with Ella Kinney @ekinney95, a longtime CrossFit Bison @crossfitbison athlete and the inaugural Steve Rice Spirit Award winner, to unpack how she went from “hard pass” on barbells to seven years of steady progress. We talk about building strength after 50, staying positive without taking yourself too seriously, and why the people around you can be the best reason to keep showin...

We sit down with Dr. Ephrem Olweny MD @eo7691 a urologist and CrossFitter, to connect the dots between early morning training, surgical pressure, and long-term health. We talk about persistence, smart routines, and the small choices that keep you sharp in the gym and in the operating room.

• why CrossFit feels like a “big case” mentally and how that challenge builds focus
• how group training and coaching impr...

We sit down with Mia Pagano @miapagano to trace how a former CrossFit skeptic becomes a fiercely consistent athlete who builds strength, gymnastics, and confidence one small goal at a time. We also talk honestly about training while pregnant, scaling without ego, and why fueling well can change everything. 

• getting humbled by a first CrossFit Open workout and choosing to commit anyway 
• building progress thro...

We talk with Andrew Honore about going from CrossFit fan on the sidelines to a committed morning regular who’s training smarter, recovering better, and surprising himself at 35. Along the way we get into injuries, pacing, competing, and the small daily choices that turn health into a family standard. 

• deciding to try CrossFit after years of assuming it was too hard 
• first day nerves and learning CrossF...

We sit down with April Egarian to trace how CrossFit becomes a steady anchor through motherhood, stress, and major life changes, and how training gets better once recovery is treated like a real priority. We also dig into the practical mindset shifts that make nutrition consistent, friendships healthier, and performance stronger without burning out. 

• starting CrossFit with a four-month-old and sticking with it for 12 ...

We talk with NYPD specialist Evan Johnson @evanj815 about what it means to perform under pressure and why CrossFit’s “unknowable” mindset maps so cleanly onto specialized law enforcement. We dig into leadership, communication, and recovery, including the uncomfortable moment when hard work or hard training turns into avoidance. 

• the “warrior athlete” roots of CrossFit and why readiness ma...

We sit down with Summer Vanwyckhouse @summervanwyckhouse to talk about how CrossFit took her from a soccer-focused teen to a confident, consistent athlete who loves hard workouts and supportive people. 

We also connect training to her life as a nursing student, from building perspective in clinicals to choosing smart scaling that keeps her healthy and improving. 

• starting CrossFit to get stronger for socce...

We talk with CrossFit Bison coach Keith Andrews about what CrossFit can do to feel like 2018 again, starting at the affiliate level instead of waiting on HQ. We focus on building real community through shared goals, better class habits, and coaches who model the culture every day.

• team-first mindset from competitive sports 
• setting a class goal at the whiteboard 
• why early cleanup kills the room 

Botox and Burpees talks with longtime @crossfitbison member Mo Boak @mobee515 about how a return-to-office mandate forces a full reset of her workout routine and why she refuses to let fitness be the thing that breaks.

Mo shares how she shifts from midday classes to the 5 a.m. crew, stays durable through smart scaling, and builds real confidence over time. 

• balancing work, commuting, and parenting without quitt...

We sit down with CrossFit Bison coach Adam Ramsden @w.a.ramsden to talk about how a “standards first” mindset evolves when you’re coaching real humans with real lives. We dig into how to protect honest reps for competitive athletes while still giving everyday members the grace to train, learn, and come back tomorrow.

• early coaching identity as the standards enforcer
• separating competitive expectation...

Sam Rhee sits down with Liz Tanzola @liz_tanzola, head coach at CrossFit Bison, to talk about how she goes from zero coaching experience to leading hundreds of classes plus an entire staff of coaches. 

We dig into class prep, athlete cues, scaling decisions, and the harder part of the job: leading a coaching team with trust and honest feedback.

• starting coaching without experience and leaning on a desire to hel...

@botoxandburpeespodcast host Dr. Sam Rhee talks with Mike Warren @mikewarren___ about going from a college football strength mindset to chasing real, repeatable fitness through CrossFit, competition, and triathlon training. We dig into the moment looking shredded stops feeling like enough, and why hard goals, smart fueling, and a strong gym community change how we show up in life. 

• high school lifting basics versus le...

We talk with guest Karenn Marin @karenn.mrn about how CrossFit becomes her anchor through a brutal stretch of life changes, from long-standing body image pain to a sudden family crisis and a fresh start in a new city. 

The constant in her life is training, mentorship, and community, which helped her rebuild confidence, boundaries, and mental health one workout at a time. 

• growing up non-athletic, extremely...

Guest David Syvertsen @davesy85 discusses the real stages of gym ownership, from the first dream to the day you finally trust other people to carry the culture. 

Hiring, delegation, money, and friendship are all discussed, especially how we keep that internal barometer steady with shifting work and life priorities. 

• the dreamer stage and the moment it becomes relentless doing 
• why not knowing the...

We examine the future of CrossFit, focusing on the recent strategic moves of Rich Froning and Mayhem Nation. Discussing partnerships, including those with Jason Khalipa and Austin Malleolo, the episode delves into Mayhem's expansion plans, affiliate support systems, and the concept of 'Fitness Homesteading.' We address how these developments could affect CrossFit HQ and its affiliates, highlighting Mayhem's initiatives to provide v...

Travel Workouts: Fitness Tips and Routine Ideas on the Go

In this casual episode of Botox and Burpees, Dr. Sam Rhee shares insights and experiences on maintaining fitness while traveling. Drawing from 14 years of CrossFit experience, he offers practical advice on balancing workouts with the challenges of travel. 

The episode includes tips on adapting gym workouts, being open to new fitness opportunities, and four...

2026 Podcast Overhaul: New Beginnings and Fresh Content

In this announcement, we reveal major podcast shake-ups for 2026. Dr. Sam Rhee bids farewell to 'Three Plastic Surgeons and a Fourth' and celebrates its five-year run. 'The HerdFit Podcast,' co-hosted with David Syvertsen, will continue under David’s full control, focusing on fitness, nutrition, and mindset. Dr. Rhee’s first podcast, 'Botox and Burpees,' is ...