Brute Strength Podcast

What actually takes an elite CrossFit athlete to the next level: more strength, better positions, or smarter programming?

Jesse Bifano and Coach El break down a real athlete profile, looking at squat ratios, bodyweight, biomechanics, bracing, bands, chains, and the difference between training strength in the gym and using it under competition pressure.

They also discuss why training age can matter more than biological age, when gaini...

A bulging disc at L5 took Emma Lawson off the 2025 CrossFit Open floor and forced her to rebuild from the ground up.In this episode of the Brute Training Podcast, Emma sits down with Nicole Torres to walk through the reality of her comeback and what it looked like, felt like, and took to get to where she is now. They cover what the injury felt like in training, the decision to sit the season out, how they programmed around pain ins...

You’re probably not as “bad” at that movement as you think; you’re just avoiding the real weakness or training the wrong things. Comment the one thing you hope never shows up in a workout and how you plan to attack it going forward.

The fastest way to improve isn’t chasing what you’re already good at, but getting honest about the limiter that keeps showing up on your scorecard.

If your engine is h...

In this episode, Pat Vellner shares insights on his career, early retirement, injury recovery, and future plans, offering valuable lessons on resilience, mindset, and life after sports.

Expect to discover:

• How to navigate the mental hurdles of injury and retirement without losing your identity as an athlete.
• The surprising peace that can come from circumstances beyond your control.
• Strategies to stay motivated and maintain a positi...

Kyle Ruth joins the Brute Training Podcast to talk about the difference between GPP and performance training, how CrossFit programming has evolved, and why doing more work isn’t always the answer.

At the highest levels of the sport, Kyle has seen a shift away from simply piling on volume and toward more intentional use of volume, intensity, and density. Athletes are becoming more specific about their weaknesses, their goals, a...

Rest is not laziness.It’s the thing that lets you train hard again next week.Save this for the next time you feel guilty or anxious about taking a deload.The "no-days-off" mindset sounds tough until it turns into burnout, bad sessions, and little injuries you keep ignoring.

A smart athlete knows this:You recover when you’re out of the gym.Deloads keep your body fresh and your mind sharp.Longevity beats one more “ha...

From CrossFit Games prep to life in the desert, Justin Cotler gets real about what it takes to stay elite in sport, business, and family.We talked about the pressure of coaching at the highest level, the identity shift that comes with big life changes, and the lessons that come from being forced to slow down and reassess.The biggest takeaway: Success isn’t just about performance, but about staying present, adapting, and prote...

You can be strong and still be underpowered.This gap shows up fast when the current strength numbers don’t match the goal.Drop a comment if you’ve ever had an athlete who looked strong but moved like they were stuck in mud.If you only look at one bucket of absolute strength, you’ll miss the real limiter and possibly miss out on huge gains. What’s harder in your experience: building strength or turning it int...

We caught up with our CrossFit Games rookie Janie Cheverie to chat about what making the Games meant to her and how she is approaching the lead-up to her first CrossFit Games.Brute Redmond Code https://living.redmond.com/discount/B...____________________________________________________________________________Like and Subscribe to our podcast:Brute Strength Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Follow us on Social MediaI...

Tune in as Adrian Conway shares how the sport's evolution is shaping what’s possible for us as athletes. From the real challenges of aging in high-intensity training to the behind-the-scenes truths of the supplement industry, he pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to stay competitive and healthy. Plus, his insights on the future of CrossFit’s education and sport will make you rethink what excellence looks lik...

Join us with Coach Matt Torres to recap the 2026 CrossFit Games and hear a little behind-the-scenes of how we won the CrossFit Games. Brute Redmond Code https://living.redmond.com/discount/B...Which Program Is Best For You: https://www.brutestrengthtraining.com...____________________________________________________________________________Like and Subscribe to our podcast:Brute Strength Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas...

Uncover the hidden mental strategies that turn good CrossFit athletes into elite performers willing to push past pain barriers and redefine their limits.Most athletes are content staying just under their red line: the point where effort feels unbearable. But the true game-changer is learning to live there.

In this episode, Coach Matt and George Rhigas dive into the psychology of training at that threshold, revealing how building to...

Most CrossFit athletes lose sight of why they fell in love with the sport, risking burnout and losing themselves in pursuit of elite performance. But what if there’s a smarter, healthier way to progress without sacrificing your identity, joy, or well-being?

In this episode, Coach Matt and @rhigas uncover the secrets to loving CrossFit while maintaining balance, resilience, and a sense of self beyond the gym.

You’ll disco...

Jason Khalipa won the CrossFit Games, built successful businesses, and helped shape CrossFit from the beginning.

Today, his mission looks different.

In this episode of the Brute Training Podcast, Jason shares why he shifted from chasing performance to training to protect, provide for, and lead his family and community.

We also dive into:

• The future of CrossFit and how the sport has changed

• Why community matters more than ever

• Build...

Most athletes and fitness fanatics underestimate how innovative grip technology can unlock their true potential. Sean Coote, founder of Frog Grips, reveals the game-changing innovation that transformed CrossFit performance and how it’s just getting started.

In this episode, Sean shares the unlikely origins of Frog Grips: a journey sparked by boredom during COVID, and a relentless quest for the perfect grip that would protect h...

Most athletes chase stronger lifts and faster times, but what if the secret to peak performance is actually less?

Luka Đukić reveals how shifting his focus from volume to quality transformed his fitness, enabling him to hit new PRs while maintaining his speed and endurance.

If you're tired of endless training hours that sacrifice your results, this episode is your wake-up call to optimize your approach.Luka shares the nuanced diffe...

After missing the CrossFit Games in 2025, Aniol Ekai made a decision that changed his performance ever since:

He stopped focusing on outcomes and started focusing on execution.

In this episode of the Brute Training Podcast, Aniol breaks down the lessons learned from last season, the mindset shifts that helped him dominate the European Semifinal, and why he believes maturity has become one of his greatest competitive advantages.

We als...

Most CrossFit athletes think endurance improvement comes from simply doing more cardio, more zone 2, and more hard intervals.

According to Brute Endurance Coach Mark Cullen, that's exactly where many athletes go wrong.

In this episode of the Brute Training Podcast, Mark joins George Rhigas to break down the endurance concepts that actually move the needle for CrossFit athletes. From Zone 2 myths and threshold training to VO2 max dev...