The CrossFit Podcast

Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world, and it is deeply embedded in fitness culture. Coffee, pre-workout, and energy drinks are often treated as essential tools for training and performance.

But what does the science actually say?

In this episode of the CrossFit Podcast, host Jocelyn Rylee sits down with sleep scientist and active duty Army neuroscientist Dr. Allison Brager to examine the relationship between caffeine, sleep, recovery, and performance.

Brager explains how caffeine works in the brain, why tolerance changes its effectiveness, and why the perceived boost athletes feel during workouts does not always translate into measurable performance gains. The conversation explores research on caffeine and CrossFit workouts, the role of sleep deprivation in caffeine effectiveness, and why energy drinks may carry neurological risks when used chronically.

They also discuss strategic caffeine use for athletes, military personnel, and first responders who face sleep disruption.

If you train hard, rely on caffeine, or want to improve performance without compromising recovery, this conversation will challenge what you think you know.

Topics Covered

How caffeine blocks adenosine and promotes alertness in the brain

Research on caffeine and CrossFit workouts

Why perceived effort improves with caffeine even when performance does not

The neurological and mental health risks linked to heavy energy drink use

Strategic caffeine dosing for athletes, military personnel, and shift workers

Resources Mentioned

Dr. Allison Brager

The CrossFit Podcast with Dr. Brager on Sleep

Community Highlight 

Michael Atkinson grew up in Napa, California, the son of immigrants from Trinidad and Mexico, in a neighborhood where gangs often filled the gaps that opportunity didn’t.

At 19, he was facing charges that could’ve meant life in prison. Instead, he was given one last option: complete a court-ordered recovery program or serve eight years.

That program introduced him to CrossFit.

After watching a regional event, the men in the program tried the workout themselves. It wrecked them … and hooked them. For Michael, it became the identity that replaced the one he was trying to leave behind.

He wrote down two goals: become a competitor and become a coach.

Years later, he bought the very affiliate where he once showed up asking for an internship — CrossFit Novato.

Today, he coaches firefighters, local teams, and everyday adults, and offers scholarship memberships for people who need a second chance because he knows exactly what that can mean.

Former Green Beret, longtime CrossFit coach, and licensed therapist Bill Anthes joins Jocelyn Rylee for a conversation that cuts straight to the heart of what it means to train the whole human. Drawing from military selection, years on Seminar Staff, clinical practice, psychedelic integration work, and the creation of the Ruck Race League, Bill explores the deep connection between physical stress, psychological patterns, and nervous-system awareness.

He and Jocelyn dig into failure as a training tool, why monotonous work exposes truth, how coaches can hold space without overreaching, and what it means to listen to the body instead of overriding it. 

Topics Covered

Using physical stress to access deeper psychological insight

Coaching beyond mechanics: listening, curiosity, and psychological tolerance

Failure as an intentional training tool and catalyst for growth

The rise of rucking as both sport and self-exploration

Psychedelic preparation and integration through a whole-person lens

Resources Mentioned

Ruck Race League — ruckraceleague.com

Between the Ears (Bill’s practice) — btwntheears.com

The Immortality Key 

Community Highlight

Parker Fontecchio is a beacon of hope for the younger generation of CrossFit athletes. At 24 years old, he’s not only the head coach at CrossFit Tempe, but also dedicates his life to raising funds for veteran causes using his fitness.

He’s carried 22 lb for 72 miles to raise awareness for veteran suicide, flipped a tire for 24 hours, rope-climbed the height of Everest, and most recently pulled a truck for 31 miles.

Every challenge is powered by CrossFit and a mission to show what’s possible when you refuse to quit — especially for the veterans who often feel forgotten.

“Every event might look individual, but there’s always a crowd around me — friends, family, my gym,” Parker says. That’s what makes CrossFit, CrossFit.”

What if trauma recovery is not just about talking, but about training?

In this episode, host Jocelyn Rylee sits down with Dr. Stephanie Arel, whose work bridges religion and psychology. She holds a master’s degree in religion and psychiatry, and a Ph.D. in theology and trauma studies, along with clinical training and experience working at an eating disorder hospital. Drawing on her academic research, clinical work with trauma survivors, and personal journey as a CrossFit athlete, Arel explores how CrossFit’s methodology intersects with trauma recovery.

Arel explains how trauma permanently alters the stress system and why trauma recovery must involve the body, not just the mind. They unpack big T and little T trauma, how triggers show up in the gym, and why high-intensity training can help recalibrate the nervous system when paired with agency, trust, and appropriate scaling. The conversation explores the parallels between EMDR therapy and constantly varied functional movements, the role of competence in reducing fear, and why community is essential for recovery.

This is not about turning coaches into therapists. It is about becoming trauma-informed, understanding how stress and physiology interact, and recognizing the profound impact of intensity, skill development, and community inside a CrossFit affiliate.

If you care about mental health, nervous system regulation, coaching, or the deeper effects of training, this conversation will change how you see your next workout.

Topics Covered

The difference between big T and little T trauma

How trauma alters the stress response and nervous system

Why high-intensity training can recalibrate arousal systems

The role of agency, competence, and scaling in recovery

Community, vulnerability, and trust inside a CrossFit affiliate

Resources Mentioned

Vana Growth

“What Happened to You?” by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey

“The Body Keeps the Score” by Bessel van der Kolk

Community Highlight

Nick McCombs owns a nonprofit CrossFit affiliate — and nearly half his members train for free.

In 2017, he and his wife, Whitney, opened Branded One CrossFit in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a simple promise: any disabled service member or first responder — with a 0-100% disability rating — can train at no cost. No catch. Just show up.

Today, veterans with PTSD, athletes missing limbs, and first responders rebuilding their lives make up a huge part of the community. The gym is sustained by paid memberships, fundraising, and people who believe fitness should change lives — not just physiques.

Nick doesn’t measure success by podium finishes. He measures it by watching someone walk again after a stroke. By seeing a man trade his walker for a run. By witnessing people reclaim strength, independence, and confidence.

Dr. Jason Fung returns to the CrossFit Podcast to unpack the real driver behind weight gain and chronic hunger. Drawing from decades of clinical experience and his new book “The Hunger Code,” Fung challenges the “calorie in, calorie out” model and explains why it has failed so many people for so long.

This conversation goes deeper than macros and meal plans. Fung breaks down the three types of hunger: homeostatic, hedonic, and conditioned. He explains how ultra-processed foods, the modern food environment, and social conditioning override natural appetite regulation. He and host Jocelyn Rylee explore how insulin and other hormones shape body fat regulation, and why long-term success depends on restoring satiety rather than fighting willpower.

Topics Covered

Why calorie restriction fails long-term.

The three types of hunger and how they drive overeating.

How ultra-processed food hijacks appetite and satiety.

Hormones and the body fat thermostat.

Social environments and practical levers for change.

Resources Mentioned

Dr. Jason Fung

Website

YouTube

Instagram

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The Hunger Code by Dr. Jason Fung

The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung\

Hunger by Roxane Gay

Community Highlight 

Travis Ponikiewski doesn’t train for the leaderboard.

He trains because he has two little girls who think he’s invincible, and he plans on keeping it that way for a long time.

When Travis was young, he lost his dad. Now that he’s a father himself, that experience quietly shapes everything. For him, fitness isn’t aesthetic. It’s responsibility. It’s making sure his daughters don’t grow up with missing memories.

At home, that same steadiness shows up in how he supports his wife through mental health struggles. He wants her to feel strong again, on her terms.

He cares less about how his girls look and more about what they’re capable of. Strong bodies. Healthy relationship with food. Confidence that doesn’t shrink to fit the world.

He’s even working toward his Level 1 — not to collect a title, but to better serve the people around him.

Stay tuned for an update on the CrossFit Podcast over the coming weeks. Until then, enjoy this episode with CrossFit legend Chuck Carswell. You can find Chuck starring in the latest content from CrossFit HQ, The CrossFit Effect.

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Chuck Carswell has been part of CrossFit for nearly two decades, making an impact as a coach, mentor, and longtime member of CrossFit’s Seminar Staff. He’s one of the most experienced trainers in the world, having taught thousands of athletes and coaches through the CrossFit Level 1 and Level 2 Certificate Courses.

In this episode, Chuck sits down with Denise Thomas to share his journey — from playing in the NFL to discovering CrossFit, and dedicating his career to coaching and education. He reflects on the evolution of CrossFit’s training methodology, the lessons he’s learned from coaching at every level, and his philosophy of “Big Team, Little Me.”

Topics Covered:

Chuck’s early athletic career and time with the Miami Dolphins.

His introduction to CrossFit and first experience with the workout Helen.

The evolution of CrossFit’s trainer seminars and credentialing. 

The impact CrossFit has had on the fitness industry. 

Resources Mentioned:

CrossFit Training and Certifications – Learn more about the Level 1 and Level 2 Courses: CrossFit Training

What Is Fitness? (2002) – The foundational CrossFit Journal article defining CrossFit’s approach to fitness

Chuck as a Dawg – Watch the play Denise references