Just to to get it started. But yeah, I mean this is so to kind of give you an idea, like we're we're very new in the whole podcast space. Um, you know, and and really just kind of getting our feet wet in multiple areas. So it's it's part of a multiple podcast, you know, channel family, whatever you want to call it.
SPEAKER_00I caught that I I I caught that.
SPEAKER_03Oh, okay, very cool. Yep. So yeah, we're just kind of figuring things out. But you know, I think to your point exactly, like I would there's a few people that I've talked to already that I think easily makes sense to come back around and and you know do more with them and and kind of catch up. So I I definitely see that happening where you know we'll do this kind of more of an introduction, kind of talk who knows about what, um, you know, obviously have a uh uh another call maybe closer to or or during the um DECA event or around that time. And then, you know, right, if we need to, if we need or want to come back around, I think, you know, as long as our schedules fit, uh, we'll we'll make it work.
SPEAKER_00We also we also run uh I I I I created a huge event called Summit Stadium Games.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_00Which is the biggest CrossFit competition in Ohio. Wow. We host that at the end of May, and I actually has grown to the point where I utilize the University of Akron. I use the football stadium in the track for an outdoor all-day event.
SPEAKER_03Oh, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_00So that's something that we could I mean, I had 360 competitors there last year.
SPEAKER_03That's all yeah, I would love to um have to look that up. So um when you say CrossFit, like so it's a really interesting thing because like I I've noticed, you know, CrossFit, I feel like was the starting of this, of this like functional fitness, you know, and it and it's definitely grown now to more of, you know, I feel like CrossFit was very um interchangeable with functional fitness. You know, whenever you said that, it's like, okay, well, I immediately went to CrossFit, but now there's this, there's Hyrocks, there's Spartan, there's obstacle racing, there's, you know, um Modality.
SPEAKER_00F 45 and all these offshoots that are all functional fitness that they kind of follow the same methodology of you know, full body workout, full range of motion, core lifts, incorporating body weight, high intensity, interval training. But to your point, CrossFit was kind of the the OG of that whole mix. And so, you know, when I say CrossFit competition, um, we have licensed with CrossFit HQ in the past. That's something we're not doing moving forward this year. We did not see the benefit of paying that licensing fee.
SPEAKER_03Sure.
SPEAKER_00Um, but it's still gonna be a quote unquote CrossFit style competition, functional fitness competition, however you want to look at it. I mean, we've got people that come from straight CrossFit gyms, we've got people that come from the YMCA.
SPEAKER_02Awesome.
SPEAKER_03And if what was it called again? I want to I want to look it up while we're uh Summit Stadium games?
SPEAKER_00Summit So we we have a dedicated Instagram page for that, summit underscore stadium underscore games. And that can be reached from both my personal profile and or the gym's profile. Awesome.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, there it is. Coed teams. Very cool.
SPEAKER_03Well, awesome. Well, um, yeah, I mean let's let's just kind of dive into it. So, you know, uh, welcome everybody to uh hybrid horizons. Uh, this is your host, Ari Fleman, and um, you know, love that you guys are are with us, uh, especially as we start to move away from just rucking focused and now getting really more into the functional fitness space. And and um, you know, I don't think we'll get to the the full breadth of today's uh guest, but um definitely a man well versed in in the functional fitness space, a a um game changer, I think is is probably one of the best ways to put it. You know, just from the the very small time that we've talked together, um, you know, I feel like you are a man with uh on the pulse of things and and really moving along and and making this uh movement grow. Um so without I think further ado, Scott Malloy, welcome, welcome to the show.
SPEAKER_00Thank you. Happy to be here. Appreciate the opportunity to talk with you about this.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, likewise. Um, you know, so just kind of give everybody a quick kind of note, you know, so Scott and I connected a long, long time ago. Um, I was actually lucky enough to partake in one of Scott's events that his gym held, uh, which is my first Spartan event that I loved so much that I, you know, talk about it constantly. I'm actually signed up again to do it next uh this year, um, you know, and and really glad to get you back on, you know, Scott. I know, like I said, I know we talked at the gym um very, very briefly, which obviously, you know, you're a pretty busy man uh the day of an event. Um, but I know we've talked a little bit offline there and again, just kind of learning about everything. So um, you know, again, really, really happy to have you on here. Um why don't you give everybody, if you can, just like a quick, you know, elevator pitch of you know you and and your gym and your you know kind of experiences.
SPEAKER_00Yep. Uh Scott Malloy, uh owner and founder of Summit Athletic Academy in Twinsburg, Ohio, formerly Cuyahoga Valley CrossFit. Um, we um are going by our parent name, Summit Athletic Academy, because we are a little broader than just CrossFit. We are a Spartan DECA affiliate hosting four events per year there. We obviously, some people know we were the creator and founder of Summit Stadium Games in Akron, Ohio, held at Infosizion Stadium every year, which that event has grown to nearly 400 athletes. Um, we do some things with GoRuck, we do some things with tactical games training. So um that's us. We've been here five years and continue to grow.
SPEAKER_03That's awesome. So, yeah, I mean, it's such a such a mouthful in the five years. Um, about you know, how about a little bit about yourself? I mean, what what got you, what led you to this? You know, to did were you in other gyms before and thought you could do it, you know, just as well, or was there something that kind of sparked you you to do all of these extra besides just owning the gym?
SPEAKER_00Um, just more of a passion project, really. Um, was formerly in corporate sales and marketing. And although, you know, that had that held us benefits for a time in life, that season was over, that season changed. And uh the fitness aspect was something that was near and dear to my heart and part of my personal life. And so I had the opportunity to, you know, mix personal passion with profession and reach out and help people, touch people, create events, create a community, um, create events that provide an atmosphere for people to test themselves and challenge themselves. And we've just continued to go down that path with hosting events and providing challenges for opportunities for people and just helping people become the best version of themselves.
SPEAKER_03Awesome. Yeah, that's great to hear. Um, you know, so you talked a little bit about, you know, your gym and and the different affiliations and things. Um, and I know we talked a little bit about that before too, of like, you know, again, the the CrossFit being the OG and um, you know, kind of growing now to this functional fitness space that, you know, Go Ruck's getting involved, Spartan Decca, Hyrux, um, you know, Deadly Dozen, the Stadium series, you know, all that. What's kind of been your uh outlook on this? You know, how have you seen, you know, have have you seen this be positive in the growth? Is it too much growth too quickly? You know, what what are kind of your thoughts on that?
SPEAKER_00Um, I think it's all positive growth. I think the the more variety we offer, the more people that get involved. I think that, you know, although they are all quote unquote in that functional fitness space, they all bring a little something different to the table. Some of them more approachable than others, some of them broader than others. So I think you know, we're we're seeing more people come to the functional fitness space than ever before, just based on the variety and the options. I think that you know, the more people in the space is better because it keeps everyone on their toes and growing and and and striving to be better. So I don't think it's growing too fast. I think with the multiple outlets and the multiple brands, uh, the growth will be organic and the multiple brands will be able to with withstand the rate at which it's growing. I mean, you look at HyRox, for instance, and they're selling out 15,000 tickets to a venue in a weekend.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's insane.
SPEAKER_00Um, you know, we took a little event here locally in Ohio and we're at 400 registrations every year. So I think that more people are looking at this now as something they have the capabilities to do. Whereas in the past, with more limited outlets and a higher skill set, more people were hesitant to jump into things. But some of these new avenues is just more about work, effort, capacity, and not so much a skill, per se. So they feel more capable of doing them, which is getting more people off the couch and getting more people into the gym and getting more people testing themselves in live in-person events, which then they're they're getting a baseline score and they're wanting to retest. So they're staying involved. More people are setting goals, more people are achieving those goals, which I think is good for everybody.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, no, I love it. I think that that's great. And um, you know, I think to your point, like I, you know, that's what I've seen. You know, I I came from a running background and was kind of strictly a runner. Um, and then, you know, started to kind of see, oh, well, you know, I should really be doing more, you know, more kind of uh movement and more structure. And and exactly your point, I saw, you know, um functional fitness as as kind of that, well, I don't know what I'm doing as far as lifting, you know, so but I I don't want to get huge or anything, you know, I want to get kind of um just stronger, you know, just kind of more capable. Uh, you know, and that it definitely was a great um avenue.
SPEAKER_00Capable and as a as a runner, you need to be durable also.
SPEAKER_03That's very true. Yeah. And I feel like that's you know, it's it's funny because I feel like runners, there, there's to me, there's there's, I guess, two, maybe two and a half type of runners. There is the runner, runner-only, who, you know, they they you you couldn't force them into a gym no matter what. Um, there's the I'll call it smarter runner who will get in the gym, but they're only working like legs, maybe core, you know, like the things that are gonna help them propel run faster. And then you have like, you know, the I'll call them hybrid athletes who really aren't really, I don't really consider them, they're not you're not runners anymore, or you're not runner-onies anymore, because then you're the guys like, well, you know, if I'm gonna run, I'm gonna do something else, you know, and I'm gonna start lifting. And now I can lift, well, now I can do something, you know, and and those are, I think, the guys who get, you know, more into uh crossfit and and the functional fitness and things and the the overall health and stuff.
SPEAKER_00Right. You've got people out there now, you know, running six minute miles and deadlifting 400 pounds. And so and those they're that that's the capability part that you referenced a minute ago. They feel very capable in all aspects of life based on their broad level of fitness.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely. I mean, I think that was a huge change for me too. You know, I I again starting as a runner, I was very big on like running specific goals. Like I wanted to hit that two-hour uh sorry, two-hour half marathon. That was like my all you know goal. And I got very close. I got 203, um, which, you know, to this day, I'm well, for the first couple weeks, months, I was very un upset about it because I was so close. Um, and then I started realizing like what's that mean, you know, in the grand scheme of things? Like, wouldn't it be better to still be able to run around with my kids when you know I'm 50, 60, 70 and they're, you know, just getting into their their swing of things and are running circles around me. And, you know, that went into more, you know, movement and more stretching and more, you know, just kind of functional functionality.
SPEAKER_00Well, yeah, I think the functional fitness lends itself more to adding years to our life than you know, life to our years. Those years we have available, we want to add life to them.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's a great point. So what um, you know, so you you you host a lot of events. Um, you know, like I said, I know the DECA event is coming is coming up. Um, you know, so what's what's that kind of look like for you? What's what's the, you know, um, I don't want to say risk and reward for that, but um, what's kind of the the value for you to um, you know, have those kind of events as opposed to just having a I'll call it standard gym where people come in and you know get their workouts, which I'm assuming you have as well.
SPEAKER_00Correct. Yeah, we have we have a standard gym, you know, classes six days a week. Um, and that's that's obviously the basis of our of our organization. That's the backbone of our of our of our community. Uh the events lend themselves to extending our community beyond our four walls and meeting new people. It gives our members an opportunity to test themselves on a regular basis, and it gives our community an opportunity to have other people come in, meet our people, test themselves, and create a larger community. So we have people that will drop in once a month anytime they're in town every couple of weeks that met us through events we hosted. We have athletes who now are remote athletes for us and follow our programming from a remote location based on meeting us at events we hosted.
SPEAKER_03So when you say remote, like they they have their own gym in a different location, or they're you're just like kind of prescribing them workouts to do on their own?
SPEAKER_00Most of most of them work out in another location and or have their own home gym. And yes, we prescribe their workouts that they call from a remote location.
SPEAKER_02That's awesome. And oh sorry, go ahead.
SPEAKER_00So the the basically the events have allowed us to expand the community, meet new people, and just spread the value, spread the value of competing and spread the value of goal setting and achievement. So yeah.
SPEAKER_03Awesome. Yeah, and and speaking of community, I know we were touching on this before we we actually hit record, uh, but it was such a great topic, you know, as far as the community, I mean, I know you've done a ton for um both, I think, you know, the the Spartan DECA community, um, and you know, trying to grow that group and grow the the affiliated gyms and the workouts and things. Um, and I think we we can definitely get to that in a second, but um, you know, can you talk a little bit more about your your um you know the community outreach with with I think Ohio in general, the state of Ohio and the the youth. Um what's the best way it was the youth detention centers, youth uh juvenile centers? Who I yes, Department of Youth Services. Department of Youth Services, okay, great.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So I was approached a couple years ago by Matt Schindlebecker, who runs CrossFit Crave and Celina, Ohio. He and his partner in business, Debbie Wagner, started a company called Expanding Horizons, and they have an organization that is contracted to the state of Ohio, and we coach CrossFit in the juvenile prison system. So we're on site in three locations, seven days, seven separate days a week. So Monday and Wednesday in one location, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday in one location, Monday, Thursday in one location. We offer two classes a day. And it's given us the opportunity to reach a lot of the youth that that really need the fitness, they need the outlets, you know, they they need the structure and the discipline. And it's been amazing to see the growth of these youth over the last couple of years in this program.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I could imagine. I mean, like I said, I know we we touched on that a little bit. Is this program, is this is this like an Ohio? I'm you, I think it's specifically is in Ohio, but is like the program as a whole specifically to Ohio? Are there other states that are doing something similar or or within the same program?
SPEAKER_00This program is specific to Ohio. Uh Matt and Debbie have have outreach far beyond the state. They're doing some amazing things on a much larger scale. Um very grateful to be part of what they've started and be part of what they're doing. Um, but yeah, their their reach is is beyond Ohio and crossing.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean, I think it's such a such a unique uh reach and unique occup opportunity.
SPEAKER_00I mean, you know, like I said, they they have an amazing vision for what they want this to become, and they've worked tirelessly to bring it to life. That's awesome. And how long has that been going on? Um we've been in these locations two and a half years-ish, give or take.
SPEAKER_03And are are you guys looking to expand outside of the three? Like I and I I'm just very unfamiliar with this area. I mean, is there more places to expand?
SPEAKER_00Uh long term, it would be nice to get into the adult facilities.
SPEAKER_03Oh, yeah. That's duh. I think, yeah. I mean, that's again, it's such a unique experience. And and I know we were talking about, you know, the the benefits just in general of fitness, and you think about, you know, uh like my own kids and and you know, your your family and stuff and and your community of just how much better you feel during, you know, after a workout, and if you're having a bad day, you know, like getting a sweat in and and you know that that confidence builder and stuff and and confidence, the discipline, the the potential change of attitude, um, you know, the endorphins you release, the positive vibes, uh being surrounded by people in a positive environment.
SPEAKER_00You know, a functional fitness gym is one of the only places you'll ever go where the last person finished working gets the most cheers.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think you were telling me about that at the um at the last decay I did. There was there was a woman who was 70, I want to say 70, 70, 20 years old.
SPEAKER_0072 years old. I remember thinking her name is Marilyn Matavia, and she drove here on her own to do Decca Strong.
SPEAKER_03That's awesome.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03I mean, that alone is awesome. And then the fact that you, like you said, like everyone was just behind her. And I remember, I think, I think I was, I don't know if I was finishing up or I already finished, but I remember hearing just the you almost want to call it the roar of the crowd, you know?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was when she was finished her burpees, there were eight or ten people doing them with her just to support her along the way. And again, like what other sports here's for the person that finishes last?
SPEAKER_03Right. No, I I totally agree. I mean, the the workout group I'm a part of um is very big on that too. We have you know, it was built out of the um military army kind of um idea. Uh, and the one of the big things is is you always pick up the six, right? So whenever we're running, whenever we're doing anything, um, either you know, you're you're adding your reps with the six and finishing it up with him, or you're running and you come back and pick them up. And it's it's that thing, right? It's it's just that camaraderie, it's that relationship, it's that, you know, uh again, those endorphins that uh help you push out and everything. And yeah, I mean, what a what better place to have that than kids who you know uh need it? I don't want to say the most. I'm sure there's you know, uh obviously kids who need it elsewhere as well, but clearly, you know, these kids need some sort of direction, some sort of help. Um, you know, yeah, outlet too. That's a great way to put it, where you know, instead of forcing something down their throats or you know, putting them in a classroom, you know, or anything, you're you're giving them this outlet. Yeah, I think that's the best way to put way to put it. Yeah, that's awesome. Um, and then so kind of on the other side, you know, uh, can you talk a little bit about your your kind of help and outreach with the the DECA community as well? Or is DECA and Spartan or just DECA specifically?
SPEAKER_00DECA is owned by Spartan. So DECA is a division of Spartan. Spartan is the parent company.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00Um, so we affiliated as a DECA affiliate in November of 2024. We hosted our first event, went really well. We didn't find out about, let me back up. We didn't find out about DECA even existing until uh September of 2024. We went to a local gym, did an event, and we're like, wow, this is pretty fun, pretty exciting, and let's check into this. So we contacted them, we co-hosted an event with them in our gym in November 2024, and shortly thereafter we became an affiliate.
SPEAKER_02Nice.
SPEAKER_00We we then hosted four events in 2025, and we led the region, our region, and total registered athletes. Um, you know, and we had some good success with the size of our events, the turnout, uh, people liked the way they they were run. We got lots of compliments, we got a lot of repeat visitors. We've had people from Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, West Virginia, Kentucky. Um come in. We had somebody, some people come in from we did an event last year in November. We had people come in from Connecticut, Wisconsin, kind of got flying from Arizona. Uh people came over from Indiana. So that was really great to get that kind of footprint draw to the event. Um, you know, and then internally, the success we've seen with the DECA program has been significant buy-in from members and people of the community that aren't members in our gym, but they follow us for the DECA training and the DECA programming that we offer. And they will work out either in home or the gym close to their place, but then they'll always come here to do their events or travel with us to do events when we go on the road.
SPEAKER_03Oh, very cool.
SPEAKER_00That's that's been very cool.
SPEAKER_03And yeah, I guess I would ask, you know, I I think, you know, kind of similarly. I mean, I think I found DECA very Not differently, just kind of randomly. You know, I think it it didn't, and maybe this is something like you, you know, you have more um you have kind of insight in, like, you know, do you feel like DECA is under the radar, you know, compared to CrossFit and HyRox, um, you know, and any of those other ones? Like, is is there something they're doing differently? Is there something they're doing, I don't want to say wrong, but like just to kind of be under the radar like that?
SPEAKER_00I just think that you know they're a little newer to the space. Obviously, we've said, you know, CrossFit's the OG functional fitness brand of all time. You know, with without the CrossFit influence, would any of these brands currently exist or thrive? And would we be on this phone call?
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00Um, you know, HyRox has done a very good job of how they market and how they put on an event. Their events define the grand event, you know, and so the DECA events are more hosted in affiliates than by the organization. So I got Spartan puts on 12 or 15 events a year across the country, and those are called the DECA fit. Now, those are much larger than the event you came to in my gym. Those are 2,000, 3,000 people in a two-day weekend. You know, they're in cities like Boston and New York and Chicago and Fort Lauderdale, Austin. You know, this year we're gonna go to Austin in May, we're gonna go to Chicago in July, we're gonna go to Boston in July to partake in some of those and just you know continue to dive into the culture and dive into the brand and make deeper connections with some people. You know, we were in Fort Lauderdale in December. Uh, our gym had 15 qualifications for world championships.
SPEAKER_02That's awesome.
SPEAKER_0012 athletes attended world championships, and we brought home six first place world champion medals, one second place, and one third place in our first year. Wow. So the events that you're seeing at the local level are that. They're at the local level, they're grassroots, they're community-based, they're people you know, people you see, people you want to work out with, where those default events are more in the high rocks-esque range of scope, where people are traveling from all over the country, all over the world. And now DECA recently has you know grown into the UK. They've grown into China. China hosted a couple of big events in the last few years. So they're a few years behind the high rocks move, but they're growing rapidly.
SPEAKER_03And it's so interesting to say that because like I feel like I feel like HyROC, and maybe I just wasn't aware of it. Maybe like I feel like HyROX was was a newer part of the system and part of the you know, kind of newer and newer to our country, you know, it's a European. Oh, I got you. Okay. So that's how they kind of blew up as they built a kind of a big following there and then came over here. But they, you know, and to your point, I mean, I I like the smaller deca events at you know, better, I think. You know, I think there's there's so much of a, you know, for especially what I've seen on Hyrux, and most of what I've seen is, you know, social media, so take that, you know, with the the the the most grains of salt possible. Um but it seems so I don't even want to say great competitive, you know, and it's very like it's me against everybody, and I gotta do this, and I gotta hit this time, and I gotta, and and I know that's there in DECA as well, and and especially in like the strong and the smaller, but I don't feel like people are so cutthroat, you know. Again, it's it's more of that community. It's everyone kind of, you know, yes, I'm gonna me versus me, my time and everything, but same time I'm gonna do my workout, and then I'm gonna stay in cheer for the 72-year-old woman who's you know still going strong or my friend or anything like that. And I think that's just you know there's a good community feel about it.
SPEAKER_00Now there is the global leaderboard, right? Which is where the world championship invites come from. So there is that competitive aspect to it. And I I think you know, social media does its best to promote quote unquote highlights. So, you know, you I'm sure if you go to any, and I've seen these, you go to any high rocks event, there are people that are there doing their first event that might be walking some of those laps, but they're finishing, you know. But you know, on social media, you know, you're seeing the elite athletes.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00Kind of no different than you know, the average CrossFit gym has a ton of everyday people that are killing it. But if you go to the CrossFit website, you're looking at games athletes.
SPEAKER_02Gotcha.
SPEAKER_00So um, you know, HyRox is its own animal and they do a great job of marketing, obviously. I believe it was the Dallas event that five years ago had 400 finishers and this year had 15,000 finishers.
SPEAKER_03Oh my god.
SPEAKER_00Those numbers are are those are ballpark numbers, but those are pretty accurate. So that's explosive growth.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's crazy. And it's funny you say like 15,000 because, you know, again, social media, it's it sounds like they they put it at like, you know, a thousand people and it's six hundred dollars to get a ticket or whatever it is, and you know, everyone's getting locked out unless you're uh, you know, top tier athlete or anything, where you talk about DECA and it's what$45, maybe$50 to get in, and it's down the street, and it's you know, it's it's I think that's too is what I you know personally, especially what I love about it is you know, it's not it's not costing me that arm and a leg um to go for better lack of words, go do a workout, you know, like uh especially you know, for somebody who works out for free, you know, that kind of thing.
SPEAKER_00Right. Now those those other decadent events I mentioned, the 12 that they put on annually. Sure. That's a little different event, different venue. And it's more of a, hey, you know, we're gonna take a weekend and we're gonna travel, not unlike any high rocks event. You know, you're gonna travel to get there, you're gonna stay in a hotel, you're probably gonna go with some friends, you're gonna eat out, you're gonna overbuy the the event sweatshirt, you're gonna overpay for it, but you're gonna do it with your friends, and it's gonna be memories you're creating together.
SPEAKER_03Right. Yeah, no, absolutely. So, you know, you talked about uh traveling a lot and everything, and I and I think we've talked about this a little bit, maybe you can go into a little bit more detail of I think you're also helping kind of grow the Spartan side of things too, of working with other gyms who want to get kind of follow in your footsteps, correct?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. We are, you know, we're trying to promote the brand. We're, you know, inviting other gym owners in to partake in our events and watch and learn. We have other gyms who have reached out to us and have, you know, some owners have come here and volunteered during our events to see how they operate, with the idea of potentially becoming an affiliate themselves. We've in the past packed up our equipment and gone and put on events in other people's gyms to bring the event to their community to gauge interest in them becoming an affiliate. So, and then we've you know done numerous things where we'll invite other coaches or gym owners into our venue when we do events to partake and do the workout, hang out and watch the community, watch the involvement, watch the environment, and then they become affiliates down the road.
SPEAKER_03That's awesome. Um, so I mean, I guess really like how how do you keep it all under uh under wrap? How do you keep everything? It sounds like you know, you're you're a very, very busy man. Um, you know, what's what's your kind of team look like? What's your you know your week look like or anything like that?
SPEAKER_00Uh the weeks are are are pretty structured and consistent. My Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday are pretty much my Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday each week. My coach classes at my gym in the morning. I have some admin time, I'm off to the juvenile facilities, I'm back, I have some afternoon time. Typically that's when I train. Then we have evening classes, and you know, the day wraps up at a at a fairly decent hour. Not a lot of late nights, not a lot of you know variety of oh, I gotta be here a certain day. It's pretty structured, it's structured by design. You know, structure equals discipline and discipline equals productivity.
SPEAKER_03Perfect. And how big you know, the gym I know is is a decent size, but like what's kind of your gym look like as far as um like the team and everything, is is you know, is it just kind of you and your coaches? Do you have like a separate team that's more on the operation side of things?
SPEAKER_00Uh, just myself, a couple of coaches, you know, when we host events, our members do an amazing job of stepping up to volunteer to support our community. We get a lot of volunteer work out of our members when we host events, but they understand that those events bring new people to the gym. Those events bring revenue to the gym that continues to buy new equipment, buy new stuff, it continues to do things like, you know, when we host events, our members will get to do events at no charge a lot of times. So it's it's you know, they step up and help, and then we step up and and reward them. So we don't have a huge team, we don't have a bunch of people with titles, you know, everybody is hands-on. And, you know, I'm owner and head coach, and I'm also dishwasher and toilet paper.
SPEAKER_03Awesome. Um, you know, so where do you kind of see? I mean, again, you've got to feel like you've got, you know, you kind of your eyes, eyes and ears everywhere. Um, and I know we talked a little bit again, kind of like the the growth of functional fitness, but you know, what's what's kind of your outlook of the functional fitness space in the next, you know, three years, five years, so on?
SPEAKER_00I think it's the potential is endless. Like I said earlier, you know, with the variety of organizations in the mix and with them all bringing something a little bit different, you know, uh it's almost the point where there's something for everyone. And whether that be, you know, a deck of strong with your with a partner that you just kind of got off the couch and trained for a few weeks and and completed it, but then your goal is to get better. And with with so many of these events being a trackable, repeatable event, you're gonna see a lot of people who I think will start to challenge themselves a little bit more. And they'll want to, to your point earlier, better their time. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean, definitely. I think that's you know, uh you can throw me in that category, I think. Right. Uh, you know, I uh a little bit. I I want to try out the um the mile, the deca mile. So right, you're doing the mile in June, right? Yeah, for those who aren't aware, and and you can definitely keep me honest. There's so there's the the deca fit, which is more of like the weekend event, right?
SPEAKER_00There's a fit is the 5k. It is so all the decas decka they're all 10 stations.
SPEAKER_02Gotcha.
SPEAKER_0010 working stations. The deca fit is a 5k event, it is a 500 meter run before each station.
SPEAKER_02Oh, very cool.
SPEAKER_00The deca mile is a 160-meter run before each station, 10 by 160, 1600, 1 mile. The deca strong is 10 stations, no running.
SPEAKER_02Gotcha.
SPEAKER_00So they're all 10 stations. They're all the same 10 stations. Just the point of difference is the running or the distance of running in each event. The deca mile and decca strong are hosted regionally by the DECA affiliates. The Decca fit is only put on by Spartan DECA.
SPEAKER_03Oh, interesting. Okay, so I gotta I gotta travel if I wanna wanna do the fit.
SPEAKER_00Uh the closest one for you is gonna be Chicago in July.
unknownOof.
SPEAKER_03Maybe next year.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_03Right. Um and then there's also the is it the Atlas, right?
SPEAKER_00That's a new one that just Atlas is also hosted by the affiliates, and it is more of a more or less a hybrid CrossFit workout. It involves barbells, dumbbells, sandbags. It's uh it's a it's a whole different type of workout.
SPEAKER_03Sure.
SPEAKER_00But again, still 10 stations for time.
SPEAKER_03And that one though, is there a time limit on that one? Yes. 30 minute time cap.
SPEAKER_00Correct. Nothing else has a time limit. Decca Atlas has a 30-minute time cap.
SPEAKER_03Do you do you know why that one over the other ones has has I I don't know why.
SPEAKER_00I think just because of along the line of you know, the other ones, you're you're just you're gonna finish.
SPEAKER_03Sure.
SPEAKER_00Because you just keep moving. Yeah. I think the time cap on this is because some of it's heavy, it's it's supposed to be a grind.
SPEAKER_02Gotcha.
SPEAKER_00And you know, you kind of just gotta get through it. You know, the the la the last movement is the hundred meters of 100-pound sandbag carries dropping it every 10 and recleaning it to your shoulder every 10. I mean, that's what it ends with. So it's kind of a grind.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00And you know, I think they put a time cap on it to make it a little more of an achievement, not just a completion.
SPEAKER_03Gotcha. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, you I think you hit it right on the head. Like I, you know, I whenever I talk to anybody about the the DECA strong or the mile or anything, you know, it's it's it's it's funny because when you look at it, you look at the 10 exercises, right? And it's it's 10 fairly standard exercises, right? Like if you work out enough, you've probably done most, if not all of these workouts, you know, all these exercises. So to your point, it's doable. It's just, man, when you put one through 10 right back after each other, it it it it affects you. It hurts, you know, you you work, you work uh, you work quite the sweat up for it, which which is great. You know, like I said, it's a it's a great workout, it's a great challenge. And to your point, I think it's what gets it's it's kind of interesting too. It's it's you know it's those 10 um events or those 10 stations. So um, you know, you can come back and challenge yourselves and train and and try to, you know, beat yourself, beat your time of that, you know, me versus me kind of thing.
SPEAKER_00Correct. And the way that they're the way that they're put in that order is designed to compound upon each other, station to station to station. So the the the order which they were originally put together was by design as well.
SPEAKER_03Has it changed at all? Or has it always been the same?
SPEAKER_00Uh it's been the same same as long as I've known.
SPEAKER_03Okay. I didn't know if they if they flip around anything or you know, add anything.
SPEAKER_00Um, you know, to kind of nope, because that way they keep it the same for uh to your point about testing, retesting yourself.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Now also all three of those options, the decaf, the deca mile, and the deck of strong, are also available to be done with a partner.
SPEAKER_02Oh, cool.
SPEAKER_00So they all have partner options. So again, very community-based, split the work, however you want to share it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Some events, though the the running events, you might have somebody who does the running and somebody who does the work based on their strengths.
SPEAKER_03Have you seen that? I mean, so when that happens, is it more of um sorry, is it more of splitting up like the full zone? Like I take zone one, you take zone two, or have you seen everything like people split up um you know where they do?
SPEAKER_00Both strategies. So, like, you know, this year, my partner and I, Dave Corey, we won the deck of strong in our age group at World Championships. And the first four stations, we split. I do one, he does two, I do three, he does four. We don't start splitting work inside the same station until five. We split the work in five. I do six, he does seven, I do eight, we split nine, we split ten. Some some teams split every station. And with the running, with the running, there's even a different component where sometimes when I went with Angela DeFabio last year to Indiana, we did the deck of fit. We did the 5K as a team. And in our age group, we had the top place for the day. We won our age group, and she did all the running. I did 90% of the station work. So in the running events, in a partner running event, both partners have to run the first run and last run together.
SPEAKER_02Oh, okay, very cool. Yep.
SPEAKER_00So we ran the first run and last run together. She did all the rest of the running. And I did most of the work based on where we were at, and it worked out for us. Yeah. The team, the team that finished only a few seconds behind us, they split everything almost down the middle. They were both running, they were both doing stations. So it's a matter of the strength of your athletes and your teammates.
SPEAKER_03For sure. Um, so from you know, just looking up at uh at your website and everything, and the deck events, so you you've got the three, you know, again, I'm just gonna put June because that's the one I know, you know, I'm focusing on. Um so you've got the strong, the mile, and the atlas, and it it all happens on the same day. Yes. Wow. Okay. So how does that work for you as far as like logistics? Because I know, you know, I mean, the the when we did it, the strong, um, and we took up most, if not all, of your your space. Um, you know, so how does that work around with like the fitting the mile in, fitting the atlas in?
SPEAKER_00So since you were here last, you were here when? When were you here?
SPEAKER_03Um sometime last year, I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So was it March or was it June?
SPEAKER_03Uh it was warmer out, so probably June.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Were we doing the were we doing the mile that same day?
SPEAKER_03No, I don't believe so.
SPEAKER_00Okay. So it probably was the end of March and it was just a nice day. Oh, okay. So um we have taken over the 3,000 square foot next to us as well. Oh, fantastic. So we added 3,000 square feet last year.
SPEAKER_03Oh, well, congrats. That's that's awesome. Sounds like definitely needed.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so and on the new side, we host Atlas. We have it set up, the barbells, the dumbbells, the sandbags, they're all set up in two lanes. One for guys, one for girls, one for peak, one for foundations, which is the two levels. So there's a there's a modification scaling option for Atlas with some reduced weights to make it that to make that more approachable for everybody.
SPEAKER_02Gotcha. Very good.
SPEAKER_00So we have that set up on one side, and then the two lanes, like when you were here and saw the two lanes we run, because it's the same exact stations, those lanes are used for the strong and the mile. And we'll run strong athletes first in the morning. As the day gets nicer, we'll add our mile athletes, and they'll be in the lane right in front of the garage door so they can run directly outside and directly run back.
SPEAKER_03So uh, so they're just running the same 100 uh, was it 160 meters? You said, right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yep, 150 meters, 80 meters out, 80 meters back.
SPEAKER_03Gotcha, very cool. Awesome. Well, yeah, I mean, I look, I look forward to it. Like I said, I'm I'm I'm very excited. Um, super glad I got to connect with you to kind of get that, you know, kind of relationship growing. Um, you know, from from your point, we talked a little bit about the you know growth of of functional fitness and everything, but like, you know, what's on the horizon for you uh and and your group?
SPEAKER_00Um we have a couple of additional organizations we're gonna be partnering with here moving forward this year. And when we reconvene in in the future, uh that'll be something exciting to talk about.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00Um there's there's something else coming, and I can't really bring it up yet. Awesome.
SPEAKER_03More reason to have you back on, right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but that that's something that's um really exciting and really beneficial that's coming. Um we continue to do some partnership with um a veterans organization called the Bruce out of Ohio, also. So Sergeant Bruce Crogley.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, do they do a they have like a specific uh WAD for him, right?
SPEAKER_00Yes, yep. Every year in November, uh it's the Bruce WAD. It is uh a 937-meter row buy-in, and then 10 rounds of 10 uh kettlebell swings, burpees, and wall balls, and then a 937-meter row cash out. The 937 is in remembrance of uh Hill 937, which was which was hamburger hill.
SPEAKER_03Okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so, yeah, we are an organization, we are a host location for that, and then I am the Northeast Ohio ambassador for their brand as well. So I'm involved with that organization as well.
SPEAKER_03Awesome. Because they're um are they they're I they're in Ohio as well, but they're not northeast Ohio, right?
SPEAKER_00Or am I thinking No, um, no, Matt Huff is the contact and the and the main guy, and he's down in the central Ohio area.
SPEAKER_03Okay, I was gonna say, I feel like I've I've I've heard this before and and you know connected the dots a little bit.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and then they do uh they're starting to do some annual rucks as well, which you know, in the future maybe I'll get you and Matt together to discuss his rucking event on your podcast.
SPEAKER_03I was thinking the exact same thing. I mean that and and getting um some of the guys, you know. So I guess I'm part the the workout group I'm part of is is nationwide, but we have a f uh a really good um uh demographic whatever in in central Ohio as well. We'd love to get guys, you know, get uh getting him in for the the Bruce Wad specifically. Yeah. Um and doing that. So yeah. Definitely have to have to connect with you.
SPEAKER_00And then I've got another good contact I recently discovered who moved to Ohio for you on the rucking side of things as well. That I'll talk to you offline with.
SPEAKER_03Awesome. Matt, you are I feel like I owe you something. I gotta get you, you know, in in Columbus or get you something uh grown here too.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we'll we'll work that out.
SPEAKER_03Well, awesome. Well, Scott, it's it's been fantastic talking with you. And and you know, like I said, I I'm looking really forward to not only coming in and and getting to uh you know enjoy your gym once more, but you know, continuing these these conversations and and just uh watching you grow. Honestly, I think it's been it's been fantastic. Um anything you want to plug or you know, reach out to anyone um you know where they can find you.
SPEAKER_00Um they can find, you know, find us at Cuyahoga Valley CVCF on Instagram. I'm at Scott Malloy1 on Instagram. Uh you know, any questions about our events, feel free to reach out. Registration links are up for all of those. And uh I hope to see some people at our events that heard about us on the podcast.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, uh, likewise, I feel like we need to get like a uh like a small group or some t-shirts or something so everyone everyone can find us. Um but yeah, again, Scott, it's it's been fantastic and um always enjoyed talking with you and and like I said, nothing but um the best for you and your your group and your growth and your gym and the growth and the community. Um and and as you said, we'll we'll definitely be talking uh very soon.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you, Ari.
SPEAKER_03Thanks, man. Have a good one.
SPEAKER_00You too. Bye.
SPEAKER_03Bye.