The CrossFit Pittsburgh Podcast
We have been a CrossFit Affiliate since 2006. We are one of the originals. My wife and I opened our doors when I was home between deployments to Iraq. It's been an amazing adventure spanning thousands of miles between us over the course of 12 years deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. We formed amazing bonds. Lost good friends. And learned a lot about ourselves and our community. Throughout the course of this Podcast we will discuss all of that and more. We will talk about the people we have encountered along the way and the lessons we learned.
The CrossFit Pittsburgh Podcast
Creating the Perfect CrossFit Home Gym: Equipment, Stories, and Family Fitness
Ready to revolutionize your home workout space? Discover the ultimate guide to creating a functional and inspiring home gym that fits your CrossFit needs. We cover everything from the essentials like customized rigs and adjustable dumbbells to the emotional journey of a rescue dog who became our workout buddy. This episode is packed with heartwarming stories and practical tips to help you design a workout space that feels uniquely yours.
Balancing a home gym with a traditional gym membership can be tricky—learn how we navigate this and how versatile equipment like kettlebells and pull-up rigs can elevate your training. Hear firsthand experiences with different types of weights and the joy of incorporating fitness into family life. Our host shares touching progress stories about his son mastering handstand walks, proving that fitness can be a family affair.
Ever had to troubleshoot a rower or deal with an ankle injury mishap? We've got you covered with practical advice on equipment maintenance and hilarious personal anecdotes. From managing a garage workout space to fostering a love for fitness in children, we explore the full spectrum of the home gym experience. Join us for an engaging episode that combines fitness wisdom with relatable stories and valuable insights.
All right and we are back, and my brother Blake just dropped this on me. I think this is a great topic. So if you're talking about equipment and not necessarily in like a and it's funny too, ironically like in a commercial box space, it can even say it like commercial box. Well, yeah, I mean, but what we're talking about is like your must-haves. If you're not going like full crossfit gym but rather a full crossfit workout, whether it's in your, your home gym because I know you've got an outstanding home gym and a detached garage behind your house we've got a crossfit gym in our basement level that opens onto the patio, but it doesn't have, uh, ceiling height. So I built uh, I actually pirated the uh, the castro rig from rogue.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, and this was too, because, you know, we we came on the scene just a minute before rogue did, hence you know how we ended up building our own uh gear.
Speaker 1:So what I did, though, was I called rogue directly before I built this and I said hey, let me run something by you. I said I think I already know the answer, but I love the idea, the concept of the castro rig, particularly if I'm going to put it outside. It comes in like a 12 foot variation or a 15 foot variation, and I think it's like I called it like a trawler arm, um, but I was like no, what I would have done there was I would have put the four posts maybe two 12s and two 15s and then across the two 15s like a single bar that I would have rigged a 15 foot rope on right, you know, for stability and all that, and I know it would have worked, you know, anchor it to uh concrete and so forth, but, um, I was like, you know, and I was watching uh I think it was, um some video that dave put out at his place in arizona, and I'm like man, beautiful, like it's, it's outside and you can leave it. So now we're not Arizona right, that's true.
Speaker 1:And Rogue is in Columbus, so I know they speak the same language, right. And I was like, let me run this by you. I'm in Pittsburgh, what are the odds, you know? I mean, I know it's drilled and it shouldn't. And even if I drilled a couple more pilot holes, like on the bottom, like to let water, you know, flow out after snow and whatever gets in it, I was like, what are your thoughts? And the guy I talked to was very cool. He was like, well, you know, all of our equipment is powder coated and he's like, but outside is outside, you know, really, no telling, no guarantees as to how long that would last, you know, and then maintenance would become a thing you know. So what I did was I built one in my back end. I would have had to have dug and poured concrete pylons anyway to anchor it to. So what I ended up doing was I just dug, I rented an auger and this is, I don't know.
Speaker 1:Not many people know this story, but it's going public. This is so messed up. Um, we had a dog, uh, that it was just a great dog, rescue dog, beautiful, beautiful, and this thing was like. You remember when we, uh, painted the origin, our last space. Yeah, we painted that. So sherwin-williams is right up here where we are now, and we were right down the street. So I was going back and forth picking up paint Like I'd coach the 530, go to Sherwin-Williams, get some paint, come back. And every morning when the Animal Rescue League was right across the street from where we are today, the volunteers would be taking dogs out for a walk, right?
Speaker 1:So I see this one and he is just cool. There's just something about him. He's just something about him. He's just like it looks like he's got it all figured out, you know. So we rescue him, we bring him to the house and he was just, he was my dog, you know like. He'd stay with me and just like right, wherever I'd be working, he'd be right there beside me and hang out. When I bring him to the gym and he'd just hang out with me. And we had him for um, I don't know, maybe a year or so and no idea what, because he was a very well-behaved dog, had great personality, loved the kids.
Speaker 1:All of a sudden, this one particular Sunday, he's like kind of not restless, he's like lethargic, you know, and he's like laying in his bed beside me there in the family room, I'm like, hey, buddy, what's going on? And he'd perk up, you know. And I'm like, all right, you know. So before we went to bed I made up my mind. I'm like, all right, we're coaching the 530 tomorrow morning. If he's no better when I get back, I'm taking him to the vet.
Speaker 1:Well, evidently he had gotten hold of something and like something plastic and chewed on it and I guess it cut him up low into his, you know, like intestinal tract and he bled out overnight I mean internal, you know, just bled out overnight. And I'll tell you what I. That messed me up pretty bad like. I was like, oh, you gotta be kidding me, you know. So, um, he would sleep in a crate, like we I don't even remember if we kept the door on, but that was like his space, like in our, in our bedroom, you know, and he had this, uh, pittsburgh steeler, uh, fleece, but that was like his space, like in our bedroom, you know. And he had this Pittsburgh Steeler fleece blanket. That was like his favorite blanket, you know. So I wrapped him up in his fleece blanket, I put his favorite Kong in there with him and I'm like I'm not taking him away. I'm not putting him anywhere.
Speaker 1:Like, I dug the hole myself in a spot in the backyard that he used to like to sit under this pine tree right. So I put to like to sit under this pine tree right, so I put him there. Great, you know, perfect, I know exactly where it is. I even had like a little little stone, like not marker carved or anything, but I had like a little, you know, I knew it was his spot.
Speaker 1:So, subsequent to that, we have the pine trees taken down because they're starting to break and bad winds and all that, and I'm like okay, and they're getting sap over everything and they're blighted. So we get the pine trees cut down. Great, so I go to dig the holes to plant these posts to build my own Castro rig. And Jen said isn't the dog buried around there? I go, he is, but he's right here, like I know where he is. He's right in the middle. He's fine. Super Fourth hole out of four. I'm like.
Speaker 1:I lift the auger, all of a sudden the piece of the blanket comes up and the rest of the blankets attached to it and michael was outside with me and he was like he wasn't even. You know how old is that rig? It's pretty old now, but I'm like, hey, buddy, um, go get mom, I'm gonna need her advice on something. Okay, off he goes. I'm like, so, yeah, we had to um, what's it called disintern and like re-intern, champ, you know. So that was not cool, man, that was not cool, but we salvaged it. We were able to get like everything a little blanket and all that, and I'm like, oh, my god, my buddy, sorry dude, but yeah, but anyway, um, so, having said that, right, so you got, like you know, a great home gym, and I know this from like old, old, um, uh, what do you call it? Like old health club lore.
Speaker 1:I guess studies and statistics and all of that have shown like people that have gyms in their home are more apt to use it if they also train somewhere else, as opposed to like, oh no, I don't need a gym membership, I have a Peloton, a treadmill or whatever.
Speaker 1:And I don't mean like by the brand, I don't mean it like by the brand, I don't mean it like that. But oftentimes what tends to happen is that thing becomes a piece of furniture and you'll hang laundry from it or you'll use it as whatever, maybe once in a while. But I guess the philosophy is hey, I have to train at home, today, I'm not going to make it to the box and you're going to use it more, or even, you know, augment your workouts with. You know, get up in the morning and I'll do part a, and then I'll come into the box this evening and do this. But I guess that's what, and I think that's a great idea. So you don't have the space, you don't have the height, you don't have the need, for you know triplicate, you know multiple, multiples. So, in your opinion, what would you? What would you start with?
Speaker 2:well, I think, um, probably the thing right now that I use the most are my dumbbells. So I have, I'm, I'm, you know, I don't necessarily know that this is necessary for everybody, uh, but we have dumbbells from, uh, from five. Actually, technically, we have dumbbells from three to three to forty in five pound increments, and then I don't have a set of 45s but I have a set of 50s and, uh, you know, I utilize my dumbbells probably more than anything. Um, you know, because I am a former meathead and I do like to lift heavy things every once in a while. You know, like I like to bench heavy, I would like to get more dumbbells, but again, like you said, space becomes an issue.
Speaker 2:So, like you know, eight pounds through, you know, through 50 pounds. Essentially, it's really only what? One through 50 pounds, essentially it's it's really only what that's like nine sets of dumbbells, so they fit conveniently into a small rack area. Um, you know, but I can do everything that I need with that. Uh, I think it's it's very, uh, very important to have a place where you can do pull-ups, you know and having some sort of rig.
Speaker 2:Uh, we were talking before, before we started recording. Um, and you know, those foldable racks are nice, but like if it were, you know, I mean, it is me, I built one like a home gym, but, um, I would never unfold it you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:like it's like, yeah, just be like oh, here I'll do that.
Speaker 1:No, that extra step isn't ever gonna right, isn't ever gonna happen, and I think the funny part too is, as I said it right, because I think the the the point I was getting to was like before we remodeled our, our lower level, we had a um, like half of the house, maybe maybe even like two-thirds, was a garage, so it was like a two-car garage, but it was the entire like depth of the house. So it was nice, it was big, but it had a finished eight foot ceiling, so you really don't gain anything height wise. Um, and we, we converted that into an in-law's apartment, you know, when we moved my mother in. So I wouldn't have changed that for anything, but what we ended up doing. And again, this, this stuff happens right.
Speaker 1:A picture came up in my facebook feed today of when, you know I was okay, we've got some stall mats, four by eight plywood sheet. I did like the diagonal Navy blue paint on one corner, you know bright, bright yellow. You know, in the next set it up with a like an incremental you know squat rack and in the, in the picture I remember, there's like just the foot of a dumbbell rack to the other side and what I ended up doing there we had um, one pair, fives to fifties. I guess the intent was always like, hey, if I need heavier, we'll get them. But what I actually ended up doing was I bought a pair of rogue uh handles you know the, the Olympic dumbbell handles and then with that I ended up buying um well, I had like a ton of cast iron from you know, our first gym.
Speaker 1:I mean, if you remember, we first opened up we didn't even have bumper plates right like we had a ton of cast iron and really, you know, we made do until we placed our first, uh, first bumper plate order, you know, but actually like those and I wouldn't even think, or fives and two and a halves and tens, like are they still they're not considered change plates. I mean, change plates are like the small, like one pound, three quarter pound I guess it all depends on who you talk to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but yeah, I mean that you know, I mean, if you have enough of those that, that still weighs weight, right, exactly.
Speaker 1:Well, and the thing is this too, though, because the 10-pound cast iron is probably as big as you want to go on those Rogue, what are they?
Speaker 2:The handle. Yeah, like the Olympic with the Olympic collars. Like if you're benching, your range of motion is here before, like you're like.
Speaker 1:Ah, I just put two 45s on here but that was just crazy, because you know four tens is a 55, because the bars weigh, uh, 15, okay, yeah, so you're like okay, so just stack up on some tens, some fives, and you can, you know, you can build them as you go. Now I wouldn't be doing drop sets, you know it's not practical to go. Okay, you strip them off, put them on right, but um, cost wise was one factor, but then space was another. I was like I'm running out of room to have, you know, 55s to 100, you know. But, um, yeah, dumbbells, absolutely, I mean there's so and I think sometimes too, I know, within the crossfit we do use them quite a bit. Obviously, dumbbell snatches cleans yesterday's workout or Monday's workout this week, heavy emphasis on dumbbells, which is great. But I also, one of the things I loved when we first started was and I paid the price for this I don't think I had rhabdo, but I got into this. I don't think I had rhabdo, but I got into this, I don't think I had rhabdo.
Speaker 1:You probably you'd know it if you did, I mean if you don't go to the doctor.
Speaker 2:You never know. You know what. That's right.
Speaker 1:That's exactly. That's the way I that's why we're friends, man. But I ended up and I think it was too it was out of enthusiasm that I was getting so immersed in kettlebell training that I would do my three-on-one-off of CrossFit. Then, on my rest day, I'm like well, I'm not really working out, I'm just going to practice. You know, was it Iverson?
Speaker 2:We're talking about practice. Right, we're talking about practice.
Speaker 1:And that's what I did. I would practice. But's what I did. I would practice. But let me, let's face it, you start to get into it and you're really having fun. And you remember Jeff Martone, right? I mean I was, uh, I knew who he was and really was, just like I'm watching everything he's putting out.
Speaker 1:Then we went to a train up. I had already been on our project at the agency for about two years, okay, and we finally got enough replacements in the pipeline that we're like, okay, no kidding, now we need to make a concerted effort. Like everybody goes through the selection that's been approved for new hires. We're going and we did. Some of us were home on leave, so to speak, so we attended the first go. And who do they hire as our combatives instructor? But Jeff Martone. So right away, you know, I introduced myself and hey, how you doing? All right, you know this and this, and we're just talking about like every spare minute, we're talking about training. You know a funny story too, and this is a fact. And he was here in Pittsburgh a few years back for a kettlebell clinic or certificate course, and where was it?
Speaker 1:We didn't host it. We didn't host it, but he ended up staying at our place and I think what he did was he came in Friday evening to our place and did like a clinic, but the course was, I want to say, maybe CrossFit Mount Lebanon the next day and Mike Lamana went to the course. So he tells me on Monday he goes oh my God, man, he's like I knew you, I knew you knew Jeff, I knew you guys were friends. But he's like he told a story that was so damn funny and I'm like, oh God, what was that? And he said, yeah, you all were at a train up Because I told the story to everybody. I'm like, no, I saw it, I was there, I saw it. It's basically a combatives course but you have the bad everybody that you know. The students and the bad guys are all dressed in like the uh, like the red man suit.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:So like basically soft body armor on everything boxing gloves or you know, like MMA gloves but you know like everything's padded, covered, protected, encaged, and it's scenario driven. So all you get is a briefing. Like you're the student, you get the briefing. They usually do it in a cqb house right, okay and they're like all right, here's the deal.
Speaker 1:It's a passive environment. So far as you're aware, you're just going to enter through this door, walk through the building and come out the other side. Roger, that right. So as you're walking around and it's not like, oh, there are role players, but they're all just in, like T-shirts and jeans. They're not going to jump you because if you're going to defend yourself, they're not protected. So, like everybody's in red man gear.
Speaker 1:And you've got guys doing like clerical work. Like you know, there's no paper but there's like metal filing cabinets in the office space or whatever. So, long story short, and you don't know if anybody's armed or not, and if they're armed, obviously it's the munitions, right? So as this particular scenario unfolds, jeff's the instructor, so he's clearly out of bounds, Not out of bounds, he's off limits, right? So he's wearing like a ball cap and you know polo shirt and you know, I mean, he's clearly don't touch this guy. So he's walking the building as this scenario is unfolding and one of the attackers has a pistol In addition to all his gear. He's got a pistol. So his cohort attacks the student, the student starts throwing everything he can think of. I mean, he's doing pretty well and I can say this with all certainty that I saw it because I was up on the catwalk with the other instructors. I'm watching this thing develop.
Speaker 1:And you're like oh, that's nice, right, While this is happening, the other bad guy comes in, takes a swat at the guy, kicks whatever, pulls his pistol. As he pulls his pistol, now they're moving all over, like the student had the wherewithal to actually use the other bad guy as like a shield, you know. So he grabs him, kind of like, uses him, throws him towards A shot, goes off just as Jeff walks through the door. All right, he catches the damn round, catches it, but not like you know, some fictitious, like ha ha, you know, but I guess you know. And then, when I told the story, I was like no dude, that's being aware, right, I mean, I'm not even saying well, he saw from the angle of the this or this, it was reflex, it was timing and it was just like you know. His hand came up and he actually ended up catching the round in his hand. And well, he tells the story and he goes yeah, he's like you know.
Speaker 1:Now mike tells the story that I caught this round. He goes I didn't really, you know, you know how he did, I didn't really catch it. Now, and I I respect this, though, and maybe I used the wrong verbiage Like he goes, I didn't, I didn't catch it so much as you know, like I think he saw you know, like a, a flash, a, whatever. And as his hand comes up, he's like I didn't so much catch it, as it hit my hand and I'm like all right, your story, my story hand. I would argue like if you went like this and it hit here, it hit your hand. Yeah, it ends up in your hand and you have positive control.
Speaker 1:if it were me, I'd be telling everybody you know, I'd have shirts made yeah, and I wouldn't even say, I wouldn't even say it was simunition.
Speaker 1:I'd be like, yeah, I caught, caught a, snatched that right out of the air. See, what you have to understand about force on force is when physics dictates. Now he's uh, he's a cool dude man. He is a very, very uh. But I think too, you know that's, that's something that he's got a unique style, but he's, you know, that's that's how you get to be a subject matter expert. You know, he's been around kettlebell training for so long that it's like, you know, when you start to master movements and then kind of it becomes well, like you said yesterday I actually used that with an on-ramp last night the um, I have to go to the gym, or I get to go to the gym, right, yeah, I have to work out, or I get to work out two totally different mindsets and I think he's kind of taking it to that level where he's worked at it so much.
Speaker 1:You've got to love it to be that immersed in it right but then my opinion and watching him and learning from him, I'm like he takes it to a point where now it's fun and hence my you know, like hey, three on one off, three on one off. And those one-offs were I'm literally I'm out in my backyard and I'm like juggling and practice. Well, all of a sudden I'm like I'm not sure what's wrong, but literally everything hurts. I, the only thing I didn't have and I don't know if this is bad or I don't know if it's good or bad I didn't have the, the coca-cola colored urine, right, you know. But I felt like I had been really like beat up, like when I was a kid, like in a college, in the navy, when I was boxing like, especially if you'd have a like a battle. Um, I remember, you know, there's like a pain that you get like in the, in your lower back, that's like from being like body punched, like kidney shots, if, and I'm like that's probably not good at all, you know.
Speaker 1:So I just you know when I you know what I ate a little bit of yogurt. I drank, drank some water and I did more CrossFit Right, and I healed myself. Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2:That's what happens when you're younger right.
Speaker 1:That's right.
Speaker 2:You do stupid shit and your body recovers and you're good and then you get older.
Speaker 1:Take a knee, drink water.
Speaker 2:You're like oh man, I can't do this this morning because my hips are tight or my back is tight or whatever.
Speaker 1:That's for sure.
Speaker 2:Now, with your extensive knowledge and friendship with Jeff and stuff, what emphasis on kettlebells would you put on a home gym?
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely. I think it's a great tool and, you know, think about this too, like just some of the primary movements we do as CrossFitters, and there's an upside and then more of an upside for certain things. For example, you're teaching someone what in the wide, wide world of sports? Oh my gosh, this is going to be funny. This is just.
Speaker 2:For those of you at home, we're watching the kids right now and they're working on their handstands. That was Logan that did it right.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So my son's down there and if you paid any attention whenever he was here, right, he is not the person that looks like he should ever be up on his hands. He does not look like he would do that, but he's been practicing handstands for the last couple months and he's officially, at nine years old, better at handstand walks than I am.
Speaker 1:Look at that.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. He's better. Now I'm jealous, and this is the best and this is the best, the best part try and make him pick up a 400 pound bar later and be like, see, you can't do that face like well, can you dad? I was like well, we're not talking about me here, we're talking about you.
Speaker 1:I think the coolest part about this, though, is the kids class has given us the opportunity to get together and talk. Oh for sure, crossfit, but. But what's wild is being able to see it, and I don't think it's a distraction at all. It's a privilege to be able to see them on the monitor and watch. I mean, again, that's right there, I get to go to the gym.
Speaker 2:Oh, for sure.
Speaker 1:Right, like when our kids were that age, like my cousin's kids, right there, when our kids were that age, it was amazing, like, hey, are we going to go to the gym? Right, you know. And they would have like their own little area set up and when they were old enough to start training, like you know, little kids was awesome. But to answer your question, like sumo, deadlift, high pull, the way we teach it, right, it's a great movement. But think about this though it's also and how many times I know we've been around this issue, you and I One of the easy target criticisms of our thing is well, some of those, you know, you do some of those movements. I don't like CrossFit because if you do some of those movements wrong, I love that. If you do some of those movements wrong, you can get hurt. I'm like, all right, stop, rewind. Highlight. Select passages from that statement. If you do some of those movements wrong, you can get hurt, right.
Speaker 1:That's true, yeah you can Just like you do anything wrong. You're going to get hurt, highly likely. But um, from a, from a, like an application, uh, piece. You know, as we're taught, as it's instructed, as any coach worth anything would teach the sumo deadlift, high pull.
Speaker 1:It's not an upright row right right, you generate that momentum with the hips and you facilitate the movement of the bar to the peak and then back down and you go. You're never going to master the barbell on the sumo deadlift high pull if all you use is a kettlebell, right, but at the same time, for the sake of a workout for someone who's just not getting it right now, hey, you know what. Set the barbell aside, blake. You use the barbell I have Mike, since he can't get it, because you know, as you know, if you don't hit the sweet spot on that barbell, it becomes like a whitewater kayak adventure, you know.
Speaker 2:And I agree. I think that that's useful, like I know in my situation we have, you know, so primarily it's Jess and I that use it. Now I do still have a few personal training clients, uh, so you know a little bit different, but I have a 26 uh 26 pound, a 36 pound, a 53 pound and a 72 pound kettlebell, so I have kind of like the full range of kettlebells right now.
Speaker 2:Obviously, again, it's just, for the most part, one person using a kettlebell at a time. So I have kind of like the full range of kettlebells right now.
Speaker 2:Obviously, again, it's just for the most part, one person using a kettlebell at a time so I don't need to have multiples, but I think you know it's nice because they are literally, they fit on a, on a piece of matting that is maybe 18 inches by eight inches and they sit under stuff and they're like they're out of the way. But you know, there's, like you know, being able to do kettlebell swings and if you want, you know and you know, okay, hey, we're gonna do an american swing, we're gonna go overhead, we're gonna keep our core tight, we're gonna work on that aspect or I really want to work on hip power and you have somebody that's, you know, a smaller athlete, whatever you're like, okay, well, you normally use a 36-pound kettlebell, we're going to use a 53 today.
Speaker 2:I just want you to come chest level, you know, eye level, whatever, and you know. So I think those are infinitely better than like dumbbell swings. I know are a thing. Do I trust myself doing dumbbell swings? Sure.
Speaker 1:Right, do I trust?
Speaker 2:somebody else trying to hold on to the head of a dumbbell and swing it Because, cause, you know, ultimately you're like hey, look, you're holding onto the dumbbell. It's awkward, I just, you're probably going to be sweaty. I mean, it's my garage. It's 95 degrees outside. You know, no matter how many fans I put in there, it's still hot, right. So it's like hey, don't go any higher than your chin.
Speaker 2:And the next thing you know, they, they're trying to swing it overhead and then you have all kinds of craziness, but with kettlebells you do have that safety concern, or not as much of a safety concern.
Speaker 1:Exactly right, and I think too it's funny because I'm a sucker for history just hours or communities or whatever, but one of the things that I remember first learning about, like the Eastern European Olympic, like from our youth you know, like the former Soviet Union, like the Eastern Bloc countries, produced some of the most skilled, talented Olympic lifters, right, and the story goes and it's all cultural.
Speaker 1:It really is Like Olympic lifting was a huge part of Eastern European culture, right, and the story goes and it's all cultural. It really is like Olympic lifting was a huge part of Eastern European culture, right? So you'd have young people, young athletes would gravitate to these gyms like I want to be an Olympic lifter. I want to be an Olympic lifter. Right, juxtaposed, there's like a friend of mine. I've had a few friends over the years who between deployments they lived in Thailand and former team guys who would live in Thailand off of deployment at the agency, and a lot of huge duh Thailand Thai boxing, like their birthplace, and so a lot of them would start to train at Thai boxing gyms and they're like man, the story is the same across the board.
Speaker 1:They're like, yeah, I'd like to train at Thai boxing gyms. And they're like man, the story is the same across the board. They're like, yeah, I'd like to train here. You know, the grizzled old coach is like all right, great Hands him, a jump rope. And he's like, you know, no shoes. Right, t-shirt, shorts, no shoes, all right, going over there and jump rope until I tell you to stop. Super. And I think too, there, super, and I think too there's an appreciation that you have to have sometimes, man, you know, put this way like I wouldn't have risked my life, for my entire adult life, if I didn't love this country, right. But sometimes I think a big downside is we want everything yesterday, right, we are like the microwave jiffy pop, uh, instant cup of soup, right where, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, I want to do that thing. I saw this where it was on the games, and I want to do right, let's get you there. Matter of fact, you know what, let's get you right up to the podium.
Speaker 2:We'll just dispense with all the training you have somebody come through your doors and they're like so I saw, you know I was watching the games and they had the pig. Do you have a pig like? No, I don't have a pig. Like what?
Speaker 1:the heck.
Speaker 2:Right, Like you know, and again it's different. You know you guys have obviously significantly more square footage across from Pittsburgh than I do in my garage, but, like you know, even for us at one point over the winter we have, you know. So Jess likes to use an elliptical, so we have an elliptical, we have a rower, we have an airdyne, we have a treadmill, we have a Peloton right.
Speaker 1:You have all that in your garage.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, yeah, and like to the point where it was. It was literally it took up one wall. No, it's lucky for us that we have, uh, I mean a we never, because here's the funny thing, right. So, like, like you said, we're not in arizona, we're not in a warm climate, like, and that's you know, the affordable racks, like there's no way I'm ever parking my garage because, right, if it's winter time, first off I don't want to open the door because that just lets all any kind of warmth that's in there go. And b, then you have to like constantly clean the mats because it's it's wet yeah, for sure for all it's, you know, all the time, whatever.
Speaker 2:But so we are lucky enough to have a relatively oversized two-car garage, um, but you know, but all that stuff took up one whole wall right and now it takes up. I've consolidated a little bit, so the peloton is on its way out. I'm trying to figure out a way to put it in the basement so I can get it out of my out of my face basically yeah um, but like you know, even you know, the elliptical is the only thing that doesn't kind of take up a small footprint.
Speaker 2:We just pushed it all the way to the front, yeah. And then, like, the bike is relatively compact, the rower obviously stands up, which is super nice, and then, if need be, the treadmill will fold up Right. And you know not to take anything away from any of those things, because obviously we have them, I like them. But like, as we talked about last week, a little bit, I mean, as I get older and you know my, my back issues, you know kind of flare up here and there, uh, I can't run outside. So like I mean, if I was going to pick one of those four things to keep, I'd probably just keep the treadmill yeah, and what's crazy that you mentioned that?
Speaker 1:because, like, I referred to that picture that came up in our feed, right, and I'm looking at that picture and I'm like that you mention that because, like, I referred to that picture that came up in our feed, right, and I'm looking at that picture and I'm like, oh man, like that's when the basement didn't get smaller.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Right the way it was set. We had plenty of room. So the rack was pushed against one wall and you know, with a platform, you know a home platform in front of it, yeah, you know a home platform, uh, in front of it. Yeah, then behind that we had uh an airdyne, one of the original, I think. They were like like a copper color right, like the next version, yeah yeah, like ours had an analog right yeah, mine's just, oh yeah yeah, count calories.
Speaker 1:I'm like you can't, it's a, you know. But um, we had the airdyne, we had the concept two, uh, rower. And that was another embarrassing moment, but I think you know, you learn from, uh, you learn right, we had affiliated but we were not brick and mortar yet, like we were doing it out of our garage and, uh, or our patio. So I'm like, well, we need a rower, right. So I go on eBay and I find a concept to rower. We have deltas now, I think. So this must've been. This was the one before the Delta, I think, like the C model, the gray, and like black and gray one.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, and it has the straight wooden handle.
Speaker 1:Like it doesn't have the ergonomic Right, like it doesn't have the ergonomics.
Speaker 1:Right. So what do I know? Right, I know these things are bomb proof and they'll last forever, and the price was like under $400. So, boom, I place a bid and I learned it's my first experience on eBay. So I place a bid, and then I keep checking and I keep checking and all of a sudden everybody else falls away, except this one other buyer. And it's like boom, boom, boom, boom. So I'm embarrassed to say that I just sat there like a sniper and I'm like waiting, and I'm waiting, and I'm waiting. Now I'm just blinded by anything other than winning. So I win the bid. I have to pay for shipping. I get it home.
Speaker 1:Um, monitor doesn't work, so I call concept too. And again, this was so long ago like there was no rogue, so I called dynamax and ordered all of our med balls. You know, when we opened our first brick and mortar, like I called dynamax, ordered the medicine boss. I, um, um, power max were the big rigs that we got, the original ghds, like those medieval spanish inquisition torture devices not busters yeah, and yet they're still going strong.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely, you know, like there's, there'll be they, those GHDs and the cockroaches. They'll be here after the apocalypse.
Speaker 2:Tell you what? Yeah, you know, nobody's nuts will be left, but those, those things, they'll be going strong.
Speaker 1:But so we did all that ourselves. But you know. So here I am like oh, we got this Concept 2, so it gets delivered to the house. I would have been hundreds of dollars better off buying a new one directly from concept to having it free, because I think at the time was like free shipping, you know, or whatever. But, um, I get it home, the monitor doesn't work. So and that's the one thing I love about concept too you get those guys on the phone or on email customer support. It's like they, you know, forget about it. I mean it's, it's crazy. So the young man I talked to, he was like well, he's like it could be a couple things, and he said what you're describing, he's like the monitor itself could be bad, but he was like there's also a chance that it could be the led screen itself. And he said let's do this. He said order the screen for ten dollars. I want to say at the time the monitor was like a hundred dollars right yeah, he's like.
Speaker 1:Order the screen for ten dollars, check it out, he goes. It comes apart easily. You know, pop one out, put the new one in. And he said if that is not the problem, then you have a new screen when you need it. And he said when you contact us again to buy the monitor, you won't pay shipping oh nice, yeah. So I was like, oh, that's, you know, can't get nothing wrong with that, but time right so I get the screen.
Speaker 1:Screen doesn't work, I get. So now, not only do I pay more for it, then I well, actually it's less than 400. Well, not after your freaking bidding war, you know. Uh, so lesson learned, you know. But now it's like a piece of the family, you know, like I don't, I'm not gonna, and it still works well, it still works fine, right, I'll tell you what.
Speaker 2:Like I bought one off somebody and I was gonna, I eventually gave it to my brother. After, after we closed the gym, I gave it to, I gave it to my brother, um, but it was, there was a slip in it. It would slip every once in a while I think the my brother, um, but it was.
Speaker 2:There was a slip in it. It would slip every once in a while. I think the the sprocket was bad or something and I fixed it. I mean, first off, there's like six moving parts in a, in a concept, two row right right and I literally pretty much rebuilt the entire thing for 150 bucks like they sell the kit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's like, hey, if something goes wrong.
Speaker 2:This is probably it. Here's all the here's all the things to you know, refurbish it, basically, and you know, and that's it. Yeah, and it was great Like it works like a charm.
Speaker 1:You okay, buddy.
Speaker 2:What's wrong, pal Okay.
Speaker 1:Awesome. We're talking about stuff you should have, and you should probably get a logan for your home gym, right, because he's a rascal.
Speaker 2:He's a rascal, this way, if there's one thing that, uh, both of my kids love more than anything which is, you know, the same thing with with uh getting to go to the gym is they love. I mean, and I already mentioned it, but love hanging on the bars, love hanging from the rings. I've never seen two kids like now. I don't know many other kids, but they love American Ninja Warrior in the garage.
Speaker 2:They're always like doing all that kind of stuff. So those are things that you want them to be able to do something or enjoy something.
Speaker 1:For sure, it's definitely for sure, and you know it doesn't take away I don't think doesn't take away anything from you know, other stuff that kids do, like this time and place, right, right, I mean, like you don't find too many kids who don't game in some way or other or play a sport of some type or other. That doesn't mean that they still don't enjoy, like you know, my cousins down there, um, I think this week, uh, brewers at um cmu soccer camp. So he's like getting after it at soccer camp and then coming here and doing crossfit kids. You know, and, and I'll never forget this, when we hosted our first l1 ever, we hosted our first, and this was back in the day, when they didn't have them as streamlined and as efficient as they are. I mean, they were very.
Speaker 1:The knowledge was strong. Mean, the knowledge came from the source, right, and that's an old Brazilian jiu-jitsu adage, right, the water is always purest the closer you get to the source. So they didn't have the frequency, but it might have been every four to six months somewhere, and if you were close enough or able to get to it. You heard it from Greg Glassman, oh yeah, and when we hosted it was Greg, nicole, dave.
Speaker 2:Wasn't Jeff Tintra there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but that was the really cool, well, you know he was like.
Speaker 2:he was like interning or something at that point.
Speaker 1:What ended up? The way they ran it back then was wild because it was like multi-level, you know. So we hosted, but Jennifer and I were also part of the instructor cadre. Okay, so what happened was this they had Jeff and Maggie come up with some of their people from CrossFit Reston. They had CrossFit New York City come in Keith Whitstein and his crew, neil Thompson from CrossFit Boston, doug Chapman from HyperFit in Ann Arbor and his crew, neil thompson from uh, crossfit boston, doug chapman from hyperfit in ann arbor. Okay, mickey carey, like you know. So, just converged from chicago to virginia, to new york, to massachusetts. Boom, everybody comes to pittsburgh.
Speaker 1:And how they did this was jennifer myself, you know, jo, joe Venuti was CrossFit Boston. At the time. We were all uh green shirts, right, like you're. How many of you run a group of students. So the students are there to get their L1, we are being evaluated to get our L2. Jeff, maggie I don't remember who all else they were also instructing, but they were watching us to grade us for our L2, as we were watching the attendees for their L1. And Jeff and that tier were being evaluated by Coach and Dave and Nicole to get their L3. So all this is happening at the same time and I will never forget Tony Budding and Savon were at CrossFit Media at the time. I love that video.
Speaker 2:Oh, my God.
Speaker 1:Savon versus Jackie, without a doubt, without a doubt, and Tony was so funny but like a very dry kind of sense of humor, you know, and I remember I came back from Afghanistan, say Wednesday, thursday afternoon evening. They rolled into town Friday morning first thing. We meet them at the gym and they're doing they called it the CrossFit Ass Whooping Chronicles. And they're doing, they called it the CrossFit Ass Whooping Chronicles. And Savon, when they would travel to certs, he would always compete against like a female coach from that box and it was like okay, you know, like here we are, and I think Jennifer and Tony put the workout together like randomized. Here's the rep scheme, here are the movements, you know, and it was a good workout. But then tony and I also attempted.
Speaker 2:Uh, the total okay, oh my god.
Speaker 1:And he was and again, like he was just so damn funny. He was like because I think at that time we had gotten like a selection of bumper plates that would be like the more standards, like 45s, 25s. So you're like, you know, if you need a 65 pound barbell, you know you got like some 10s, you got so, but we didn't have like multiples of everything. We had enough right. And I don't remember how it's set up or why, but somehow or other we set the barbells and probably because the deadlift was heavier, right the back squat was less heavy than the deadlift and the overhead press, you know, the shoulder press was the lightest. But somehow or other, as we set the bars, we had the cast iron on the deadlift and we had like the bumper plates for the back squat and the shoulder press. And I don't remember how he said it, but it was like it was so funny because it was almost like being called a dumbass, without using those words he goes yeah yeah.
Speaker 1:So let's see, we we're putting the cast iron on the weights that are absolutely going to touch the floor and, uh, we're using the bumper plates for the ones that shouldn't. Oh, okay, and of course I'm just trying to add and I'm like, yeah, you know, but um, that was cool, because I guess before that, before that, he had gone up against freddie camacho at assert and got beat oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So now, like he's on a quest, and he did, he, god bless him, man, he beat my numbers, but, um, and I remember he said something else too, we're going, whatever number was maybe a deadlift. And uh, he was like, so what do you think he's like? You think you should just, maybe, you know, think about, because I hit the last one, but I didn't beat him yet and he goes. Well, you got one more. What do you think he's like? You think you're gonna, you know, try to beat my score, or something like that. And I was like, well, he goes. Or or do you think you should just go this? And I'm like, no, no, let's go for it. And he goes. And he, he like, looks at the camera and he goes. Well, sometimes it's more important to be a man than to be right, or something like that. You know, and I again, I was just like. You know, I don't know what's happening, but I gotta, I gotta make this lift. You know, so much fun, but the, the, the weekend culminated, and I will never forget this.
Speaker 1:My mother-in-law was watching our kids and, um, it's, it's everybody's adjourning, but now, like everybody's packed up. You know, saturday night they came in. Or friday night. They came in for the trainers briefing, the instructors briefing and then a dinner that we had at a local restaurant in Oakmont. So hotel Friday night, hotel Saturday night. But when they all rolled in Sunday, everybody's packed outside ready to go. So as soon as this thing ends they're all headed back home, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So everybody's saying their goodbyes. It was very, very cool, and Jen and I, you remember where the original ropes those. In fact we still have them, the black ones. They're the marine, the marine line, right my favorite ropes of all time right, honest to god, like where they were hanging.
Speaker 1:Um, we were standing right at those ropes, jen greg and myself, and we're talking, and it was just a great weekend and thank you, and this and that, and all of a sudden, car pulls up. Jen's car pulls up out front because the door, the overhead doors, are open and you know, my mother-in-law's getting michael out of his car seat and the girls pop out and they just run towards us. You know they're, they're little, you know, and, um, come over and give us hugs and all that, and I don't know what possessed me to think of it. And and we introduced him to coach. You know he's like hi, guys, hi.
Speaker 1:And you know, of course, emily was little, you know, alex was a couple of years older and, real matter of fact, I go hey, sweetheart, I said, um, you want to show, coach, what you can do with the rope like this. She just drops her coat, she just like takes it off, lets it hit the floor and she just jumps do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, boom hits the ground. He just looks at her and smiles and he kind of like puts his hands on his knees and like gets lower and he goes honey, don't ever stop doing that. You know, and I think that's the thing like, because there is a point right, if you don't continue. You too, kids go through different growth spurts, or maybe they gain weight during puberty or growth spurt after, and now you're taller, thinner, shorter, heavier, what have you? But I'm convinced if you stop, there's a tendency that you might not get it back right away.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, you know, sure. That's why, when we get some people that are like man, I haven't been active in forever and they're like well, how do you do that?
Speaker 2:And they're pointing to somebody that's squatting all, the way down on the ground, or even some of my volleyball players, who are super, super athletic and good, will be doing something. I'm like all right, well, let's just sit in the. And they're like, how are you sitting? Like that? I'm like I just can't. You know whatever, but if you don't ever train that, or you haven't in a long time, I mean it does go away.
Speaker 1:For sure, for sure.
Speaker 2:With the kids doing this and you know, and we could transition into this next time too, but, like having the home gym is is, uh, really a benefit for them right because it's just there. It's just something that they see all the time exactly you know what you know, and we've talked about this before. We don't force them right. It's like if they want to like, we'll just be.
Speaker 2:They're like we're gonna go play in the garage, okay, cool and you go out and you're looking and they're like the I'm too lazy to ever turn the clock off, so it's like a running clock always, you know, and they're. They're in there like hanging on the bar and and timing each other, you know, or just stuff like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, like it becomes like a kid would play on a you know out in a schoolyard you know like.
Speaker 2:Well, hey, we had this ball, so we started a kickball game, exactly right I mean, it's like you have this stuff at your disposal and and it's great and it's you know, and it's not overly complicated stuff, and you know it'll be like, no, granted, they'll, they'll, they'll do things. Sometimes it isn't, isn't the safest or whatever, but like they're, they're being active, they're utilizing those things, they'll come out and you'll be like what are you?
Speaker 1:doing.
Speaker 2:They're like oh, we're doing sit-ups or we're doing, you know like okay cool yeah we're doing, you know like they'll make fun of each other for not being able to do push-ups, or doing push-ups wrong, or whatever it is, and it's just like. I personally think you know that that is. That is definitely a key for sure and like, even if I didn't have any equipment, which now, like you mentioned, I have a pretty stocked gym, you know, at home and we're lucky for that mm-hmm but like there, you know, the benefits of having it are, you know, far outweigh me.
Speaker 1:Me parking having to park outside, absolutely right and like you said like just in a, in a, in a quick snapshot of like, at a minimum, something to do pull-ups on. You know something to do pull-ups on? Um a barbell would be great. Yeah, some dumbbells, and even in the short term, as much as I do love kettlebell training, um, like you said, you don't need multiples. What I ended up doing, though, for home, was I did buy some multiples because I thought all right, if you're going to do like dumbbell thrusters, something like that, at least you'd have like the symmetry of doing two. But if you didn't, so you do singles.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, you can do a goblet thruster type thing.
Speaker 1:I, I mean it's, it's so easy, it's so versatile, it doesn't take up space, um, but like the cardio equipment and I I do agree with this I really do like, well, you know, got a pair of comfortable sneakers, lace them up and go run, but there has not been a building that we've occupied where I was ever comfortable enough that if I'm training by myself, that then I'm going to go. Yeah, I'll leave the building open while I you know I go to Nicole this, you know, like I'm going to hit a 400 and come back you know for 20 minutes, like you're out of the building for more time than you're in the building.
Speaker 1:Always felt, and I think this is one of those inevitabilities. But it's like, okay, felt, and I think this is one of those inevitabilities, but it's like, okay, um, the safety of the coach that's coming in in the morning. The last thing you want is an unknown variable in that building, right, because, because some slipknot forgot to close or lock the door, but when they left, you know. So, yeah, always a little bit skittish about that, but I also think too, like you said, you know when you're, you know you get to a, an older athlete like like me.
Speaker 1:You know there are times when I'm like, uh, was it rocky balboa? Like rocky six, your knees can't take the punishment so hard. Running is out. You got ours right within your neck and calcium deposits on most of your joints, so smart. I'm like, yeah, like you know, I don't want to your joints, so it's part. I'm like, yeah, like you know, I don't want to make that checklist because it's depressing, right, but the one thing that I have noticed is this you know there are times when I'll throw on a ruck and some, you know good, you know comfortable running shoes right and boom and yeah, God forbid.
Speaker 1:But you know like I've started, started to wear like the Noble. You know runners and you know I mean at least it provides like it does what it's supposed to do. They're light, you know they're breathable and you know the ruck. I mean that's another great piece of equipment right.
Speaker 2:I mean my God it takes up nothing.
Speaker 1:It takes up no space, you fill it with anything Right, and you know, not just to wear it and move out with it, but you know, thrusters it is you know, hold it by the strap, work with it. You know it's like it's a hell of a workout, but I think those are the things that if, for whatever reason, if it's lower back, if it's hips, knees, ankles, a cushioned deck treadmill.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Right Now. I know that worst case scenario. If something happens and I'm just unable to go, I hit stop. I'm in my house and now I can go ice it without like. Now I got to get home.
Speaker 2:Or you can switch it up. You're like, instead of being, you know, hey, I'm a mile away from my house and something just broke right or whatever and like, okay, well, this isn't happening today, but I could change it to you know, mountain climbers, or I could do whatever. Exactly, and you're still going to get some cardio aspect without the impact and things like that.
Speaker 1:For sure, for sure, I mean, one of the dumbest things I ever did, ever, and that list gets longer every year. But I was doing, I was working up to a progressively heavier, longer ruck and this was like right after 9-11. I knew you know the path I was taking and I wanted to be. You know, I want to be prepared, yeah Right. So I dug out some old training materials and it was like okay, eventually you want to work your way up to like 18-mile 50-pound rut. Maintain 15 minutes per mile, that should be your goal. And I'm like right on, well, I didn't start there. I started like a mile at 35 pounds and you know, work that, work that.
Speaker 1:And North Park Lake turned out to be like, once I got past five miles, I was like, right, so I would throw everything in my Jeep. I drive out there in the morning. I'd lay out, you know, all right, I'm at five once around, you know, so I go from my Jeep back to my Jeep around the lake. Um, as I got progressively like from five to 10, you know, I'd change up the distance like you know, pick a benchmark or a landmark away from my vehicle.
Speaker 1:So, I'd pass it, get to it, turn around, come back, right. But um, as I'm working towards 15, I think I was 15 miles I laid out the course from our house to a club one over in the waterworks. It's not even there, the building's there, but you know, yeah, we are Hi. All right, here's my wife. Yes, we're really recording. Sorry, that's okay. Love you. You guys look like you were having a lot of fun down there.
Speaker 1:I'm jealous that Logan can do better handstand walks than I can. The handstand walks were pretty awesome. They were Pretty awesome, I must say. But so you know, this was like this, was it? I'm like all right, you know, I've got the mileage. In fact, this might have even been. It was either 15 or 18 for this, and I want to say 18 because I laid it out that the club would be the turnaround point.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:So I'm in boots, you know, like desert boots. I got them laced up tight and and cargo pants, a t-shirt and my ruck, and still I had like a sport Walkman at the time, you know Camel back inside the ruck so I could hydrate and off I go, bye. Okay, so you know, boom, I wasn't even two miles away from my house and I came up out of the townhouse community we lived in at the time, came across like 10th or 11th street, hit Holton road. I'm going to go down Holton, I'm going to take Freeport road straight into Aspen wall and now that I think about it, I don't even remember what the distance was, but it was a beautiful Saturday, right. So I'm coming down the sidewalk on Holton and it's one of those old houses, a corner lot, and the slabs of uh sidewalk are kind of like, you know uneven oh yeah.
Speaker 1:So I decide, hey, get in the grass, it's safer. So I slide to the right and I'm in that like piece, you know that grass portion of the sidewalk before you get to the street. I'm like'm like, oh, this isn't so bad, I couldn't have been there for 30 seconds. I step in a damn divot and I roll my ankle, my right ankle, I mean. I roll it to the point that I'm like, oh damn, like you know, it's bad, right. And like a dumbass I'm like, okay, I get that this is just training, but someday it's not. Boots are tight, laces are good, go Go. So that was mistake number one. I get to the club we're members there at the time. So I go in and I go into the locker room. I drop my ruck because the camelback's empty now. So I drop my ruck, which I had less of a problem with doing that. I fill up, I refill. As I have the ruck off, I sit down on a bench in the locker room and I go. I wonder how that ankle is. Yeah, I untie the boot, I take it off.
Speaker 1:Mistake two, mistake number two. Now I'm like you know, I'm like, oh, my god, oh boy, okay, that's not good. So I put the boot back on, lace it up. Now it hurts like a son of a gun. I lace it up and I'm heading back home. And I mean I made it back home because I basically had to. You know, to tell you the truth, I was probably too embarrassed to call my wife and say, hey, uh, I feel like taking a ride. Funniest thing happened right. So I did get home and it was just stupid, it was agonizing, you know. So I took like a handful of ibuprofen and iced it. But you know, one, it should have never happened. Two, as soon as I rolled it I should have turned around. And you know, most important, don't take the boot off.
Speaker 2:But again, we're young, we're dumb. Exactly right, everything fixes itself until we're old, exactly right.
Speaker 1:But hey, this was a good one, um see if I swim meet tonight or anything no, I, uh, I'm going to coach for jess tonight and then, uh, that's it.
Speaker 2:No, no crazy things tonight tomorrow all right.
Speaker 1:Well, hey, hope you enjoyed this as much as we do, and we will be back all right out.
