EP 552: CrossFit Odyssey Shares Tips on The Journey To An Extraordinary Life

What makes Ellie McKenzie and John Mariotti with CrossFit Odyssey a good neighbor?

We talk with Ellie McKenzie and John Mariotti about what CrossFit really looks like when it is built around quality coaching, smart progression, and helping people become stronger for everyday life. Located near Dallas Love Field Airport, CrossFit Odyssey focuses on creating an environment where people of different ages and fitness levels can learn, grow, and build confidence through movement.

One of the biggest misconceptions we address is the idea that CrossFit automatically leads to injuries or that it is only for elite athletes. Ellie and John explain how proper coaching, movement assessments, form correction, and scaling help members train safely while building strength and endurance at a pace that fits their individual abilities.

We also tackle another common myth: that people are too old to start CrossFit. Ellie and John share how their members range from young athletes to adults in their 80s, with an average member age around 50. That variety reinforces the importance of personalized coaching and proves that strength training can be adapted for nearly any stage of life.

The conversation explores how fitness goals evolve over time. From busy parents looking to regain energy, to professionals recovering strength after years at a desk, to older adults focused on mobility and independence, Ellie and John explain why training should support the life you want to live—not just the workout itself.

We also discuss how fitness can create new opportunities outside the gym. Ellie shares how travel, hiking, and outdoor challenges can become powerful motivators that give training a deeper purpose and help people discover what they are capable of achieving.

If you’re curious about CrossFit, HYROX training, personal training, or a supportive small-group fitness environment in Dallas, this conversation offers a realistic look at what it means to build strength, confidence, and long-term health.

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Guest Info: CrossFit Odyssey | https://www.crossfitodyssey.com/

Transcript

Welcome To Good Neighbor Podcast

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

SPEAKER_02 0:10

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a CrossFit and personal training business? Well, one will maybe closer than you think.

Meet CrossFit Odyssey In Dallas

SPEAKER_02 0:20

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbors, Ellie McKinsey and John Mariarty with CrossFit Odyssey. Hi, it is lovely to have you both on today. Now we are excited to learn more about you both and your company. So go ahead and tell us just a little bit more about it.

Training Options From CrossFit To HYROX

SPEAKER_03 0:39

We are a CrossFit Gym here on Lover's Lane. We're very close to Love Field Airport. We do CrossFit training, High Rocks training. If you know what HyROS is, it's the new fitness trend. Small group training, which is about anywhere from two to six people in a group working on strength and skill or whatever a particular group wants. And then we also do personal training.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

We've been very happy here at our current location.

SPEAKER_02 1:09

That's wonderful. And how did you guys originally get into this industry?

How Teaching And Martial Arts Shaped Them

SPEAKER_03 1:16

I was a teacher in Nevada, and John owned a martial arts studio in Nevada, and I taught the Gifted and Talented program. And I had a lot of my students who were in the Gifted and Talented program and his martial arts program. And my kids were also in his martial arts program. And we were talking about how smart kids, especially, needed to learn how to really push themselves because things came so easily for them that we wanted to be able to they when they were presented with something really hard, they would stop sometimes and be like, Well, I just can't get that. And I was like, No, no, you have to work for it, you have to push yourself a little bit harder. And so we would work with them in martial arts and say, you didn't get it the first time, but you got to try it again. Now you fell down, now you got to try it again. And that's how we really kind of started working together.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

I love that. And in your industry today, since you combine businesses, what is the most common misconception you each come across?

Injury Myths And The Too Old Myth

SPEAKER_01 2:16

Probably the most prevalent one is that uh if you do crosspit, you're gonna get hurt. And that is simply it's untrue first, but it's also a we mitigate any risk that way by knowing how you move, watching you perform the exercises correctly and correcting your form. All of our classes, all of our offerings are coached by a professional who's looking at how you move and making sure you move properly before you do something that might result in an injury.

SPEAKER_03 2:51

The other thing that people always say is they're too old for CrossFit. I am turning 57 this year. John is turning 70 this year. You're not too old.

Who They Serve And How They Market

SPEAKER_02 3:02

Now, switching gears here for a second, we know that marketing is the heart of every business. So, who's your ideal audience and how are you reaching them today?

SPEAKER_03 3:14

Our average audience here at Prosperit Odyssey is actually right around 50 years old. We do have people who are as young as 12. We have a lot of young moms and dads who are here in the early classes, but we even have people up to 87 years old here at the gym. So it's a very good mix. People, anybody can do this. Anybody can do it. You can do it with no legs, you can do it with no arms, you can do it with fear, you can do it without fear. You can anybody can do this.

SPEAKER_01 3:48

So in terms of marketing, we reach out on Instagram and Facebook, other social media things, as well as old school referrals, reviews, and just word of mouth. People driving by, see your signs, people see people working out here in the morning, and finally they drive by three, four, five years in a row, and finally they say, Oh, it's time for me to show up.

SPEAKER_02 4:12

Yeah, I love that. I love that.

Fitness Goals Across Life Stages

SPEAKER_02 4:15

Now, with your audience that you have, since you target different age groups, do you find that different age groups benefit at different stages of their life differently from the services your business provides?

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Yeah, I would say yes. When you're 30 years old, and maybe you've got a baby who's six, eight months, your focus might not be on your fitness, but you need you know that it needs to be. But then when you get to be about 50 years old, the kids are grown, they're getting out of school, and now you realize that you've spent 20 years sitting behind the desk, and it's time to start taking care of yourself because you've taken care of your career, you've taken care of your kids, and now it's time to really prepare for longevity for your next 20 years, right? It's it's a different 20-year timeline from 30 to 50 versus 50 to 70, and yet again from say 60 to 80.

SPEAKER_03 5:11

And we also have kids who are coming in here sometimes, either learning how to just be generally fit or trying to get strong enough for a sport. We train lots of kids for military, we train lots of kids for college sports, very different from your person who's focused on longevity.

SPEAKER_02 5:29

Wow.

Gardening And Adventure Travel Challenges

SPEAKER_02 5:30

Now you both sound like you work very hard outside of work. What do you like to do for fun?

SPEAKER_01 5:36

I do a lot of gardening myself.

SPEAKER_03 5:39

I do a lot of traveling. So I started doing a lot of things, I started planning a trip for people in the gym to test your fitness outside the gym. And we did Kilimajaro two years ago, Machu Pitu last year, and this year we did the Island of Madeira hiking.

SPEAKER_02 5:55

Wow. Those are some amazing accomplishments.

The One Big Takeaway On Strength

SPEAKER_02 5:59

Now we've covered a lot of great information during your interview today, but if there was one grand takeaway to sum up everything, what would you want to leave our listeners with learning about CrossFit Odyssey?

SPEAKER_03 6:14

I would say you have one chance at this most amazing, beautiful journey of life. And you gotta keep your body strong and your head strong, your spirit strong to live that most amazing journey.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 6:30

That's it. It's the journey to extraordinary.

How To Find CrossFit Odyssey

SPEAKER_02 6:34

And where can our listeners go who want to embark on this journey to extraordinary?

SPEAKER_01 6:39

Probably the quickest and fastest way is to visit our website, www.crossbitysy.com. You can also find us on Instagram at CrossBit Odyssey or Facebook, CrossFit Odyssey again. And you can also, if you want to go old school, you can call us on the phone, 214-234-0299. Or text us. Or text us.

SPEAKER_00 7:11

Thank you, Sylvia. Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNP Frisco dot com. That's GNP Frisco dot com or call four six nine two two two two one nine three four five.