People at the box might not know Ricardo Santos. A former model turned personal trainer, Ricardo is probably one of those guys you'd glance at in a magazine while thinking, "ugh, genetic lottery winners." But the reality is far different: Ricardo has come a long way from being the scrawny kid that got bullied growing in in Sao Paolo, and the things he's learned about life balance, self-care and fitness are something we can all learn from. 

It's a new year, and Coach Chevy joins Justin in the studio to talk about all the new stuff going on... and the difficulty of getting back into the swing of things.

Whitney Cline has been a regular at our gym for years, but aside from her strength and impeccable fashion, many of us don't know much about her. In this episode she opens up about overcoming her difficult childhood, her repeated encounters with addicts, and what it finally took to love herself.

We wrap up our deep dives into the show hosts by burrowing deep into Wes Mendelson, a guy who normally offers a kind smile but doesn't share much. Turns out, still waters run deep! Plus, some news about the future of the show. Check it out!

Last month we did Paul, but this time the interviewer has become the interviewee. It's Justin's turn in the hot seat, and he pulls no punches in talking about the sad, self-loathing nerd he used to be, and the bizarre path that led him to fitness and, to some extent, emotional health.

We all know Paul, but do we REALLY know Paul? In this episode we do a deep dive into Paul Austad's past, his childhood in Minnesota, what brought him to LA, and the experiences that made him who he is. It's one of the most refreshingly honest conversations we've had yet. Also, fill-in cohost Dayvora has another fitness tip for you.

Christian Lopez isn't a common sight around the gym these days, but as part of Nela Athletics/CrossFit Eagle Rock's 8th anniversary, he drops by the show to talk about the gym's heady early days. Also: a new segment from coach Day Ortega!

Coach Day Ortega (and her daughter/sidekick Dejah) stop by the podcast to talk about her own "path to wellness," and her new program to help keep others on the right track, even when things on the fitness journey can get a little weird. Oh yeah, Wes is missing this episode. :(

Sorry for taking an unexpected month off, but we're back! Lots of stuff is going on that the gym, as usual, and Justin, Paul and Wes discuss all of it, from the end of the Nutrition Challenge to a new fitness chain, F45. Also, our guests this month, Tim and Annie Dove are OG CrossFit Merge people, and have been with Nela since Paul bought the place four years ago. In a remarkably candid conversation, they talk about their past, their experiences at the old box, and what it was like to have a "giant corporation" take over your gym. (Especially when that Giant Corporation is literally Paul.) Don't miss this one, it's a good one!

*We did have minor technical problems, so please forgive the audio quality for parts of this episode.

Our special guest this episode, Charley Galicia, (also known as Wes's fabulous wife) spices things up a bit in the studio.

It's the middle of the Open, that glorious time of year when CrossFitters all compete doing the same workouts to test their strength. And speaking of strength, one of our longest-running and most-working-out-est members Chester Reyes stops by to talk about his experiences, and how he recovers from working out so damned much. Also: Justin shocks the room with one of his favorite sayings.