Behind The Podium: Unveiling The Coach

Today we are going behind the podium in person at Oak Park Los Angeles, home of CrossFit LA, with Austyn Layne Nealer, who is a coach, master’s graduate of Cal State Fullerton, certified Athletic Trainer, cockroach hater, runner, yogi, CrossFitter, blueberries enthusiast, beachgoer, coffee zealot, reggae fan, lavender-flavored kombucha drinker, runner, sister, healthy skeptic, rope climber, and, last but not least, a student of mine at Oak Park. Specifically, this guest of ours is one of the Athletic Trainers at UCLA for Rowing and Women’s Tennis. She has previously worked with USA Soccer’s National Team Development program. Her specialties include ACL screening/prevention research, post-activation potentiation, and assisted sprinting research. We cover: How to serve your clients from a physical and mental standpoint Why letting go of perfection can help you move closer towards your bigger purpose Why letting your clients take ownership of their healing can help you help them How to help clients when their m

Today we are going behind the podium for a second time with Elizabeth Wipff; coach, teacher, mentor, meditator, competitive Olympic Weightlifter, Yoga Tune Up teacher/teacher-trainer, movement-mobility specialist, CrossFitter, dancer, theatre arts graduate, singer, straight-shooter, anti-bullshitter, quote-collector, wife, and life-long searcher. Specifically, this guest of ours has been coaching and teaching nationally since 1999 and has presented trainings and workshops at Kripalu Center for Yoga, YogaWorks studios, and CrossFit boxes throughout the US. Currently, her coaching is specifically focused on empowering fitness professionals to dream big and helping those professionals to tactically go after those dreams. What began as If X Then Why is now THRIVE: Business Building for Yoga and Fitness Professionals. This guest of ours was originally featured on episode 6 of Behind the Podium. 2 years and 60 episodes later, we are thrilled to welcome Elizabeth Wipff back to unpack the latest in her thinking and f

Today we go behind the podium with Jason Von Stietz. He is a coach, Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology, Sports Psychology consultant, neurofeedback technician, sumo wrestler, an avid supporter of house Stark, weightlifter, recipient of the student-athlete of the year award from his high school, husband, and father of three cats—Penny, Cowboy, and Mimi. Specifically, this guest of ours helped bring a sports psychology presence to the Major League Baseball Youth Academy in Compton, Los Angeles Valley College, and Whittier College. He has had the opportunity to act as team consultant to several collegiate teams, consult with coaches on mental health and sport psychology issues, facilitate concussion protocols, and work with individual athletes on mental health and performance issues. In the fall, our guest will begin as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Whittier College Counseling Center. Additionally, he acts as a Psychological Assistant at CBT center of Southern California. We cover: How to work with clients

Today we have Rob Wilson. Rob, with his wife, co-owns CrossFit Virginia Beach. He has over 15 years of experience as a manual therapist both as a practitioner and a teacher, a very robust background in martial arts, and is a part of our previous guest, Dr. Kelly Starrett’s, MobilityWod Team. Rob is also the head coach of Power Speed Endurance’s Breath and Tactical programs. Our other guest today is Brian Mackenzie—the Creator of Power Speed Endurance. Power Speed Endurance is a programming, coaching, and educational platform for developing sports performance, fitness, and health. Power Speed Endurance is also the name of Brian’s first published book, he has also co-written Unbreakable Runner, and Unplugged. Brian is a human performance iconoclast and forever dabbler—From CrossFit Endurance to 3Fuel Protein to heat/cold exposure and breath work to what will soon be a state optimizing smartphone app created alongside Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman. We cover: How no single method will solve all problems When to

This week, Jared and Alex chat about Jared’s recent experience with The Art of Breath seminar. The Art of Breath is a program developed to give participants an experience-based understanding of how breathing can affect both short-term performance and long-term health. Breathing is the new wave of training – you’ll learn about this awesome new course presented by Power Speed Endurance and get a better understanding of how and why you’d utilize this in your own training. We cover: Why breathing and the benefits and how we can use it in training. How the Art of Breath seminar was unique Using breath as a coach vs using it IN your coaching How to use breath purposefully The difference between health, survival, and maladaptation How to use breath as a diagnostic tool Find out more: The Art of Breath Seminar This episode is sponsored by Procabulary – learn how the words you say and think can upgrade your life with the Core Language Upgrade. New language can uncover possibilities and opportunities to help you bre

Today we are going behind the podium with Ryan Smith, a coach, doctor of physical therapy, gym owner, soccer player, wrestler, CrossFit coach, alumnus of Ohio State University, former bartender of Figlio Wood-Fired Pizza, a self-proclaimed bookworm, craftsman, vivacious learner, and all around genuine good dude. Specifically, our guest is the Chief Operating Officer, Head Coach/programmer for Recharge HoCo CrossFit. As a physical therapist, he specializes in treating individuals who participate in CrossFit, Olympic Lifting, Powerlifting, and other recreational sports activities. Most recently, this guest completed the 10-day craftsmanship workshop at Oak Park Los Angeles where I, personally, had the pleasure of getting to work and go surfing with him. We cover: What you need to know about pain Why being catastrophic about pain isn’t helpful How “you can’t cheat feel” How to help your clients be autonomous with their bodies and movements. Why it’s important to test your body to see what you can do. Why being

It’s a solo episode this week! Jared and Alex dive into a conversation recapping what they’ve been studying, thinking and doing over the last few months. We cover: How realigning yourself with your intentions can resolve tension Why going back to your why is always important How to cultivate the life you want And some of our favorite books that we’re reading This episode is sponsored by Procabulary – learn how the words you say and think can upgrade your life with the Core Language Upgrade. New language can uncover possibilities and opportunities to help you break through old patterns. Use the code “podium” at checkout to save $100. Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | RSS | Google Play Listen Now!

To be able to connect with students and clients on a deep level, an interplay of seriousness and playfulness is required. Our guest today is a magician at both. We chat with Emily Peterson, a coach, Rock n Roll enthusiast, Yin Yoga teacher, master Reiki practitioner, TimBO facilitator and teacher trainer, cat lover, elephant lover, former gymnast and competitive volleyball athlete, alumnus of University of Illinois-Chicago with a BA in applied psychology, professional space holder, and aspiring backup dancer for Neil Diamond. She is a certified 500-hour yoga instructor, Usui Reiki Master, and licensed TimBO (trauma-informed mind/body) facilitator and trainer. Her path to yoga began as a way to get out of pain. And since then has blossomed into being a vessel for practicing meditation and experiencing a safe connection to her body, which was transformative and led to personal healing from an eating disorder, depression, and trauma. Along with our previous guest Laura Ahrens, Emily can be found teaching at Cool

On today’s show, we chat with Dr. Sarah Court, who has been both a mentor and personal friend to us both. Dr. Sarah is a coach, Yogi, Yoga teacher, Yoga Tune Up Teacher Trainer, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Princeton University Alum with degrees in Art and Archeology, Herder of Clinical Pearl, and facilitator of further studying, playing, and mending. Sarah is the creator of Quantum Leap, an advanced training for movement teachers to become biomechanically brilliant. Additionally, she is one of the co-creators and teachers of Movement Logic, which also includes our previous guest Trina Altman and Laurel Beversdorf. Movement Logic, similar to Quantum Leap, provides movement teachers with a reasoned application of movement therapy skills to broaden their clientele. When not traveling the world teaching, Sarah can be found practicing physical therapy at Postureworks in Santa Monica. We cover: Why understanding basic movement is better than memorizing a bunch of exercises Why letting your student make mistakes c

Pain isn’t always a bad thing – it keeps you safe, warns you of impending danger, and keeps you off areas as they heal. But pain certainly impacts performance and your ability to show up in the world. On today’s episode, we are going behind the podium with Roeshan Shadravan, a coach, snowboarder, bodyworker, educator, skateboarder, teacher trainer, climber, surfer, gymnast, traveler, doctor of osteopathic medicine, and holistic healer. Roeshan is the founder of San Diego Pain and Performance in North County San Diego. At San Diego Pain and Performance, she uses a full spectrum of therapeutic techniques to address the root cause of disharmony and miscommunication in the nervous system, joints, muscles, and the connective tissue system of the body. Additionally, she is a MELT Method practitioner. MELT is a self-massage technique that lengthens and heals connective tissue. We cover: How microcurrent can help process injury, inflammation, and pain The difference between functional medicine and osteopathy Why pai

This week, we had the awesome privilege to sit down with our mentors, Jill Miller and Kenny Kane. Kenny is a previous guest and owner of Oak Park (formerly CrossFit LA). He is also one of the hosts of the podcast, Body of Knowledge. Jill is the godmother of our show – it is through her courses that we met, developed a friendship and eventually this show! She is the creator of Yoga Tune Up, the Roll Model Method and Tune Up Fitness Worldwide, a global brand dedicated to helping people live better in their bodies. We cover: How to manage your energy on a daily basis from the work to home Staying true to your mission while nurturing your family Being present in the responsibility at hand How to practice acceptance for the way things are How to cross the threshold from work to home The importance of meditation and self-care to keep you present and more! This episode is sponsored by Procabulary – learn how the words you say and think can upgrade your life with the Core Language Upgrade. New language can uncover

Cultivating relationships may be one of the hardest things about being a coach. We must constantly manage the relationship with our clients, our bosses and our loved ones, all with some finesse. Our guest today, Zeb Pascual, is a great example of someone who is an expert at maintaining relationships, even as his own titles changed. Zeb is a coach, self-proclaimed nerd, CrossFitter, Vibram five finger enthusiast, cell phone flipper, CrossFit Coach, entrepreneur, servant of strength and health, chocolate lover, musical theatre enthusiast, competitive rope climber, runner, swimmer, softball player, nurse, and kidney transplant survivor. Zeb was an early adopter of CrossFit and what began as him being a fulltime coach eventually turned into him opening up his own facility CrossFit Nerd, and nowadays he is back being a full-time CrossFit Coach at Spry Society in Culver City. He is the founder and host of the podcast The Pascual Project, which seeks to explore the nature and importance of physical vitality and long

Have you ever been transplanted into a new town and immediately set off on forging new relationships? Our guest today, Daniel Cortez, has not only done that but also established a strong place for himself in the movement world in a short time. Daniel is a coach, law school grad, matcha enthusiast, natural mover, health transformer, sea kayaker, breathing teacher, iconoclast, and student of life. Daniel believes there is a better way to be more closely aligned with how we as humans have evolved. As a coach, his cause is to guide people to their own middle path to reconcile the inevitable obstacles to health and wellness caused by evolutionary mismatches. The coaching that he provides is informed by his own struggles with chronic illness and a plethora of continuing education. Here are just some of his credentials: Functional Range Conditioning/Kinstretch instructor, Mobility WOD 102 coach, Wim Hof Method Master Instructor, Primal Health Coach, Level 2 MovNat instructor, and he is in his second year of Katy Bow

Our guest today believes that we are blinded by what we don’t know. Charlie Reid is a coach, educator, massage therapist, strength and mobility trainer, physical culturalist, alum of San Diego State University with a B.S. in Kinesiology, anti-guru, espresso purist, trainer of embodied athletes, bass player, husband, and fitness imagineer. Charlie is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Certified Massage Therapist, Functional Range Conditioning/Release practitioner, and Precision Nutrition certified coach. His online courses, co-created with Jules Mitchell, includes Intro to Resistance Stretching and Mobility-Based Conditioning: Bodyweight Drills for Stronger Yoga Asana. You can find him training individuals at Move-SF in San Francisco. We cover: How to be a good generalist Why you should understand “psychological judo” to get your clients to do what you want them to do Why having many tools can help you better serve your clients’ needs Why fun should be the most important part of your personal p

Many people come to group fitness and the gym to find a community – but how do you cultivate a positive community that will commit to coming to class on a regular basis? Ariel Kiley has the secret sauce and is sharing it with us on today’s episode. Ariel is a coach, yoga teacher, meditation teacher, Yoga Tune Up teacher, Yoga Tune Up teacher-trainer, blogger, author, reveler, human lover, creator of rituals, actress, head balancer, breakup specialist, and ambassador of positivity. Ariel is an E-RYT 500, IAYT certified Yoga Therapist and Integrated Yoga Tune Up instructor. She teaches classes in vinyasa flow, therapeutic yoga and unique specialized workshops in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Additionally, she specializes in trauma resolution through yoga and meditation. She is also a very prolific author, frequently writing yoga and therapy articles that appear online and in various fitness books. In 2013, Chronicle Books published her first co-authored book “Smitten: The Way of the Brilliant Flirt” that is about per

Today, we go behind the podium with Nikki Naab-Levy – a coach, Pilates teacher, Massage Therapist, fitness educator, alumnus from Ohio University with a bachelors in exercise science, cheerleader, body nerd, podcaster, wife, and corgi mama. Nikki has over ten years of experience in the fitness industry showing people who struggle with injury how to move better, so they can get fit with less pain and/or avoid injury in the first place. Her wisdom has been featured in the Seattle Times, Girls Gone Strong, and Men’s Fitness. She is a guest teacher of Bodhi Suspension Training courses through Balanced Body, as well as continuing education workshops on how to problem solve common tensional patterns and issues that we see with our clients in a post-rehab setting. You can catch Nikki and her podcast partner, Janet Sunderland, on their show, The Moving Well Podcast: Fitness advice for efficient, effective, and pain-free exercise. We cover: What it means to move well How to be more comfortable with the grey areas Why

No two bodies are the same – are you custom tailoring every movement for your clients? Trina Altman is a coach, Yoga teacher, Pilates teacher, Yoga Tune Up teacher, Roll Model Method teacher, certification/continuing education junkie, movement explorer, connoisseur, and dabbler, dark chocolate lover, embodied anatomy nerd, yoga blanket model, trampoliner, blogger, presenter, teacher-trainer, Brown University alumnus with a bachelors in political science, and two time Golden Alpha recipient.Trina is a perfect example of experimentation and practicing what she preaches. She is the creator of Yoga Deconstructed and Pilates Deconstructed, which both take an interdisciplinary approach to foster an embodied understanding of Yoga and Pilates and their relationship to modern movement science. She has presented at Kripalu, Pure Yoga NYC, Yogaworks, Cal-a-Vie Spa, SYTAR, the Yoga Alliance Leadership Conference, ECA, UCLA, and multiple yoga conferences. Moreover, she has written articles that have been published in both

Words matter. A majority of our communication with clients and students requires the words we choose to convey the meaning. And language is a force that can constrict your life or help it to grow and expand. Today, we go behind the podium with Mark England, a coach, martial artist, world traveler, TEDx speaker, language geek, educator, lover of homemade plantain chips dipped in guacamole from the likes of Tocaya, and a man that prides himself on being a powerful verb, as opposed to a fragile noun. Mark is the co-founder of Procabulary, an educational platform that provides tools to help individuals and organizations to harness the power of words and make them work for us instead of against us. Procabulary teaches that, in the short term, what we think and say shapes our imagination and our feelings; in the medium term, our language heavily influences our personal stories; and, in the long term, our stories shape our realities by systematically editing out anything that doesn’t fit. *PS – you can save $100 on

With the rising cost of travel and education, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to continue your education with in-person events. Thankfully (or not), we live in a time where many thought leaders are including online education as a part of their course offerings. In today’s episode, Jared and Alex cover online education and attempt to tackle the biggest question – should you be giving away content and education for free? We cover: Why online education can help you create a sustainable income source If you should give things away for free The education opportunities on the internet Why staying super private may not be the best way to grow your business How online education can be more collaborative How online education can amplify your unique approach and more! For references to everything mentioned in this episode, head over to www.behindthepodiumpodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share with your friends and colleagues! (more…)

To lead among equals is a privilege that not all movement educators get to experience. Jared and Alex are grateful to be a part of the Yoga Tune Up teaching team and recently spent time at the annual Leadership Summit. In this episode, Jared and Alex share their highlights from the long weekend and some of their take-home lessons. We cover: How to cultivate community The difference between leaders vs. those who lead How creativity needs boundaries How to deal with feeling like you suck Why you should leave communities that no longer serve you Why feeling more could be a radical shift in the world and more! For references to everything mentioned in this episode, head over to www.behindthepodiumpodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share with your friends and colleagues! (more…)