Fuel What Matters UK

Leon Cassidy, Steve Fawcett and Reggie Fasa jump on to Fuel What Matters to talk CrossFit and their latest business venture, Fitr Training, which is looking to make finding the perfect training programme a little more perfect.  Reggie also talks his hopes for the upcoming season and fleshes out just how much progress he has made in recent months and Steve talks about his hopes for his brand new training facility for elite CrossFit athletes here in the UK. So many legends, one little Zoom call.

Since Lucy last joined us, she has enjoyed a stunning debut Games season, eventually making it all the way through to an LCQ for Madison at the start of last summer. Now with a new manager in tow, FWM's very own Cesca Baguley. she is ratcheting up the progress and can already look forward to competing at Wodapalooza, in Miami, in January 2022.*Want to meet Lucy? - head to the XND Training Weekend. The Athlete Centre, Oxford UK.  November 6th - 7th 2021. Two places are still available! E-mail: Cesca@xendurance.com  for more information.*

A couple of weeks ago, a relatively innocuous opinion posted on a photograph, re-posted by CrossFit, was removed by the company's media team. Ian Dennis, the man who made the comment, argues he was stating an opinion on training and that it, for most people due to their genetics, would need more than chicken and broccoli to reach a particular level of physique and output.We at this podcast love CrossFit - the training and the community. However, as an observer and a critic as well as a friend of the sport, we were interested to hear from Ian - and where his assertions, that not everyone who competes at the highest levels of functional training is "clean" - stem from.

One from the past this week as we celebrate all our new listeners by re-dropping Episode 2 of FWM!...Way back when we were the Team TAC Podcast. Michael is the co-founder of Fit Union and knows a thing or two when it comes to eating sensibly. If you haven't checked out his advice yet, you should! Enjoy, post and please keep spreading the word about Fuel What Matters UK.

Ali Crawford faced barriers and delays galore in getting to Madison this year. Once there, she became part of the handful of British athletes to dominate the Masters categories of the Games, finishing second behind a certified legend of the sport, Annie Sakamoto, in the 45-49 age category. Ali is, like many Masters athletes, a phenom in the dark arts of time management. We hear about how Ali balances her family and work commitments with her training and the power something like CrossFit can hold in a community such as East Kilbride, where she trains out of the awesome CrossFit East Kilbride, which is well worth a visit should you ever find yourself in the Glasgow area of Scotland.

A huge Games review. Celebratory and critical where due - this one has it all. BKG reviews his season and comes clean about some of the struggles he has been facing behind the scenes and the challenges of taking a one person support team to Madison; Snorri leads the charge on fronting up to the ongoing problem of giving equal coverage to deserving athletes on the Games livestreams and television coverage. Of all the CrossFit podcasts you'll want to listen to this week, this one of them.

It is a case of brand, on for Brandon. What a CrossFit Games this lady had; from the spectre of Covid hanging over her, to taking the floor without her training partners at her side, to dominating a handstand race none of us will forget in a hurry...in many ways, this was Danielle's Games. We talk in depth about how Danielle handled the stress around her and the problems that came with the weekend, as well as her successes and the growing following she is now receiving in the wider CrossFit community. Danielle also sheds light on where Underdog Athletics has gone so right and what she really thinks about not winning Spirit of the Games...Also, waffles and chicken are a thing. Who knew?

Royce is one of the nicest, humble and level headed guys in the sport of CrossFit. That's probably why such a  compliment won't go to his head. Journeying back from Madison after the 2021 CrossFit Games, Royce had/has (depending on when you're listening to this) a couple of weeks in hotel quarantine due to Australia's approach to tackling Covid. He joins FWM to recap his own performance at the Games, the graceful nature of Olympians in contrast to generalist CrossFitters, thoughts on when and if he'll move his family to Cookeville full time to join up with his Mayhem stable mates and so much more.Sending huge love to Royce, only 8 more days mate! (At the time of publication...)

Arielle Loewen has had quite the year. From winning the Granite Games to enjoying a short and sharp block of intensive training before Madison, she took the CrossFit Games in her stride and finished up well and secure inside the top 20 fittest women on the planet. Arielle is family first with not a long-standing commitment to competition, but discusses what it was like to go from fan to competitor and beat some of her idols in the sport in the process. We also learn that in a year of firsts, her biggest rookie error was probably to do with the food she had access to during each day of competition. The burning question lingers: will she do it all again next year?

Our post-Games run of shows begins with Southampton's own Kelly Friel! Kelly has just won the Masters Category (40-44) at the CrossFit Games. We discuss celebrating with a 5 Guys, how anyone can excel in CrossFit, no matter their starting age and whether she'll be back for more next year... more meaning, more elite fitness, not more fast food.

Well, we are here. It is Games week and we team up with Peter and Scott to discuss the week ahead and drop some unpopular opinions. We look back and look ahead. Excited yet? It's finally Game time.

Ben Kilner is an accomplished Snowboarder.  As a member of Team GB, having competed at two Winter Olympics, he played a crucial role in raising the profile of the sport in the UK over the last decade. However, now, with his first career done and dusted, Ben is using his athletic base to make quick gains in the sphere of competitive CrossFit. This summer Ben has appeared on something of a Super Team at Turf Games and also took third in WOD on the Loch in his native Scotland. We talk snowboarding, CrossFit and reflect on the last season as fans.

Qualifying with authority out of the Lowlands Throwdown, Sam Stewart of Ireland is Madison bound via linking up with his Training Think Tank pals in Georgia. Listen as we return with James and Simon interviewing Sam in a graveyard. We touch on the season so far, his "feud" with Adrian Mundwiler, why CrossFit could learn a thing or three from pro-wrestling and why lakes are on the agenda this summer, the Summer of Sam.

Aneta says that when it comes to her and CrossFit, it was love at first sight. Starting off in Gloucester in 2012, Aneta has been part of some of the most prestigious CrossFit communities in the UK and has come up in the ranks alongside some of the biggest original names in the UK scene.Currently, she is based in Wigan, training with the "JST Lot" ahead of the next stage of the CrossFit Games. After placing 2nd overall in her age group in the last stage of qualifying for Madison, it's clear why it could well be a case that it's when not if we get to see Aneta throw down Stateside later in the summer.*We're taking a 5 break after this episode!* Thanks to everyone who's listened and continues to support the show. We'll see you again in July! 

I challenge you to listen to this podcast and not want to go out and start training for an Ultra right away. Vic is one happy runner. She runs to feel, and clearly she feels good. In January, she ran an accumulator and maxed out at 1000 miles for the month; she has previously tackled The Monarchs, which is a race around some of the nicest parts of England coming in over 600 miles and most of the time she enjoys running in bare feet. You read that right. Vic manages all of this while home-schooling, farming and helping her family live a super sustainable lifestyle.After we finished recording, Vic went and ran 20 miles. It was 9pm.You don't want to miss this!

Emily lives in one of the most beautiful cities on earth, holds down one of the most demanding jobs on earth and is one of the fittest people on earth. She is living well and looking for the best revenge on missing out on last years CrossFit Games by making a charge onwards to Madison, via The Atlas Games. With her reputation in the sport growing all the time - come and check in with Emily as we talk training, pandemic and breakfast spots in Vancouver.

Sola joins us for a no holds barred sort of podcast. She takes a constructively critical look at how CrossFit have handled the second pandemic interrupted season and what it has meant for her as a "middle of the pack" athlete. We discuss messaging in the CrossFit space and what needs to be improved, the perils of social media and the highs of being able to compete in the sphere of a training methodology that we all love and want the best for. Another unmissable episode with one of the best personalities in the game.

What happens when two sisters find CrossFit and grow such a passion for the community that they want to apply their business skills to making training easier for women worldwide? Listen to this edition of Fast Fuel to find out! Blue Elvin are producing training apparel for women that protects with style when coming up against barbells and some of the more wearing movements in CrossFit. It was great to welcome Lamorna and Tamara on to the pod!www.blueelvin.com*Remember, Fast Fuel is for you, the listening community. Have you got a story you want to tell? Reach out and we'll get you on the pod. fuelwmpodcast@gmail.com.

Last season, Justin Medeiros was the Rookie of the Year. This year: Justin is getting used to shifting gear from the underdog in the pack to the one people need to be chasing down if they're in with a chance of taking the crown of fittest on earth. We discussed this mindset shift, getting used to the status of celebrity and managing media alongside training, the season so far and a love of cereal. We also found out who Justin can't wait to compete alongside this summer and why he wants the strongest field possible going in to any competition.You don't want to miss this one.www.eatsweatreset.comGot your subscription box yet? Come, on treat yourself.www.hencestacks.comAll the greens, to fuel your machine. (I come up with this copy, don't blame Hence).

Travis Mayer is one of the most ordinary examples of excellence we've ever met! We caught up after he won the North American division of the CrossFit Quarterfinals and enjoyed a wide ranging discussion on competition, gym ownership, mindset and banging soundtracks to aid any workout. Travis also gave us an interesting insight into how the selection process for the semi-final stage of this year's CrossFit Games went down. A top conversation with a top, top guy.

Emma Lawson just finished 24th in North America during the Quarter-Final stage of this year's CrossFit Games. She has a level of fitness, in the broadest sense of the word, that most of us could not dream of a 16 year old having and she is not even close to peaking at what she is capable of in the sport of CrossFit. Emma joined us to talk her start in CrossFit, how she balances training with school and gives us an insight into how disciplined and relaxed she manages to be at the same time. Inspirational!Thanks to our sponsors, eatsweatreset.com!

Cedric was one of the standout stars of this year's QF stage of the CrossFit Games and is, clearly, one of the nicest and most conversational stars in the making when it comes to the people-facing side of the sport.  We discussed his fortitude in choosing to do all of the QF events quickly last weekend (so he could head for a fishing trip), how he found the sport of Fitness and his love for country music and the UK television show, Love Island. Well worth a listen!www.hencestacks.comGot your green stacks yet?

Mike Catris is a CrossFitter and a sports minded business entrepreneur. As the man behind Kratos nutrition and The Athlete Programme, we had lots to talk about, but to be honest we focussed on how nutrition needs to become more central to our culture and the upcoming season for The Athlete Programme. It promises to be a big one.www.hencestacks.com

Lucy Campbell used to hate CrossFit. Lucy Campbell is now the 29th best CrossFitter in Europe. Well, statistically speaking based on the 2021 CrossFit Open. Lucy joined us from her base in Nottingham, England to discuss her start in the sport - working out at Zack George's CrossFit BFG - and how her auspicious start to this season came about. Lucy, the world very much is yours for the taking...

Jamie Simmonds (nee Greene) was the third fittest woman on planet earth in 2019 - achieving the feat while still working as well as training as a pro CrossFit athlete. Now, based in Cardiff, Wales, she is undertaking the life of a full-time athlete and is in a great position to really push for the top during this year's CrossFit Games season. We talk relocating during a pandemic, debate the merits of this year's Open workouts so far and find out about Jamie's plan for the difficulties of travel during this year's season.

Fast Fuel are bonus episodes catalysed by the audience! Are you a listener with a project that you want to come on and share with the wider audience? Reach out to us.Duncan Cowles is a Scottish documentary filmmaker and his latest series, "Scary Adult Things", explores different ways Millennials are navigating through life. One of the episodes in the latest series even included a CrossFit workout. Check out Duncan's story and Scary Adult Things on BBC Scotland every Tuesday at 22.30. If you're not in Scotland, it's on the BBC's iplayer for us all to enjoy!

Jeremiah Head is the founder and CEO of ROMWOD - a service that makes it easy for you to put mobility front and centre of your functional fitness lifestyle. We talk Jeremiah's past career as a teacher, his work with ROMWOD and it's history as well as his experience as one of the top Masters athletes in CrossFit. As well as this, we get his best workout of the week and a pretty great and simple fuel THAT matters recommendation.www.hencestacks.com

Annie Thorisdottir is one of the most recognisable names and successful athletes in the history of CrossFit. The two time CrossFit Games champion joins us to reflect on motherhood and coming back into training after pregnancy, the ups and downs of the last two seasons and we even get a scoop on which European semi-final she is hoping to attend once this pesky Open is out of the way. What a way to celebrate your 21.1 weekend. You don't want to miss this!www.eatsweatreset.comwww.hencestacks.com

Dallin Pepper is a 3 times male CrossFit champion in the teen division and after taking a year out to play High School Football, he is set to make his first proper mark on the elite male division in this year's CrossFit season. Dallin joins us to talk competition, workouts he's enjoyed, who he looks up to in the sport and just give us a sense of both his ambition and love for the CrossFit community.

Taylor Williamson is an accomplished team athlete in the sphere of CrossFit and has recently moved to Cookeville, TN to join up with Rich Froning's shape shifting stable of domination. This year, Mayhem Freedom is arguably looking more formidable than ever with the additions of Chase Hill, Andrea Nisler and Taylor. We get the lowdown and the latest on how training is going.Please support the show by giving us a follow @fuelwhatmatters. Why not become a £1 patron? http://www.patreon.com/fuelwhatmattersuk

Nutritionist, athlete and writer: Meredith Root wears a lot of hats. A well loved member of the CrossFit community, Meredith has appeared at Regionals many times, competed in Madison in 2018 and served on the demo team in 2019, the year of the 'savage cuts'. Since then, she has seen - alongside her partner, Alex Partner - her career as a nutritionist flourish as co-founder of Tactic Nutrition and is a superb writer, publishing many must read articles on food and eating habits for The Morning Chalk-Up.Support the show: http://patreon.com/fuelwhatmattersuk. @Fuelwhatmatters.

Sheli McCoy is one of the biggest personalities in British CrossFit. After an adventure through CrossFit Sanctionals with Team AOD, taking on CrossFit Mayhem Freedom along the way, last season - this year she has her eyes on the prize as an individual: a berth to the CrossFit Games in Madison.We talk motivation, Open prep, the stresses of opening her own gym in Dundee Scotland and how the best, as always with CrossFit, is very much still to come.Join the production team as we grow this podcast and enjoy other benefits over at Patreon.com/FuelwhatmattersUK

Scott joins FWM to discuss the successful growth of Battle Cancer in helping to change and improve the lives of those affected by cancer in the fitness community. We look to the future for BC and reflect on Scott's own experiences competing in CrossFit. We also reflect on the career and legacy of Mat Fraser, the departing "Jordan" of CrossFit, and consider the contenders to take his spot as the leading male figure(s) in the sport.https://www.patreon.com/FuelWhatMattersUK

Amanda Barnhart is the one of the most recognisable CrossFitters on the planet. The 7th fittest on earth; she is admirable for her work ethic, her achievements in the sport and the kind of role model she is to so many young athletes. Amanda joins us to reflect on her recent move to Boston to train alongside Katrin Davidsdottir, to wax lyrical about Reebok's new Nano and to look ahead to 2021.https://www.patreon.com/FuelWhatMattersUK

Basically: if you only ever listen to one Podcast about food and nutrition in the context of exercise, listen to this one.Mike is the teacher you wish you had. https://www.patreon.com/FuelWhatMattersUK

Entering its' sixth year, WIT continues to grow as a fitness retailer and brand in it's own right. Home of some unique collabs with recognisable brands such as Reebok and Nike, the WIT label is held in high esteem by fitness brands around the world, especially CrossFitters.Dan talks weathering the storm, signing Sara, growing WIT and where it goes next. Head over to @wit.fitness and check out all the great launches the brand has in store.Please show your support for the pod by giving us a follow @fuelwhatmatters and sharing with your fweeennndds.https://www.patreon.com/FuelWhatMattersUK

George has got the "Mills Mentality". Successful, humble and eager to grow in a sport that he loves. He is the current British champion runner over 1500m and has his eyes on this years Championship cycle and the upcoming Olympic trials.We talk working out in the heat, strength and conditioning as a runner, nutrition and our love of ParkRun. Enjoy hanging out with George for an hour of your day!

We talk working out in the cold, keeping it simple and loving it. We discuss the Open and what route we'll be taking along the road to domination. We also touch on the absolute BS of grown people reporting on the friendship highs and lows of two grown men...Give us a follow on @fuelwhatmatters. Due to the fact that James loves weight vests so much, we're asking for you to take a picture of yourself working out in your very own weight vest and tagging us. All tags will enter a draw to win some Xendurance goodies!

Dave Lipson is articulate of speech and physique. In this podcast he breaks down what goes wrong in your training and how you can put it right. We get a masterclass in hypertrophy and learn about the awesome gains to be made by joining Dave's Thundrbro programmes. You don't want to miss this: perfect for anyone who's been to a gym to a thousand times or is about to go for the first.

Sean Woodland and Tommy Marquez are the two of the most instantly recognisable faces and voices in the CrossFit world. Following a controversial dismissal from CrossFit HQ towards the end of 2018, they have forged successful punditry careers in the field of the sport, free from the direct control of the organisation.Tommy and Sean spoke with us frankly about their departure from CrossFit HQ, what they honestly think about Greg Glassman and reflect on the growth of Talking Elite Fitness, their industry leading podcast in the world of CrossFit.

Nothing but friends taking the piss out of conspiracy theories, chatting food and keeping nutrition simple and trying to act all pro doing some analysis of the announcements regarding the CrossFit 2021 Season.Friend of the show and all round top guy Tom "Chalking Fitness" Forder also dropped in to give us some his highlights of the past year. Think positive people: there are always highlights.@FuelWhatMatters

Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson is twice a third place finisher at the CrossFit Games and has been untouchable as the fittest in Iceland for longer than most of us have known about this sport. We chat about the Icelandic winter, his new training regimen alongside Sara Sigmundsdottir, reflections on 2020 and all the hopes for a more pandemic lite 2021.If you are enjoying the podcast please promote us in your Box / fitness community and give us a follow @fuelwhatmatters on Instagram.

Megan Lovegrove is based out of CrossFit Forest Flow in England's Lake District. Google both of those places and then get jealous.As well as calling one of the most picturesque places on earth home, she is the UK's reigning Female National Champion in CrossFit and already has one Games appearance on a team with JST under her belt. Check out the chat and give us a follow and a push over at @fuelwhatmatters.

Roman Khrennikov will surely one day podium at the CrossFit Games, all he needs to do is get there. Although he has finished 5th in Dubai and won the Italian Showdown last year, he is yet to gain a Visa to enter the good old U S of A in time for the Games. Roman is a humble, honest guy. Enjoy his story.Роман Хренников наверняка однажды выйдет на подиум на CrossFit Games, все, что ему нужно, - это попасть туда. Хотя он финишировал 5-м в Дубае и выиграл Italian Showdown в прошлом году, ему еще предстоит получить визу, чтобы попасть в старый добрый US of A к Играм. Роман скромный, честный парень. Наслаждайтесь его историей.

Emelye Dwyer is a fierce competitor and role model to the UK CrossFit scene. Join this podcast for her opinionated take on training, mental health and the power of targeted coaching as well as her strong views on diversity of representation. Powerful stuff all round.

Snorri is a marketing man, a manager and a friend to the athletes he looks after in the sphere of CrossFit. Just listening to this podcast for an hour, you will get a sense over the airwaves of his warm brand of loyalty and business acumen. We talk the season just gone, some of the unfair comments aimed at Sara Sigmundsdottir in the wake of her performance at the 2020 Games; the rising star of Roman Khrennikov and what makes BKG a home bird and a superstar at the same time. We also finally unlock the code regarding why Iceland is the perfect breeding ground for elite CrossFitters.

Bethany Shadburne has only been competing in CrossFit since 2015, but is already a top 10 Games finisher, current champion of the South Fit Sanctional held in Argentina and is about to move to Las Vegas to train with Kari Pearce full time. As well as this, she is a superb role model for the sport and has a wonderful outlook on competition, training and life. This will brighten your day.

Elliot Simmonds is one of the UK's top CrossFit athletes. As a team athlete, Elliot podiumed with CrossFit Yas in 2016 and followed this up with two impressive individual appearances, including a top 20 finish in 2019. We caught up with Elliot ahead of his move back to the UK with a view to training full time ahead of the 2021 Games.

Athletic Brewing Company are a beer company on a simple mission - to bring the masses no alcohol beers with unbeatable taste. They are succeeding in this mission!! On this episode. founder and CEO and Bill Shufelt joins us to talk about his company, what drove him to start Athletic Brewing and even joins James and I in a taste test of three of the superb brews that Athletic offer.

Will Kane is one of the best known names in UK CrossFit, has a heart of gold and is hilarious. If you need any other reasons to listen, well, he's competed at several CrossFit "Sanctionals" and before that multiple times in one of the toughest "Regionals" in the world and is about to embark on a new adventure as owner of Blueprint Training's new facility, which promises to be Worcester's newest and biggest CrossFit facility and will most likely serve to be a blueprint for other CrossFit facilities in the UK. Don't miss this episode!

Since the last time we spoke, Kristine has put in a stellar performance in Stage 1 of the 2020 CrossFit Games. Now a guest as the bona fide 16th fittest woman on planet earth, Kristine reflects on all the "fun" workouts Dave Castro programmed for the competitors in their home gyms and, more importantly, looks ahead to 2021 and beyond.