Gym Gypsy

Lauren Rutan is an IFBB Pro Women’s Physique competitor, mother of 4, and personal trainer. Lauren started competing right out of college in 2003 in fitness then went on to figure. She then got involved with CrossFit and weightlifting. She competed twice regionally in CrossFit and became ranked 8th in the USA in weightlifting. From there in 2014 She began powerlifting. She won the USPA 56kg class National title in 2017. She came back to the stage in 2017 and received her Pro card at Nationals in 2017. In 2018 Lauren competed in her first 2 Pro shoes where She placed 3rd and 5th. Currently She is prepping for the 2019 Arnold Classic.

NPC Nationally qualified bodybuilder who graduated from Georgia State University (B.S. in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition) with certifications including USAW, USAPL, NASM CPT, Precision Nutrition N1, and Metabolic Specialist. 11 years personal training and 4 years nutrition experience in the field.

Phillip Blow is a health & Wellness coach out of Atlanta and worldwide competition prep coach. He turned PRO in 2016, featured in Flex magazine and Muscle and fitness magazine. He was the winner of the 2014 Mr Olympia Muscle and Fitness model search.

Seb Ostrowicz is the owner of Weightlifting House, host of the Weightlifting House Podcast, author of The Greatest Weightlifters of All Time, and manufacturer of the Weightlifting House Barbell. After graduating in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Exeter, he went on to help coach alongside Glenn Pendlay, and helped start and continues to coach on Pendlay WOD. Alongside this Seb is the coach of his own weightlifting team in the UK and still competes as an athlete. The sport of Weightlifting is Seb's passion, and there are no limits to the work he will put in towards his pursuit of growing the sport.

Tom Sroka is the owner and head weightlifting coach at The Strength Agenda, a Sports Performance and Weightlifting training center based in Elmhurst, IL. He graduated from Aurora University in 2010 with degrees in Exercise Science, Physical Education, and Health Education. On top of running The Strength Agenda, he's also a grade school PE Teacher at Immaculate Conception Grade School, as well as the Strength and Conditioning coach for the Elmhurst Rugby Club and Immaculate Conception Catholic Prep Wrestling team. As an athlete Tom is a 3x NCAA All-American in the shotput, 2013 American Open Gold Medalist in the 105+kg as a part of Team MDUSA Weightlifting, drafted by the New York Rhinos of the NPGL in 2016, 2-time World Team member (2017, 2018) for MAS Wrestling USA, and just finished his first season on the professional circuit in the Highland Games. As a coach, Tom was a throws coach at North Central College coaching 2 All-Americans, 5 National qualifiers, and helping the men's team win back to back national championships in 2011 and 2012. As a coach in USA Weightlifting, he's a National Level Coach working with athletes ranging from ages 10 to 70 years old of various skills and ability levels. This year alone the weightlifting team (Team SAW) had four lifters compete at Senior Nationals, 6 Masters Nationals Medalists (4 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze), 5 Matsers World Championships Medalists (4 Golds, 1 Silver), and 12 athletes qualify for the American Open Final. Tom's goal is to help athletes get stronger while moving proficiently and has helped 1,000's of athletes do just that in the last 8 years.

Robert Hall is the founder and head coach of Atlanta Performance. As an athlete, Rob competed on an elite level as a Junior and University athlete, winning the 2000 Junior Nationals, and standing on the podium in 2001, 2002, and 2003, and well as being the Junior Pan American Champion in 2002 and 2003. On the University level, he was the 2004 and 2005 University and Under 25 Champion, and a silver medalist in the 2009 and 2010 University Nationals. The pinnacle of his career came in 2005, when he won the American Open. Currently, Rob holds the National Masters Records in the 81kg M35 class.Rob is a USAW Advanced Sports Performance Coach, with eight years of experience, coaching on both the national and international levels. Rob is available for coaching daily at CrossFit HD, and can be reached via email or social media. AtlantaPerformance@gmail.com @AtlantaPerformance

Brandon Phillips is a multiple time CF games individual athlete, CF Games team athlete, and successful CF gym owner. So when I asked him if he thinks CrossFit is relevant or needed in the world we live in today, you may be surprised at his answer.

Joseph is a long time Athlete, business owner, sports performance coach, and Massage Therapist. He has a vast knowledge of the body and how it works. In this episode we talk about his craft, the key points to mobility, self diagnosis, and more.

Dan Figler, held a world record at age 16, was in a wreck that left him in a coma for months and then basically paralyzed after that. Not only has he defied the doctors and pushed whats deemed capable of the human body, he has done it in silence. In a fitness world dominated by social media, Dan (at the time of this podcast) didn't have so much as a Facebook account. Listen to his story and see if I convinced him to share his story and journey back with the world.

Dan started his athletic pursuits in the martial arts world earning his way to instructor levels in 3 martial arts, culminating in a 4-0 kickboxing and a 9-2 MMA career. Once he retired from competitive martial arts he found CrossFit and opened CrossFit Thrive. Through that he stumbled into Strongman and Powerlifting. Dan realized that strength sports were a better fit than fitness. So he sold CrossFit Thrive and dove all in taking 11th as an undersized Open Heavyweight at USS Nationals and in 2016 he placed 4th at IPL Worlds. Currently he coaches online powerlifting and strongman teams. His focus for 2019 is strongman and plans on dominating at nationals in the 265 and 275 classes.

Daniel Camargo is one of the senior international coaches for USAW and specifically Mattie Rodgers. He is the owner of Oly Concepts, a former police officer, as well as a former competitive high level weightlifter his self. He has a great mind for training and a very unique perspective on coaching. 

Matt is literally one of the strongest men in the world. He has held and broken every record you can imagine in powerlifting including the most weight ever lifted in a total by anyone. Ever. But he also has an amazing story coming from a broken back and building it only his body but an amazing business as well. This premiere of the gym gypsy podcast is a must listen!

We are back!! Sorry for the hiatus over the holidays but we are back and ready to bring you more great interviews with the fittest, strongest, and most interesting people in the industry! Today we talk with Tom Sroka. He is a national level weightlifter, a former member of Team MDUSA and has coached for The Outlaw Way. He is also an avid pro wrestling fan and has successfully opened his own crossfit affiliate. Hear his take on how wrestling can help gym owners create a better community.Help support the show by making any regular purchase @ theoamnetwork.com/amazon

In this episode we talk with Pan American Masters Athletes, Donovan Conrad and Ayse Gizem Barutlu-Sukola about how they found and fell in love with the sport at a much older age than many and why they plan to continue to compete as long as they can. This podcast is like an Adult Swim.

Today we use the miracle of the internet for our first ever three way remote podcast. Ironically enough, we talk about what the internet has done for fitness both good and bad. Obesity has risen since the boom of the online world but is that really the webs fault?

In this episode, we talk with Max El-Hag of Training Think Tank. Max has training over 30 CrossFit Games athletes and countless others form different sports. He is one of the most sought after coaches in the sport of fitness by not only athletes but other coaches. We cover how to never stop growing as a coach and how to take what you learn and make it your own.

Today we go through the differences between nutritional programs that focus on quality and the ones that focus on quantity. We go over pros and cons for both and which ones you should choose depending on who you are and what you do as an athlete.

In this podcast we go over the future of competing in CrossFit at all levels with owner and creators of two of the biggest local events in the world. Ty Hanson of the Pensacola Beach Brawl and Eric Richards of Garage Games ONE. They give some inside knowledge on how running these events work and why/how we have seen a surge in events that highlight the Elite and ignore the main population.

Today we do our first live remote call in and its a great one!! We sit down with Jon North of the Attitude Nation and go over everything from his drug addiction, to his climb in USA Weightlifting, to why he fell in love and decided to pursue his pro card in bodybuilding and his answers may surprise you.

Today we nail down a long standing questions. Is CrossFit not only safe but beneficial for athletes in any sports and all age groups. We go over the do's and don't of on and off season training in all the major sports.

Today we talk with Leah West and Stacy Diaz Apodaca about why strength training has became so popular with females in recent years and how they are using the sport of fitness to make their dreams and goals reality.

Today we talk with the 2015 CrossFit Games Champion, Katrin Davidsdottir. At 22 years of age, she has managed to climb her way to the top of the sport and earned the title "Fittest woman on earth". In this interview we find out a little background about the champ and what she has done to get so far in just 4 years of CrossFit.

Today we talk with Rob Blackwell of Cal Strength and Adee Zukier of Working Against Gravity. Both are high level weightlifters and both have made the transition to the Grid League. They talk about why they made the transition, how it affected their training and give tips for any weightlifters that might want to do the same thing.

Today we talk with Pat Mendes. At the start of his career, Pat was arguably the worlds strongest teenager and has made national, panam, and world teams. He goes over his daily routine, recovery methods, thoughts on squatting every day, and coming back from injuries.

We are in Colorado for the first stop of the Driven Series talking with Ursula Garza Papandrea(Head Coach of Texas Barbell Club), Colin Burns(2014 national champion and record holder in snatch), Spencer Arnold(Owner of Power and Grace Performance), and Cortney Batchelor(Pan Am and World Team Member) about USAW, Texas Barbell Club and why they have become so dominate in the sport.

What is the Driven Series, why are we doing it, and what drives us? We answer those questions in this bonus podcast. (Recorded at 30,000 ft.)

Today we talk with Jared Enderton and Brittany Beaumont about which should come first: Sports or strength and conditioning. Both have played sports for a very long time and have been strength training from an early age. We dive into if they think learning sports helped get them so strong and enduring or vice versa.

Today we talk about how you can still have a full time job that isn't owning a gym and be competitive at crossfit. Ben Williams finished 7th in the 2015 CF Open and 15th at regionals. He is a little over 2 years into he world of competitive fitness and is a high school sports coach working upwards of 10hrs a day yet still manages to compete with the best in the world. Hear his story and day to day routine along with quite a bit of hilarity.

Today we talk with All American Hammer Thrower Nathan Loe about his transition from being a high level Collegiate Athlete to Weightlifting, Pre-workout, and being drunk at disney.

Today we talk with Rachael Bommicino and Elise Metts. Rachael is not only a high level Weightlifter, but a former level ten Gymnastics Coach and she is on the USAW Sports performance seminar staff. She has a unique story and outlook on competing and coaching as a female in a sport dominated by male coaches. This one is for the ladies, but the guys may want to listen too.

Today we talk with Rocky Piwko. Rocky is an adaptive athlete, gym owner, and a member of Team Some assembly Required. Hear his story of strength and dedication.

Today we talk with Freddy and Raphael Assuncao. Both them and their brother Junior are all professional MMA Fighters. Freddy is ranked #1 in the region, Raphael is ranked #3 in UFC and their brother Junior is not only a UFC veteran but is currently the PFC Featherweight champion. We dive into what life and training looks like for Freddy and Raph and get to hear the amazing story of their family going from nothing to the top of the MMA world. This podcast is a must listen.

This is a special lost podcast we did over a year ago with the legendary John Coffee and Edward Baker at Coffees gym. Check it out for great knowledge and insight from one of the best weightlifting coach in america ever.

Today we talk about the best methods for anyone that wants to reach the top of their athletic potential but has limited time for training. This one is for the Badass on a Time Crunch.

Today we talk about What Brandons team did to make it to the CF Games this year and what he would do different if he had the chance.

Today we talk about how you can create a specialized program to get to your goals faster with 4 times Games Athlete Brandon Phillips. Stay till the end for info on our new system that will do exact this at a fraction of the price of an individualized program.

Today we talk with Matt Baird and Brandon Phillips about how the game has changed, what it takes to be at the regionals level and what you need to do to get there. Check it out!!

Today we talk with Kristin Pope and Elise Metts all about macros. What they are and are not, why they work, and why you should be counting them.

Today we talk about the 3 things you need to be doing to injury proof yourself that is probably not in your training program.

Today we talk about the truth behind injuries in CrossFit and all functional fitness with Dr. Yuri Feito.

Today we talk with the owners of Caffeine and Kilos about everything from how they got started to what chili cheese dogs do to your workout.

Today we talk with Travis Mash and Sean Waxman about the everything from stick ball to catapult.

On this episode of Garage Athletes we talk with Sam Dancer of the Sanfransisco Fire and Kati Breazeal from Floelite.

Today, we talk with Travis Cooper and Sean Rigsby of MDUSA about the Arnold Classic, Life on Team Muscle Driver, and they give us a big “Weightlifting Scoop” on the next member of Team MDUSA.