Pile Of Fit

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.

It's February, and there's lots going on. Special guest star Gabe Castro joins us to talk about his own fitness philosophy. Lots of good, deep thoughts in this one!

It's the new year, and so Paul has some new programs to announce to get people to Just Show Up. Justin is feeling large after baking a few too many batches of cookies, and Wes reveals some surprising nighttime clothing secrets!

It's the holiday season, and all of us are preparing to strap on the 'ol feedbag with friends and family. Justin, Wes and Paul share their tips for not laying waste to all of the work we did all year during this, the fattiest of seasons.

The gang talks about the sweetener stevia, CrossFit's war against sugar and soda, and all the artificial sweeteners we've been using for years. Special guest: Nela member and Zevia VP of marketing Stephanie Schonauer

This is part two of our discussion with Coach D. Lee. We talk about the dark times, struggles with depression, and how exercise plays such a crucial role in our own mental health. We hope you'll find this one as important as we do.

There's not really THAT much going on at the box right now. Wes is finishing up his coaching internship, and all that entails. Paul is making some tweaks to our schedule. And most importantly, Coach D. Lee is here, and spills a bunch of the behind-the-scenes work that goes on at Nela Athletics. We also get into her own background as a coach, and it's way more interesting than you might think. This part one of a two-part discussion. Part two takes a much more serious turn.

When Paul and Wes are separated, different things come to fore. Actually, not really -- they're both pretty much the same. But Paul spills all about recent events at the gym, from bugs to bars breaking, and Wes talks about all the recent craziness in the world of competitive CrossFit.

Lots of new things are happening at the box! The merging of the two Nela locations into one is almost complete, a competition is coming up, and Justin is now officially a coach! Lots of discussion about where things are at and where things are going. Also, a new monthly schedule for the show. Check it out!

We're back after a too-long absence. We had good reason -- things have been crazy. Paul brings us up to speed on the unfortunate closure of Nela Atwater Village, and the tweaks we're making to Eagle Rock to make it the best it can be. Justin talks about finishing out the nutrition challenge the only way he could -- by eating a horrifying amount of sushi immediately after it ended. Wes just got his CrossFit Level 1 certificate, and talks about the experience. Then we get to meet Nela's new full-time coach, Jahi Olatunji! Check it out guys, this one was worth the wait.

It's a big week at Pile of Fit, as Tony Ramirez, area strongman, dad, and gym regular stops in to talk about his personal fitness journey, what keeps him motivated, and how age isn't slowing him down one bit.

Paul's under the weather, Justin's just back from a long trip, and Wes is buried in work. Since we're all a little "off," we decided it was time to discuss getting back on track when life hands you lemons.

This week's guest is coach Chevy Kouladjian, who brings his ridiculous and manic level of research and study to all things CrossFit. He tells about his CrossFit history, his obsession with form, and how the hell he juggled gym time with law school and starting a family. Also: Justin's attempt at marathon running doesn't go so hot, and Wes loses basically no weight but a ton of fat.

Coach RaNaye Carrigan has long been one of the pillars of Nela Athletics, and this week she's in the studio to talk to us about her long athletic career, and her new forays into competitive aesthetic bodybuilding. But she isn't quite prepared for what goes on at Pile of Fit, and to make matters weirder, Paul is feeling a bit spicier than normal. It's a fun episode, guys, check it out!

Paul, Wes and Justin talk about 18.1, karaoke, and the boxes-away-from-home that we frequent when we visit loved ones. Coach Michael Juarez joins the gang. Then, discussion shifts to Nela Athletics' new Crossfit Kids program.

It's the nutrition challenge, even if most of us just got stomped on by the various plagues going around (which is why this show is late). Special guest Mike Orta, who's supervising the nutrition challenge, joins us to talk about what we should be eating and why.

The CrossFit Open is right around the corner -- that magical time of year where we get 5 highly challenging mystery workouts that will test all of us and weed out the best in the world. Special guest Chris Cordova of CrossFit Iconic drops by to talk about what that means for everyone, no matter what level of athlete you might be.

It's our rough-around-the-edges first episode! Paul, Wes and Justin get into why they work out, and why they want to train others. Justin talks about slimming down, while Wes goes into competition mode.