Linchpin Conversations

Linchpin Conversations is a podcast covering health, fitness, personal development and random musings regarding life.

The Work Schedule From HELL! 07/20/2026

The Work Schedule From HELL! Get Better at Burpees. Healthy or Fit? Choose One. Undulating Topography. Torture vs Training. Garage Flooring. Training 3x Per Week. Choosing the Right Load. Does my Ego Still Get in The Way? Work Schedule From Hell! Single Leg Dumbbell Deadlifts Getting Bigger /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/42154480

7 years with Linchpin! 07/17/2026

7 years with Linchpin! Mike has been a member of Linchpin for 7 years. He is an L3 trainer who believes that CF is not just a training methodology, but rather a way of life. He has been instrumental in bringing CrossFit into the Italian military. This is his story. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/42130310

Discomfort vs Pain or Injury 07/13/2026

Discomfort vs Pain or Injury Checkpoint Golf modifications Books I’m reading Should Warm-ups be scaled too? Kettlebells vs Dumbbells Discomfort vs Pain/Injury Do I workout with my wife? Nutritional Resources What if the workout takes me longer than the goal time? /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/42060400

Running a Marathon, drunk at 1:00am in 3 hr 48 min. 07/10/2026

Running a Marathon, drunk at 1:00am in 3 hr 48 min. Brian is a UCLA grad who joined the Marine Corps. He flew F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. Currently, he is a Captain flying for United Airlines. He has been active his entire life & has tried all different style of programming & training. He has been with Linchpin for years & shares his lessons learned & much more. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/42040140

Can anything replace SLEEP? 07/06/2026

Can anything replace SLEEP? Can anything replace sleep? Tips & Tricks for working out in the heat. Programming doubts. Mobility for Barbells. Tales from the military. Pull-up Rep Schemes for Strict vs Kipping. Movements I don’t program. Shuttle Sprints in limited space. How is Linchpin priced so low? Weight Belts, Knee Sleeves, Lifting Shoes, Wraps, etc /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41981600

8 years with Linchpin! 07/03/2026

8 years with Linchpin! Nick is one of the Linchpin O.G.'s. He has been a member of the community for just over 8 years. During that time he has learned a lot about himself, what works & what doesn't. He is also a new grandfather at 53 years old. This is his story. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41955935

Should you buy a Bike or Rower? 06/29/2026

Should you buy a Bike or Rower? Intro - check out VNR 275 Should you buy a Bike or Rower? “The Seven” & a bachelor party. Mastering Gymnastics. A workout I would like. Landmine Twists. Calories vs Meters for Men & Women. Accessory work & dumbbells. The Medball Side Toss. Accessing the free VNR cycles. Actually using your fitness outside the gym. Creating a CrossFit Games event. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41887260

Shift Work, Jiu-jitsu & Linchpin. 06/26/2026

Shift Work, Jiu-jitsu & Linchpin. Mike is a husband, as well as a father of two children. He is a full time fire fighter that has learned how to manage fitness while having a demanding job that requires him to work 24 hours on & 48 hours off. He also enjoyed doing Jiu-jitsu twice a week. We discussed all of these topics & much more. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41828810

Linchpin Monthly Fitness Tests - Part 2 06/22/2026

Linchpin Monthly Fitness Tests - Part 2 Checkpoint Golf Checkpoint Hotel Checkpoint India Checkpoint Juliet Checkpoint Kilo Checkpoint Lima /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41728130

How to overcome obstacles. 06/19/2026

How to overcome obstacles. Jesse is a husband, as well as being a father of 4 kids. During his life he has dealt with difficult times, for example, he attended Grad School while working full time & have a 2 month old baby at home. He has weighed as little as 135 pounds to as much as 220 pounds & everything in between. No matter that sort of chaos life has dealt him, he has put his family first & still found a way to take care of himself. This is his story. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41703880

Bulgarian Split Squats & Supplements. 06/15/2026

Bulgarian Split Squats & Supplements. Skipping the warm-up. New Linchpin Monthly Tests Why do Bulgarian Split Squats wreck me? What do people ask me to add or remove from programming? Humidity, sweat & nastiness. The VNR Back Squat Capacity program. Sandbags are fun. What Supplements do I take? /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41653760

Bulgarian Split Squats & Supplements. 06/15/2026

Busy Mom & Austrian Police Officer. 06/12/2026

Busy Mom & Austrian Police Officer. Amy has been serving in the Austrian police force for 15 years. She is married & has a 10-month old baby boy. She did the "heavy lift + metcon" style of CrossFit for several years before leaving that behind & choosing Linchpin. This is her story. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41626230

Power Snatching your Bodyweight 18 times. 06/08/2026

Power Snatching your Bodyweight 18 times. Is “Fasting” hype or real? Becoming a better runner. Power Snatching your Bodyweight 18 times. Linchpin & Jiu Jitsu Workouts I like. Shift work makes fitness tough. Why is the Air Runner so tough? Clean & Jerk vs Shoulder-to-Overhead Building out your garage gym. Using Accessory work as a 2nd session. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41575130

Female Rugby Player & Program Hopping. 06/05/2026

Female Rugby Player & Program Hopping. Emily lives in the U.K. & trains in an old barn that is hundreds of years old. She has been into sports her entire life & her true passion is Rugby. She has experimented with classic strength training, long distance running & CrossFit. She is a self-proclaimed program hopper that keeps making her way back into the Linchpin community. This is her story. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41551385

Who needs extra strength work? 06/01/2026

Who needs extra strength work? The mental game of fitness. Muscle-up substitutions. Raising Chickens. Returning to training after illness. Caloric demands of training. Considerations for Rowing. Who needs extra strength work? Uncommon equipment that I enjoy. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41497605

Wine, Fitness & more Wine. 05/29/2026

Wine, Fitness & more Wine. Rob is a husband & a father of 3 girls. He entered the Army after college & traveled the world a bit. After the military he got a membership to 24 Hour Fitness & would do whatever workout routine caught his eye. Once he learned about CrossFit he got hooked & never looked back. This is his story. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41467545

Strict before Kipping, is it just for Pull-ups? 05/25/2026

Strict before Kipping, is it just for Pull-ups? Strict before Kipping, is it just for Pull-ups? Proper pacing for interval training. Frequently seen movements. Update on my total hip replacement. Why does Linchpin work so well? What to do when you miss a training day? Heavy Lift + Metcon. Training only 3x per week. 4 Euros & a Yank. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41416300

10 Strict Chin-ups at 70 years old! 05/22/2026

10 Strict Chin-ups at 70 years old! Jim did 10 Strict Unbroken Chin-ups on his 70th birthday. He is setting an example of long term health & fitness that should be a goal for all of us. He has been active his entire life, enjoying a wide variety of physical activities from body building to long distance running. At 60 years old he began powerlifting & competed at the national level. His fitness journey lead him to Linchpin, & he explains why. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41396670

Workouts that haunt me. 05/18/2026

Workouts that haunt me. CFL1 vs CFL2 vs CFL3 vs CFL4 Mental block with Box Jumps Linchpin in one sentence. Understanding the “No-Equipment Option” Bar Path with a Big Belly Workouts that haunt me. Favorite CrossFit Fads Deload Week vs Modulating Intensity Coming back after a 6 year break. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41336525

Physiotherapist shares his expertise. 05/15/2026

Physiotherapist shares his expertise. Ricardo is a physiotherapist living & working just south of Santiago, Chile. When people get injured in sports or daily life, he helps them recover & get back to 100%. He uses classic techniques in his therapy practice as well as incorporating functional movements. This is his story. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41309520

Will Zone 2 training improve High Intensity efforts? 05/11/2026

Will Zone 2 training improve High Intensity efforts? Athletes who make smart decisions. Improving Oly lifts. Will Zone 2 improve high intensity efforts? How many Pull-ups & Dips = 1 Muscle-up? No-equipment workout. Active vs Full Rest Days. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41253615

Someone set his gym on FIRE! 05/08/2026

Someone set his gym on FIRE! Tomasz was born & raised in Poland before moving to the U.K. in hopes of a better life. Working a stressful job with long hours did not leave him with a lot of time to workout. He was unhappy with how he looked & ready for a change. He has bounced around various programs from power lifting to body building to fitness. He now calls Linchpin his home & worked out at a local gym in his town until an arsonist set it on fire! This is his story. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41219675

Why do people Quit CrossFit? 05/04/2026

Why do people Quit CrossFit? Why do people Quit CrossFit? How to increase your pull-ups. How to approach a 1RM. What’s the point of a cool down? How to use a “landmine attachment”. How do we program Thursdays & Sundays for gyms? A realistic take on mobility. Is accessory work really optional? Are Running, biking & rowing interchangeable? What is my Rest Day routine? /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41145615

Confessions of a Program Hopper. Part 14 05/01/2026

Confessions of a Program Hopper. Part 14 Garbage, Recycling, Mt. Kilimanjaro & CrossFit. John is a husband, a father & the CEO of a recycling company. He started doing CrossFit 20 years ago. During that time he has tried many different programs, training styles & even climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. All of his travels brought him to Linchpin & he explains why. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41118900

"Gwen" & the Zone Diet. 04/27/2026

"Gwen" & the Zone Diet. Thoughts on “Gwen” Dumbbells & weight loss. What does “Rest as Needed” mean? Linchpin & BJJ Pros & Cons of 5am workouts. Getting a Linchpin tattoo Segmented Lifting & Cardio programs Evening training disrupts sleep. Is the Zone Diet relevant in 2026? /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41036700

Aviation, River Guide & the CrossFit Games. 04/24/2026

Aviation, River Guide & the CrossFit Games. Jo is the president of Gem Air, based in Salmon, Idaho. This is a family business that she had no intention of running, but life has a way at laughing at your plans. She has been athletic all her life & even competed at the Crossfit Games on a team. In addition to all of that she has been a river guide for 25 years. This is her story. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/41005420

Help! My Back Squat is stuck! 04/20/2026

Help! My Back Squat is stuck! Repeating a year of programming. Back Squat is stuck. Fitness while traveling. Why is Linchpin’s logo orange? Optional Accessory work Warming up or Cooling Down, which is more important Building up load vs Holding the same weight across Program Hoppers Avoiding 1RM Tactical Games Jump Rope Box Get Overs Choosing loading. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/40944335

Strongman tries Linchpin. 04/17/2026

Strongman tries Linchpin. Jake is a husband & father of two children. He works as a Corrections Officer in a prison. For years he trained & competed as a Strongman. When his daughter was born he took a hard look at the decisons he was making for his long term health & fitness. This lead Jake to Linchpin & he just celebrated his one year anniversary. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/40913375

Confessions of a Program Hopper. Part 13 04/13/2026

Confessions of a Program Hopper. Part 13 Ryan is a husband & father of 2 kids. After many years with Linchpin he decided to try different programming. He emailed me about his experience & how trying the other programming solidified his decision to return to Linchpin asap. This is his story. /episode/index/show/linchpinconversations/id/40840160

Linchpin Conversations

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