Dr. Robert Waldinger is the head of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, and the author of The Good Life . We discuss the importance of connection, being proactive in our relationships, judgment, curiosity, and more. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 How impactful social isolation and loneliness are on our health 📍 Why good relationships are stress regulators 📍 What “secure attachment” is and why it matters 📍 The difference between hedonic and eudemonic happiness 📍 The two things Dr Waldinger thinks we...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 14
We’re talking about how to communicate your values better so you can build them up alongside the people in your life. We’ve also got listener questions about prehab, healthy eating based on your age, massage guns, and more. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 Ben’s go-to protocol for healthy shoulders and hips 📍 Why you’re never too young to benefit from healthy nutrition 📍 The benefits of massage guns 📍 Hanging out with the members of your gym 📍 How the 30 days of kindness challenge went for us GET A QUEST...
Jan 24, 2023•52 min•Ep. 13
We’re talking about how to know what a “healthy” body looks like in a world of Instagram, PEDs, and photoshop. We’ve also got listener questions about protein intake, getting more sleep, and coaching CrossFit kids, and more! EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 Ben’s thoughts on “self-help” 📍 How to get enough protein in during the day 📍 A few ways to get more sleep, even when super busy 📍 Why we want to start with the end in mind with training 📍 Why performance is correlated to capacity GET A QUESTION IN TH...
Jan 17, 2023•52 min•Ep. 12
We’re talking about when things don’t turn out as we hope, but do turn out for the better. We’re also answering your questions about CrossFit programming, protein intake, hard conversations with in-laws, and citing our sources. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 Whether doing “double strength” before a metcon is a good idea 📍 Best practices for staying healthy while traveling a ton 📍 How to get enough protein in to gain weight 📍 What to do if you keep waking up in the middle of the night 📍 How to set bette...
Jan 10, 2023•59 min•Ep. 11
To start the year off right, we’re revisiting the most popular episode we released in 2022. We’re talking about the levels of focus, how to wrestle with internal distractions, what anxiety feels like, and more. GET A QUESTION IN THE QUEUE: Send Patrick a DM with your Five Factors questions! ABOUT US: 📍 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . Find him on Instagram. 📍 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and creat...
Jan 03, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 10
This week, we’ve got a conversation Ben had recently with Danny Miranda. They chat about why focus is a more important resource than time, how to distinguish between inner and outer purpose, and hearing the voice in our heads. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 When Ben decided he needed to live a life of impact 📍 How to avoid believing our own B.S. 📍 Why we need to listen, then learn, the help 📍 The spark that got Ben adding breath work to his routine 📍 Why we need to learn how to relax in moments of adve...
Dec 27, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 9
We’re talking about the value and purpose of work, why it’s so important to spend our time doing something we enjoy, and balancing risk and safety. We’re also giving some new podcast, documentary, and book recommendations. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 How to avoid injury when starting CrossFit 📍 Why you have to practice for when stakes get high 📍 What our kids eat for lunch at school 📍 Why it’s hard to pinpoint the specific benefit of a single habit change 📍 Ben’s advice for young folks starting thei...
Dec 20, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 8
We’re talking about what it would look like for more people to have a C+ level of health & fitness, and why that would be a win. Also: your questions about learning from folks we disagree with & starting a strength program. EXPECT TO LEARN:📍 The simple difference between beginner & advanced athletes 📍 What we mean when we say “Chasing Excellence 2.0” 📍 What the Sick-Well-Fit continuum looks like 📍 The importance of nutrient density vs calorie density 📍 The biggest thing standing...
Dec 13, 2022•56 min•Ep. 7
We’re talking about how to use our time at night better when it’s easy to kill a few hours mindlessly. What should we do if we’re too tired for much else? Tune in to find out, and stick around for our first 30-day challenge. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 Why consistency comes before intensity in our training 📍 How to help a teenage athlete tackle nutrition 📍 The value of using Whoop as a training tool 📍 What it means to “flip the script” on a bad situation 📍 How to deal with disagreeable neighbors GET...
Dec 06, 2022•55 min•Ep. 6
We’ve got a conversation Ben had recently with Matthew DesRoches of the Oxidative Potential podcast . They geek out about training for the CrossFit Games and the psychology of being an athlete. EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 The difference between first, second, & third wave adaptations 📍 Why CrossFit & MMA are so similar 📍 The timespan of a CrossFit Games athlete 📍 Why young athletes are so dominant in the sport now GET A QUESTION IN THE QUEUE: Send Patrick a DM with your Five Factors questions...
Nov 29, 2022•1 hr 48 min•Ep. 5
We’re talking about how to start journaling, surrounding ourselves with fountains & not drains, Ben’s journey into his daily meditation practice, & more! EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 What makes a shoe “minimalist” & why that matters 📍 Why teenage athletes probably don’t need much supplementation 📍 How Wim Hoff Breathing got Ben into meditation 📍 The number of workouts you need to ease back into full training 📍 Patrick’s five big questions to ask when making life decisions GET A QUESTION I...
Nov 22, 2022•36 min•Ep. 4
We’re talking about how to balance parenthood and work, how to incentive kids without treats, advice to those in their mid-twenties, & more! EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 The one question to ask to ensure you’re training smart 📍 Why it’s important to focus on never going backward in your fitness 📍 What expectations to have when training in high humidity 📍 How to adjust your sleep on non-training days 📍 How to know when to distance yourself from difficult friends GET A QUESTION IN THE QUEUE: Send P...
Nov 15, 2022•54 min•Ep. 3
We’re talking about how our definition of what it means to chase excellence has changed since we started this show, how to help yo-yo dieters, what we think is wrongly socially unacceptable, & more! EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 How to get a great workout without any equipment 📍 Why you need to get over whatever adversity you’re facing 📍 Whether lots of snacks or fewer meals are “better” 📍 Why we always default to bigger, next, & more 📍 Why it shouldn’t be so weird to sit quietly without a pho...
Nov 08, 2022•32 min•Ep. 2
We’re broadening one of our Five Factors of Health, discussing how to keep cardio up when nursing a lower-body injury, creating a Five Factors scorecard, introducing a brand new format, and more! EXPECT TO LEARN: 📍 How to stop competing during every workout 📍 Whether cold exposure is a useful recovery strategy 📍 What to do about a loved one who’s stuck in their old training ways 📍 Why we’re expanding one of our factors of health from sleep to recovery 📍 How we score ourselves across the fiv...
Nov 01, 2022•51 min•Ep. 1
We’re sharing a conversation I had recently with Chris Irwin of the Rare Sense podcast. We get into a lot, including the power of visualizations, adapting the elite athlete mindset to everyday life, and what my morning routine looks like these days. Find us on Social: Ben | Patrick 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and creator of Functional Branding ....
Oct 25, 2022•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 250
In this throwback episode from 2018, we’ve got our top 10 ways to improve sleep. We’re talking about why optimizing our sleep is really optimizing our health and how spending money on better sleep is a worthwhile investment. Find us on Social: Ben | Patrick 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and creator of Functional Branding ....
Oct 18, 2022•34 min•Ep. 249
Your questions are back! We’re talking about the anxiety that comes with being a hard charger, eliminating gossip from a work culture, my thoughts on whether a coach has to be the fittest person in the room, and more! Find us on Social: Ben | Patrick Questions About: 00:55 - Dealing with the stress of being a hard-charger 12:55 - Taking care of yourself without guilt as a parent 16:04 - Healing a back injury without feeling lazy or undertrained 17:40 - Learning how to deal with comments about we...
Oct 11, 2022•33 min•Ep. 248
Colin O’Brady is back to talk more specifically about his new book, the 12-Hour Walk. Patrick and I give our own experiences doing the walk, we talk about self-limiting beliefs, identifying your personal Everest, and more. Find out more about Colin’s new book, The 12-Hour Walk, here. Find us on Social: Colin | Ben | Patrick 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and ...
Oct 04, 2022•36 min•Ep. 247
We’re joined by explorer and author Colin O’Brady. We chat about life as an explorer, the zone of comfortable complacency, his belief that we all have reservoirs of untapped potential, his new book, and much more. Find out more about Colin’s new book, The 12 Hour Walk, here. Find us on Social: Colin | Ben | Patrick 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and creator o...
Sep 27, 2022•32 min•Ep. 246
We’ve got four questions this round of HopperTalk - discussing ways we think the CrossFit Games season could improve, Eckhart Tolle, noise, misinformation, and more. Find us on Social: Ben | Patrick Questions Answered: 01:00 - What are two ways you would make the CrossFit season better? 06:00 - What’s the one problem you want to be known for helping solve? 08:30 - What are we living in the golden age of? 15:35 - What is the single most liberating thought you’ve ever had? // About Us: 👉🏼 Ben Be...
Sep 20, 2022•24 min•Ep. 245
We’re bringing you a conversation I had recently with DJ Hillier of the MiFit podcast . We dive into transformational coaching, how I got into the mental side of competition, balancing passion and obsession, and more. Find us on Social: DJ | Ben | Patrick 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and creator of Functional Branding ....
Sep 13, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 244
Your questions are back in the spotlight this week! We’re talking about how to design a non-competitive after-school program, why being clear is kind when running your gym, why CrossFit Games athletes don’t move perfectly, and more. Find us on Social: Ben | Patrick Question About: 01:00 - Distinguishing between complaining and helping 03:00 - Responding to death in the family 06:10 - Dealing with grandparents and junk food 07:50 - Stretching right after a hard workout 09:30 - Getting strong with...
Sep 06, 2022•22 min•Ep. 243
We’re talking through a simple, actionable nutritional framework this week. We discuss the spectrum of ultra processed to ultra clean, why being hungry sometimes isn’t a bad thing, and why awareness is so important. Find us on Social: Ben | Patrick // About Us: 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and creator of Functional Branding ....
Aug 30, 2022•49 min•Ep. 242
I’m giving my thoughts (good and bad) on the 2022 CrossFit Games. We’re talking programming, whether I’m excited about the future of the event, why the Capitol was such an amazing event, and much more. -- Find us on Social: Ben | Patrick 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and creator of Functional Branding ....
Aug 23, 2022•43 min•Ep. 241
In this throwback episode, we’re revisiting our 10 principles of connecting with each other. We’re talking about why small things are big things, gossip, listening sincerely, and leading with tough love. Find us on Social: Ben | Patrick 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and creator of Functional Branding ....
Aug 16, 2022•23 min•Ep. 240
We’re talking this week about how to maintain high expectations without getting overwhelmed by self-induced pressure. We discuss the relationship between disciple and surrender, peak performance, judgment, and learning. -- Find us on Social: Ben | Patrick 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and c reator of Functional Branding ....
Aug 09, 2022•32 min•Ep. 239
We’re sharing a conversation I had recently with Michael Caz . We dive into leadership, Unlocking Potential, simplicity, making moments matter, using pain as a gift, and so much more. Find us on Social: Caz | Ben | Patrick 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and creator of Functional Branding ....
Aug 02, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 238
Patrick & I talk about the last five books we’ve each read, some of our biggest takeaways, my experience with dyslexia, how to strengthen the habit of reading, and more. Find us on Social: Ben | Patrick Books mentioned: Life Force by Tony Robbins Indistractible by Nir Eyal The Talent War by Sarraille & Randle The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey Insanely Simple by Ken Segall The Minimalist Entrepreneur by Sahil Lavingia Marketing Full Circle by Wayne Mullins Free Time by Jenny Bla...
Jul 26, 2022•57 min•Ep. 237
Heather joins us again, this time to discuss what it looks like to chase excellence in marriage or relationships. We talk about values, bringing intention to hard conversations, not letting ego get in the way, and lots more. Find us on Social: Heather | Ben | Patrick 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, and creator of Functional Branding ....
Jul 19, 2022•37 min•Ep. 236
Find us on Social: Heather | Ben | Patrick Question Answered: 01:40 - What did you finally realize was just a huge waste of time? 17:00 - What skill or life lesson do you wish your parents would’ve taught you? 33:36 - If you had enough money to build your dream house, what’s a strange room or feature you’d include? // About Us: 👉🏼 Ben Bergeron is a best-selling author , coach to 7 CrossFit Games champions, and founder of CompTrain . 👉🏼 Patrick Cummings is a long-time CrossFitter, podcaster, ...
Jul 12, 2022•42 min•Ep. 235
