Run a Profitable Gym

In 2012, Chandler Smith set a goal: to compete in the 2022 CrossFit Games. He made it in 2019 instead—and took 15th in his rookie year.
But Chandler is more than an up-and-coming CrossFit Games athlete. He's also a West Point graduate and a captain in the United States Army.
Here, he speaks with Sean Woodland about what it was like growing up the son of an NFL player, the challenges of attending West Point military academy and how achieving his goal four years early has helped him build confidence in the sport of fitness.
Links:
"Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief"Free ToolsBook a Free CallContact:
Instagram: @blacksmifffTimeline:
1:35 – What it’s like to have a dad in the NFL.

4:59 – Finding a home in wrestling.

7:41 – The inappropriate book swap that made Chandler want to join the Army.

10:17 – Applying to West Point.

11:50 – Day One at West Point: The weight of infinite possibility.

13:34 – Balancing wrestling and academics as a cadet.

15:52 – Lessons learned from cadet training.

17:42 – CrossFit as training for West Point.

19:56 – Discovering his competitive edge.

22:09 – Competing at Regionals for the first time.

25:11 – The freak accident of 2017.

29:52 – Recovering and learning to train with slightly less finger.

31:45 – Building confidence after a 40th-place Open finish in 2019.

33:22 – Exceeding expectations at the Rogue Invitational.

36:04 – The new structure of the Games and meeting his goal four years early.

37:33 – Chandler Smith: Then and now.

39:37 – Winning the Mayhem Classic and recovering from another hand injury.

42:07 – Reflecting on it all: Proud to represent the unrepresented.

January.
It's the time for resolutions and goal setting, and many gyms see an influx of new or re-committed members in these first days of the year.
But what happens when the novelty wears off? When temptation creeps in and setbacks occur?
This episode of Two-Brain Radio is all about human behavior. Chris Cooper speaks with Ty Krueger, owner of Packerland CrossFit and founder of the Behavior Change Collective, which helps families with children struggling with behavior issues.
Ty has a master's degree in applied behavior analysis, is a board-certified behavior analyst and previously served as clinical director for an autism treatment center. In this episode, he brings his expertise to the gym, sharing how owners can help clients make positive behavior changes and stick with them for the long haul.
Links:
Behavior Change CollectivePackerland CrossFit"Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief"Contact:
[email protected]
Facebook: The Behavior Change CollectiveInstagram: @behavior_change_collectiveTimeline:
1:00 – Finding a passion for studying human behavior.

3:29 – Joining CrossFit after gaining “sympathy weight” during his wife’s pregnancy.

4:20 – Opening Packerland CrossFit.

5:29 – What is behavior analysis?

6:36 – Bringing behavior analysis to the gym.

8:05 – It’s all about building personal relationships with clients.

9:03 – Why most resolutions fail.

10:06 – Seven layers of “why.”

11:54 – Turning “can’t-do” goals into “can-do” goals.

14:37 – How to set clients up for success.

16:07 – How to keep clients on track.

18:12 – The importance of check-ins and follow-ups—even with longstanding clients.

20:32 – Maintaining one-on-one relationships during in influx of new clients.

22:10 – The importance of treating every client as an individual.

24:15 – All about the Behavior Change Collective.

27:56 – Three things gym owners need to do to improve client behavior and retention.

Chris Spealler was the underdog of CrossFit, competing against men weighing up to 70 lb. more than him and holding his own. That's what made him relatable—that and his big heart and tremendous work ethic.
"Speal" is an eight-time CrossFit Games competitor (7 individual, 1 master). He stood on the podium three times during his individual career. Time after time, he won fans' hearts and earned their cheers as he struggled against heavy weight, the last man standing on the floor.
He retired to a standing ovation in 2014 and now focuses on his affiliate, CrossFit Park City in Utah, running the Icon Athlete online training program, and using his fitness to enrich his life outside the gym with his wife and children.
You'll get to hear about some of the memorable moments from Chris' competitive career, how he transitioned from training for competition to training for life and what good programming looks like.
Links:
Two-Brain Business Free ToolsIcon Athlete ProgrammingContact:
Instagram: @cspeallerTimeline:
1:40 – Athletics before CrossFit: a little bit of everything.

2:54 – Why Speal loved wrestling.

3:34 – Learning work ethic from wrestling, “the hardest sport in the world.”

4:54 – After wrestling, finding purpose in CrossFit.

6:21 – Why wrestlers make the best CrossFit athletes.

7:16 – Competing at the first CrossFit Games in 2007.

8:57 – How his training changed as the Games evolved.

10:13 – The dog sled in 2011: It wasn’t the shoes’ fault.

11:52 – Qualifying out of the 2012 Regional: “old-school CrossFit to a T.”

13:45 – On missing the Games in 2013—and deciding to try one more time.

15:24 – The “elder statesman” of 2014.

16:53 – The 2014 CrossFit Games: a farewell tour.

19:04 – On being the underdog.

20:27 – Dealing with intimidation.

22:01 – On being the strongest man in the world—according to the sixth-graders at his son’s school.

23:34 – Why go masters in 2017?

24:31 – Trading training for competition to training for life.

27:22 – Starting Icon Athlete.

30:27 – The difference between good and bad programming: volume.

31:56 – Advice for aspiring competitors.

32:54 – How to train well as a masters athlete.

35:06 – Lessons learned from 13 years of CrossFit.

What are the most important things gyms should do when it comes to programming? What was it like to compete on champion teams CrossFit Mayhem and CrossFit New England? What's it like to have your mother beat you at Isabel? CrossFit Games veteran and longtime CrossFit Seminar Staff member James Hobart is here with the answers to all that and more on this episode of Two-Brain Radio.
James has competed at the Games five times as part of a team and thrice as an individual, winning the Affiliate Cup three times with two different teams. He's also co-owner of CrossFit ONE Nation Boston, and after nearly a decade on the Seminar Staff, he now runs gym programming service The HAM Program with Games vets Spencer Hendel and Austin Malleolo.
In this episode, he shares some of his favorite memories from his competition and Seminar Staff days, what makes for good gym programming and how to get your loved ones into fitness.
Links:
CrossFit ONE NationThe HAM PlanFree ToolsContact:
Instagram: @jameshobart
Timeline:
1:56 – From the kettlebell scene to CrossFit.

4:22 – James’ first CrossFit Level 1 experience.

6:39 – The evolution of the CrossFit seminars over time.

9:28 – Safe-for-work seminar stories.

11:30 – Falling into competition.

14:54 – What makes a great team in CrossFit competition.

18:44 – Training with Rich Froning and CrossFit Mayhem: “We’re gonna work out till one of us dies or we win the CrossFit Games.”

20:57 – Highlights from CrossFit Games competition.

23:26 – Stepping back from competition.

26:20 – The HAM Plan.

28:07 – What does good gym programming look like?

31:30 – How to become a good programmer.

32:45 – The mysterious appearance of an AbMat, a 45-lb. plate and a barbell: James’ mother becomes a CrossFitter.

35:46 – How to get your loved ones into fitness.

37:33 – Coaching—and being coached by—James’ mother.

39:25 – Looking to the future: Running an affiliate, programming for Sanctionals and competing with his wife.

41:51 – Top lessons learned after more than a decade in the CrossFit community.