What does it mean to live a larger life?

In this episode, I sit down with James Fitzgerald—founder of OPEX, CrossFit Games champion, and one of the deepest thinkers in the fitness world—to talk about the evolution of CrossFit and how fitness can (and should) serve a bigger purpose in our lives.

We dive into:

✅ The early days and original vision of CrossFit
✅ Why James shifted away from the sport and toward individualized coaching
✅ The philosophy behind sustainable fitness and living with intention
✅ What it really means to pursue a “larger life” through movement
✅ Why fitness is a practice, not just a performance

Whether you're a coach, former athlete, or someone rethinking your relationship with training, this episode will challenge and inspire you.

👉 Learn more about James at https://www.opexfit.com

🔥 Brought to you by Comeback Athlete
We help former athletes look, feel, and perform like athletes again—with personalized training, nutrition, and coaching that fits real life.
Learn more at https://comeback-athlete.com or follow us on IG @comeback_athlete

In this episode, I sit down with the legendary Coach Mike Boyle—one of the most respected voices in strength & conditioning—to talk about the transition from sport to lifelong fitness.

Whether you're a former athlete trying to find your rhythm again, or a coach guiding others through that shift, this conversation is packed with timeless wisdom and hopeful perspective.

We dive deep into:
✅ Why training still matters when sport ends
✅ The identity crisis many former athletes face
✅ Common pitfalls ex-athletes fall into
✅ How to train smarter, not just harder, in your 30s, 40s, and beyond
✅ The biggest changes Mike has seen in the fitness industry
✅ What he's hopeful for in the future of coaching and training
✅ Simple, sustainable practices to stay athletic for life

Coach Boyle also shares powerful stories from his 40+ years coaching athletes at every level—and what he's learned about movement, mindset, and meaning long after the final whistle.

🌐 Learn more about Mike Boyle & MBSC:
👉 https://www.bodybyboyle.com/

📘 Check out his books & certifications:
👉 New Functional Training for Sports
👉 Advances in Functional Training
👉 CFSC: https://www.certifiedfsc.com/

💪 Comeback Athlete helps former athletes look, feel, and perform like athletes again.
We build customized strength, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching programs to reignite your purpose, power, and performance.

📲 Learn more at: https://www.comeback-athlete.com
📩 Contact: blake@comeback-athlete.com
📸 Follow us on IG: @comeback.athlete

👍 If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:
✅ Like
✅ Subscribe
✅ Drop a comment on your biggest takeaway!

What happens when the competition ends but your love for movement stays? In this powerful episode, Coach Blake sits down with Marcus Filly — former CrossFit Games athlete and founder of Functional Bodybuilding — to talk identity, purpose, and rediscovering the joy of training.

✅ What Marcus misses about CrossFit
✅ How it felt to leave the sport and lose a big part of his identity
✅ Why high-level athletes often feel lost after the “glory days”
✅ How he fell back in love with training — on his terms
✅ The birth of Functional Bodybuilding
✅ What former athletes can do to find passion in fitness again
✅ One mindset shift that changed everything for Marcus
✅ Encouragement for anyone in a season of reinvention

If you’ve ever asked, “Who am I without the sport?” — this episode is for you.

🟥 SUBSCRIBE for more stories, strategies, and mindset shifts to help former athletes train for life again.

🖤 Learn more about coaching: https://comeback-athlete.com
📲 Follow us on IG: @comeback.athlete | @marcusfilly
🎯 Apply for Coaching: [Insert Calendly or Leadform Link]

#IdentityShift #RediscoverFitness #MarcusFilly #FunctionalBodybuilding #ComebackAthlete #FormerAthlete #AthleteMindset #Podcast

Is Vitality Just BS?
With Michael Bann — Why Mobility Screens, Pain, and "Wellness" Need a Reality Check

📝 Episode Overview:

In this unfiltered 60-minute conversation, Coach Blake sits down with veteran coach and educator Michael Bann to challenge mainstream fitness narratives around vitality, mobility, and pain. If you’re tired of gimmicks and want the truth about long-term health, this one’s for you.

✅ Who Michael Bann is and his 15+ years of experience in the fitness industry
✅ Why many mobility and FMS assessments are just scalable sales tools
✅ How the reality of pain and getting out of it is much more nuanced than people think
✅ The problem with treating "vitality" like a product or checklist
✅ What practical approaches to training and lifestyle actually support long-term health
✅ Mindset shifts coaches and athletes need to move from fixing problems to building resilience

What happens when training becomes a burden instead of a blessing?

In this episode, I sit down with coach Misbah Haque to talk about how to bring purpose, fun, and sustainability back into training—especially for burned-out CrossFit athletes who’ve lost their spark.

We cover:
✅ Early signs of burnout and athlete fatigue
✅ Common struggles among ex-competitors and overtrained athletes
✅ How to rebuild trust in your body and enjoy training again
✅ Shifting from intensity to intentionality
✅ Programming strategies that reduce pain and increase consistency
✅ Emotional patterns in burned-out athletes (and how to coach through them)
✅ The difference between training for competition vs longevity
✅ What athletes really want once the scoreboard fades

Whether you're a former competitor or coach, this episode will show you how to build—not burn—the athletes you work with (or yourself).

🎧 Listen On:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Buzzsprout | YouTube

🔗 Connect with Misbah:

Instagram: @misbah.haq
Website: misbahhaque.com

💬 Let’s Work Together:

Apply for coaching → comeback-athlete.com/apply

🔖 Hashtags (YouTube & IG):

#BuiltNotBurnt #ComebackAthlete #BurnoutRecovery #FormerAthlete #CrossFitCoach #PainFreeTraining #AthleteMindset #SustainableFitness #MisbahHaque #BlakeScheidtPodcast #RemoteCoaching

What happens when training becomes a burden instead of a blessing?

In this episode, I sit down with coach Misbah Haque to talk about how to bring purpose, fun, and sustainability back into training—especially for burned-out CrossFit athletes who’ve lost their spark.

We cover:
✅ Early signs of burnout and athlete fatigue
✅ Common struggles among ex-competitors and overtrained athletes
✅ How to rebuild trust in your body and enjoy training again
✅ Shifting from intensity to intentionality
✅ Programming strategies that reduce pain and increase consistency
✅ Emotional patterns in burned-out athletes (and how to coach through them)
✅ The difference between training for competition vs longevity
✅ What athletes really want once the scoreboard fades

Whether you're a former competitor or coach, this episode will show you how to build—not burn—the athletes you work with (or yourself).

🎧 Listen On:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Buzzsprout | YouTube

🔗 Connect with Misbah:

Instagram: @misbah.haq
Website: misbahhaque.com

💬 Let’s Work Together:

Apply for coaching → comeback-athlete.com/apply

🔖 Hashtags (YouTube & IG):

#BuiltNotBurnt #ComebackAthlete #BurnoutRecovery #FormerAthlete #CrossFitCoach #PainFreeTraining #AthleteMindset #SustainableFitness #MisbahHaque #BlakeScheidtPodcast #RemoteCoaching

🎙️ 3 Killers of Testosterone & How to Get It Back Naturally
Welcome to the Comeback Athlete Podcast — today we’re diving deep into the 3 biggest reasons your testosterone might be tanking… and how to naturally bring it back without pills, injections, or gimmicks.

If you’ve been feeling tired, soft around the midsection, unmotivated, and not quite like yourself — this episode is for you.

✅ In this episode, we cover:
• The Top 3 Testosterone Killers every man should avoid
• How stress, poor sleep, and processed foods destroy your hormones
• Why overtraining (yes, too much exercise) can make things worse
• What aromatization is — and how fat turns your testosterone into estrogen
• How blood sugar swings and alcohol crash your T levels
• Common signs of low testosterone (even without lab tests)
• Simple, proven strategies to rebuild testosterone naturally

💪 Natural Testosterone Boosters We Break Down:

Resistance training done right

High-fat, nutrient-dense meals

Deep sleep strategies

Lowering cortisol through lifestyle

Key supplements (D3, magnesium, zinc, creatine)

🧠 This one’s easy to follow — even a 5th grader could get it.
We break it down simply so you can take action today.

👇 Apply for Coaching:
Ready to start your comeback and build a body that performs again?
📲 https://comeback-athlete.com


🔔 Like, Subscribe, and Share this with a friend who’s been feeling off and wants to get their edge back.

#testosterone #menshealth #comebackathlete #hormones #naturaltestosterone #fitnessformen #athletelifestyle #stressrecovery #strengthtrainingtips

✅ Nick Cheesman’s coaching background

✅ His college soccer experience and how it shaped his coaching philosophy

✅ Competing in CrossFit and Hyrox

✅ The challenges and rewards of training for functional fitness competitions

✅ Preparing for fatherhood and its impact on his training philosophy

✅ How Nick’s coaching approach has evolved over time

✅ Helping former athletes reconnect with their peak performance