Episodes

Back-to-back CrossFit Semifinals athlete Lindsey Hoffman joins Drew and Paige to discuss the decade of work behind her rise from affiliate member to elite competitor. Lindsey shares how she found CrossFit, became a Misfit athlete, transitioned from teaching PE to running Blackfin CrossFit, and finally broke through to the Semifinals after years of steady progress. The conversation explores the confidence she gained from competing at Syndicate Crown and the NorCal Classic, learning to move on fr...

Every year, Misfit Athletics chooses a new rallying cry. This one has been hiding in plain sight for years. Drew and Paige unpack the arrival fallacy, why reaching the next goal never changes us for as long as we expect, and why athletes keep abandoning the proven path for the latest shiny side quest. They break down the 99 and the 1, how process creates proof and proof creates confidence, and what to do when injuries, comparison, uncertainty, or “scary season” threaten to pull you off course. ...

The 2027 CrossFit season starts here. Phase 1 of Misfit Athletics is an eight-week training block built to establish the strength, skill, conditioning, and athlete IQ you’ll carry through the rest of the season. In this episode, Drew and Paige break down the structure of the phase, the Variable Training System, mandatory vs. individualized work, strength progressions, gymnastics, accessory work, monostructural conditioning, the Misfit Gears system, and how to choose the work that actually moves...

On this week’s episode of the Misfit Podcast, Drew and Paige answer questions from the Misfit community and cover a wide range of training topics as we wrap up Phase 0 and get ready for the start of the 2027 season. We dig into the balance between intensity and volume, force-based versus frequency-based endurance, how to prioritize gymnastics weaknesses, building strength and power without losing conditioning, finding an optimal competition bodyweight, and the minimum effective dose for Zone 2....

Phase 1: Basecamp marks the start of the next evolution of Misfit Affiliate. Drew, Hunter, and Paige break down the seven-week phase, including front squats, toes-to-bar, running, and daily conditioning, before digging into the new workout leveling and class plans designed to give coaches more structure without taking the coaching out of their hands. They also explain why Basecamp fits the moment: every athlete is climbing the same mountain, even if they’re starting from a different elevation. ...

Drew and Paige break down all 20 events from the 2026 CrossFit Games, examining the movement selection, time domains, workload, strategy, and historical callbacks that shaped the competition. They discuss which events delivered as tests and spectacles, what the programming reveals about the evolution of elite CrossFit athletes, and how accumulated fatigue, adaptability, athlete IQ, mental toughness, and coaching influenced the final standings. Was the 20th-anniversary programming a complete test...

Makenna Enslin-Mell joins the podcast to talk about the two injuries that brought her competitive seasons to an abrupt stop, the identity shift that followed, and what it means to keep showing up when training no longer looks the way it used to. Makenna, Paige, and Drew discuss the emotional reality of injury, rebuilding trust in your body, finding purpose in rehab, and maintaining an athlete mindset through uncertainty. They also dig into delayed gratification, the value of a great training pa...

The 2027 Misfit Athletics season begins July 27 with Phase Zero. Drew and Paige break down the five-week baseline testing phase, how to prioritize the 25 mandatory tests, when to establish new training maxes, and why this is the perfect time to increase your Zone 2 volume. They also explain how athletes should use their results to identify weaknesses, improve athlete IQ, practice competing, and make better programming decisions throughout the season. Plus, get a preview of Phase One, the new M...

In this coach-focused Q&A, Drew and Paige answer questions submitted by Misfit Athletics apprenticeship applicants and pull back the curtain on coaching, competing, programming, and the future of Misfit. They discuss why some athletes continue progressing while others disappear, how old-school CrossFit intensity compares to modern training, the importance of athlete IQ, and why more training is not always better. They also break down the biggest mistakes in remote coaching, the difference betwe...

Getting stronger in CrossFit sounds simple: lift weights, add load, repeat. But athletes rarely get stuck for the same reason. In this episode, Drew and Paige break down four common strength archetypes we see in competitive CrossFit athletes: the GPP monster who hopes the barbell stays light, the naturally strong athlete who moves poorly, the one-rep-max strong athlete who can’t express it in workouts, and the volume monster doing too much to actually adapt. We talk through how to identify whe...

Kenzie Riley is back on the Misfit Podcast to talk about the messy middle between being all-in and being done. She joins Drew and Paige to unpack her return to the Masters competition season, the realities of training inside a packed life, motherhood, imposter syndrome, and why the competitive fire does not disappear just because priorities change. From technical difficulties and bike cool-downs to bigger questions around identity, return on investment, and showing up with whatever time you hav...

In this episode, Drew sits down with Paige Semenza and Hunter Wood to break down The Compound Part 2, Misfit Affiliate’s next seven-week training phase. The crew walks through the bigger picture behind the phase, including heavy back squats and overhead pressing, strict pulling, intentional conditioning, continued running, and the return of Engine Class Sundays. They also dig into the why behind the structure: how affiliate programming can build real strength without losing the conditioning, sk...

What actually makes someone "fit" in CrossFit? In this episode, Drew and Paige break down the four components of monostructural conditioning and explain how they work together to build a complete engine. From Zone 2 foundations and aerobic capacity to anaerobic repeatability and power output, they explore how athletes can identify weaknesses, structure their training, and execute conditioning sessions with more purpose. They also dive into the Misfit Gears Matrix, pacing strategies, common mis...

For years, Kyle Moline was just like a lot of Misfit athletes. He showed up, worked hard, chased progress, and slowly fell in love with the process. Fast forward to 2026 and Kyle found himself competing alongside Games veterans at the NorCal Classic in his first individual semifinal appearance. On this episode, Kyle joins Drew and Paige to talk about his journey from Division I swimmer to CrossFit athlete, the role Misfit has played in his development, how coaching and community accelerated hi...

Offseason Block 2 starts Monday, June 9. In this special programming deep dive, Drew and Paige break down the structure, intent, and athlete decision-making behind the second offseason phase of the year. The focus is on helping athletes choose between a strength bias, conditioning bias, or hybrid approach based on their current weaknesses, goals, and training history. Topics include: How to decide between Strength Bias, Conditioning Bias, or Hybrid training Why Offseason Block 2 is the time ...

Episode 400 of the Misfit Podcast is here, and Drew and Paige celebrate the milestone by diving deep into one of the most misunderstood areas of CrossFit: pressing gymnastics. From wall walks and handstand push-ups to handstand walking, they break down the difference between chasing skills and actually building the strength, stability, and positioning required to sustain them in competition. The conversation covers: Why GPP and pressing strength matter more than flashy skills Common faults in...

What does it actually take to get better at gymnastics in CrossFit? In Part 1 of this series, Drew and Paige Semenza break down pulling gymnastics through the lens of the sport—not traditional gymnastics, not random drills from Instagram… but the movements that actually show up in the Open, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and the CrossFit Games. Inside this episode: Why your GPP may be the biggest limiter (or solution) to your gymnastics The real order of operations for building pulling capacity ...

This one has a little bit of everything. Drew and Paige break down the newly released Age Group Semifinals workouts, what they like, what has them scratching their heads, and what Misfit athletes should be thinking heading into competition weekend. They also recap two huge weekends at Magic City Throwdown and Del Mar, including Paige’s first experience coaching an athlete on the semifinal floor, what separates great competitors from great athletes, and why post-competition debriefs matter more...

The 2026–2027 Misfit Affiliate season starts now. In this episode, we break down Compound P.1, the first phase of the new training year, and the foundation everything else will be built on. We get into the structure of the phase, the thought process behind it, and how to communicate it to your coaching staff and members so you actually get buy-in. From heavy deadlift and bench progressions, to strict gymnastics, running, and conditioning with intent, this phase is about doing simple things wel...

In this episode of the Misfit Podcast, Drew and Paige break down accessory work for CrossFit athletes from the ground up. They define what accessory work actually is (and what it isn’t), then go deep on how Misfit programs it, how it should be executed, and why most athletes either misuse it or skip it entirely. From primary vs. secondary accessory structure to the concept of “runway,” this episode lays out a clear framework for building strength, durability, and long-term progress without inte...

Dive into the evolution of precision pacing with the newly updated Gears Matrix 2.0, a game-changing tool developed through 11 years of coaching data and countless athlete testing cycles. This episode unveils the comprehensive framework that has revolutionized how competitive CrossFit athletes approach machine-based conditioning. The Gears Matrix organizes training intensity into eight distinct "gears," providing concrete pacing targets across rowing, biking, skiing, running, and more. We break...

A breakdown of Misfit’s upcoming Off-Season Block 1, including how to structure your training, choose between strength or conditioning bias, and execute with purpose to build toward the 2027 season. The episode also covers common athlete mistakes, the importance of athlete IQ, and how consistent, intentional work now sets the foundation for long-term progress. Misfits! We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did and you're feeling generous throw us a review and let us know how we're doing, we'...

Quarterfinals exposed everything. We break down the programming, what actually mattered, and where things missed the mark. More importantly, we talk about what to do next. How to identify your outliers, adjust your training, and stop letting weaknesses drag your progress. If you’re trying to get better, this is the conversation that matters. —-------------------------------------------------------- Misfits! We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did and you're feeling generous throw us a r...

On today’s episode, Drew and Paige break down the 2026 Open and look ahead to Quarterfinals. They recap the Open as data. What mattered, what didn’t, and what athletes should take away. Then they give initial reactions to the Quarterfinal workouts, including where athletes can gain or lose ground. They also touch on common mistakes and overcomplicating strategy. If you are competing, this will help you frame the weekend. They finish with what’s next in programming. Plus a new segment: Coac...