The Adaptive Athlete Podcast

Mat Hotho takes the mic solo for the first installment of a new format: personal episodes between the interviews, where Mat tackles the ideas and conversations he keeps having about adaptive fitness off the show.After a lap through two things on his mind—connecting adaptive athletes with local pediatric and rehab communities, and the case for a true para-sport classification system—Mat spends the bulk of this one debriefing his weekend coordinating the adaptive division at the SeaDog Summer Showdown in Jupiter, Florida.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Bruce Williams, the photographer and videographer behind Dope Content and the person responsible for most of the imagery you've seen coming out of the CrossFit Adaptive Games. Bruce has been documenting the adaptive community for years through WheelWOD and beyond — but this conversation goes deeper than the competition floor. Bruce shares how growing up with a father who always had a camera shaped a career built on documenting people fighting through circumstances they didn't ask for. He talks about his nonprofit work with Flashes of Hope at a children's cancer hospital, Autism Strong Foundation, and DreamOn3 — an organization that creates sports experiences for kids with disabilities. He also gets into the practical stuff: how adaptive athletes should approach brand partnerships, what athletes need to understand about photo licensing and media rights, and what it's meant to him personally to be part of this community.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Lauren Taylor, gold medalist in the Neuromuscular Moderate division at the 2025 CrossFit Adaptive Games. Lauren walks through the long road — a broken collarbone in high school that snowballed into neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, three years of insurance battles before surgery, and a near-fatal Valentine's Day procedure where she coded on the table after losing 2.5 liters of blood. She came back to win an NCAA Division II field hockey national championship, picked up Spartan racing, then a 2021 car accident left her with a TBI.Watching Amy Bream compete at the CrossFit Games sparked the next chapter. Two days before the 2022 Open, she signed up. The conversation gets into the Kitchen Sink workouts, her sixth year with coach Aimee Lyons, and what it means to be seen by a community that shows up to throw down with you.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Sam Fishman, the founder of AnyBody & EveryBody and a full-time adaptive CrossFit coach based out of CrossFit Palace in Ithaca, New York. Sam's path here runs through speech pathology, special education, EMS, and a decade of advocacy—for students, patients, and athletes alike. She opened AnyBody & EveryBody in September 2024, coaching people with disabilities and medically complex individuals from age four to their seventies, and founded The AnyBody EveryBody Foundation, a 501(c)(3) providing financial assistance to make adaptive CrossFit accessible in the greater-Ithaca community. She also serves as a medical floor lead at the WheelWOD Games. In this conversation, they dig into what success actually looks like on the gym floor, what event medicine demands, and what Sam would tell someone ready to take the plunge and build something of their own.Want to make a difference like Sam? Volunteer at the 2026 CrossFit Divisional GamesSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Christina Mazzullo. Christina is a CrossFit Games adaptive champion, affiliate owner of CrossFit Tar Heel in North Carolina, and newly minted Registered Dietitian . Tina is an upper extremity adaptive athlete who was born missing her left thumb and partial finger joints, and she's turned that into a masterclass in figuring out the how. From climbing a rope mid-class while teaching others she never thought she could, to rebuilding her grip from scratch when Festivus Games told her she couldn't compete RX with a strap. She and Mat dig into her path from intimidated outsider at a CrossFit gym in Oahu to two-time Games champion, the wellness center model she's built at her affiliate, and the mindset shift that's driven all of it: moving from "I can't" to "how can I?"Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Nigel Barber. Nigel is a UK-based adaptive CrossFit athlete and founder of Wodaptive. We have an honest conversation about building a life and a competition community after a spinal injury at 16.Nigel traces his path from a genuinely dark few years post-injury to discovering fitness through a Royal Marine PT who refused to accept excuses. That carried him into CrossFit, and eventually into co-founding Wodaptive, an adaptive pairs competition that now sells out in hours and draws athletes from across the world. He's also been central to launching British Adaptive Weightlifting, giving adaptive athletes access to the snatch and clean and jerk on a competitive stage.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Leo Merle for a conversation that covers the full arc of what it means to build a life around the things you love. Leo competed at the Paris 2024 Paralympics in the T38 class in the 1500 meters, and his journey to that stadium started not with a coach's invitation or a scout's eye, but with a YouTube rabbit hole at 19 years old that ended with him watching other athletes who ran the way he ran.Leo has hemiplegic cerebral palsy affecting his right side, and the conversation spends time unpacking what that's looked like across a lifetime. The episode goes deep on para athletics classification in a way that's genuinely useful. Leo explains how cerebral palsy is classified through spasticity testing, why classification has to be renewed every four years (and why letting it lapse could end your career), and what it means to travel to Switzerland to get reclassified because that's just where the classifiers are. The T38 classification gets a full walkthrough, including the combined 37/38 race dynamics that make para sport more complicated than it looks from the outside.Leo is also in his dental residency. His framework for managing both elite sport and a demanding medical career is less about balance and more about alignment: two things that tax completely different systems, both powered by the same core drive to give something back to community. It's a thread Leo returns to again and again.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Adam Billany, a British adaptive athlete competing in both parasailing and CrossFit. Adam was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at around age two; it affects both legs while leaving his upper body completely unaffected, a combination that's made him formidable in the weight room (a 106-kilogram bench press, roughly 1.6x bodyweight) and on the water.Adam is a multiple international medalist in parasailing—competing in the RS Venture Connect class—with silver medals at the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 European Championships.The conversation covers what parasailing actually is (adaptive sailing, not what you picture behind a boat), how skill and concentration dwarf raw strength in the sport, and what it takes to race a five-meter, 200-kilogram boat against a field of ten to twenty competitors on open water. Adam also shares what it was like growing up with CP in northeast England—navigating mainstream sports with a supportive group of friends, landing on the British Paralympic development pathway in high school, and continuing to compete at the world level even after sailing lost its Paralympic status.Released during Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, this one's for anyone with CP who's been on the fence about training, or who just needs a reminder that it's never too late to start.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode the Adaptive Athlete Podcast, Mat Hotho sits down with Natalie South-Law, a UK-based adaptive athlete with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy who has competed at a serious level across many parasports.The conversation moves from the lived reality of being an ambulatory wheelchair user — including the looks you get when you stand up in a shop — to the "furniture surfing" Natalie does at home just to get around safely. Natalie shares what it was like growing up in a mainstream school in the UK, pushing through without any mobility aids, and how a 2022 ankle fusion surgery became the unexpected turning point that helped her see equipment not as a concession but as freedom.From paradressage to para air pistol shooting to adaptive CrossFit and Wodaptive pairs competitions, Natalie has logged serious time across the parasport landscape. Natalie also shares that she's launching her own podcast — the Para Sport Pod — built around the simple idea that adaptive sport is far bigger than most people realize, and she wants to be the resource she never had growing up. Recorded during CP Awareness Month, this one's worth your time.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Jacob Peterson, an adaptive powerlifter from Alabama living with mild cerebral palsy. Released during Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, Jacob talks about the surgeries that helped him move more freely as a kid, the loneliness of being different without being able to fully explain why, and years of competing in Ultimate Frisbee while managing CP-related arm lockups mid-game. When a foot injury in 2023 took running off the table, he found his way into the weight room and eventually into competitive powerlifting through the USAPL adaptive athlete division. What started as a goal to lose weight and get his confidence back turned into something he never planned for. Jacob walks through how USAPL's adaptive classification works, what his training looks like with coach Gibby, and the mental shift that happened on a five-hour drive home from Savannah when he started asking himself a simple question: why not me? Most recently, Jacob competed at the 2026 Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio, where he earned Best Lifter honors in the Adaptive Open — a significant marker in a competitive career that's really just getting started.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Aaron Trent, a former para cyclist who placed second and third at the UCI Para-Cycling World Championships in 2009 and spent two and a half years as a resident athlete at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Aaron has hemiplegic cerebral palsy affecting his left limbs which makes for a perfect conversation to kick off CP Awareness Month in MarchThey dig into what it actually takes to compete at the international level with a physical impairment: the bike modifications Aaron had to engineer from day one, the experience of living and training full-time at the OTC, and the grind of building toward a Paralympic qualifying standard. A significant portion of the conversation centers on classification — how it works in para cycling, what the process looks like in front of a panel, and what happened when the CP classification categories were restructured in 2010 and Aaron found himself competing against below-knee amputees. His take is candid: classification is the reason para sport exists, and it's an ongoing effort to make it more fair.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Shana Coissard, a French adaptive athlete with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome who's carved out an impressive path through wheelchair basketball, CrossFit, and adaptive HYROX. Shana shares how her disability began appearing at age nine, eventually leading her to a wheelchair—and how that transition actually gave her more freedom and independence than she expected. From earning a Bronze medal at the European Wheelchair Basketball Championship with the French national team to competing at the WheelWOD Games and Wodapalooza, Shana's journey is one of relentless effort meeting opportunity. She talks about what it takes to build a social media presence as an adaptive athlete, how she landed sponsors, and why she started Adapt, Train, Empower to get adaptive programming into the hands of as many athletes as possible. The conversation also dives into her current pursuit of a HYROX World Championship title in Stockholm, the frustrations of officiating inconsistencies in adaptive competition, and what it means to hold the world record for a seated ski-erg marathon—something she prepared for in just three weeks and has zero plans to defend. Along the way, Shana offers practical wisdom for anyone looking to get into adaptive fitness and a mantra worth borrowing: have fun, no regrets.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Lance King — three-time CrossFit Adaptive Games champion in the Intellectual Disability without Chromosomal Condition division — and his older brother Kyle King, who serves as Lance's coach, handler, and in-competition strategist. In this conversation, Kyle breaks down what it actually looks like to coach your brother — the 80/20 split between serious training, how he builds competition strategy down to which direction Lance should face before a sandbag throw, and why calling no reps on your own brother is part of the job. Lance talks about his championship mindset, what keeps him moving even when a workout isn't going his way, and what it means to be himself on the competition floor.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Julia Halberstam, who competes in the Upper Two Point division and placed second at the 2025 CrossFit Adaptive Games. Their conversation starts with the hilarious story of how they met at the 2024 Sea Dog competition—when Mat walked up to Julia's tent holding Chick-fil-A and she thought he was going to talk to her about Jesus. Julia was born with cupped hands, a condition where her fingers were fused together, and shares how doctors created functional hands for her through multiple surgeries. Beyond CrossFit, Julia's in nursing school working toward becoming a forensic nurse, and she volunteers on a sexual assault victims hotline. She talks about the power of finding community, the beauty of being different, and why adaptive athletes see the world in a way that makes them more human. It's a conversation that moves from belly laughs about cow tails and sorority hand signs to deep reflections on standing out instead of fitting in—and why the people who see you for who you really are are the only ones worth keeping around.Content Warning: This episode briefly discusses Julia's work supporting sexual assault survivors. We don't go into graphic detail, but if you need to skip that section, it starts around the 33-minute mark.Follow Julia on Instagram: @stayadaptiveGet Classified for the 2026 SeasonSign up for the 2026 CrossFit Adaptive OpenSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Mat Hotho sits down with Luke Reeson, a former British Army sniper who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was shot three times across two deployments—including twice in the legs during his final tour. What followed was a journey from a wheelchair through para swimming with the GB National Team to becoming the 2025 CrossFit Games champion in the Lower Below Knee division.Luke shares how military charities and sport gave him purpose during recovery, how competing at the Invictus Games led him to para swimming at an international level, and why he eventually traded the pool for the barbell. He talks about that wild moment at the 2022 CrossFit Games when his swim workout placed him ahead of Jason Hopper and other able-bodied competitors—and what it meant to finally prove himself on their turf. Luke also opens up about the invisible daily challenges of training with nerve damage and titanium-reinforced bones, what it's like coaching from a body that doesn't always cooperate, and why coming first at the Games wasn't really the point.Follow Luke on Instagram: @luke2522Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, Mat Hotho sits down with Sarah Tucker, founder of Uncharted Adaptive Fitness Virginia, to explore the transformative power of Adaptive CrossFit. Sarah shares her journey from childhood experiences helping a blind child at T-ball practice to opening her own gym dedicated to adaptive fitness. With a background in physical therapy and a deep understanding of motor development, Sarah brings a unique perspective to coaching athletes with autism, spinal cord injuries, and stroke recovery. The conversation dives into specific coaching techniques, like teaching a client with dyspraxia to jump by grounding him at the rig and using visual cues, and how she's preparing a stroke survivor to carry his soon-to-be-born baby. Sarah discusses the intersection of mental health and strength training, her approach to adapting CrossFit Open workouts for her athletes, and the importance of building community in the adaptive fitness world. For coaches and gym owners interested in starting or expanding adaptive fitness programs, the Adaptive Training Academy offers grant funding and guidance to support the creation and operation of adaptive programs. Learn more about their veteran support programs.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, Mat Hotho sits down with Brandon Mantz, a seated athlete who secured a third-place podium finish at the CrossFit Games for four consecutive years. Brandon shares the story of his "pivot point" in December 2018, when a skiing accident in Breckenridge resulted in a T6 spinal cord injury and three liters of internal bleeding. Following his recovery at Craig Hospital, Brandon discovered CrossFit Watchtower through the influence of Kevin Ogar, where he regained his independence by mastering essential skills like the floor transfer.The conversation also covers Brandon's recent invitation to a US Para Track and Field talent identification camp, where he explored competitive throwing and learned about the complexities of para-sport classification. Beyond elite competition, Brandon discusses his passion for accessible adventure sports, such as handcycle mountain biking and Nordic skiing, which allow him to remain active alongside his wife and friends. Finally, he explains the personal mantra that guides his life: Love, Generosity, Adventure, and Joy.Follow Brandon on Instagram: @brandon.mantzWatch Roderick (@memesfortime) run Brandon through a crowd of confused CrossFitters.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Candice Arnone joins Mat Hotho for a practical conversation about fundraising and sponsorships for adaptive CrossFit athletes without the awkwardness, guilt, or “I’m asking for a handout” mentality.Candice is a Neuromuscular Major adaptive athlete with right-side hemiplegic cerebral palsy, and she works professionally as a grant officer for a major nonprofit, managing large foundation and corporate funds on the grant management side. She brings a simple nonprofit framework into the athlete-sponsorship world: link, interest, ability—create a real connection, build shared interest in the mission, and then make an ask that matches someone’s ability to give.They talk about why relationship-building matters more than assumptions, how corporate sponsorship differs from asking an individual, how to avoid the comparison trap, and why telling your story is only step one. Candice also shares tactical advice: build a real budget, start early, don’t spam your campaign daily, and consider a simple (and attainable) challenge to create momentum.Read more about the L.I.A. method.Prior fundraiser Candice mentions in the episode: NEHP Adaptive Athlete Scholarship Program KickoffConnect with Candice on Instagram: @sky7285.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this bonus episode of The Adaptive Athlete Podcast, Mat Hotho is joined by adaptive athletes Amy Bream and Brett Palser for a wide-ranging conversation on competition, community, and the evolving landscape of adaptive fitness.Amy reflects on her final season competing, and what it meant to return to the floor one last time. The discussion then turns to Amy’s role with the World Fitness Project, where she is a commentator. She explains the Project’s Pro and Challenger structure, its season-long approach to competition, and why adaptive inclusion must be built deliberately rather than rushed. Together, the group wrestles honestly with fairness, visibility, and the tension between competing to win and competing to grow the sport.Throughout the episode, Amy offers a grounded perspective on what it means to show up when things are imperfect, why adaptive athletes benefit from being seen first as athletes, and how community (more than podiums) has shaped her journey. Follow Amy: @oneleggedstallionFollow the World Fitness Project: @worldfitnessprojectSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this bonus episode of the Adaptive Athlete Podcast, I sit down with wheelchair athlete, coach, and new dad Mike Egan to unpack his 24-hour Guinness World Record attempt at Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio. Mike wheeled 152.36 miles on the same loop used for Event 1 of the 2024 Adaptive CrossFit Games, navigating more than 2,800 turns, a brutal overnight cold snap, and the mental strain of pushing through 24 hours with no sleep.Mike walks through the “NASCAR-style” logistics behind the record: a dedicated pit crew tightening casters, managing equipment, and handling Guinness documentation; his coach George on headset guiding pacing and fueling; fellow athletes Tom Miazga and Andrea Wilson logging miles behind him as a relentless force keeping him moving; friend and athlete Brett Palser handling logistics; a massive community running with him.Beyond the numbers, Mike reflects on a decade of living with disability, finding purpose through coaching and the adaptive community, and what it meant to finish the record surrounded by athletes, friends, and families. He shares the core message behind his effort—that pain is only a chapter, not the whole story—and hints at an even bigger, still-secret endurance goal on the horizon. Follow Mike on Instagram: @mj_eganSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

South African adaptive athlete Letchen du Plessis joins the show to talk about her journey from a scholarship netball player to an adaptive CrossFit champion. After a hip injury led to CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) with dystonia, she spent months chasing answers before a spinal cord stimulator helped quiet the pain signals enough to train again. Letchen explains how exposure therapy looked in real life (including hot-water “retraining”), starting CrossFit training over again, and the progression toward a single box jump. We talk about her mindset and work ethic which all leads into why she signed up for the hilly, windy Ironman 70.3 in Mossel Bay on Sunday, November 16.Follow Letchen's Ironman progress: LeaderboardFollow Letchen on Instagram @letchen_dpSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, Mat Hotho and Brett Palser sit down with David “Cowboy Dave” Needham and Kevin “Cowboy Carl” Carlson, two of the key figures who make the Adaptive CrossFit Games possible. They pull back the curtain on what it takes to build the Games from an empty room to a world-class competition, sharing behind-the-scenes stories about forklifts, floor plans, and the volunteers who keep everything running. From a mistaken-identity fan encounter to the origin story of the cowboy hats, we talk about the humor, grit, and camaraderie that define the adaptive community. Dave and Carl also talk about the importance of media visibility, the logistics of working with Rogue, and how anyone, adaptive or not, can get involved and make a difference.Follow David: @coachcowboydaveFollow Kevin: @kevincarlson27Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this bonus episode, Mat Hotho sits down with Kym Dekeyrel, a completely blind CrossFit athlete and the founder of Finding the Light—a fundraising workout that supports Fighting Blindness, an organization advancing treatment and research for vision impairments.Kym shares the emotional origin of Finding the Light, how it grew from a simple idea into a global community movement, and the powerful ways it’s inspiring kids, families, and athletes living with blindness. You’ll also hear about how adaptive athletes can join the effort through a special partnership with Equip Products, including a giveaway designed just for adaptive participants.Finding the Light Workout3 Rounds for Time20 Double Dumbbell Thrusters (50/35)20 Double Unders20 Burpee Box Jump Overs (20")20 Pull-upsJoin Finding The LightAdaptive Athletes - Under "Team" type in "Equip Products" to be entered in the drawing!Follow Kym on Instagram: @kympossiblexoxoSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

We wrap up Season One of The Adaptive Athlete Podcast by flipping the script. Host Mat Hotho sits down with past guest Sean Eberle, but this time Mat is the one answering the questions. He shares his journey of growing up with right-side hemiplegic cerebral palsy, facing bullying and negative self-talk, and discovering CrossFit as a way to reclaim strength, confidence, and balance in his life.The conversation digs into counseling, mantras, and mindset work—tools that helped Mat handle stress, step into competition, and find healing in community. He reflects on near misses at past Games, a fortune-cookie challenge (“Prove it”), and finishing 2025 as the second-fittest Neuro Moderate male in the world.Along the way, Mat talks family, faith, and the power of community inside and outside the gym. We also preview what’s next for the podcast and say thank you to everyone who’s been part of Season One.Follow Mat on Instagram: @mathew_hothoSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

CrossFit Games rookie, Kyle Harper joins the podcast to talk training with hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy, the long road from strict pull-ups to bar and ring muscle-ups, and why impeccable timing and technique, not brute force, unlock complex skills. Kyle shares how coach Rick Smith at CrossFit Kyalami broke movements into simple, scalable drills, how he manages fatigue and overcompensation between his dominant and affected sides, and what finally clicked for butterfly pull-ups and muscle-ups. The conversation also dips into his PhD work on measuring machine-learning problem complexity, a Las Vegas roulette “strategy,” and rap playlists.Follow Kyle on Instagram: @kyle.harperrrSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Head Judge of the Adaptive CrossFit Games, Shannon Ogar, joins the podcast to talk about her path from University of Alabama athletic trainer to adaptive athlete and leader in the sport. She shares how a stroke-like medical event changed her right-side vestibular function and facial mobility, what that’s meant for balance, vision, fatigue, and training, and why recovery strategy is non-negotiable for athletes with CNS impairments.Shannon previews this year’s briefing flow (athlete-led Q&A with all workouts and standards available on site) and the push to grow staff and division expertise as the field scales.Follow Shannon on Instagram: @thewalkingogarSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Florian Gruhlke joins from Germany to talk about training with two little kids at home, a new 2-hour daily commute, and squeezing sessions in from 9–11 p.m. He opens up about living and competing with multi-joint osteoarthritis—how it changes bar work, lifting numbers, and even what he chooses to post online. We talk about the sponsorship grind, representing “invisible” disabilities on social media, and why he adapts Mayhem programming for the Standing Diagnosed division.Follow Florian on Instagram: @fatmansgymnasticSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

WheelWOD’s Kevin Ogar joins the podcast from Las Vegas a week before the Adaptive CrossFit Games. We trace his path from Missouri “country problem solver” to 2007-era CrossFitter and regional athlete, and then the life-altering OC Throwdown accident that left him paralyzed. Kevin opens up about faith, family, and the data-driven grind behind building fair tests for 16 adaptive divisions. We talk programming trade-offs, logistics few spectators ever see, and what he wants athletes to remember heading into competition: come prepared for anything and enjoy what the team built for you. Follow Kevin on Instagram: @kevinogarSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Amy Johnson joins The Adaptive Athlete Podcast to share her journey from living with a brachial plexus injury to finding CrossFit as a lifeline. She talks about the challenges of growing up with limited use of her right arm, how discovering CrossFit transformed her pain management, and what it means to compete on the CrossFit Games stage. Amy also reflects on coaching as an adaptive athlete, protecting her “good” arm, and dedicating her training to the students she works with as an occupational therapist. Follow Amy on Instagram: @amy.t.johnson.5Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

WheelWOD's Director of Marketing and Technology, Lisa Gaal joins the podcast to unpack what it takes to grow adaptive CrossFit from the inside out. We talk about her path from running a full-time marketing firm to building systems, branding, and tech for events—plus the “why” that keeps a small, all-volunteer team moving. Lisa shares candid stories about professionalizing the sport (consistent branding, sponsor visibility, athlete profiles), what the new WheelWOD website will unlock (classification data, athlete pages, education), and how athletes can present themselves to attract partners without crossing trademark lines. We also dig into her personal journey—hearing loss, surgeries, grit—and how three weeks into foundational CrossFit training, she’s gaining fresh empathy for the work athletes do. If you’re curious about the workout clues, the culture, and the machine behind memorable competitions, this is a don't miss episode.Follow Lisa on Instagram: @lisa.gaalSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

From San José, Costa Rica, adaptive athlete Amalia Ortuño shares her path from dance and triathlon to adaptive CrossFit after a series of surgeries led to progressive neurological damage and a different life than she imagined. She talks candidly about the early frustration of trying CrossFit before she even knew adaptive divisions existed, and how that turned into five WheelWOD Games titles—with a sixth in her sights. Beyond the gym, Amalia runs an interior design company and gives talks that focus on belonging and purpose. She also tells us about her next challenge: Para athletics—discus and javelin—at Worlds in India, with an eye on LA 2028. Amalia closes with practical advice for new adaptive athletes: start with WheelWOD, find your category, and learn from others.Follow Amalia on Instagram: @amaliaortunoLearn more about WheelWODSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, Mat Hotho sits down with Debbie O’Connell, a British Army veteran turned adaptive athlete. After a life-changing injury in 2015, Debbie found her way back into sport through sprinting and eventually CrossFit—where she finished second in her division at the 2024 Adaptive CrossFit Games. We talk about her transition from the military to athletics, the challenges of adapting movements with one arm, the nerves and highs of her first Games, and how trust in her coach shapes her performance. Debbie also shares her hopes for the future of adaptive competition and offers encouragement for anyone considering walking into a CrossFit gym for the first time.Follow Debbie on Instagram: @sprinter.debbieLearn more about the International Functional Fitness FederationSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, Sean Eberle shares his journey as an adaptive CrossFit athlete living with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, a rare form of dwarfism. Sean talks about raising service dogs, leading a prison program for Canine Companions, and serving on mission trips to Panama. He opens up about his CrossFit journey—from walking into his first gym to competing at major events—and offers practical advice for coaches and adaptive athletes alike.Follow Sean on Instagram: @sreberleSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode of the Adaptive Athlete Podcast, Mat Hotho sits down with Josh Robinson. Josh competes in the neuro minor category and lives with multiple sclerosis. Diagnosed at 23, Josh shares how his initial experience—marked by a dark prognosis and heavy depression—transformed into a disciplined, purpose-driven life rooted in faith, movement, and community. We talk about his competitive CrossFit journey, his coaching relationship, and the hard-earned lessons he's picked up along the way. Follow Josh on Instagram: @justadudewithmsSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, Mat Hotho sits down with Dan Long, an adaptive CrossFit athlete living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Dan shares his journey from a rugby player and a member of the British Army Royal Engineers to navigating life with chronic pain following an injury. He explains what it’s like to live with an “invisible” disability, the daily realities of CRPS, and the tough choices he faces—including considering amputation to improve quality of life. Dan and Mat discuss the adaptations required in his training, the vital role of coaching, and the ongoing mental challenges of pain management. The episode also touches on the challenges of finding sponsorship as an adaptive athlete, Dan’s goals to become a certified adaptive trainer in the UK, and the essential support provided by his wife, Martha.Follow Dan on Instagram: @dan_does_adaptivecrossfitSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode of the Adaptive Athlete Podcast, Mat Hotho sits down with Sarah Perry, a competitive CrossFit athlete and coach living with significant vision loss from childhood brain cancer. Sarah shares what it’s like to navigate daily life and elite competition with 75% vision loss, describing both her adaptations in and out of the gym. She talks candidly about being “in-between” in sports classification, her journey from rowing to CrossFit, and how becoming a coach has deepened her understanding of inclusive fitness. Sarah also discusses her role as a programmer for vision athletes in the adaptive CrossFit community and offers practical advice for anyone getting started in adaptive sports.Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarah.m.perrySend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode we sit down with Emily Cairns, an elite adaptive CrossFit athlete known for her incredible determination, joyful spirit, and innovative adaptations. Emily shares her journey from a dream-crushing moment in her dance career to finding empowerment and community through adaptive CrossFit. Emily offers advice for newcomers to adaptive sports, highlights the importance of supportive coaching, and reflects on the transformative power of being a role model to others.Follow Emily on Instagram: @emilycairnsfitSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Lysbeth Shirley is an adaptive CrossFit athlete who trains in a wheelchair due to paralysis from a stroke at birth and is also deaf. Despite these challenges, Lysbeth trains at home using Street Parking and CrossFit.com programming. We explore her experiences navigating school, learning sign language, and discovering CrossFit to build strength for everyday tasks and independence. Lysbeth emphasizes that adaptive athletes are regular people with everyday responsibilities and ambitions.Follow Lysbeth on Facebook: Lysbeth's 9 Lives of FitnessSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Lauren Sall was an active college athlete who experienced a significant stroke at age 21. In this conversation, Lauren discusses the details of her stroke, her recovery process, and the gradual return to training and CrossFit, eventually participating in the 2023 and 2024 Adaptive CrossFit Games. She shares reflections on resilience, adapting to new physical realities, and the mindset shifts that shaped her post-stroke outlook. Lauren provides practical insights into overcoming challenges and staying motivated after a life-changing event.Follow Lauren on Instagram: @laurendsallSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode of the Adaptive Athlete Podcast, Mat Hotho talks with Anthony “Curly” Monaco, a competitive adaptive CrossFit athlete living with Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare genetic disorder that affects coordination, balance, and muscle control. Anthony shares how his diagnosis shaped his early life, his entry into CrossFit after a moment of friendly arm-wrestling competition, and how adaptive fitness has helped him regain physical agency. He recounts his journey through the Open and Semifinals, including the moment his wheelchair broke mid-workout, and how gear adaptations like a chest strap have helped him improve performance. Follow Anthony: @yoitscurlyFollow Fit to Function Recovery: @fittofunctionrecoverySend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, Mat Hotho sits down with adaptive athlete Bayleigh Hooper, whose journey spans dance, gymnastics, collegiate rowing, and elite adaptive CrossFit. Bayleigh shares how she went from growing up with bilateral clubfoot to competing at the 2021 Paralympic Games, podiuming the 2023 Adaptive CrossFit Games, and now crushing 200# squat cleans in training. They talk about the challenges of adapting workouts, the critical role of her coach, and how mindset shapes performance. Bayleigh’s story is a powerful reminder that with the right support and perspective, growth is always possible.Follow Bayleigh on Instagram: @_bayleighhooperSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Brett Palser, a multi-year adaptive CrossFit athlete competing in the Seated 2 (with Hip Function) division, has overcome challenges in training and living with a spinal cord injury through hard work, humor, and a strong community.We discuss his partnership with Roderick Lopez (@MemeForTime) in 2023 for coaching and training, his current training regimen, and his upcoming goals for the year. Along the way, we share some laughs and delve into the intricacies of training with a spinal cord injury.Follow Brett: @pillowhead321Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

We sit down with Sabrina Schoenberg—a competitive ballroom dancer and adaptive CrossFit athlete. Sabrina shares how growing up with a rare neurological condition called Rhombencephalosynapsis shaped her journey through dance and fitness. From discovering the healing rhythm of ballroom to finding strength and community in CrossFit, Sabrina tells her story with honesty, grit, and humor. We discuss the intersection of movement, identity, and perseverance, with insights for adaptive athletes and coaches alike. Plus, you'll never hear "Whipped Into Shape" from Legally Blonde: The Musical the same way again.Follow Sabrina: @sabrinablair425Learn about Sabrina's FoundationSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode of The Adaptive Athlete Podcast, we sit down with Hailey Kuhn—adaptive CrossFit athlete and artist. Hailey shares her journey from a spinal cord injury at age 14 to finding strength and belonging in adaptive fitness. We dive into the challenges and triumphs of competition, the power of community, why out-of-the-chair movements matter, and how creativity fuels her life.Check out Hailey's art: HaileyKuhn.comFollow Hailey on Instagram: @haileykuhn5Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, we sit down with adaptive CrossFit athlete Hadar Kaufman to talk overcoming obstacles, creative adaptations, and the relentless pursuit of results. Hadar shares how he turned a childhood injury into a strength, the mindset that pushed him to the podium at the 2024 Adaptive CrossFit Games, and why he believes you can have results or excuses—never both.Follow Hadar: @hadar_kaufmanSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, we talk with David Kellam about his journey from a college football player to a spinal cord injury in 2010, discovering CrossFit in 2018, and becoming a multi-year Games athlete. David opens up about training without hip or core function, the art of adapting movement, and what it takes to compete at a high level as a seated athlete. He shares stories of rope climbs, custom chairs, wobbly benches, and dropping Taylor Swift tracks mid-WOD.Follow David: @kellsdjr88Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, we sit down with John Prescott, a early figure in adaptive CrossFit and a passionate advocate for adaptive athletes. John shares his personal journey of recovery following a life-altering brain injury, highlighting how CrossFit has provided structure, resilience, and purpose during his rehabilitation. He reflects on his involvement with WheelWOD, from its humble beginnings to becoming a global platform that tests and showcases adaptive athletes. John emphasizes the importance of pushing beyond perceived limitations and fostering environments that recognize ability over disability.Follow John on Instagram: @TheOriginalJohnnyPSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, we chat with Josine van Paassen, an adaptive athlete and researcher from the Netherlands. Josine shares her experience living with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), an invisible illness that significantly impacts her daily life and athletic pursuits. She discusses the barriers adaptive athletes face, from financial and transportation issues to the psychological fear of movement (kinesiophobia). Josine reflects on the challenges of having an invisible disability and the misconceptions that come with it. Additionally, she highlights the importance of adaptive sports in improving health and building community. Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

Lexi Kuppler, an accomplished adaptive athlete, shares her journey from a boating accident that resulted in the loss of her left leg to becoming a Paralympic sprinter, adaptive CrossFit podium athlete, and founder of the nonprofit "Brave the Wave."Lexi discusses how she overcame significant challenges, embraced adaptive sports, and now empowers other adaptive athletes through wake surfing clinics. She emphasizes creativity in prosthetics, the importance of adaptive coaching, and the profound community spirit found in adaptive competitions.Send us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod

In this episode, we sit down with adaptive CrossFit athlete and coach Jon Falkenburg, who competes in the short stature division. Jon opens up about growing up with dwarfism, the creative adaptations he used to navigate daily life, and how humor became a big part of his perspective. He shares stories from childhood sports, his transition into CrossFit, and how a disappointing first experience didn’t stop him from later falling in love with the sport during the pandemic.We also dive into Jon’s experience as a coach at CrossFit Everyday Heroes, his recent Adaptive & Inclusive Trainer certification, and the meaningful community he’s found through adaptive competition.Follow Jon on Instagram: @falkiedoesthingsSend us Fan MailFollow the podcast on Instagram: @TheAdaptiveAthletePod