Best Legion Strength Podcasts (2025)

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#155 - Standardisation with Competition Divisions 29:04

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10d ago29:04

29:04

As a competitor moves up the ranks, the experience they get from different competitions can vary drastically. At some competitions, the standard of the division matches really well with prior expectations and the qualification process. Whereas in a different competition, divisions are named the same as others, but it's a notch or two up or down whe…

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#170: Negotiating With Terrorists - Special Presidential Envoy For Hostage Affairs Ambassador Roger Carstens 1:14:21

6d ago1:14:21

1:14:21

America maintains a promise to its citizens. A promise to never leave them behind and stop at nothing to return them to American soil. Over 200 Americans are wrongfully detained or taken hostage each year across the globe. The Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs is responsible for bringing them home. Ambassador Roger Carstens served as t…

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#169: The Green Beret Dagger - Stroup Knives Founder Chris Stroup 30:50

23d ago30:50

30:50

Since 2002, graduates of the U.S. Army Special Forces Qualification Course have been awarded the Yarborough Knife; an elite symbol of distinction, identity, and mission. Named after LTG William P. Yarborough, who was instrumental in solidifying President John F. Kennedy’s support of Special Forces, the blade was forged to mark the moment a soldier …

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#168: Precision Aviation Support - 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment COL Steve Smith & CW5 Pete Sullivan 45:23

29d ago45:23

45:23

The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment is America’s most lethal and versatile projection of combat power. When our Special Operations Forces require precision insertion, extraction and fire support, the pilots of the 160th deliver. Born from the need to develop an aviation regiment capable of anything, anywhere, anytime, the 160th SOAR is t…

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#154 - Who's Cheating? 26:14

1M ago26:14

26:14

Cheating in CrossFit has been around since the early days of the Open and online qualifiers. From athletes looping videos to some competitors being exposed year after year at Regionals, it's a persistent undercurrent in the sport. But how widespread is cheating and does it always happen intentionally? At one end of the spectrum, you have blatant ru…

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#167: The Legion Has Spoken - 5th Special Forces Group COL Gabe Szody & CSM Travis Esterby 1:03:54

1M ago1:03:54

1:03:54

The Special Forces Groups are where America’s Green Berets get to work. 5th Special Forces Group has been involved in every conflict, known and unknown, across the Middle East since its inception. Doing hard things isn’t considered an ask; it’s the standard. To dig into the mission of The Legion, Fran Racioppi traveled to Fort Campbell, KY to sit d…

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#166: The Army Fitness Test; A Clear Set Of Standards - Sergeant Major of the Army Mike Weimer & SGM Chris Mullinax 42:44

2M ago42:44

42:44

The Army physical training test has long been a measure of a soldier’s fitness for duty and for combat. For decades it’s been used as the benchmark upon which all other physical fitness has been evaluated. And for decades it has been hotly debated, modified and enhanced to best represent the current mission of the US Army. SGM Chris Mullinax has be…

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#153 - How to Train? 25:44

2M ago25:44

25:44

One of the classic clichés often repeated by coaches is that the best programme in the world, executed poorly, is far less effective than the worst programme executed well. While it’s true that a poorly designed programme can still be ineffective, there is merit in the idea that how you train matters more than what’s on paper. Teaching athletes how…

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#165: America's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Threat - Retired US Army Inspector General Lt. Gen. Leslie Smith 44:24

2M ago44:24

44:24

The biggest threat to America today is too often the one we think about the least. Nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare has been around for decades and the effects of an NBC attack on the homeland or American interests abroad is a very real scenario. Retired Lt. Gen Leslie Smith spent a career in the Army as a Chemical Officer. He served as th…

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#164: By All Means Available - Former Undersecretary Of Defense For Intelligence Michael Vickers 1:36:37

2M ago1:36:37

1:36:37

The directive given to our Green Berets is to win by All Means Available. To do so, requires a combination of ingenuity, understanding the environment, a clear plan and precision execution. Mike Vickers built a career on winning America’s shadow wars by All Means Available. Mike started his career as both a non-commissioned and commissioned officer…

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#152 - Are You Actually Getting Better? 27:18

2M ago27:18

27:18

One of the challenges in a highly varied sport like CrossFit is determining whether we’re actually improving. Once an athlete has accumulated a significant amount of training volume, the classic test-retest approach on isolated elements of the sport becomes less effective. We can spend weeks or even months working on a particular movement, only to …

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#163: America's Only Special Forces - Green Beret Foundation Chairman Ken Tovo & Board Member Chris Robinette 18:26

3M ago18:26

18:26

Green Berets solve complex challenges in service because they’re informed. Yet when they transition out, the civilian world often leaves them looking for answers. The Green Beret Foundation stands ready to ensure our nation's most elite soldiers continue to succeed post service. From the sidelines of the Stars and Stripes Classic, the first ever la…

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#162: Break The System - Representative Jake Ellzey (TX-6) 47:28

3M ago47:28

47:28

Congress holds the power of the purse. The United States Government is the largest business in the world, but to conduct business - and national security - Congress has to approve the funds and the money. Representative Jake Ellzey is now a 3-term Congressman representing Texas’s 6th District. He’s a Naval Academy graduate, a helicopter and fighter…

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#161: Don't Bet Against America - Representative Don Davis (NC-1) 44:11

3M ago44:11

44:11

Veterans are once again dominating Congress. The start of the 119th Congress has 100 Veterans across both sides of the aisle. Veterans by and large focus on teamwork and getting results. To kick off the excitement behind the new Congress, Fran Racioppi spent a few snowy days on Capitol Hill with the members of the For Country Caucus; a bi-partisan …

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#151 - Big Changes to Training 30:06

4M ago30:06

30:06

Have you ever felt the urge to flip the table and completely change your training or someone else's programme? Maybe a few small competition experiences have made you feel like your training is heading in the wrong direction. Perhaps you're getting tired of working on the same things. Or maybe you want to change your training goal entirely. Whether…

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#160: Is The US Army Ready? 15th Sergeant Major Of The Army Dan Dailey 1:15:44

4M ago1:15:44

1:15:44

Readiness is the ability to close with and destroy any enemy, anywhere, anytime. The role of the Sergeant Major of the Army is to ensure readiness. Command Sergeant Major Dan Dailey was the 15th Sergeant Major of the Army and the youngest Soldier to ever hold the position. Today, he is the Vice President of Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier Progr…

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Episode 344- Appreciation through hardship and loss. 32:18

4M ago32:18

32:18

Pain, hardship and loss are very difficult things and we all encounter them in one way or another throughout our lives. And while these things are generally unwelcome, I have found that often times, with a lot of work and the right outlook, I can sometimes find an upside.

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Episode 343- Doing the hard things. 9:38

4M ago9:38

9:38

It’s a wild irony. So many of the things that will make its happier, feel better, healthier, stronger, etc., are things that are hard and that we don’t really want to do. Let’s talk about it.

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#159: America Is Vulnerable - Representative August Pfluger (TX-11) 16:22

4M ago16:22

16:22

Threats to America are at an all time high. Our national security and law enforcement professionals have warned us. Our military leaders are preparing for anything and everything. Representative August Pfluger is the chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. He is now a 3-term Congressman representing Texa…

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#158: All or Nothing Won't Work - Representative Jason Crow (CO-6) 33:30

4M ago33:30

33:30

The job of America’s elected leaders is to get things done. The democratic process isn’t always pretty and almost never leaves everyone happy; but the effectiveness of our government and America’s stature as the world’s dominant superpower rest on Congress’s ability to find common ground on the issues. Representative Jason Crow served in the United…

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#150 - Arguing About Book Learning 27:55

4M ago27:55

27:55

Having a formal education in sports science, kinesiology, or a similar field may seem beneficial for a CrossFit coach. However, you might end up learning a lot of technical information without any context or knowledge of how to apply it. Conversely, you may develop extensive coaching experience and navigate situations in the moment with ease but la…

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Episode 342- The two ways people can completely change their lives. 12:51

4M ago12:51

12:51

Over the years I’ve witnessed some absolutely incredible transformations, instances where people have completely changed their lives in a matter of a year or two. It has been incredible to watch and to experience. Upon speaking with and observing these folks, I’ve come to learn that there are basically two ways in which this happens and usually som…

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#149 - Beyond MGW 26:50

5M ago26:50

26:50

When learning anything, it can be difficult to step back from the details, and this is especially true for CrossFit programming. Often, you'll find coaches who are highly focused on the means (the exercises, the sets and reps) rather than the methods (the programme, the desired stimulus, the weekly plan, etc.). As much as constructing a programme o…

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#157: War Is Failure - Retired Sergeant Major John McPhee 43:23

5M ago43:23

43:23

Serving in Special Forces isn’t supposed to be easy. In fact, becoming a Green Beret is rewarding because it’s supposed to be hard. If it was easy, anyone could do it; but not everyone can, or should, be considered elite. Retired Sergeant Major John McPhee is one of America’s most distinguished and experienced Special Operators. For decades he led …

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#156: Integrated Deterrence - Lt. Gen. E. John Deedrick, Former Commander 1st Special Forces Command & Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan 55:40

5M ago55:40

55:40

Retired Lt. Gen. E. John Deedrick served as the final commander of the Combined Security Transition Command –Afghanistan (CSTC-A). He also held the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for Security Assistance (DCOS SA) at the Headquarters of Resolute Support; the NATO mission in Afghanistan. He was the United States Military Representative to NATO and…

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#148 - World Fitness Project 28:40

5M ago28:40

28:40

In the past couple of months, a new type of fitness competition has been generating a lot of anticipation. Headed by multiple-time CrossFit Games athlete Will Moorad, the World Fitness Project is entering the competitive landscape in a year when the CrossFit Games is undergoing its biggest changes yet. The competition consists of two tour events an…

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#155: Veterans Don't Need Pity - University of Health & Performance Founder and CEO Matt Hesse 39:13

5M ago39:13

39:13

Transition back to civilian life is the biggest challenge our service men and women will face in their military careers. America invests millions in training our warfighters to be the most competent in the world. That investment shouldn’t end when the uniform comes off. The Jedburgh Podcast, the Jedburgh Media Channel and the Green Beret Foundation…

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#154: I Didn't Want To Be It - Leading Through The Boston Marathon Bombing - Boston Police Chief Daniel Linskey 1:49:12

6M ago1:49:12

1:49:12

Targeted violence, domestic terrorism and international terrorism are changing. In the past, America has been the victim of large scale coordinated attacks. Today, acts of mass violence are as simple as cars, fireworks and household items. On April 15, 2013 two terrorists blew up homemade bombs at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Three innoc…

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#147 - Improving Moderate Weight Barbell Conditioning 25:46

6M ago25:46

25:46

There are a few qualities in CrossFit that can be quite difficult to improve for certain people. It’s usually a mix of different problems that manifest in one or two specific styles of workouts in CrossFit. It’s not quite this, but not quite that, either. One of those qualities is moderate-weight barbell conditioning pieces—typically something like…

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#153: Deter, Defend, Defeat - US Army Europe-Africa Command Sergeant Major Jeremiah Inman (80th Anniversary D-Day Series) 19:46

6M ago19:46

19:46

The United States Army invaded Europe in 1944 and has never left. America’s forward projection of its military was instrumental in the stabilization of Europe and the establishment of the world order that has existed since the end of World War II. A critical piece of American power is US Army Europe-Africa; a command responsible for over 37,000 sol…

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#146 - How to Train for the New Open 23:55

6M ago23:55

23:55

Now that the Open is advancing significantly fewer athletes to the next stage of the CrossFit Games—online semi-finals—will we see athletes shifting their training to become more specialised? Looking at the numbers, only a very small number of athletes will make it into the top 1% of the Open. This means even the best of the best cannot afford a po…

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#152: Cancer Doesn't Care If You're A Bad**s - Team Maureen Board Members Daniel Linskey, Kelly Welch, and Dr. Emily Penick 33:37

6M ago33:37

33:37

The health of our military service members and our Veterans is always a top line issue. Many suffer from illness and injury as a result of their service; and most are believed to be at higher risk for chronic sickness. Some of which is fortunately preventable. Cancer is a top concern for much of the military community. To dig into the increased ris…

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#151: Strength Is Power - Georgia Congressman Rich McCormick 51:34

6M ago51:34

51:34

Voting is a foundation of democracy and key to American power, but also a process that can be ugly and divisive. In what many believe to be the most politically charged election period in modern history, Fran Racioppi took a few minutes to sit down with Congressman Rich McCormick, Representative for Georgia’s 7th district. Representative McCormick …

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#150: Supporting Green Berets Of Every Generation - Green Beret Foundation President & CEO Charlie Iacono 40:41

7M ago40:41

40:41

Charlie Iacono is the President and CEO of Green Beret Foundation. Almost two years into his tenure, Charlie is pushing the foundation, and its staff, to become the premier charitable organization supporting America’s most important asset; our US Army Green Berets. Charlie joined joined Fran Racioppi from what may be his biggest brain child yet; th…

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#149: AIRBORNE - US Army Golden Knights Lieutenant Colonel Andy Moffit & Command Sergeant Major Adam Breeding (D-Day 80th Anniversary Series) 32:44

7M ago32:44

32:44

Airborne operations were an essential component of the Allied invasion. And since D-Day, the US Army has stood ready to drop airborne forces anywhere in the world at any time. The US Army Golden Knights are America’s most proficient parachutists. Led at the time of this recording by Green Beret Lieutenant Colonel Andy Moffit and Command Sergeant Ma…

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#145 - Local vs Online Competitions 25:15

7M ago25:15

25:15

With the recent announcements from CrossFit regarding changes to the 2025 season, some athletes are exploring alternative avenues for competition, placing less emphasis—if any at all—on the Open and the CrossFit Games season as a whole. While the top athletes in the sport excel in both in-person and online competitions, at the mid-tier and local le…

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#148: America's Grey War - Former Boeing Chief Security Officer and President of Hostage US Dave Komendat 1:26:55

7M ago1:26:55

1:26:55

National security isn’t led solely by government entities and the military. Public-private sector partnerships often drive many of our national security decisions. To dig into the importance of the private sector in defense of America, Fran Racioppi sat down with Dave Komendat; a 36-year Veteran of Boeing; one of the world’s largest defense contrac…

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#144 - Online Semis 34:45

8M ago34:45

34:45

In this episode, we dive into the upcoming 2025 CrossFit Games season, sharing our initial concerns about the increase of online stages. Recorded before the official details were released, this discussion reflects many of the common opinions circulating within the community about the new season. We talk about the logistical challenges faced by affi…

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Investing In America's Military Infrastructure: Jumping In With Arkansas Senator John Boozman 15:09

8M ago15:09

15:09

On Veterans Day we celebrate our military from every service and every generation. Freedom requires people of character to stand up for America…no matter the challenge. This Veterans Day, the Jedburgh Podcast, the Jedburgh Media Channel and the Green Beret Foundation are proud to announce our partnership with the University of Health and Performanc…

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Arkansas Is Open For Veterans: Jumping In with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders 8:48

8M ago8:48

8:48

On Veterans Day we celebrate our military from every service and every generation. Freedom requires people of character to stand up for America…no matter the challenge. This Veterans Day, the Jedburgh Podcast, the Jedburgh Media Channel and the Green Beret Foundation are proud to announce our partnership with the University of Health and Performanc…

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Episode 341- Mike Tyson fight and takeaways on aging and fitness. 14:09

8M ago14:09

14:09

With 58 year-old Mike Tyson stepping back in the ring to take on an athlete less than half his age, there has been a lot of talk about how much his age would affect his athletic ability and performance. And while the difference between 58 year-old Mike and 28 year-old Mike was very apparent, there were great lessons to be learned and lots of things…

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#143 - Goat Movements in Conditioning 29:02

8M ago29:02

29:02

One common issue for athletes with some experience in their sport is struggling with 1–2 specific movements in grunt-style conditioning workouts. Even after extensive effort to develop these movements, they can still be a weak point, especially in competition or qualifier workouts. How can we help athletes improve at these movements? Should we focu…

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#147: Hostage Diplomacy: Surviving Venezuelan Captivity - Former Wrongful Detainee Jose Pereira of the Citgo 6 54:30

8M ago54:30

54:30

Hostage diplomacy is an ugly game. For decades America’s adversaries have imprisoned US citizens in an effort to leverage diplomatic, economic or military advantage. These cases range from exaggerated charges, to disproportionate penalties, to outright lies. Each case is different. And each case affects both the lives of the incarcerated, their fam…

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#142 - Switching Training Days 31:15

8M ago31:15

31:15

For busy individuals competing in CrossFit, it’s rare to complete a training week exactly as planned. Sessions may be missed, accessory work moved, or entire training days shifted around. Athletes often worry that these adjustments will compromise their progress, especially those receiving individualised coaching. However, when asked if it’s okay t…

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Nobody Is Coming To Save You: Jumping In With Green Beret Scott Mann 26:09

8M ago26:09

26:09

Nobody’s coming to save you. It’s a simple phrase, but one that can mean the difference between success and failure. Elite performers know that when it’s time to take action, they need to be ready to execute with precision and without excuse. Scott Mann is a retired Special Forces Officer, the architect of Operation Pineapple Express, and a leader …

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#141 - Volume Tolerance after Time Off 29:59

8M ago29:59

29:59

Ever taken time off from training and found getting back to it feels like an uphill battle? In this episode, we dive into some of these challenges of returning to CrossFit competition and training after a layoff. Luke reflects on jumping back into a team competition after a five-year break, and Todd shares his journey of rebuilding post-Achilles in…

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Ep. 21 | Faith, Finance, and Bitcoin | With Jim Crider from Intentional Living FP 1:04:22

9M ago1:04:22

1:04:22

Podcast Episode 21: Faith, Finance, and Bitcoin - With Jim Crider Welcome to Episode 21 of the Redeemed Legion podcast! Today, Drew, Brendan, and Pete sit down with Jim Crider, a Certified Financial Planner and the founder of Intentional Living FP. Jim brings a unique blend to the table, being both a fiduciary and a Bitcoin advocate. What makes Jim…

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#140 - Changing Bodyweight for Athletes 25:51

9M ago25:51

25:51

In a varied sport like CrossFit, athletes often gravitate toward specific areas of focus, which can be influenced by their height and weight. Since weight is a changeable factor, some athletes set specific bodyweight goals. For example, some aim to lose weight to enhance bodyweight movements like pull-ups and handstand push-ups, while others seek t…

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Ep. 20 The Love Chapter & Agape Love | Drew's First Sermon | Redeemed Legion Podcast 40:29

9M ago40:29

40:29

Welcome to Episode 20 of the Redeemed Legion Podcast! This week, we’re excited to share Drew's very first sermon, delivered at his church, where he dives deep into the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13. Drew unpacks the different forms of love—Eros, Phileo, and Agape—and the importance of God’s selfless, sacrificial love in our lives. He explores the …

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Solutions Not Problems: Jumping In With Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) 17:33

9M ago17:33

17:33

Everyone has a top button item this election cycle. For some it’s the economy. For others its national defense or healthcare. For Congressman Tony Gonzales it’s the US southern border and immigration. Representative Gonzales is responsible for Texas’s 23rd district, a district that contains over 800 miles of the US-Mexico border, and by many accoun…