What does it take to become the first state wrestling champion from your school in nearly 60 years? Today's guest, Francesca Gusfa @francescagusfa, joins coach David Syvertsen @davesy85 as she shares the remarkable journey that led her to make history at Ridgewood High School.

Fresh off her state championship victory, 18-year-old Francesca opens up about the winding path that brought her to wrestling excellence. Unlike her brothers who started wrestling early, Francesca initially pursued gymnastics and other combat sports before fully committing to wrestling. That diverse athletic foundation gave her exceptional body awareness and movement patterns that now define her quick, powerful wrestling style.

The conversation dives deep into the mental game that separates good athletes from champions. With refreshing candor, Francesca admits, "For me, the mental game is the toughest one." She details how losing last year's state championship became the fuel for her triumphant return, and how visualization practices helped her overcome performance anxiety. Her insights about pre-competition mindset and the challenge of "staying on top" reveal wisdom beyond her years.

Perhaps most fascinating is Francesca's perspective on women's wrestling's rapid growth. As one of the pioneering female wrestlers at her school, she's actively working to recruit and train the next generation of girls to the sport. Her story illuminates how quickly opportunities are expanding for female wrestlers, from high school competition to collegiate programs.

Whether you're a wrestler, an athlete in any sport, or someone who appreciates the psychology of high performance, Francesca's journey offers valuable lessons about resilience, discipline, and the power of mindset. Listen now to discover how this remarkable young athlete balances 6am training sessions, academic excellence, and championship aspirations while helping build the future of women's wrestling.

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From old locker rooms to a thriving fitness space – join coaches David Syvertsen @davesy85 and Sam Rhee @bergencosmetic as they peel back the curtain on the first exciting month of our new gym Outlast Fitness @outlast_fitness, our newest venture located right in front of CrossFit Bison.

The questions have been flooding in: Who is Outlast for? How does it differ from CrossFit? Is it a stepping stone to more intense training or its own complete fitness approach? We tackle these questions head-on while sharing the candid conversations we've had with members, coaches, and curious fitness enthusiasts.

At its core, Outlast fills a critical gap in the fitness landscape. While CrossFit delivers unmatched results through its methodology, many people remain intimidated by barbells, pull-up bars, and the perceived intensity. Outlast maintains the strength-training focus that's essential as we age but packages it differently – using dumbbells, kettlebells, and functional movements in smaller, more personalized classes that one member described as "feeling like personal training."

We explore the fascinating dynamics between the two programs, including the CrossFit athletes who have found a new home at Outlast and the newcomers who might eventually try CrossFit after building confidence here. The coaches share how coaching smaller groups creates a different but equally rewarding challenge, allowing for deeper connections and more focused movement coaching.

The programming philosophy blends CrossFit methodology with accessibility, creating workouts that can be scaled for everyone from fitness beginners to seasoned athletes. As Coach Dave notes, "At the end of the day, if Adrian Bozman was sitting here, a lot of what we're doing in Outlast you would say is CrossFit – just one aspect of it."

Whether you're curious about functional fitness, contemplating a change in your routine, or simply interested in how fitness communities evolve, this conversation offers valuable insights into creating fitness spaces that truly serve diverse needs. Subscribe to hear more as we continue documenting this journey!

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Veteran coach Kristy Link returns to share her fascinating journey from CrossFit gym owner to golf fitness specialist, revealing how diverse coaching experiences create better, more adaptable coaches.

Kristy begins by reflecting on her transition after selling Brazen CrossFit, one of New Jersey's original CrossFit gyms known for its distinctive go-for-broke style and fiercely competitive athletes. She discusses how her coaching philosophy has evolved through teaching different populations – from complete beginners to high-level CrossFit competitors, and now collegiate swimmers and golfers.

The conversation explores the progression of becoming a better coach through diverse experiences. From teaching herself Olympic lifting movements when resources were scarce to eventually training other coaches, Kristy emphasizes how learning from mistakes creates intuitive coaching wisdom. She shares how her background in yoga has enhanced her understanding of mobility and movement patterns critical for athletic performance across disciplines.

We dive deep into golf-specific training, with Kristy explaining why mobility often edges out pure strength for golf performance. The rotational strength required for the golf swing highlights a gap in many fitness programs – including CrossFit – that neglect this critical plane of movement. Through her TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) screening process, Kristy assesses golf clients' limitations and designs programs addressing their specific needs beyond merely "hitting the ball farther."

The discussion touches on the mental aspects of golf performance, the challenge of maintaining focus during a four-hour round, and how physical preparation creates mental confidence. We examine why golf requires a different mental approach than CrossFit, where you can simply "try harder" – in golf, sometimes you need to try less.

Ready to improve your movement quality for golf or any other athletic pursuit? Follow Kristy at KristyLink.com or @Kristy_link on Instagram to connect with a coach whose diverse experience might be exactly what you need to break through your current limitations.

@crossfitbison @crossfittraining @crossfit @crossfitgames #crossfit #sports #exercise #health #movement #crossfitcoach #agoq #clean #fitness #ItAllStartsHere #CrossFitOpen #CrossFit #CrossFitCommunity @CrossFitAffiliates #supportyourlocalbox #crossfitaffiliate #personalizedfitness