Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:58 — 27.4MB)

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The Last two months of business were some of the worst months I have had in 5 years!

But now we are growing like wildfire!

In today’s Episode I share the 3 things we did to grow our business post government shutdown.

I am excited for you to listen.

If you haven’t yet be sure to Subscribe!!!

Follow us on Social:

Personal Instagram: @coachcodysmith

YouTube: The Channel

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnesswa

Gym Instagram: @virtuousgrappling

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnessboise

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:50 — 32.7MB)

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In this episode, I break down the core principles that separate real training from the typical “group class” model found in CrossFit and group fitness gyms.

I explains why my gym doesn’t run classes it runs sessions.

Why the coaching model is built on personalization, not scaling.

And why progression and regression systems create a training environment where every athlete feels seen, challenged, and supported.

If you’re a coach, gym owner, or trainer who wants to elevate your standards and deliver a more professional, intentional training experience, this episode will challenge the way you think about programming, coaching, and session structure.

What we discuss:

1. Sessions Over Classes

How language shapes expectations, standards, and the overall training experience. Why “class” lowers the bar and why “session” elevates it.

2. We Personalize We Don’t Scale

The key difference between scaling (reactive, generic, often diminishing) and personalization (intentional, targeted, stimulus-preserving).
How personalization builds trust, unity, and higher quality coaching.

3. The Power of Progressions & Regressions

Why coaching isn’t improvisation.
How progression/regression systems create structure, consistency, and individualized development inside a group environment.

4. What a Professional Training Environment Actually Looks Like

How clarity, systems, and intentional language turn group training into a unified, purposeful session instead of chaos management.

TAKEAWAYS FOR COACHES & GYM OWNERS:

• Language can elevate or erode your perceived professionalism.
• Scaling is not the hallmark of good coaching; personalization is.
• Systems create consistency, consistency creates trust, and trust creates retention.
• Progression and regression frameworks allow coaches to deliver individualized training at scale.
• A session should feel like everyone is doing the right version of the workout not the “easy” or “scaled” version.

If you haven’t yet be sure to Subscribe!!!

Follow us on Social:

Personal Instagram: @coachcodysmith

YouTube: The Channel

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnesswa

Gym Instagram: @virtuousgrappling

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnessboise

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:14 — 34.7MB)

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In this episode, Cody breaks down what it really means to be a great coach. It is not just about running workouts or following programming. It is about hosting an experience.

Cody shares how the best gyms in the world create energy, belonging, and connection.

You will learn how to shift from being an Coach to being a true leader who builds a culture that feels good to be part of and hard to leave.

Key Topics Covered:

1. The Host Mindset
Every session is a hosted experience. A great coach sets the tone, builds anticipation, and creates an environment that feels alive. The job is not just to lead training but to welcome people into a culture.

2. Setting the Environment
Coaches control the energy of the room. From the music to the greeting to the transitions between movements, every detail matters. People move and perform better in an intentional environment.

3. Connection is the Currency
The best coaches connect with every client during every session. A name, a fist bump, or a personal cue tells someone they are seen and valued. Connection drives retention far more than programming alone.

4. Building Micro Communities
Every gym naturally forms smaller groups. Instead of ignoring them, great coaches lean into these communities. Celebrating teams, creating small rituals, and building camaraderie deepens the culture and keeps people coming back.

5. Coaching Energy and Leadership
Energy is leadership. Great coaches do not have to be loud, but they do need to be intentional. They create momentum, keep energy high, and lead with presence.

6. The Virtuous Coaching Framework
Host. Experience. Connection.
This simple structure helps coaches deliver a world class session every time. Greet with purpose, lead with energy, and finish by connecting personally.

Takeaway:
Coaching is more than teaching movement. It is about creating moments people never forget. When you coach like a host, your workouts become experiences, your gym becomes a community, and your clients become family.

Listen to this episode if you want to:

• Build stronger connections with clients

• Improve class energy and engagement

• Create a culture people love being part of

• Develop leadership beyond sets and reps

Call to Action:
If this episode hit home, share it with another coach who needs to hear it. Then go out and host the best workout experience your people have ever had.

If you haven’t yet be sure to Subscribe!!!

Follow us on Social:

Personal Instagram: @coachcodysmith

YouTube: The Channel

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnesswa

Gym Instagram: @virtuousgrappling

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnessboise

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:21 — 54.1MB)

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In this Episode I break down the truth about nutrition and especially for hybrid athletes…aka people who want to be strong, look good, and perform at a high level without falling into the trap of diets or extremes.

I dive into the most common nutrition myths, what the science actually says about carbs, fats, and protein, and how to build a long term fueling strategy that supports performance, muscle, and longevity.

If you train hard but feel like your nutrition isn’t keeping up this episode will reframe how you eat, think, and recover.

If you haven’t yet be sure to Subscribe!!!

Follow us on Social:

Personal Instagram: @coachcodysmith

YouTube: The Channel

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnesswa

Gym Instagram: @virtuousgrappling

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnessboise

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:40 — 33.9MB)

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In this episode, I break down how to start running the right way.

Whether you’ve never run before or you’re trying to get back into it, this conversation focuses on simplicity, longevity, and building a rhythm you can sustain.

Most people overcomplicate running, chase miles too soon, or burn out fast.

This EpisodeI share how to build consistency, enjoy the process, and create a foundation that lasts.

You’ll learn the seven steps every great running coach in the world agrees on for starting smart:

1. Get fitted for proper running shoes and keep your gear simple.

2. Run for time, not distance. Start with 20 minutes and add five minutes each week.

3. Run two to three times per week to build the habit without overtraining.

4. Keep your pace conversational. If you can talk while running, you’re in the right zone.

5. Progress gradually and take recovery seriously.

6. Fuel and hydrate before your runs to feel better and perform better.

7. Learn basic running form and follow a simple plan that keeps you moving forward.

I explains why Zone 2 running is essential for longevity, how to avoid the most common beginner mistakes, and why patience and consistency always outperform intensity and speed.

This episode is for anyone who wants to start running with purpose and build a habit that actually lasts.

If you haven’t yet be sure to Subscribe!!!

Follow us on Social:

Personal Instagram: @coachcodysmith

YouTube: The Channel

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnesswa

Gym Instagram: @virtuousgrappling

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnessboise

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:22 — 34.8MB)

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In this episode I break down what it really means to be a hybrid athlete and why this approach represents the future of fitness.

For years, people have trained in boxes as bodybuilders chasing aesthetics, endurance athletes chasing miles, and CrossFitters chasing intensity.

But a new kind of athlete is forming.

The hybrid athlete blends strength, endurance, and conditioning to build a body that not only looks good but performs exceptionally well in every environment.

Today I jump into my theories around that and how fitness has evolved, why the hybrid model is so effective, and how this training style leads to strength, capability, and longevity.

If you want to look awesome, move well, and feel unstoppable, this episode will give you a clear vision of what the next era of training looks like.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• How I believe fitness evolved from bodybuilding and CrossFit into the rise of the hybrid athlete

• What hybrid training really means and how to structure it effectively

• Why hybrid athletes are the most well-rounded and capable humans on the planet

• The three pillars of hybrid performance: strength, endurance, and intensity

• Why this training style builds sustainable results and long-term health

• How Virtuous embodies the hybrid philosophy inside its programs and culture

Key Takeaways:

“Hybrid training isn’t about being the best at one thingit’s about being dangerous at everything.”

“The future of fitness isn’t bodybuilding or CrossFit…it’s both.”

“Looking good is great. Performing well is better. Doing both for life…that’s hybrid.”

If you haven’t yet be sure to Subscribe!!!

Follow us on Social:

Personal Instagram: @coachcodysmith

YouTube: The Channel

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnesswa

Gym Instagram: @virtuousgrappling

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnessboise

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:40 — 44.9MB)

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In this raw and honest episode, I break down why the traditional “big box” gym model is failing the very people it claims to help.

I expose the truth behind the commercial gym business model how they profit from inactivity… not transformation and why so many people feel lost, unmotivated, and frustrated after months or even years of trying to make progress on their own.

I also shares what’s missing from most gym experiences (coaching, structure, accountability, and community) which are the very elements that make group fitness environments so effective.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the right things but still not getting results, this episode will hit home.

In this Episode we discuss:

• Why most big box gyms are built for people to fail (and why that’s good for their business)

• The difference between access to equipment and access to coaching

• The most common struggles people face inside traditional gyms

• How community, accountability, and structure create lasting transformation

• Why group fitness produces better results than going it alone

Give it a listen and don’t forget to subscribe and review the show!

If you haven’t yet be sure to Subscribe!!!

Follow us on Social:

Personal Instagram: @coachcodysmith

YouTube: The Channel

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnesswa

Gym Instagram: @virtuousgrappling

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnessboise

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:25 — 50.0MB)

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In this episode, I break down what it really takes to perform in HYROX and the balance between running and functional training, how the best in the world train, and what most people get wrong in their prep.

Whether you’re training for your first race or chasing a podium, this episode will help you understand where to put your focus, how to structure your week, and how to train with intention not just intensity.

I also share how I’m personally preparing for my first HYROX and how I am currently blending strength, conditioning, and running to build the ultimate race engine.

Main points I discuss:

• Why HYROX is a running race interrupted by functional work

• The real time breakdown of running vs. stations

• How to structure your training week for maximum performance

• The 3 key pillars of elite HYROX prep:

  1. Aerobic capacity and running efficiency

  2. Functional strength and station efficiency

  3. Race simulation and pacing

• How elite athletes approach their training

• My personal HYROX training plan and mindset going into race day

Takeaways from this show:

• Running is king. It makes up 60–70% of your race time.

• The goal isn’t just to be strong it’s to run strong under fatigue.

• You need structure: easy runs, tempo runs, and intervals, combined with functional strength and simulation work.

• Don’t just “work hard” train with purpose and intention.

If you haven’t yet be sure to Subscribe!!!

Follow us on Social:

Personal Instagram: @coachcodysmith

YouTube: The Channel

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnesswa

Gym Instagram: @virtuousgrappling

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnessboise

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:29 — 35.0MB)

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In this episode, we break down the science behind our recent shift at Virtuous: separating strength days and conditioning days instead of stacking them together.

We take a look at:

• What the Hybrid 2.0 Study by WOD Science is testing and why it matters.

• The science of mTOR (muscle/strength building) and AMPK (endurance/energy efficiency)

• The “interference effect” and why doing too much in one session can limit progress.

• How separating strength and conditioning allows for clearer adaptation, better recovery, and faster results.

• Why this change is designed to help you lift heavier, push harder, and see better results inside and outside the gym.

At Virtuous, our goal isn’t just to train hard it’s to train smart, using the best research available to build programs that actually work.

If you’ve ever wondered why we program the way we do, or how science can guide your fitness journey, this episode is for you.

If you haven’t yet be sure to Subscribe!!!

Follow us on Social:

Personal Instagram: @coachcodysmith

YouTube: The Channel

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnesswa

Gym Instagram: @virtuousgrappling

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnessboise

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:21 — 48.5MB)

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Welcome back to the podcast team.

“I suck at Podcasting”.

Or at least at being consistent with it.

But I am back to set that statement straight.

In this Episode I get you all caught up on everything going on in the Virtuous World and I fill you in on my secret recipe to never miss hitting any goal ever again.

If you have ever struggled to stay on track this is the Episode you need.

If you haven’t yet be sure to Subscribe!!!

Follow us on Social:

Personal Instagram: @coachcodysmith

YouTube: The Channel

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnesswa

Gym Instagram: @virtuousgrappling

Gym Instagram: @virtuousfitnessboise