John Wooley, from the regularly hysterical CrossFit satire account @makewodsgreatagain, wrote a thoughtful response disagreeing with my claim that CrossFit gyms are not essential.

I figured it would be interesting to have a recorded conversation where we hash out where we agree and where we disagree. While John and I don’t completely agree on everything, I think this is a complicated, nuanced issue, and working it out in public is hopefully helpful to some people.

Check out the episode at the links below. If you enjoyed the episode, the best way to support the show is to share with your friends, so send them a link.

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Show Notes:

  • [0:47] Quick summary of Todd’s op ed – and the ensuing controversy
  • [3:29] John’s take on my article: What should and shouldn’t be considered an essential business? Also, John’s family’s background with CrossFit.
  • [15:50] How are we defining “essential?” What are regulators thinking about when deciding what should and shouldn’t be considered “essential?”
  • [27:30] How should we think about the trade-offs between the negative impacts of chronic disease vs the negative impacts of a spreading pandemic?
  • [35:50] What do gym owners need to be thinking about as different states start to reopen? What is the potential downside risk of opening early? How can we prevent a second wave of infections and economic shutdowns?
  • [45:49] What will be the role of ongoing government regulations?  What will the regulatory burden be on smaller gyms?
  • [54:20] How will members be thinking about getting back into the gym?
  • [01:05:40] The social dynamics of getting roasted online

Links and Resources Mentioned