Beyond the WOD Podcast · November 6, 2025 · 45 min

Episode 9: Member Spotlight - Kayla Lueking

First-ever member interview! Matt sits down with Kayla to talk about her path from ACL rehab to CrossFit, moving from Florida to small-town Midwest , working in a male-dominated field as a firefighter, and why mindset, community, and culture matter more than PRs. Bonus: a wild bat-in-the-living-room story 🦇 and the quotables “ Motion is lotion ” and “ Movement is medicine .” In this episode: 🔥 Who’s Kayla? Firefighter/EMT, paramedic student, ex–strength & conditioning coach🦵 From ACL rehab to CrossFit: how PT used functional training to rebuild capacity🏋️ New to the gym: what “community vs culture” feels like at different affiliates🧠 Mindset > motivation: showing up on hard days, learning to fail well, responding—not reacting💪 Why lift: bone density, daily strength, carrying kids/groceries/dogs (100 lbs!)👩‍🚒 Women in the fire service & coaching: earning respect, owning the craft🔧 Skills take reps: snatches, pull-ups, double-unders—do the thing to get better💬 Mantras: “Motion is lotion.” “Movement is medicine.” “Health is wealth.” Try CrossFit with us: ✅ Scalable for all ages & abilities✅ Coaching first: safety, stimulus, smart progressions✅ Real-life strength for real-life moments 👇 Drop a comment: What mantra keeps YOU consistent right now?👍 Like & Subscribe for more member spotlights and practical fitness talks. #BeyondTheWOD #CrossFit #Mindset #WomenWhoLift #FirefighterFitness #MovementIsMedicine #MotionIsLotion #CommunityAndCulture #ScalingIsCool #FunctionalFitness