BRYNN KURLAN “Internet Personality” | EP. 213
BRYNN KURLAN “Internet Personality” | EP. 213 In this interview, Brynn shares her unique journey as a CrossFit athlete and how she became ...
In Episode 12 of the Stimulus Matters Podcast, Ryne Sullivan is joined by special guest Matt Gilpin, a TTT coach and elite athlete, for a raw and honest conversation about what it’s like to live life as both a CrossFit coach and athlete.
Matt opens up about his transition into full-time coaching at TTT, what it takes to keep up with his own training while programming for a full client roster, and why the athlete-coach split is harder than most people realize.
If you’ve ever tried to juggle coaching and competing at the same time, or coached athletes while sharing the competition floor, this one hits home.
Matt describes his current lifestyle as “hanging on by a thread.” Between AM/PM training sessions and the 90+ minutes he dedicates to each athlete weekly, there’s little margin for error. That pressure forces him to be hyper-intentional with his time, and honest about his limits.
He outlines how putting his phone on Do Not Disturb during training and avoiding athlete messages mid-session helps him maintain boundaries. But the truth is, it’s still exhausting.
One of Matt’s most important strategies is having a coach of his own. Working with Adam Rogers since 2019, Matt uses the relationship not just for programming, but for relieving mental fatigue.
Instead of constantly wearing his coach hat, Matt defers to Adam for pacing plans, strategy, and even emotional checkpoints. This allows him to act purely as an athlete when training or competing, rather than analyzing everything as a coach.
As he puts it: “Sometimes it helps to be the dumb athlete.”
Interestingly, Matt admits that having a coaching background can sometimes backfire. Because he knows when a workout is likely to go poorly, or when pacing looks aggressive, his natural instinct is to pull back.
This conservative approach, while useful for longevity, can mute the very aggression needed to win events. That’s why he asks Adam to give him bold pacing targets, so he has external permission to push when his brain says slow down.
Matt also discusses the unique tension of coaching athletes at the same events he competes in. Whether it’s Torian Pro or Fittest at the Coast, he’s had to draw clear lines: warm-up support, yes; real-time hand-holding, no.
He shares stories of helping an athlete troubleshoot rope climbs just minutes before his own heat, and how that dual-role energy can either drain or energize you, depending on how well it’s managed.
As Matt grows into his coaching career, he’s slowly starting to rebalance his priorities. While he still competes at a high level, he’s thinking more about long-term development as a coach, and how to protect the energy it requires.
For him, that means building a bigger foundation in training (e.g., strength cycles or aerobic volume), so when competition prep begins, he has the capacity to go hard without burning out.
Episode 12 paints a realistic picture of what it means to live life as both a CrossFit coach and athlete. It’s not glamorous. It’s messy, exhausting, and requires structure, support, and a high tolerance for emotional load.
But for those who love both roles, and are willing to be honest about the cost—there’s something deeply fulfilling about walking both paths.
Listen to Stimulus Matters Podcast Episode 12 to hear how Matt Gilpin navigates the tension between leading others and still chasing performance himself.
