In this week’s episode of Healthspan Academy, I sat down with entrepreneur and Former Elite Gymnast, Carl Paoli, as we spoke about a range of fitness topics and their impact on longevity. We discussed aesthetic vs functional gymnastics and working through progressions. Carl also detailed his take on emotional fitness as the foundation for developing health and longevity.
Carl Paoli is a Swedish-American Life Teacher who grew up in Spain as an Elite gymnast, where even as a kid, his passion for physical activity led him to delve into action sports such as snowboarding and wakeboarding. It was gymnastics, however, that shaped his discipline for hard work, determination, and now his professional career. Throughout his career, he trained and competed on the national circuit for over fifteen years as an Elite Gymnast and achieved various honors, including a National Gold Medal for Vault.
After retiring from gymnastics, Carl graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche specializing in Genetic Engineering and Coral Reef Ecology. Afterward, he pursued a career in Marine Biology. Even though he found work relevant to his studies, his mind was never far from sports and fitness. It was Carl’s entrepreneurial spirit that brought him back to the US in 2004 where he pursued his passion for coaching, led him to find CrossFit, and launched GymnasticsWOD in 2010. Together with Jami Tikkanen, he assisted in coaching Annie Thorisdottir to win back-to-back CrossFit Games titles in 2011 and 2012. Carl also became a member of the Ownership Group of STRIKE MVMNT, a footwear and apparel brand where he currently serves as their Global Ambassador. Shortly thereafter, he used his background in gymnastics and fitness to write his New York Times Bestselling book “Free+Style”.
Since the launch of GymnasticsWOD, Carl has virtually and physically coached thousands of athletes around the world through the website and by way of his Freestyle Connection seminars. He is also the founder of Freestyle Connection – a Media and Digital Learning company based in San Francisco, California established in 2012 dedicated to helping people design a life worth living through fitness and personal development.
You can check out more about Carl through his website and his bestselling book here.
*** Please note that the content discussed in this podcast is intended for self-education and is not to be interpreted as medical advice.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:25 — 46.6MB)