What are your non-negotiables? What rhythms, practices, or small rituals keep you grounded, nourished, and steady?This episode on Refining the 33, we’re continuing the journaling + stillness practice we’ve been weaving into our gym space. Last week we set the foundation (catch up on Episode 9 if you missed it!)—this week, we’re talking about the writing prompts that followed:-- Naming your non-negotiables—the practices you won’t compromise on.-- Creating a wishlist of what you know would support you but feels hard to make space for.-- Asking: which practices are just for you? And do you show up for them often enough?-- Simplifying life when things feel heavy—how do we release expectations and find grace when we can’t do it all?The first few minutes of this episode are an open invitation for anyone curious about this work. After that, you’ll hear Dr. Devynne speaking directly to our members—walking through the questions we’ve been writing on, and why they matter this season.✨ New here? Start with Episode 7 to hear the “why” behind this pivot.✨ Want to join from a distance? Our Jing Shen Academy community group is open online to anyone who wants to practice with us. This isn’t about sport or performance. It’s about life. It’s about finding rhythms that keep us whole, healthy, and human—even when the season gets heavy.✨Link Join Jing Shen Academy | https://jingshenhealingarts.thinkific.com/products/communities/the-art-of-nourishing-lifeWe’d love to hear from you: What are your non-negotiables right now, and how do they help you simplify life?
What does stillness, mindfulness, and journaling have to do with CrossFit?
For us—everything.
At Middle Path CrossFit, our mission has always been bigger than fitness. The same is true for Refining the 33. We're here to cultivate happy, whole, healthy humans—not just stronger athletes.
This season, that means slowing down, turning inward, and making space for reflection alongside the physical work.
The first few minutes of this episode are a public invitation into the practice. After that, you’ll hear Dr. Devynne speaking directly to our members—sharing a check-in, some encouragement, and the big questions we’ve been sitting with together.
✨ Missed the backstory? Revisit Episode 7 to hear why we're weaving journaling and mindfulness into our training. ✨
Want to join from a distance? Our Jing Shen Academy community group is open online to anyone who wants to practice with us.
Whether you’re local or across the country, an athlete or simply someone craving a slower rhythm—this is your invitation to pause, reflect, and ask yourself:
-- What do I want my life to look like?
-- What’s one small thing I can begin now that would bring me closer to it?
-- What might I need to release in order to step forward?
✨Join Jing Shen Academy | https://jingshenhealingarts.thinkific.com/products/communities/the-art-of-nourishing-life
We’d love to hear from you!
Nancy never planned on stepping into a CrossFit gym—especially after losing three-quarters of her lung function from a chemical exposure. She wasn’t sure what was possible anymore. But when she walked through the doors with uncertainty and fear, what she found inside these gym walls surprised her: not just a workout, but a community that supported her, met her where she was, and helped her rebuild trust in her body.In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Nancy reflects on beginning her journey with nothing more than a PVC pipe—and the excitement of her latest feat: deadlifting 105 pounds, a milestone that lit her up with pride and possibility.Nancy opens up about what it means to be brave enough to try—even when your body feels fragile, even when you’re afraid, even when you think you’re not capable. Her story is about more than fitness. It’s about self-trust, courage, community, and reclaiming your potential.This story isn’t about lifting weights—it’s about lifting limitations. It’s about becoming more than you thought you could be. And it’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the first step toward healing is walking into a place that holds space for you to grow. Whether you’re recovering, rebuilding, or simply trying something new, this story will remind you:Strength isn’t just what we lift—it’s what we choose to face.
As summer winds down, we’re stepping into new rhythms at Refining the 33. In this episode, Dr. Devynne reflects on recent highlights—our nutrition challenge, new training cycles, and Barbell Club—and introduces the next focus: mindset. We’re inviting members to slow down, reflect, and explore journaling as part of class this fall and winter. This episode is both an update and an open invitation to lean in, grow, and stay connected as we move into the season ahead.
Welcome back to Refine—where we explore the often messy, always meaningful process of growth, healing, and showing up for ourselves. In this episode, we’re zooming in on what that looks like in real life—through the lens of food, fitness, and personal truth.Coach and Dr. Devynne shares her honest reflection on Middle Path CrossFit’s 28-Day Nutrition Jumpstart. Part personal journey, part community debrief, this is an unfiltered look at what it’s like to lead while also navigating your own challenges with food, habits, and consistency.Whether you completed the challenge, started and stopped, or never felt ready to begin—this conversation is for you. Devynne walks through the structure of the four-week program, what came up for her as both a participant and clinician, and why nutrition is rarely just about food.Expect raw truth, compassionate accountability, and a powerful reminder that you don’t need perfection—you just need to start.Key themes:-- What the 28-Day Jumpstart was designed to do-- The emotional layers of nutrition-- Why awareness is better than all-or-nothing thinking-- Growth, grace, and giving yourself permission to begin againIf you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just curious where to go next, you’re not alone—and this episode might be the next nudge you need.28 Day Jumpstart Available Online | jingshenhealingarts.thinkific.com/courses/take/28-day-nutrition-jumpstart
In this solo episode, Dr. Devynne checks in from Flathead Lake with a mid-summer update on all things Jing Shen Healing Arts, Middle Path CrossFit, and what’s been happening behind the scenes. 🌿✨ Here’s what we cover in this episode:- Why we’ve been quiet on the podcast (hint: big projects!)- The launch of our new online academy 🎉- Upcoming seasonal immersion course (Fall 2025) 🍂- Self-paced pediatric herbal care and nutrition courses- What’s next for our gym community: nutrition challenges, goal-setting, and… pint night 🍨- Reflections on seasonal energy and the power of slowing down💬 Dr. Devynne also shares a personal invitation to check in with your own rhythms, goals, and what nourishment looks like for you.👇 Want to learn more or join an upcoming course?Follow us on Instagram + Facebook → @jingshenhealingartsVisit: https://jingshenhealingarts.thinkific.com/🎧 Missed our recent episodes on Shen & Shenanigans?Catch up here → https://youtu.be/2-wII3BieOs?si=HtTJyDS9PrxIIilf📩 Questions or want to connect?Email us or comment below—we’d love to hear from you!
In this conversation, we unpack what it means to truly “get stronger.” Yes, we talk back squats, percentage work, and max days—but the real weight we’re interested in is the internal kind: belief, self-trust, and the courage to show up fully.
Whether you're an athlete, a coach, or someone simply navigating their own growth process, this episode explores the edges that shape us.
We reflect on the mindset behind max effort days, the stories athletes carry into the gym, and how great coaching has less to do with cues—and more to do with connection. This one’s for anyone who’s ever questioned their own capacity, and for the coaches who help them reclaim it.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
Why This Topic Matters:
Strength is often reduced to a number—to a weight on a bar or a score on a leaderboard. But in real life, strength shows up in far more nuanced ways: in your ability to face discomfort, to trust yourself under pressure, and to stay in the process even when progress feels slow. This conversation challenges the conventional metrics and invites a deeper, more human look at what it really means to be strong. It matters because the gym is just one place we practice—but life is where it all plays out.
We didn’t open a CrossFit gym to do something different—we opened one to do it well.
In this episode, Dr. Devynne and Dr. James share the story behind why they opened a CrossFit affiliate as practicing Doctors of Acupuncture and Chinese medicine—and what it means to build a space where the “other 85%” feel like they belong.Not because we’re not CrossFit, but because we are.
This episode explores:
-- Our journey from clinical care to coaching and back again
-- The overlap between physical movement and mental/emotional health
-- How we’re holding space for seasoned athletes and brand-new movers—side by side
-- What we believe CrossFit has always been about: helping people do life better
Whether you’ve been lifting for 15 years or just picked up a PVC pipe last week, you’re welcome here.
Because CrossFit is for all of us.And we’re building the box we needed—one that meets people where they are and helps them grow from there.
Welcome to Refine the 33 – Episode 1!In this inaugural episode, we sip some Fireside Chai, talk tea, and dive into the heart behind this new podcast project.Born from our CrossFit gym, Middle Path CrossFit, Refine the 33 is about more than just fitness. It's about life beyond the barbell—real conversations on mindset, coaching, leadership, and the ongoing journey of personal growth. We share the story behind the podcast name, inspired by a powerful coaching philosophy and our in-house coach development program, Refine.This is a space for coaches, athletes, and curious humans who believe in progress over perfection.
What does a one-rep max really tell us? In this episode, we dive into what max days mean beyond the weight on the bar—and why they matter for everyone, whether you're chasing PRs or just showing up to feel better in your body.We're kicking off a new squat strength cycle at Middle Path CrossFit, and this conversation covers everything from physical benchmarks to mental edges, technical wins, and the deeper 'why' behind intentional training.
