There are friendships that defy expectations—bonds between people who, on paper, shouldn't connect. Yet these unexpected relationships often teach us the most profound lessons. My friendship with Stephen Rice was exactly that kind of connection.

Steve passed away on April 8, 2025, after suffering an unexpected stroke. Though we primarily knew each other from CrossFit Bison, rarely seeing each other outside the gym, we shared one extraordinary experience that exemplified who Steve truly was. This remembrance isn't just about grief—it's about celebrating a remarkable human being through the lens of our unlikely friendship.

#InMemoryOfSteve #FriendshipTribute #CrossFitCommunity #LegacyOfLove
#GoneButNotForgotten #CelebrateLife #CherishedMemories #InspirationalStories #FitnessFamily #HeartfeltTribute

@asburyparksummergames #BotoxAndBurpees @crossfittraining @crossfit @crossfitgames #crossfit #sports #exercise #health #movement #crossfitcoach #agoq #clean #fitness #ItAllStartsHere #CrossFitOpen #CrossFit #CrossFitCommunity #apgames

Creatine stands as the most heavily researched supplement in the fitness world, yet myths and questions about its use persist. What exactly happens when this natural compound enters your body? Who should take it? Is it truly safe?

Diving deep into the science, host Sam Rhee delves deep into the topic of creatine supplementation. how it works in the body, and its benefits for different age groups including teens, young adults, middle-aged individuals, and seniors. The discussion includes the safety of creatine, potential side effects, and the myths surrounding its use.

But creatine's benefits extend far beyond the weight room. For perimenopausal women, creatine offers unexpected advantages, potentially counteracting hormonal-related muscle and bone loss while supporting cognitive function.

We also tackle practical concerns: Which form works best? When should you take it? How do you choose a quality product? Is loading necessary? The answers might surprise you—while marketing hypes specialized formulations, simple creatine monohydrate remains the gold standard with decades of research behind it.

Whether you're a CrossFit enthusiast looking for a performance edge, a middle-aged adult wanting to preserve strength, or simply curious about supplementation, this comprehensive guide separates fact from fiction to help you make informed decisions about creatine.

What's your experience with creatine? Share your story and join the conversation about this remarkably versatile supplement.

#Creatine #FitnessSupplements #WorkoutBoost #MuscleGain #PerformanceEnhancement #HealthyLiving #GymLife #CrossFit #SportsNutrition #FitnessJourney #BotoxAndBurpees #podcast @botoxandburpeespodcast

Cultural identity exists in the spaces between languages, generations, and countries. When Sasha joins her father for this candid conversation, they unravel what it means to grow up Korean American through their distinct generational lenses.

Sasha, a third-generation Korean American with suprising Korean reading and speaking abilities, proudly embraces her heritage while acknowledging its complexities. Her father takes a different stance—having consciously distanced himself from certain Korean traditions he found restrictive growing up. Their dialogue opens a fascinating window into how immigrant families navigate cultural preservation across generations.

The conversation travels through unexpected territory: how the Korean language itself encodes hierarchy, making it impossible for children to argue with parents as equals; the traditional family genealogy book that's meant to pass through sons, not daughters; and the delicate balance of maintaining cultural touchpoints like birthday celebrations and food traditions while letting go of more restrictive practices.

What emerges is a thoughtful exploration of belonging. Is being "Korean enough" about language fluency, cultural knowledge, or something deeper? How do families decide which traditions to preserve and which to modify? When Sasha shares her plans for raising future children, she reveals how each generation must create their own relationship with heritage—keeping what resonates while making space for new cultural identities to emerge.

Whether you're navigating your own cultural hyphenation or curious about how immigrant identities evolve across generations, this episode offers a warm, honest look at the beautiful complexity of Korean American experience. Subscribe now and join our conversation about the cultures that shape us and the choices that define us.

#KoreanCulture #LearnKorean #KoreanAmerican #HeritageAndTradition #PodcastLife #CulturalIdentity #FamilyHeritage #AsianAmerican #BotoxAndBurpees #podcast @botoxandburpeespodcast

What happens as an athlete when your own body becomes its own worst enemy? In this raw and powerful conversation, CrossFit athlete Laura "Legit" Romanek @mcskins opens up about her journey with rheumatoid arthritis, a diagnosis that threatened to redefine everything about her athletic identity.

From waking up with a mysteriously swollen wrist on Open Quarterfinals day to navigating a complex web of medications, Laura shares the physical and emotional challenges of living with an unpredictable autoimmune disease. Her story reveals the frustrating paradox of an "invisible" illness – how someone can perform bar muscle-ups and heavy lifts one day, then struggle to open a door the next.

Laura's brutal honesty about her condition cuts through common misconceptions about chronic illness. She doesn't sugarcoat the reality of flare-ups. Yet her approach to living with RA challenges conventional wisdom about chronic disease management. Rather than completely overhauling her lifestyle or letting her diagnosis become her identity, she follows a philosophy of "do everything you can when you can do it."

The conversation delves into the complex relationship between stress and autoimmune disease, the grief of losing physical capacity, and the challenge of maintaining relationships when energy must be carefully rationed. Through it all, Laura's resilience shines through – not in a sanitized, inspirational way, but in her unflinching determination to remain herself despite everything her body throws at her.

Whether you're living with chronic illness, supporting someone who is, or simply interested in stories of human resilience, Laura's journey offers valuable perspective on what it means to adapt without surrendering your core identity. Subscribe now and join the conversation about strength in all its forms.

#AutoimmuneWarrior #RheumatoidArthritis #FitnessJourney #CrossFitLife #ChronicIllnessAwareness #AthleteLife #MentalHealthMatters #StrengthInStruggle #InspiringStories

Magnesium has become the one of the most popular supplements in the world, but does it deserve the hype? As both a physician with nearly three decades of experience and someone who's relied on magnesium to combat debilitating muscle cramps, host Sam Rhee looks at the science behind this popular mineral and his personal journey with the supplement.

Beginning with his experience during surgical internship and years later starting magnesium supplements himself, Sam takes a deep dive into magnesium's benefits and its possible effectiveness for muscle cramps, sleep, mood, exercise performance, heart health, and even blood sugar regulation.

Practical tips on dosage, types, and potential side effects are discussed, emphasizing the importance of consulting healthcare providers before starting any new supplement.

What's your experience with magnesium? Have you noticed benefits from supplementation? Share your thoughts and let us know which supplement you'd like me to deep dive into next by DMing me on Instagram or commenting on our YouTube channel.

#MagnesiumSupplements #HealthAndWellness #SupplementStack #FitnessJourney #HealthyLiving #MuscleCramps #SleepBetter #HealthTips #NutritionalSupplements #BotoxAndBurpees #podcast

S05E105 Navigating High School and the College Admissions Journey with Nicholas Rhee

Ever wonder what it's really like to navigate the high-stakes world of college applications as a teenager today? In this family conversation, host Sam Rhee sits down with his 18-year-old son Nicholas to unpack the reality behind the high school experience and college admissions process.

Nicholas shares his journey from elementary school math programs to becoming a Duke University-bound senior, offering a refreshingly honest perspective on the challenges and triumphs along the way. The conversation delves into how early academic habits formed through programs like Kumon created a foundation for later success, despite the resistance most children naturally feel toward extra work. As Nicholas explains, these formative experiences made achievements feel "obtainable through enough practice and prep," establishing a growth mindset that served him well through high school.

The discussion tackles several universal struggles facing today's students – from managing screen time, to maintaining healthy sleep patterns during academically demanding periods. The discussion also explores the emotional dynamics of sibling relationships, and the importance of time management and study habits.

Perhaps most valuable is Nicholas's candid account of the emotional rollercoaster of college applications. After receiving a deferral from Duke during Early Decision, he shares how he maintained perspective during the agonizing months of waiting: "It's not like it's the end of the world... it just means things didn't go your way this one time." His advice to fellow students focuses on "de-polarizing" the process, applying to multiple schools, and remembering that no single admission decision defines your worth or potential.

Whether you're a parent supporting a teenager through this journey, a student in the midst of the process, or simply curious about how today's generation navigates these critical transitions, this conversation offers invaluable insights into maintaining balance during one of life's most stressful yet formative experiences.

#CollegeAdmissions #HighSchoolLife #StudentAdvice #CollegeBound #HighSchoolSenior #StudentVoices #CollegeJourney #EducationMatters #ParentingTeens #StudentExperience #HigherEducation #CollegePrep #ParentingTeens #CollegeApplication #BotoxAndBurpees #podcast

College admissions - the high-stakes game that dominates the lives of high school students and their families. In this episode, my guest is my spouse Susan Rhee @susanrhee as we unpack how our two children successfully navigated their way to Duke University, despite both facing deferrals in the early decision round.

Susan shares the rollercoaster of emotions we experienced as parents - from the crushing disappointment of initial deferrals to the eventual triumph of acceptance. Together, we candidly discuss the strategies that worked for our family: did it help when our kids did test prep early after freshman year? How important was developing consistent personal narratives through extracurriculars? We also discuss the importance of attending a school that provided individualized attention and leadership opportunities.

We also take a behind-the-scenes look at actual Duke applications. Through FERPA, our daughter obtained her college application review, revealing how admissions officers numerically score different aspects of applications and what factors truly matter in the selection process. This insider perspective demystifies how elite universities streamline the evaluation process of the thousands of qualified applicants they receive annually.

Beyond tactics, we explore the psychological dimensions of college admissions - how to support your child when they don't get into their dream school, why resilience matters more than acceptance letters, and the importance of having backup schools students genuinely love. The conversation serves as both practical guide and emotional support for families navigating this challenging journey.

Whether you're a parent of a high school student or someone fascinated by the complex world of elite college admissions, this episode offers honest insights about what works, what doesn't, and why the college your child attends is ultimately just the first paragraph of the foreword of their life story. Have you been through the college admissions process? We'd love to hear your experiences and strategies!

#CollegeAdmissions #DukeUniversity #CollegeBound #Parenting #EducationJourney #CollegeTips #HigherEducation #CollegePrep #ParentingTeens #CollegeApplication #BotoxAndBurpees #podcast

The way we've been taught to treat athletic injuries could be completely wrong. In this eye-opening conversation with certified athletic trainer Kayla Andrews @kay__wellness, we challenge the decades-old RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, elevation) that has dominated injury management since 1978.

Kayla reveals why immediate, extensive icing might actually impede your body's natural healing processes and how complete rest can lead to longer recovery times and poorer outcomes. Instead, she introduces modern recovery frameworks like MEAT, PEACE, and LOVE that emphasize appropriate early movement, controlled loading, and allowing the inflammatory response to do its critical work in tissue repair.

What's particularly fascinating is how counterintuitive some of this advice feels. We've been conditioned to think that an injury means stopping all activity, icing constantly, and taking anti-inflammatories around the clock. Yet Kayla explains why this approach may be robbing our bodies of the signals and resources they need to heal properly.

Through practical examples of ankle sprains, hamstring pulls, and shoulder injuries, we explore what "appropriate movement" really means - finding that sweet spot where discomfort is tolerable but movement is possible. Kayla also shares valuable insights about compression (never sleep with it!), the power of mindset in recovery, and why working your uninjured side can dramatically benefit your injured side.

Whether you're an athlete, coach, or someone who occasionally tweaks something at the gym, this conversation will transform how you approach injury management. Listen now to learn why "movement is medicine" and how you can take a more active, effective role in your own recovery process.

#BotoxAndBurpees @crossfittraining @crossfit @crossfitgames #crossfit #sports #exercise #health #movement #crossfitcoach #agoq #clean #fitness #ItAllStartsHere #CrossFitOpen #CrossFit #CrossFitCommunity @CrossFitAffiliates #supportyourlocalbox #crossfitaffiliate #personalizedfitness