If you’ve ever caught yourself walking backwards down the sidewalk and wondered how you got there, there’s a good chance Ben Patrick is to blame.
Known to millions as the Knees Over Toes Guy, Ben Patrick didn’t rise to fame by chasing trends or flashy fitness hacks. He took off by doing the opposite. He shared his failures. Years of chronic knee pain. Surgeries that didn’t work. Training methods that left him worse off than before. Then he started rebuilding his body from the ground up and documenting what actually helped.
That honesty struck a nerve.
What started as unconventional rehab content quickly became a movement. Ben challenged long-held beliefs around knee health, mobility, and longevity, showing people that the joints most of us were told to protect were actually meant to get strong through full ranges of motion.
Suddenly, athletes, parents, and everyday guys were rethinking how they train, how they move, and how long they want their bodies to last.
And yes, a lot of us started walking backwards. Our neighbors are still confused.
From Rehab to Movement
Ben’s rise wasn’t overnight. It came from years of testing, teaching, and refining ideas that went against the grain. Instead of avoiding knee stress, he showed how to build resilience. Instead of accepting pain as inevitable, he made the case for rebuilding capacity.
His approach resonated because it wasn’t about aesthetics. It was about durability. Being able to run, jump, squat, and move well not just in your twenties, but decades later. For dads especially, that message hits different. Longevity matters when you want to keep up with your kids.
Today, Ben is one of the most recognizable voices in modern fitness, with a global audience and a training philosophy that’s influenced everyone from elite athletes to weekend warriors.
But at home, he’s just dad.
Dad of Two (Soon to Be Three)
Ben and his wife have two young kids, ages three and five, with a third on the way. Fatherhood has reshaped how he sees the world, and not always comfortably.
The hardest part of parenting for him has been realizing how poorly modern systems are set up for kids. The schedules. The environments. The lack of space to move, explore, and grow. Rather than accepting that as normal, Ben’s response has been patience and intention. Slowly building better setups and systems for his family, even if it takes time.
The most rewarding part has nothing to do with fitness or career wins. It’s the smallest moments. The little things his kids do that bring more joy than any physical achievement or professional milestone.
Before becoming a dad, he wishes he understood the importance of land, space, and family over cities, stuff, and outsourcing influence. That realization has shaped his long-term vision. He’s actively working toward moving to land in the coming years to create a simpler, more grounded environment for raising his kids.
A Realistic Dad Day
Ben doesn’t pretend his days are perfectly balanced. He calls it juggling, and he’s honest about the messiness.
Mornings often start with a dog walk before the kids wake up. Breakfast follows, then a fluid mix of parenting, work, and time with his wife and friends. There’s no perfect symmetry. Just seasons.
This year, he also volunteered to coach a high school basketball team. His kids often tag along, and while it’s not always convenient, it’s meaningful. He loves coaching kids and already knows he can’t wait to coach his own.
When work, life, and family all collide, Ben focuses on patience and building better systems instead of sweating the small stuff. His reset is simple. Get at least a couple workouts in for himself. Move his body. Clear his head.
What’s Non-Negotiable
Ben’s non-negotiables for dad life are refreshingly straightforward.
- Get outside.
- Take action.
- Practice good manners.
- Work hard at something meaningful.
- Love deeply.
When he gets time alone, there’s no elaborate hobby list. He works out. He plays basketball occasionally. That’s it.
And through it all, his perspective is grounded by a reminder many dads need to hear. The days are long, but the years are short. Put the work in now and you’ll be proud of it later.
Whether he’s rebuilding knees or building a family, Ben Patrick is playing the long game.
You can follow him at @kneesovertoesguy and @atgonlinecoaching
Professional CrossFit athlete Noah Ohlsen is used to heavy lifts, but fatherhood might be his biggest challenge yet. The Miami-based fitness icon opens up about his newborn son, the emotional rollercoaster of early parenting, and why staying grounded and smiling matters more than ever.
From CrossFit Podiums to Pampers
Most people know Noah Ohlsen as a CrossFit Games powerhouse, the Miami kid with the golden retriever, the megawatt smile, and the engine that never quits.
These days, his mornings start less with barbells and more with bottles. At just three months into fatherhood, Noah is learning the art of balance: supporting his wife after a tough delivery, finding rhythms as a new dad, and keeping the whole house smiling in the process.
“My heart swells with love thinking about all of the best parts of Oliver,” he says. “He’s an incredibly happy boy, smiling most of the time that he’s awake!”
The Hard Part
Like any new parent, Noah has faced his share of curveballs. Their delivery was not easy. A week-long NICU stay tested everyone’s nerves. Since then, he has been the calm anchor at home, helping his wife navigate the post-birth anxiety that many couples quietly battle.
“The hardest part,” he says, “has been seeing her struggle and trying to support her, reminding her that he’s perfectly healthy now, while still doing all the right things to keep it that way.”
That mix of empathy, patience, and quiet strength is the kind of fitness that does not show up on leaderboards.
The Good Stuff
For every tough moment, there are a thousand small joys. Noah lights up talking about his son, Oliver. The smiles, the chatter, the laughter that fills their mornings. “Seeing him and my wife laugh with each other melts my heart,” he says.
And while new parent life can be a blur of bottles, burps, and naps, the Ohlsens are already finding their rhythm: early mornings, family walks with their dog Max, and lots of tummy time before Noah sneaks in a quick gym session.
Lessons From the Trenches
What he wishes he knew before becoming a dad:
“Two bads and a good: how much your upper back burns when you’re rocking a baby to sleep for 10+ minutes, how little free time you have for simple things like reading a book, and how big you can love something so little right away.”
The best advice he’s gotten:
“Spend as much time with your baby and their mama early on as you can.”
Every story Noah tells circles back to being present, a quality that is as rare in high-performance sports as it is in modern fatherhood.
Balancing the Chaos
When life piles on, training, travel, business, and baby duty, Noah’s strategy is simple: breathe, stay calm, and lead with steadiness.
“Everything always works out,” he says. “I try to be the steady and confident leader in the house that everyone can count on.”
He is also mastering the underrated art of scheduling, making sure work, workouts, and family time do not compete but coexist. “And I always try to connect lovingly with my wife,” he adds. “Bonus if Oliver and Max are part of the embrace.”
Staying Grounded
For Noah, training is not just a career. It is therapy.
“Getting in a workout keeps me mentally and physically healthy,” he says. “But disconnecting from my phone and spending real, quality time with mama and baby, that’s the reset I need most.”
That balance between effort and ease, hustle and heart, defines this next chapter.
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Non-Negotiables
Being a fun and happy dad. That is his line in the sand.
“I want to make sure I’m smiling as often as I can,” he says. “If that’s in his nature too, I’ll know I did something right.”
Off-Duty Dad Mode
When he is not training or changing diapers, Noah’s simple pleasures still look like movement and movies. “Workout again, lol,” he jokes. “And going to the cinema. I miss that a good bit.”
Follow his journey on Instagram and YouTube @nohlsen.
The Takeaway
Fatherhood hits every muscle, the heart most of all.
Noah Ohlsen proves that being a strong dad is not just about lifting weight. It is about carrying the people you love with patience, joy, and a grin that says, we got this.