Podcast
The Paul Weber Podcast
Hosted by Paul Weber · EN
Paul is a 1:1 Coach for CrossFit competitors and hybrid athletes. Every week, he shares his research, clinical and personal experience to help athletes see what they're capable of.
18episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
162 Nutrition 101 - Timing
2d ago00:54:18Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailNutrient timing is one of those things you have to earn the right to care about. We can't time our way out of energy imbalance or nutrient deficiency (it may sound ridiculous, but this is some of the thinking behind certain types of fasting).Once we do take care of the higher order concerns, we can turn our attention to timing.In this episode, I cover the four mechanisms that make timing important for athletes: gastric emptying, blood sugar control, glycogen replenishment, and muscle protein synthesis.I cover the "3-window system" - a practical framework for food selection around training and competition.I cover when to start using intraworkout carbs, what actually constitutes full glycogen depletion, and when an aggressive 1.2 g/kg/hour refueling protocol is necessary.As far as protein timing, while the post-training anabolic window appears largely busted, spreading protein evenly across the day is still a best practice.Enjoy!---Training CampOctober 9th-11th, 2026Dallas, TXCrossFit Luna11488 Luna RdFarmers Branch, TX 75234Come train with us: https://paul-b-weber.kit.com/products/training-camp
Transcribe →161 Coaching and The CrossFit Games with Conner Custodio
1w ago01:18:32Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailTraining CampOctober 9th-11th, 2026Dallas, TXCrossFit Luna11488 Luna RdFarmers Branch, TX 75234Come train with us: https://paul-b-weber.kit.com/products/training-camp---Today I welcome the first guest in the history of the podcast - Conner Custodio.While I was coaching at the Masters competition, Conner was at the CrossFit Games supporting Gui Malheiros.I brought Conner on because I was curious what it was like. What did the athletes think about the events? How do they talk to each other? How do they prepare? And I found Conner's perspective insightful.Before we get to the Games, we start with Conner's path in coaching, including how he ended up coaching for Mayhem (which was very organic) and how a text from Gui days before the Games led to him being at the ranch.We talk through the week itself — the brutal first day, the swim event that had athletes talking, and just the overall spirit of the 20th year anniversary - including an interaction I had with James FitzGerald that left both of us feeling hopeful about CrossFit.We get into the programming — things we liked, things we didn't, and the tension between testing fitness and putting on a show people want to watch.We close on how Conner's coaching has evolved and how he supports athletes holistically today.You'll also be seeing more of Conner soon — he'll be joining me as a guest teacher at our training camp. If you want to train with us that weekend, which you absolutely should, tap the link below.https://paul-b-weber.kit.com/products/training-camp
Transcribe →160 Nutrition 101 - Micronutrients
Jul 1600:51:03Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailMicronutrients are essential vitamins and minerals required in small amounts. The body cannot synthesize most of them and most must be obtained from food. The "micro" refers to the quantity required, not importance. Because the quantities required are minimal, high energy intakes protect against most deficiencies, and adding food variety takes care of just about all micronutrients. However, there are a few common deficiencies in athletes and cases for supplementation (vitamin D, iron, and electrolytes) which I cover in detail.---Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:Book an Intro Consult: This is the next step for athletes who want to work with me 1:1. My coaching is for CrossFit competitors and hybrid athletes who want to see what they're capable of. Once you book, you'll get a link to complete an intake form, which will give me some context before our first meeting. If you decide to hire me, the fee will get put toward your first month of coaching.Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength, gymnastics, conditioning and competitive fitness.Programming Mentor Meeting: For coaches and athletes who want to get clarity on their training. Know your training priorities, measure meaningful metrics, and make real progress.Business Mentor Meeting: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.
Transcribe →159 Nutrition 101 - Macronutrients
Jul 900:54:39Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailWhile carbs function mainly as a fuel source and scale up as training increases, protein and fat are mainly structural and signaling molecules. The benefits of protein and fat rise dramatically before leveling off at a certain threshold.Below the minimums is a sort of "multiplying by zero" - you're leaving structure and function on the table.Above the thresholds is fine in most cases, you're just not getting much additional benefit (with a few exceptions).Most athletes are already far exceeding the minimums for fat and protein — the problem is they're eating so much of both that carbs get crowded out. This makes it more difficult for them to meet their energy needs, which is highest order.In this episode, I cover what protein and fat actually do in the body, why the minimums are lower than most people think, and the tradeoffs of exceeding the minimums (including a few simple recommendations for vegan athletes).Finally we get into fat types — what the research actually says about saturated fat, seed oils, and omega-3s — and what it means to eat an "anti-inflammatory" diet.---Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:Book an Intro Consult: This is the next step for athletes who want to work with me 1:1. My coaching is for CrossFit competitors and hybrid athletes who want to see what they're capable of. Once you book, you'll get a link to complete an intake form, which will give me some context before our first meeting. If you decide to hire me, the fee will get put toward your first month of coaching.Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength, gymnastics, conditioning and competitive fitness.Programming Mentor Meeting: For coaches and athletes who want to get clarity on their training. Know your training priorities, measure meaningful metrics, and make real progress.Business Mentor Meeting: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.
Transcribe →158 Xenom Recap
Jul 200:43:14Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn this episode, I recap the first Xenom in Dallas last weekend. I talk about my experience coaching 6 athletes across 3 divisions, my clients' experience with the equipment, judging and logistics, how Xenom lets you stand shoulder to shoulder with elite athletes and compete in the same events, while also having the global leaderboard that made past CrossFit Opens so appealing. I also talk about training and nutrition for 10 events in 2 days, and how Xenom fits into the fitness competition landscape.
Transcribe →157 Nutrition 101 - Energy
Jun 1800:50:39Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailEnergy balance is the most important nutrition consideration in athletes.In this episode, we cover the physics of energy balance, as well as how gut chemistry determines how many of your gross calories become usable energy.I break down the carbs vs. fats debate, the 70-75% VO2 max crossover point, how glycogen and blood sugar are the primary fuel substrates for hybrid athletes, as well as one thing nobody talks about (gastric emptying).I'll also cover how to recognize underfueling before it costs you performance, and best practices I use with my athletes to help them meet their energy needs.
Transcribe →156 Body Composition and Performance
Jun 1200:44:52Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailBody fat % — Elite athlete reference rangesMenBodybuilder on-stage ~4%Elite marathon runner 6–9%Pro road cyclist 6–10%Elite 100m sprinter 7–10%Elite XC skier ~11%Elite CrossFit men 11.8% ±2.4Elite triathlete men 11.9%Elite Olympic weightlifter ~12-13%‡ Bodybuilder off-season ~13%Elite powerlifter (lightweight) 12–16%WomenBodybuilder on-stage ~10%Elite marathon runner 12–16%Pro road cyclist 12–16%Elite 100m sprinter 12–16%Elite XC skier ~14.2%Elite CrossFit women 15.5% ±2.3Elite powerlifter (lightweight) ~18–22%Elite Olympic weightlifter ~18–22%Elite triathlete women ~20%Bodybuilder off-season ~21%‡ Olympic weightlifter data from Katch et al. (1980) used hydrostatic weighing, which typically reads 2–4% lower than DXA. I adjusted up by 2% to approximate DXA values.Sources: Sauvé et al. 2024 (CrossFit DXA); Chappell et al. 2021 (bodybuilder); ScienceDirect 2021 (cyclist); Marathon Handbook 2026; BMC Sports Science 2024 / Medicina Sportiva 2011 (sprinter); Katch et al. 1980 adjusted (weightlifter); ScienceInsights 2026 (powerlifter); Greek national team (XC ski); multi-study review (triathlete).---Body fat is not a binary positive or negative. A certain amount is necessary for preserving athlete health - and therefore training consistency and performance.The optimal body composition is a range that allows for genetic variability - rather than a specific number that all athletes must aim for.The optimal range for body composition is sport-specific. The demands of each sport select for certain body compositions. For example, swimmers benefit from more body fat than runners. Lifters benefit from more body fat than sprinters.Most sports include outlier athletes on either side of the optimal range. For hybrid sport, the optimal range is likely still being discovered. These sports are young relative to others, and it takes decades to refine best practices. We still see plenty of variability at the start line.We’re also limited by small sample sizes, which is common when profiling elite athletes. There just aren’t very many of them.Here are some reasons why I think CrossFit is selecting for these ranges.A certain body fat allows for sufficient hormonal health for maximal force expression. Sprinters are leaner despite their sport also demanding maximal force because the reduced drag is probably worth the tradeoff. Whereas powerlifters and weightlifters carry a bit more body fat because the hormonal advantages are worth the added bodyweight as long as you’re safely inside the weight class.Along with maximal force expression, CrossFit athletes must train multiple modalities. You have to be able to recover from a high training load.Cyclists and marathon runners also must recover from high training loads, but they don’t have the demand for maximal force expression.It’s the combination of both that I think warrants slightly more body fat for hybrid athletes.Another practical reality in hybrid sport is that you're training with intensity more frequently than most single sport athletes.This frequent intensity may create a greater demand for recovery than lower intensity training.Rather than approach fueling as an exact science to dial in the leanest possible physique that allows you to still express some force, I like to have a high degree of confidence the athlete is avoiding a chronic energy deficit. I’d rather have a slight surplus and body fat buffer. My approach with my athletes: eat a bit more than you need - even if it means storing a bit more body fat than is absolutely biologically necessary.---Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:Book an Intro Consult: This is the next step for athletes who want to work with me 1:1. My coaching is for CrossFit competitors and hybrid athletes who want to see what they're capable of. Once you book, you'll get a link to complete an intake form, which will give me some context before our first meeting. If you decide to hire me, the fee will get put toward your first month of coaching.Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength, gymnastics, conditioning and competitive fitness.Programming Mentor Meeting: For coaches and athletes who want to get clarity on their training. Know your training priorities, measure meaningful metrics, and make real progress.Business Mentor Meeting: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.
Transcribe →155 Nutrition 101 - The Nutrition Hierarchy
Jun 500:49:22Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we cover the nutrition hierarchy and why some factors are higher order than others. Here's an overview:ConsistencyEnergyMacronutrientsMicronutrientsTimingSupplementsFor each category, we cover underlying biological mechanisms and best practices.*This is adapted from Dr. Eric Helms’ Muscle and Strength Pyramid with added context for CrossFit competitors and hybrid athletes.---Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:Book an Intro Consult: This is the next step for athletes who want to work with me 1:1. My coaching is for CrossFit competitors and hybrid athletes who want to see what they're capable of. Once you book, you'll get a link to complete an intake form, which will give me some context before our first meeting. If you decide to hire me, the fee will get put toward your first month of coaching.Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength, gymnastics, conditioning and competitive fitness.Programming Mentor Meeting: For coaches and athletes who want to get clarity on their training. Know your training priorities, measure meaningful metrics, and make real progress.Business Mentor Meeting: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.
Transcribe →154 The State of Fitness Competition
May 2200:40:45Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailFitness competition is more popular than ever.More people participate in bodybuilding shows, triathlons and hybrid fitness competitions every year.Of these three categories, hybrid fitness is the fastest growing by a significant margin, largely due to Hyrox's explosive growth.The 2011 CrossFit Open was the first mass participation, hybrid fitness competition, with 26,000 participants.Today, hybrid fitness competitions include the CrossFit Open, Hyrox, ATHX, Xenom, DEKA, Turf Games and Wodapalooza. Collectively, participation has grown by over 30x.The future is bright for fitness.---Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:Book an Intro Consult: This is the next step for athletes who want to work with me 1:1. My coaching is for fitness competitors and hybrid athletes who want to see what they're capable of. Once you book, you'll get a link to complete an intake form, which will give me some context before our first meeting. If you decide to hire me, the fee will get put toward your first month of coaching.Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength, gymnastics, conditioning and competitive fitness.Programming Mentor Meeting: For coaches and athletes who want to get clarity on their training. Know your training priorities, measure meaningful metrics, and make real progress.Business Mentor Meeting: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.
Transcribe →153 Clarity, Guidance, and Companionship
May 1500:31:33Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn this episode, I tell stories about the value of coaching.---Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:Book an Intro Consult: This is the next step for athletes who want to work with me 1:1. My coaching is for fitness competitors and hybrid athletes who want to see what they're capable of. Once you book, you'll get a link to complete an intake form, which will give me some context before our first meeting. If you decide to hire me, the fee will get put toward your first month of coaching.Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength, gymnastics, conditioning and competitive fitness.Programming Mentor Meeting: For coaches and athletes who want to get clarity on their training. Know your training priorities, measure meaningful metrics, and make real progress.Business Mentor Meeting: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.
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