Send us Fan Mail

"XENOM™ is the Decathlon of Fitness™, a 10-event, stadium-scale global competition that standardizes and scores total human performance on a points based index, creating the first repeatable global benchmark for CrossFit® athletes."

In this episode, we cover:

• What Xenom is and who is behind it
• The nine announced Xenom events
• Movement Analysis
  • MWG
  • Movement Patterns
  • Notable Omissions
  • Prediction for the final TBA event
• Physiological Analysis:
  • Time Domains
  • Intensity Domains
  • Dose-Response
• Implications for training for Xenom

For more info, check out: https://www.xenom.global/

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we cover:

• The shift in programming trends for Quarterfinals and the AGOQ
• Workout Approach 101
  • The 25% Rule
  • Time requirements and work requirements
• How to approach workouts with tiebreakers
• Workout execution and order

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we cover how nutrition goes deeper than "calories in, calories out."

The body is governed by more than just physics, it is also governed by chemistry.

Our goal is to fuel high amounts of training (eat, digest, utilize, eliminate) while minimizing side effects.

We cover:

• Biology of the Gut
• Dysfunctions of the Gut
• The athlete's gut microbiota
• How gut microbiota impacts performance
• Performance-oriented fueling strategies and their effects on gut health
  • Avoiding fat and fiber pre-competition
  • Carb-loading and preference for simple carbohydrates at the exclusion of complex carbohydrates
  • High protein diets
• Nutrition Best Practices
  • Food variety
  • Fiber (25-40 g/day)
  • Protein diversity
  • Long term approach to increasing fuel - "train the gut"
  • Managing food volume and food residue in times of high energy need
  • Polyphenol-rich foods
• Lifestyle Best Practices
  • Food hygiene
  • Stress management
  • Sleep
  • Hydration
• Supplementation support for:
  • Saliva
  • Gastric Emptying
  • Gut Microbiota
  • Mucosal Lining
  • Immunity
  • Motility

References

[1] Intestinal Microbiota Interventions to Enhance Athletic Performance—A Review

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11432184/#sec3-ijms-25-10076​

[2] Exercise-induced stress behavior, gut-microbiota-brain axis and diet: a systematic review for athletes

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5121944/#Abs1​

[3] Fueling Gut Microbes: A Review of the Interaction between Diet, Exercise, and the Gut Microbiota in Athletes

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8634498/​

[4] Dietary Patterns, Gut Microbiota and Sports Performance in Athletes: A Narrative Review

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11175060/​

[5] Gut Microbiota, Probiotics and Physical Performance in Athletes and Physically Active Individuals

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7599951/​

[6] The athletic gut microbiota

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7218537/​

[7] International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Probiotics

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6925426/​

[8] Polyphenols—Gut Microbiota Interrelationship: A Transition to a New Generation of Prebiotics

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8747136/

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we cover:

• The HPA Axis - what it is and what it does
• Ways to measure function of the HPA Axis
• Cortisol isn't king, it's also not the enemy
• How to recognize HPA Axis Dysfunction, burnout, and Overtraining Syndrome (OTS)
• Best practices for preserving the HPA Axis
• How endurance training, interval training and resistance training affect HPA Axis activity acutely and chronically - and what this means for fitness athletes
• Why everyone is getting on the endurance training bandwagon
• Why "hybrid competitions" are exploding
• Why fitness and strength sport athletes crave adrenaline
• Why former fitness and strength sport athletes get into endurance training
• Why the high-low model has emerged as a best practice in elite endurance training

Reference:

Endocrine responses of the stress system to different types of exercise

​https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11154-022-09758-1

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, I cover the consensus statements of scientists, coaches and athletes from a recent, international conference "aimed at enhancing elite athletic performance and health".

I also add context based on my personal and clinical experience, and give actionable advice for fitness athletes.

Themes

"Overarching themes from the conference deliberations were how critical it is for elite athletes to:

• 'train and test for the demands of their sport',
• 'fuel for the demands of their sport',
• 'recognize and implement an individualized approach',
• 'understand the importance of education as a primary tool to facilitate trainability, performance and athlete health'."

Categories of Consensus Statements

• Training strategies to optimize performance
• Nutrition strategies for performance augmentation in athletes
• The female athlete
• Load, injuries and return‐to‐competition
• New technologies

Reference

Consensus Statements—Optimizing Performance of the Elite Athlete

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12334928/

Send us Fan Mail

The Competitor Lifecycle

1. First workout
2. Classes/free resources
3. Competitor program
4. Initial, fast progress
5. Overtraining
6. Injury/sickness/stagnation
7. Hire a coach
8. Train less, get healthy
9. Focus training, make gains
10. Acceptance, completion, peace

In this episode, I talk about my personal experience going through each of these stages and examples of this I see month after month. 

I discuss what collaboration between competitors, gym owners and remote coaches might look like.

If you are a gym owner, or have any influence in an aspiring competitor's life, I'm curious what you think. How do we support these (very few) people who are passionate, dedicated and want to see how far they can go in the sport? What is the best way so that everyone wins?

Comment or text the podcast or DM me @paulbweber with your thoughts.

---

Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:

1. ​Book an Intro Consult​: This is the next step for athletes who want to work with me 1:1. My coaching is for fitness, hybrid and tactical athletes. You can use this link to get on my calendar. You'll complete an intake sheet as well prior to the meeting. If you decide to hire me, the fee will get put toward your first month of coaching.
2. Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for ​strength​, ​gymnastics​, ​conditioning​ and ​competitive fitness​.
3. ​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.
4. ​Business Mentor Meeting​: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.

Send us Fan Mail

Skill-intensive sports vs. Training-intensive sports

Skill-intensive sports (e.g. golf, basketball)

• Competition conditions are less predictable (nearly impossible to replicate perfectly in training)
• Performance is more difficult to quantify
• Performance depends on precise motor control under pressure
• Greater physiological capacity and effort do not always translate into better results
• Performance in training not as predictive of performance in competition

Training-intensive sports (e.g. strength sports, endurance sports, fitness sports)

• Train and compete under consistent conditions 
• Performance is quantifiable
• Performance depends highly on effort and trainable characteristics
• "Did you see what he/she just did in training?"
• Performance in competition will closely resemble performance in training

"How do we become trained?"

Biological organisms adapt slowly

The human body is a biological organism, it changes slowly over long periods of time.

When it comes to the body, meaningful change is measured in months and years, not days.

This consistency over long periods of time is what creates noticeable athletic progress.

Whatever keeps us from training consistently is what stunts athletic progress.

Injury and sickness: the killers of consistency

We've all felt the disappointment of lost potential due to injury.

Whether it's a minor setback that forces you to modify training for a week, or a major surgery, we've all felt some degree of that frustration. 

The same goes for sickness. We've all had to step back from training at some point whether it's due to a common cold or a chronic disease. 

Many of you have probably had a major, 6-12 month setback. At times, the feeling of lost potential has been enough to bring me to tears.

This makes me fascinated by preserving consistency. If we can minimize our risk of injury and sickness, we can maximize our long term athletic progress.

Rules of Consistency

1. Train just beyond your current ability.
2. Only increase training load by ~5-10% per week.
3. Prioritize financial security.
4. Remember you don’t have to do this alone - invest in supportive relationships.
5. Prioritize sleep and circadian rhythm.
6. Ensure adequate nutrition and hydration.
7. Practice food and sleep hygiene.
8. Get sun exposure daily when possible.
9. Downregulate (breath, stretch, read).
10. Focus on what you can control.
11. Accept that you can’t control everything.

Resources

[1] A Biopsychosocial Model for Understanding Training Load, Fatigue, and Musculoskeletal Sport Injury in University Athletes: A Scoping Review

​https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2024/06000/a_biopsychosocial_model_for_understanding_training.24.aspx​

[2] Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review

​https://karger.com/pps/article-abstract/90/1/11/294736/Allostatic-Load-and-Its-Impact-on-Health-A?redirectedFrom=fulltext​

[3] Exercise and gene expression: physiological regulation of the human genome through physical activity

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2290514/

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, I share my experience training with a conditioning bias, training with a strength bias, why I switched to bodybuilding and where I'm going next in my training.

I talk about muscle growth, the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness, gut health, building athletic momentum, and how I apply these lessons learned with my athletes.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and I'll see you in 2026!

---

Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:

1. ​Book an Intro Consult​: This is the next step for athletes who want to work with me 1:1. My coaching is for fitness, hybrid and tactical athletes. You can use this link to get on my calendar. You'll complete an intake sheet as well prior to the meeting. If you decide to hire me, the fee will get put toward your first month of coaching.
2. Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for ​strength​, ​gymnastics​, ​conditioning​ and ​competitive fitness​.
3. ​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.
4. ​Business Mentor Meeting​: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.

Send us Fan Mail

Link to the full movement analysis: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSF-hQpEd2H/?hl=en&img_index=1

Most frequent Open movements (2021-2025):

• Burpees
• Double Unders
• Thrusters 
• Chest to Bar
• Bar Muscle Ups
• Wall Walks
• Deadlifts

Most frequent Individual Quarterfinals movements (2021-2024):

• Row
• Burpee Box Jump Overs
• Rope Climbs
• Cleans
• Snatches
• Wall Balls
• Kipping HSPU
• Strict HSPU
• Ring Muscle Ups
• GHD Situps
• (Honorable mention) Wall-Facing HSPU - the more recent precedent

Most frequent AGOQ movements (2021-2024):

• Row
• Cleans
• Rope Climbs
• Kipping HSPU
• Toes to Bar
• Burpee Box Jump Overs
• Ring Muscle Ups
• GHD Situps
• Wall-Facing HSPU
• Walking Lunges
• Pistols
• Overhead Squats
• Shuttle Runs
• Double Unders

---

Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:

1. ​Book an Intro Consult​: This is the next step for athletes who want to work with me 1:1. My coaching is for fitness, hybrid and tactical athletes.
2. Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for ​strength​, ​gymnastics​, ​conditioning​ and ​competitive fitness​.
3. ​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.
4. ​Business Mentor Meeting​: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.

Send us Fan Mail

To excel at a multiday fitness competition, you need to be prepared for an immense workload.

Athletes who may perform incredibly on Event 1 are gassed by Event 8.

While every athlete must be powerful, having so many events over multiple days gives an advantage to the athletes who recover the fastest.

By the final day, it may be less about who can perform the best fresh, and more about who is the least tired.

The greater your cardiorespiratory fitness, the faster you recover from all types of exercise.

High CRF is associated with improved autonomic nervous system function, which has been linked to humans' ability to control inflammation, preserve immunity, and even recover our ability to produce maximum voluntary force.[1,2,3,4]

The fitter you are, the faster you can recover, and the closer you can stay to your peak performance through a multiday fitness comp.

The game of fitness can be summarized as:

Chronically increase training load.

This requires that we:

• have an idea what our training load is
• avoid big fluctuations
• increase it incrementally over months and years

For athletes who want to join a long term approach to fitness sport, I'm designing the first in a series of programs: Offseason Level 1.

• Offseason training for beginner and intermediate fitness athletes
• Foundational strength training, conditioning and skill acquisition
• Training Priorities
  • Basic Strength and Functional Hypertrophy
  • Olympic Weightlifting Skill
  • Gymnastic Strength
  • Essential Mobility
  • Aerobic Endurance and Pacing

Tap here to join the waitlist: ​https://paul-b-weber.kit.com/105c01429d

References

[1] The Relation between High Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Low Inflammation is Mediated by Autonomic Nervous System Function

​https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circ.118.suppl_18.S_1158-c?doi=10.1161/circ.118.suppl_18.S_1158-c​

[2] Parasympathetic Nervous Activity Mirrors Recovery Status in Weightlifting Performance After Training

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49791584_Parasympathetic_Nervous_Activity_Mirrors_Recovery_Status_in_Weightlifting_Performance_After_Training​

[3] Recovery of central and peripheral neuromuscular fatigue after exercise

​https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00775.2016​

[4] Effects of Exercise Training on the Autonomic Nervous System with a Focus on Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidants Effects

​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8868289/