156 Body Composition and Performance

156 Body Composition and Performance

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2222087/fan_mail/new] Body fat % — Elite athlete reference ranges Men * Bodybuilder 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% ±2.4 * Elite triathlete men 11.9% * Elite Olympic weightlifter ~12-13%‡  * Bodybuilder off-season ~13% * Elite powerlifter (lightweight) 12–16% Women * Bodybuilder 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% ±2.3 * Elite 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: 1. Book an Intro Consult [https://paulbweber.as.me/schedule/6d3dc652/appointment/75545476/calendar/8741852?appointmentTypeIds[]=75545476]: 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. 2. Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength [https://www.paulbweber.com/building-advanced-strength-for-fitness-athletes], gymnastics [https://www.paulbweber.com/mastering-gymnastics-for-fitness-athletes], conditioning [https://www.paulbweber.com/conditioning-for-fitness-athletes] and competitive fitness [https://www.paulbweber.com/complete-athlete-process]. 3. Programming Mentor Meeting [https://www.paulbweber.com/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 [https://www.paulbweber.com/business-mentor-meeting]: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.

155 Nutrition 101 - The Nutrition Hierarchy

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2222087/fan_mail/new] In this episode, we cover the nutrition hierarchy and why some factors are higher order than others. Here's an overview: 1. Consistency 2. Energy 3. Macronutrients 4. Micronutrients 5. Timing 6. Supplements For 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: 1. Book an Intro Consult [https://paulbweber.as.me/schedule/6d3dc652/appointment/75545476/calendar/8741852?appointmentTypeIds[]=75545476]: 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. 2. Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength [https://www.paulbweber.com/building-advanced-strength-for-fitness-athletes], gymnastics [https://www.paulbweber.com/mastering-gymnastics-for-fitness-athletes], conditioning [https://www.paulbweber.com/conditioning-for-fitness-athletes] and competitive fitness [https://www.paulbweber.com/complete-athlete-process]. 3. Programming Mentor Meeting [https://www.paulbweber.com/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 [https://www.paulbweber.com/business-mentor-meeting]: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.

154 The State of Fitness Competition

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2222087/fan_mail/new] Fitness 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: 1. Book an Intro Consult [https://paulbweber.as.me/schedule/6d3dc652/appointment/75545476/calendar/8741852?appointmentTypeIds[]=75545476]: 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. 2. Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength [https://www.paulbweber.com/building-advanced-strength-for-fitness-athletes], gymnastics [https://www.paulbweber.com/mastering-gymnastics-for-fitness-athletes], conditioning [https://www.paulbweber.com/conditioning-for-fitness-athletes] and competitive fitness [https://www.paulbweber.com/complete-athlete-process]. 3. Programming Mentor Meeting [https://www.paulbweber.com/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 [https://www.paulbweber.com/business-mentor-meeting]: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.

153 Clarity, Guidance, and Companionship

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2222087/fan_mail/new] In this episode, I tell stories about the value of coaching. --- Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you: 1. Book an Intro Consult [https://paulbweber.as.me/schedule/6d3dc652/appointment/75545476/calendar/8741852?appointmentTypeIds[]=75545476]: 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. 2. Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength [https://www.paulbweber.com/building-advanced-strength-for-fitness-athletes], gymnastics [https://www.paulbweber.com/mastering-gymnastics-for-fitness-athletes], conditioning [https://www.paulbweber.com/conditioning-for-fitness-athletes] and competitive fitness [https://www.paulbweber.com/complete-athlete-process]. 3. Programming Mentor Meeting [https://www.paulbweber.com/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 [https://www.paulbweber.com/business-mentor-meeting]: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.

152 Exercise and the Autonomic Nervous System

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2222087/fan_mail/new] In this episode, we cover: Terms * The autonomic nervous system - anatomy and functions * Autonomic balance * Sympathetic tone Types of Exercise and How each Affects Autonomic Balance Acutely and Chronically * Aerobic exercise (with some key differences between low intensity and medium-high intensity) * Resistance exercise The Athlete's Autonomic Nervous System The Phases of Overtraining 1. Sympathetic overtraining 2. Parasympathetic overtraining Key Takeaways The goals of chronic training — from an autonomic nervous system standpoint — are to: 1. deepen resting parasympathetic dominance 2. sharpen the acute sympathetic response to exercise 3. accelerate post-exercise autonomic recovery HRV monitoring over time is the most accessible tool athletes have to track whether training is achieving those goals or not. --- Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you: 1. Book an Intro Consult [https://paulbweber.as.me/schedule/6d3dc652/appointment/75545476/calendar/8741852?appointmentTypeIds[]=75545476]: 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. 2. Training deep dives: Join hundreds of coaches and athletes who have upgraded their training for strength [https://www.paulbweber.com/building-advanced-strength-for-fitness-athletes], gymnastics [https://www.paulbweber.com/mastering-gymnastics-for-fitness-athletes], conditioning [https://www.paulbweber.com/conditioning-for-fitness-athletes] and competitive fitness [https://www.paulbweber.com/complete-athlete-process]. 3. Programming Mentor Meeting [https://www.paulbweber.com/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 [https://www.paulbweber.com/business-mentor-meeting]: For in-person coaches who want to learn how to get online clients.