For most competitive CrossFit athletes, just making it to the CrossFit Games is the dream. Going back year after year? Only a select few can say they’ve done that. Tim Paulson is one such repeat-qualifier. Based out of Ithaca, New York, Tim has been in the CrossFit world since 2012 and at the sport’s highest levels since 2017, when he first qualified for the Games. Now a three-time CrossFit Games athlete, Tim is in some very rare and elite company.
Tim joins The BarBend Podcast to chat on everything from training volume to the changing landscape of CrossFit Games qualifiers. Spoiler: Tim thinks the new sanctioned events can be great for the sport if a few new parameters are put in place.
Want to go even more in-depth on our conversation? Check out the full podcast transcription below on this page.
In this episode of The BarBend Podcast, guest Tim Paulson and host David Thomas Tao discuss:
- Tim’s training this season and perspective on staying at the top of CrossFit’s elite for several years in a row (01:20)
- What top CrossFit athletes are doing to extend their competition careers (04:32)
- Why competing in CrossFit is a full-time commitment (07:25)
- If (and how) anyone can beat multi-time defending champion Mat Fraser (12:05)
- Training volume for some of the sport’s top athletes (and where Tim falls on that spectrum) (17:25)
- Tim’s road to qualification for the 2019 CrossFit Games (25:40)
- Special Icelandic training techniques (and how poorly David stacked up against some of Europe’s top athletes) (31:00)
- Training for outdoor events (34:30)
- Why Tim thinks the new sanctioned qualifiers will be good for competitive CrossFit, but the important things that need to change first (37:10)
- Tim’s CrossFit Games podium predictions for 2019 (40:40)
Relevant links and further reading:
- Follow Tim Paulson on Instagram.
- Learn more about CrossFit Pallas (where Tim is an owner and coach).
- Check out his stats on Tim’s CrossFit Games profile.