Primal Endurance Podcast

Please enjoy a great conversation and in-person show here in the Sacramento studios of the B.rad/Primal Endurance podcast with my good friend and sprinting mentor Cynthia Monteleone, coming to you all the way from the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii. We had a long, wide-ranging discussion on health, fitness, peak performance, and longevity—especially in Cynthia’s area of expertise, acting as a truth seeker and naysayer in the health and fitness scene. She isn’t afraid to speak straight, challenge prevailing opinions, and back it up with deep research and her experience working with elite athletes. We talk about the popular idea that preserving muscle mass is the key to longevity, why that insight is incomplete, and why muscle power, explosiveness, and strength are the real drivers of healthy aging. Cynthia also explains why jogging can actually make you slower and age faster—while walking does not—and why tired training backfires, along with the idea that recovery is just as much about the brain as it is about the muscles. As a Team USA world-champion sprinter and coach to Olympic and world-champion Masters-level athletes, Cynthia shares her thoughts on sprinting as an anti-aging strategy, creatine and why it’s not for everyone, diet—including dairy—and we even have some fun breaking down Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s viral green smoothie and the potential downside of consuming large amounts of plant toxins. She also talks about how she trains everyday people the same way she trains elite athletes, and why we should all think of ourselves that way. Cynthia has been a huge source of inspiration and reason for me over the years, and I really appreciate her willingness to think deeply, challenge trends, and always speak honestly about what actually works. A Team USA world-champion sprinter, Cynthia Monteleone is a highly trained metabolic health analytics practitioner who coaches numerous Olympic athletes and world-champion Masters-level athletes. She goes deep into the nuances of what delivers peak performance and helps people overcome health challenges to reach personal goals, especially weight loss and excelling in athletic goals. You can follow her at @FastOVER40 on Instagram and learn more at mamstrong808.com. Cynthia also has a healthy, natural skincare line: Earthen Hawaii.   TIMESTAMPS: We talk about the difference between just holding on to muscle mass and maintaining muscle power. [02:24] After being a college athlete, Cynthia married and had children. When her 11-year-old showed interest, she went back to the track.  [06:52] There are many people who aren't reaching their genetic potential. [13:04] Walking versus jogging: when you are jogging you are preserving slow twitch muscle fibers. [19:43] The power matters more than the muscle size. [26:18] When you do slow eccentrics (lowering the weight during the bicep curl), you are recruiting more muscle fibers. [29:48] Unless you are doing the Olympic Lifts in perfect form, the injury risks outweigh the benefits. [34:11] If you're an advanced sprinter, and you're training by doing hills and doing sled pushes, it's important at some point closer to your season to follow that resistance with flat work that's fast. [36:59] People often overdo jogging.  It can be detrimental to your health. [40:03] It's good to do a dynamic cool-down.  Little drills, like instead of jogging, you duck walks or toe walks. All manner of static stretching is ill-advised.  [42:02] It takes years for medical textbooks and journals to be updated to current findings. [46:12] Cynthia is a metabolic practitioner. She works with elite athletes as certified strength coach, encouraging diet and supplements. [50:58] What is wrong with the basic dietary notions we've been taught to believe are healthy? [53:02] Earthen Hawaii produces healthful skincare products rather than chemically laden things. [53:41] When working with a client's diet what Cynthia does is specifically pinpoint to that individual what they need most of and what is holding them back? [57:48] She teaches her clients to eat for neurotransmitters. [01:02:33] What about fasting? A workout of an hour gives a similar autophagy effect to fasting for 48 hours. [01:09:12] AI and algorithms are causing a problem with misinformation. Be careful. [01:17:20] The best athletes are always open to hearing all the information they can use for their competitive lifestyle. [01:21:35] Every supplement is not right for everyone. [01:25:06] What other foods and what other dietary patterns come up that you would suggest some experimentation and some trial and error if I'm trying to optimize my diet all the way? [01:28:22] There's a huge disparity in the quality and purity of whey protein. [01:32:21] Venison is highly nutritious. [ 01:35:11] Limiting grains is the key. [01:38:26] The type of exercise we do affects what kind of gut bacteria we produce. [01:40:05] Sugar can aff

In this episode, I call out some dangerous and misguided fitness advice floating around on social media—like a post from a PhD in exercise physiology suggesting that everyone should go run for 45 minutes in 100-degree heat to boost their VO₂ max. Sure, the science on heat training is interesting and real, but context matters. For elite athletes training for world championships, carefully managed heat exposure can make sense. For the other 99.9% of people, it’s a fast track to burnout, breakdown, or even the ER. I break down the difference between training stress that builds fitness versus stress that destroys it, explain how to recognize the signs of overtraining, and share why fatigue is feedback, not weakness. I also revisit my critique of Layne Norton’s “push through it no matter what” philosophy and contrast that with what smart athletes actually do—monitor recovery, track readiness, and adjust daily. To wrap up, I share lessons from my own mistakes, insights from coach Cynthia Monteleone, and why true recovery days sometimes mean actually resting.   TIMESTAMPS: Brad takes issue with the recommendation that people exercise in 100 degree heat. [01:10] If you are talking about competitive athletes, rather than the general population, that would be different. [03:30] Running is too stressful for the vast majority of participants. [06:37] The main two reasons for poor performance and workouts are one, over training and two, de-training. [10:27] You are literally training the body to get slower, weaker and less efficient with poor technique when you train and push your body through signs of poor movement patterns. Fatigue is feedback, not weakness.  [12:10] If you don't feel like working out one day, that is a signal from the control center, your brain. [17:57] There is a huge distinction between endurance athletes where they always have that obligation to keep that aerobic system going with low intensity recovery days versus a true recovery day for a high intensity power athlete which entails sitting around and resting. [21:41]   Check out This Episode on the Brad Kearns YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/x_05b1yh0rI   LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, email us to claim: [email protected]) Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein! Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ! Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I take you through the incredible story of Hicham El Guerrouj, the Moroccan middle-distance legend who was virtually unbeatable for nearly four years, only to face heartbreaking defeats at the Atlanta Olympics. I walk through the agony of those losses, the silver medal at 1500 meters, and the mental and physical toll of carrying the expectations of millions while chasing perfection. We get into how he used that disappointment to fuel one of the most remarkable comebacks in track history, leading up to the 2004 Athens Olympics where he finally won the gold—and not just in the 1500, but also the 5,000 meters, a feat not accomplished in 80 years. I break down the races, the strategies, and the legendary final laps where El Guerrouj “floored the gas pedal” and ran splits that would have qualified in an Olympic 800 meters. I also reflect on what his story taught me about dealing with setbacks, staying focused, and turning misfortune into motivation, drawing parallels to challenges we all face in our own training and lives. Along the way, we touch on the evolution of running technology, the rise of super spikes, and why El Guerrouj’s records still stand as some of the most impressive in the sport.   TIMESTAMPS: This video of El Guerrouj shows the most genetically gifted, most disciplined and best trained athlete of all sport. [01:06] The insights about discipline focus, dealing with adversity and creating a lifestyle of total dedication to peak performance can be tremendously inspiring and life changing. [04:14] How do you set a world record that holds for 27 years? [09:00] Genetically gifted athletes have the 'gift' but they need the old school focus, total dedication and monastic lifestyle. [13:24] The mile run is 79% contribution from the aerobic system and the rest is anaerobic. [18:14] In the modern more digital world, we get to know the athletes better. El Guerrouj lead a more monastic life when training. [20:08] El Guerrouj has amazing genetic gifts. He was of very light body weight. [23:08] The proper running form is landing over your midfoot with a balanced center of gravity. [24:09] Research has shown that there's a direct correlation with an adequate or good or great VO2 max with longevity. [27:30] It helps to be tall like Usain Bolt. Increased ankle bending during a moment allows him to utilize the spring-ilike mechanism of the calves for increased power as he pushes off. [32:49] What's the best form for you? It's figuring out what works for you and your own natural athleticism and your own physical particulars, your level of flexibility in your trunk, your shoulders, everything goes into the equation. [37:39] Do you know why all the track and field races are run in counterclockwise manner? It's because the natural human bio rhythms have a counterclockwise nature to them. [39:39] Genes do not determine your destiny. [41:30] El Guerrouj 's competitive intensity and focus make his champion mindset.  [45:59] Highschooler Alan Webb had the chance to run against El Guerrouj. Webb broke the record. [50:34] El Guerrouj's career has had some disappointments and setbacks. [54:13] Try to release the attachment of your self-esteem to the outcome. Let go of the "Why me?" mentality. [01:15:01] What about the shoes?  How do they make a difference? [[01:27:30]   Quote from El Guerrouj:"The values of life are work, patience, defeat, learning from defeat, perseverance and regularity, and all that I learned with sport and above all from my Olympic journey." [01:31:44]   Watch This Episode on the Brad Kearns YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/vp6cYUi_MRc   LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, email us to claim: [email protected]) Brad Kearns.com BradNutrition.com B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Brad’s Shopping Page BornToWalkBook.com B.rad Podcast – All Episodes Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein! Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ke

Get ready listeners for a most unusual and heavy and unique show with my old friend Tom Hodge! Tom is an endurance adventurer living an interesting dream life of enjoyable but extensive endurance exercise every day, traveling the globe for major events, mixing with top athletes and watching them perform, and being on this amazing journey that he's going to tell you about in this episode. You will hear about his recent global odyssey and how it turned into a fantastic exploration of how childhood trauma affects us all our whole lives, how we use distraction, endurance, suffering, and drinking to avoid facing things and also how Tom hit rock bottom and then abruptly turned everything around by staring at a wall. You will hear Mark Sisson’s name brought up often in the story and learn about the special relationship Tom and Mark share and how Mark was the only person who “saw through everything.” I think this show will be really valuable for everyone to reflect on how we carry stuff our whole lives and the benefits of waking up and doing honest self-assessment. As my former podcast guest Bruce Lipton says, our subconscious programming occurs from age 0-7 and then we operate from our subconscious 95% of the time, for the rest of our lives! Listen as Tom goes deep and gets vulnerable, incredibly honest, and reflective as he talks about his wild ride. It’s a pretty colorful show—you will hear about how he went from UCLA student to being a highly paid model in Japan after getting randomly discovered—a career that took him around the world for 25 years. You will learn why Tom eventually rejected his victim mentality, reconciled his childhood issues with gratitude, self-exploration (without any outside help), and turned things around to where he stands today. It’s wild, it's mind blowing, and you are going to love this show, especially if you’re a younger listener and dreaming of a career and trying to figure out which career path to take. Regardless of age or where you’re at in your life, there are so many valuable lessons to take away from this show, especially the importance of self-exploration and honesty and avoiding our collective penchant for distraction every second of every day so we don’t have to face things that might unlock a path to a more fulfilling and grateful life.   TIMESTAMPS: Psychological experts today talk about how our childhood programming is something we play out every day. [01:08] It shouldn’t matter if you are first or last.  It is what you get out of the activity itself. [06:12] How does one define failure? How can one deal with insecurities? [07:52] Childhood programming is being studied more and more as for its effects on our current personhood. [15:42] Usually when are drinking excessive alcohol, you are trying to numb some childhood trauma. [17:40] Tom had to leave his dysfunctional family and try to make it on his own. [20:56] Because of Tom’s dyslexia, he had difficulty reading.  He bought a book to read, determined to master that skill. At the same time, he committed to exercise, all this to avoid alcohol. [30:32] Addiction to exercise can be toxic. [43:58] If your grip strength is weak, it is directly correlated with your predicted lifespan.  The greatest currency one can have is time. [01:00:32] How does one learn to deal with this subject of childhood trauma? [01:07:42] There is much more distractibility in today’s world.  Much more stress than before advanced technology. [01:12:26]   LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad’s Shopping page B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean NEW: B.rad Superfruits - Organic Freeze-Dried Exotic Fruit Powder! Natural Electrolyte Hydration & Energy Powder Biology of Belief Born to Walk   Join Brad for more fun on:  Instagram: @bradkearns1 Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh Twitter: @bradleykearns YouTube: @brad.kearns TikTok: @bradkearns   We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation wi

Formerly anonymous Arizona high school running coach Mike Scannell has become a sensation in the American distance running community with the amazing success of his runner Grant Fisher, the undisputed king of American long distance running! Grant had a sensational Paris Olympic Games, winning bronze medals in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. These are events where only a handful of Americans have ever won Olympic medals, ever! Mike is an old friend, a former elite collegiate runner, and a fellow competitor on the professional duathlon circuit, and it was amazing to catch up with him and detail the amazing Olympic journey! The backstory of Grant and Mike is pretty amazing. Mike coached Grant in high school in Michigan, where he became one of only eight high schoolers ever to break four minutes in the mile. Grant then headed off to a great NCAA career in Stanford and a pro career with the elite Bowerman Track Club team in Oregon. In a surprise mid-career shift, Grant decided to go about it his own way. He moved to Park City, UT for altitude training, and phoned up his old high school coach looking for guidance. This is less than a year before the Olympics as America's top distance runner! In this show, Mike will discuss the risks and pressures elite athletes face (and their coaches!) You'll be taken behind the scenes for the Paris Games and the extraordinary measures Grant and Mike took to ensure he could focus and succeed. You'll love the story of how Grant and Mike were locked inside the Olympic stadium late at night after winning his 10,000 meter bronze. You'll learn about Mike's evolved approach where he is solely focused on serving the athlete and avoids getting the all-too-common coaching ego into the mix. You'll learn about today's popular scientific approach to endurance training centered upon measuring and controlling blood lactate levels during workouts, and why many runners "ruin their workouts" with a less disciplined approach. You'll learn the benefits of altitude training, and how Grant's mindset and extensive rehearsals helped him execute awesome strategy at both Olympic races. At the end, Mike provides some profound insights for young runners and their parents about the importance of being motivated naturally and intrinsically. You'll also learn why, a couple decades ago, crime didn't pay in Tucson, AZ, where you might have gotten into a foot pursuit with someone who would most definitely outlast you...I've known and studied lots of coaches over the years, and I don't think you'll find a more healthy and evolved disposition than that embodied by Mike. No wonder Grant phoned him up out of the blue and asked for help going and getting some Olympic medals! Enjoy the show. Young runners can get a daily tip of inspiration by following Mike on X @realironmike TIMESTAMPS: We take a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on with Olympic athletes and their coaches. [00:53] Coaching Grant Fisher in the Olympics, Mike is able to share his expertise. [06:06] What we commonly see these days are high profile teams with big sponsors. It’s a different approach from what Mike and Grant have done. [07:54] How did Mike’s own experiences with coaches help him to get this particular disposition? [13:43] With the scientific approach, the thing the runner can do is check blood lactate. [16:20] Besides checking blook lactate, Mike checks heart rate, hematocrit and hemoglobin and other things. [19:38] When training at altitude or in the heat of Arizona, you have to cut the tempos why back. [21:19] It is very easy to ruin a workout by using that competitive intensity to work really hard. [23:40] What kind of volume and load can you put on the runner so that he absorbs the training and is ready for the next session? [27:33] You can have all the tech toys in the world but you have to listen to it! [29:48] When you make a detailed plan for the athlete, how often to you deviate from that plan? [31:17] Grant takes good care of himself. He takes care of sleep, massage, his food at home. [39:58] How do they manage the constant risk of overuse injuries? [41:05] In taking on the job to coach Grant Fisher, did you feel nervous about the whole USA expecting some medals? [45:36] What was his experience in Paris? What was the race strategy? [50:00] Living and training at altitude helps your body build additional red blood cells, but when you come down to sea level, you lose some of the benefits. [59:34] When running in the prelim, all you need is to be in the eight finalists. [01:04:13] Staying in the Olympic Village with the other athletes can be fine for social interactions, however, when you have big important events to still compete in, being around rowdy parties doesn’t work. [01:05:53] You have to plan on when you need to go faster when you are in the big race. [01:09:15] There is no reason for Grant Fisher to take the lead in the Olympics first 4,000 meters. [01:12:46] Mike’s coaching method involves only when the athlete himself a

In today’s episode I welcome track star Sue McDonald to the show! Sue is no ordinary track star—she is shattering world records in the masters track and field arena going where no human has ever gone before in her age groups and putting out unbelievable times at 61 years old! This mother of three from Santa Barbara, California, is virtually on world record watch every time she competes, and I had a great visit meeting her personally in her home environment and finding out the secrets of what is possible when you take care of your body and you dedicate yourself to training and competitive goals and literally defy the aging process. Regardless of whether you're interested in trying to challenge Sue or take down her records, it's great to realize what's possible when you continue that dedication to peak performance and setting challenging goals and having a wonderful consistent training regimen. In this episode, Sue describes her lifestyle and her training regimen as “boring”, but what you get out of that is the realization that these little things do really count every single day—and that you can get better even as you age chronologically. I can't think of a more inspiring guest to have you reflect on your own lifestyle and your own personal goals. Instead of just sitting back and telling stories about how things were so great back in the day, Sue is doing things that will just blow your mind and in a variety of events: she’s an elite sprinter, middle distance runner, and a multi-event athlete with things like High Jump and Heptathlon. Join me and Sue in Santa Barbara for this awesome conversation to learn some of her secrets and get inspired to go out there and set your own goals! TIMESTAMPS: Brad Introduces this inspiring guest, a 61-year-old champion track and field athlete. Most people talk about what it was like back in the day, but this woman is still doing it. [01:14] What is a heptathlon for women? [05:22] After nearly qualifying for the Olympics in college, she left competition for a while, but returned. [08:43] She set the American women’s high jump record when she was 55 years old. [10:20] She had a time with the pole vault as well. [11:44] Between the ages of 32 and 50 she was doing endurance activities. [14:40] The main reason people do Masters Track and Field is the friendly supportive atmosphere of the other participants. [19:42] Sue has many world records, including the steeplechase. [20:26] How does she manage the training necessary when she is the mother of three and is age 61? [21:58] Consistency is the most important concept. [24:21] The possibilities of recovering from stuff that usually requires surgery and debilitation are actually amazing. [33:29] What are some of the other things she does to be the best athlete? The main thing is focusing on sleep. [38:12] Most Americans gain a pound a year from age 25 to 65. How does Sue manage her diet? [39:49] There is no reason to stop athletic activities as we age. [52:01] Did Sue get nervous back when trying out for the Olympics? Now? How does she manage the mental pressure? [58:06] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) PrimalEndrance.fit Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean Sue McDonald Instagram - @suemcdonaldfitness SueMcDonaldFitness.com We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD Schwank Grills: Portable gas infrared grills for the juiciest steak you’ve ever had! Cooks in minutes at 1500 degree heat. Save $150 with code BRAD150. Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevi

In this show, we’re focusing on what easy workouts and rest days really mean for us mere mortals trying to improve our performance—not only in endurance sports, but in all manner of athletic endeavors. Tune in to hear me discuss the great Eluid Kipchoge and some stunning revelations that have come forth from detailed analysis of his training logs that he has published for all to scrutinize. If you want to hear some fantastic tips based on the meticulously detailed training logs and most effective methods utilized by the greatest marathoner of all time, this is the episode for you! TIMESTAMPS: Eluid Kipchoge has published detailed training logs for the public to learn his proven methods. [00:24] For example, Kipchoge performs at 80% capacity on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and then at 50% capacity on the other days, week in and week out. [02:39] This may sound crazy, but if you are trying to condition your body for marathon, your overall training program should include walking for a huge chunk of your weekly running mileage. [06:59] The harder you train, the more you desperately need rest time. [10:16] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Cynthia Monteleon PrimalEndrance.fit Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD Schwank Grills: Portable gas infrared grills for the juiciest steak you’ve ever had! Cooks in minutes at 1500 degree heat. Save $150 with code BRAD150. Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor! Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD! Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad's Favorites on Amazon I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition products (for direct order or Amazon order), my library of online multimedia educational courses, great discounts from my affiliate favorites, and my recommended health&fitness products on Amazon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time to talk about polarized training—a popular training concept often referred to as the “80/20 principle.” Unfortunately, many athletes have misinterpreted and misapplied this strategy, so we will be reviewing this training philosophy in this episode. Tune in if you want to learn what polarized training truly entails and the benefits of this practice, the research behind the effects of 80/20 training, how you can practice this method correctly, and more! TIMESTAMPS: The leading endurance athletes in the world do the vast majority of their training at comfortable paces. [01:32] You can monitor your exercise heart rate using the talk test by reciting the alphabet or talking to a friend. [03:43] The 80-20 concept means that 20% of your workouts are characterized as high intensity or difficult session. [05:00] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) PrimalEndrance.fit Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD Schwank Grills: Portable gas infrared grills for the juiciest steak you’ve ever had! Cooks in minutes at 1500 degree heat. Save $150 with code BRAD150. Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor! Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD! Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad's Favorites on Amazon I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition products (for direct order or Amazon order), my library of online multimedia educational courses, great discounts from my affiliate favorites, and my recommended health&fitness products on Amazon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Endurance athletes are back with an assortment of interesting questions and fabulous success stories to share! Questions and stories like: The importance of doing a bit of warm up before your micro-workouts; a young runner wins the state title honoring the Primal Endurance principles of monitoring heart rate carefully, avoiding processed food, getting tons of sleep, adding some strength training, and making intuitive decisions to manage stress and rest; the folly of counting calories instead of just focusing on natural, nutritious foods and managing one’s overall stress level; the importance of getting metabolically and hormonally healthy before trying to lose excess body fat; advice for older females to avoid chronic cardio and add sprinting; listening to your body instead of obsessing about biofeedback numbers; the rationale for prescription medication versus lifestyle change; emphasizing both Zone 2 and Zone 1 cardio. LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) PrimalEndrance.fit Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD Schwank Grills: Portable gas infrared grills for the juiciest steak you’ve ever had! Cooks in minutes at 1500 degree heat. Save $150 with code BRAD150. Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor! Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD! Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad's Favorites on Amazon I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition products (for direct order or Amazon order), my library of online multimedia educational courses, great discounts from my affiliate favorites, and my recommended health&fitness products on Amazon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I welcome Tawnee Gibson, longtime host of the Endurance Planet podcast, to the show for an honest, open conversation that takes us on a timeline through her own experiences as an athlete, her struggles, and what she has learned from health journey. Some of Tawnee’s revelations will be particularly relevant to female athletes, and some others—such as not feeling ready to correct course even when you know better—will be relevant to all. Tawnee also talks about what actually happens to your body as a result of having an overly stressful lifestyle, the importance of evaluating your attitude and your disposition and how it relates to stress, the pros and cons of the massive influx of technology in the endurance experience and the importance of using your intuition to navigate this new technology, why she and her husband decided to leave her home state of California to settle in a rural area in Idaho, and more! TIMESTAMPS: Tawnee talks about all the particular aspects of being a female endurance athlete. [00:32] Tawnee grew up in southern California and resettled in rural Idaho living an extremely different life. [04:03] Brad and Tawnee talk about how they now realize the stress they were putting on their bodies as they reflect back to their competitive days as triathletes. [06:28] Fighting an eating disorder and amenorrhea were part of her beginning as triathlete. [10:24] Listeners need to hear the experiences of these two former triathletes and think about what you goal is and how to avoid the roadblocks that are there in your way. [23:46] REDS is relative energy deficit in sport. Stress of all kinds can get you there as well. [27:20] You need the discipline to know when you need to rest and sit back when you are at an exciting place. [34:18] As you realize your performance is changing, accept where you are, be grateful for what your body can do. [43:50] How do today’s training methods and technologies differ to make today’s athletes bring in better times? [53:49] People over complicate things that are rather simple. [01:03:07] What is the Underpants Run that occurs during the Kailua Kona Iron Man Week? [01:06:31] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) PrimalEndrance.fit Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean Tawnee on Instagram Endurance Planet Podcast Coach Tawnee.com Determine Mass Made Simple Join Brad for more fun on: Instagram: @bradkearns1 Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh Twitter: @bradleykearns YouTube: @brad.kearns TikTok: @bradkearns We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD Schwank Grills: Portable gas infrared grills for the juiciest steak you’ve ever had! Cooks in minutes at 1500 degree heat. Save $150 with code BRAD150. Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor! Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD! Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad's Favorites on Amazon I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition products (for direct order or Amazon order), my library of online multimedia educational courses, great discounts from my affiliate favorites, and my recommended health&fitness p

In this Q&A, I share the story of an ultra-endurance athlete who improved their health and lowered blood pressure by adding meat to their diet, if we need to consume fat (bacon and avocado!) during ultramarathons (short answer: no!), and whether or not I recommend eating fruit and high protein every day, regardless of athletic goals? I also share the story of a couple who lost lots of excess body fat in two months by using keto and intermittent fasting and talk about the importance of looking at the big picture of heart disease risk factors and doing further testing if necessary. Finally, should longtime extreme endurance athletes consider a CAC (coronary artery calcium scan), and can fit, older athletes add five beats or more to MAF heart rate? Maybe, but as you will hear in this episode, it’s also important to be conservative with MAF. TIMESTAMPS: Joe is asking about the changes he has made in his diet and what they brought about. If he is doing marathons, ultras and Ironman, it is not a good idea to introduce fasting into his regimen as he might not be getting enough protein. [00:24] If you are concerned about weight gain, remember that protein calories are not going to add body fat. [04:18] Participation in high endurance sports, even for 25 years, can bring high blood pressure, but you can find it decreases by adding red meat into the diet. [05:19] Joe is asking Brad if he is recommending fruit and protein every day no matter where you are in your training cycle? [07:10] Remember that snacking during endurance activity is not the best time to digest foods because the blood is diverted from your digestive system into your working extremities. [09:10] Chris shares how he and his wife found amazing changes in their lives after following Brad’s information on diet. [14:13] Ideally your body measurement should look at waist to height ratio. We want the waist circumference to be less than half of your height. [17:07] Scott in Palm Springs talks about one’s heart disease risk factors. He is recommending the CAC, Coronary Artery Calcium scan, especially for long time endurance athletes. [20:04] Brian, a cyclist, is asking about adding five beats to your maximum aerobic heart rate in certain circumstances. [24:36] Fat Max is the point where you are burning the maximum number of fat calories per minute during exercise. [29:46] Brian asks about what should he do when sprinting about keeping his heart rate under or over maximum heart rate. [32:42] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Keto Cooking for Cool Dudes Carnivore Cooking for Cool Dudes Maffetone.com PrimalEndrance.fit B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet! Available in Two Delicious Flavors: Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Bean Join Brad for more fun on: Instagram: @bradkearns1 Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh Twitter: @bradleykearns YouTube: @brad.kearns TikTok: @bradkearns We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off! Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD Wild Health: Comprehensive online health consultation with blood and DNA testing, personal coaching and precision medicine. Get things dialed in! Use discount code BRAD20 for 20% off! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor! Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD! Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad's Favorites on Amazon I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition product

Having noticed the Ironman Corporation is looking for a new CEO, I decided to record an episode sharing what I would do if I were tasked with the job. This is of particular interest to me as I attended the 1989 Hawaii Ironman World Championships, which used to be held annually in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. My time of 8:57 is still the USA record for the 24 and under age group, so I haven’t had to return (thank goodness!), but it’s great to see how triathlon has grown like crazy since my days on the pro circuit (’86-’94), not to mention endurance sports in general. However, some of this growth has come at a cost to health and well-being, and there have been many complaints about over-commercialization and the extreme costs of competing. As you’ll hear during this show, there are a few specific things that I would do to improve the Ironman experience and make it more accessible for a wider group of people. Yes, Ironman, like all corporations, has a right to make a profit, however what about students or people who cannot afford the expense of competitions like Ironman? From aerobars to road cycling to drug tests, there are many improvements that could be made to this competition, so if you are an endurance athlete who wants to know what those potential improvements are, this is the episode for you. TIMESTAMPS: Much is changing in the world of triathlon. They are looking for a new CEO for the Ironman corporation. [00:24] Brad shares his experience of putting on several events himself. His take on the increases of entry fees seems fair. [05:18] If Brad were the CEO of the Ironman corporation, he would make the distance shorter. [10:30] The Ironman was started in 1978 by a bunch of drunken sailors coming up with random distances. Why is it held in such high esteem when it actually compromises the athlete’s health? [11:46] People with tattoo of Ironman on their body should get paid as a sponsor. [17:25] AS CEO, Brad would ban Aero Bars for recreational athletes along with banning road cycling. [19:04] Drug testing is controversial, especially for amateurs. [30:05] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit B.rad Whey Protein Isolate Superfuel (Now Available in Cocoa Bean) Join Brad for more fun on: Instagram: @bradkearns1 Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh Twitter: @bradleykearns YouTube: @brad.kearns TikTok: @bradkearns We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life: Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! GAINSWave: Enhance sexual function with high frequency shockwave therapy. Buy 6 and get one treatment free with code: BRAD Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD. Also enroll in my Cold Plunge online course! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity. New Cocoa Bean flavor! Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD! Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad's Favorites on Amazon I have a newly organized shopping experience at BradKearns.com/Shop. Visit here and you can navigate to my B.rad Nutrition products (for direct order or Amazon order), my library of online multimedia educational courses, great discounts from my affiliate favorites, and my recommended health&fitness products on Amazon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m so pleased to welcome Mark Allen back to the show! Mark, “The Grip,” is also the greatest triathlete of all time, and he’s here today to share many of his unique insights and spiritual approach to grueling endurance sports. Mark, a contemporary of mine from the triathlon circuit, is now one of the most prominent coaches in the triathlon scene today. Get ready for a wide-ranging conversation that covers everything from Mark’s early racing days and the things he would do differently knowing what he knows now to the adjustments he had to make at the end of his career to doping in elite sports. As the conversation winds along, you’ll get to hear more of the spiritual side of Mark that he has become known for as he talks about the many years he has spent working with a Huichol healer and the retreats they put on together, as well as what he has learned from the time he has spent with other native Huichol people in Mexico. Even if you are not a triathlete, the insights you will get from this show can be applied to all our peak performance goals in life! TIMESTAMPS: Mark Allen is here to talk about his career, his current coaching career, the new technology, and what he might do differently now in his triathlon career. [00:24] The COVID gap with no Ironman championship races allowed athletes to hone their skills. [04:53] At Kona they separated the men’s race from the women’s race so on Saturday, the first athlete to cross the line was a woman. [07:11] Is the recent testing for drugs an isolated case? [14:34] Mark has what he describes as the “second season” where the recovery is separated from his racing season. How do you continue the fitness without burning out? [20:17] Overreaching is doing workouts where you’re going just a little bit beyond where your fitness is. [23:57] The unseen injury is fatigue. Superhero to zero. The first thing to go is swimming. [26:24] Another symptom of extreme overtraining is abnormally high HRV. [31:21] If Mark could turn back the clock and take all the new knowledge he has acquired as a coach, would he do anything differently in his racing? [32:36] The bottom line in this competitive sport is you have to focus on recovery so as not to be destructive to your body. [37:46] One thing Mark would have done differently in order to go faster is to cut out some of the training that he did early. [41:57] The technology in this sport has progressed. [50:40] Training with Tridot takes all of the data on you and it is analyzed in a non-biased way. {57:42] Technology has taken over our ability to daydream and to focus. [01:00:58] There is a difference between being a very successful competitor and being somebody who is very successful in competition. [01:07:17] Brad asked Mark : Would you say that the endurance is in your blood? Or were you using your endurance sports as a vehicle for personal growth and challenge? [01:11:18] For anybody out there who is maybe not exercising at all or as much as they want, and when they do it's uncomfortable, it doesn't feel good. You want to back off, you want to cut your workout short because you're not feeling good from it, get it done anyway and do it tomorrow and do it the next day and do it the next day. And at some point soon, it won't take long. [01:16:35] Mark has spent time with the Huichol people in Central Mexico experiencing their ancient ways. He used that experience to transition into this non-competitive life. [01:18:49] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Tridot.com Join Brad for more fun on: Instagram: @bradkearns1 Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh Twitter: @bradleykearns YouTube: @brad.kearns TikTok: @bradkearns We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.r

I’m bringing you a lively conversation with Brian Keane today, host of the Brian Keane Podcast, author of two best-selling books, The Fitness Mindset and Rewire Your Mindset, and a former teacher turned one of the top online fitness coaches in Ireland and the UK, who has transformed thousands of lives and physiques in the process. In this show, we talk about how our mindset often gets in the way of our best-laid plans and goals, especially to drop excess body fat (Brian’s expertise). You’ll hear about Brian’s amazing journey, which includes some phenomenal endurance performances and a variety of athletic experiences like bodybuilding, Crossfit, and Gaelic football, why Brian decided to become an extreme endurance athlete, a bunch of practical tips to help you get your mindset right, and all the tools and systems you need to succeed with fat reduction. We then end the show with three wonderful tips from Brian to help you get started right away in any area you may have struggled with in the past. Check out Brian’s podcast (linked below), and his books The Fitness Mindset, which teaches you how to find the foods that work best for you and how to eat to increase energy, lose fat and build lean muscle, and build the body you’ve always wanted, and Rewire Your Mindset, which teaches you how to own your thoughts, control your thoughts, and change your life. TIMESTAMPS: Brian tells his story of getting involved in sports after realizing he didn’t want to be in the career he had prepared for. You are not a tree. You can move wherever you want. [01:36] His very first event was the Marathon des Sables, probably the world’s toughest race. [07:23] Brian ran a race to the Arctic Circle. What was the course and the logistics of the race? It was 230 Km over five days. [15:43] How did he get his mindset in the right place to take on such a big challenge as the Marathon des Sables? [20:32] Does Brian think that though he is capable of such high achievements, it makes him more prone to these deep struggles that come even when he’s outwardly successful as opposed to someone who's just steady going and maybe they have a rough day? [24:19] For your guide in life, ask yourself: “What would you do for free?” [28:30] How does one’s mindset influence one’s fitness goals? [30:24] When you become metabolically flexible, you are less likely to be a slave to food. [36:17] Disordered eating makes you feel sometimes like you are handcuffed to food. [38:19] Brian is sure that his becoming keto-adapted and fat adapted delivered performance benefits in his ultramarathons. Your body cannot digest food if the blood is going to fuel the muscles. [42:22] Health, wellness, and fitness is a trifecta of nutrition, training and sleep. [47:54] Sleep tends to get pushed aside a lot. People just don’t understand how very important it is. [50:58] Using social media keeps you accountable. You need to be real and authentic. [56:02] What are three or four tips one can implement right away to make a dent in their challenge with their body fat reduction? [01:00:44] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit The Fitness Mindset Rewire Your Mindset Marathon des Sables Podcast with Dr. Joan Ifland Brad’s Cold Exposure Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Re-introducing Primal Endurance Online Mastery Course! Host Brad Kearns introduces the Primal Endurance Online Multimedia Mastery Course - everything you need to succeed as a Primal Endurance athlete. Ditch carbohydrate dependency and become a fat burning beast with this comprehensive educational experience consisting of over 120 videos, the Primal Endurance eBook and unabridged audio book, and numerous other audio presentations and complementary eBooks. The videos bring the book to life as course host Brad Kearns discusses chapter-by-chapter content, both in lecture format and practical instruction (recipe videos, running technique instruction, mobility and recovery exercises, etc.). Brad traveled the continent to interview the world's leading endurance athletes, coaches, and trainers and experts in peak performance, nutrition, and medicine. All the material is thoughtfully organized and you have instant and permanent access to this robust educational library! There is simply nothing comparable ever developed to help you succeed with your endurance goals, and gain guidance and insights from the world's leading experts all in one place. Brad talks through the components of the course, and you can also get a feel for the course material with the "9 Steps to Becoming a Primal Endurance athlete" series of free videos. LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) PrimalEndrance.fit Primal Endurance Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the final installment in this eight-part series covering the 115 things you need to know as a Primal Endurance athlete. In the previous seven shows, we discussed aerobic training and how to build your aerobic base, using the method of periodization to minimize the overall stress load on your body, how to escape Active Couch Potato Syndrome, and more, and in this episode, it’s all about recovery. Tune in if you want to learn about the most effective methods for recovery—what to do, what not to do, what speeds up recovery, how to know when to rest, how to ensure your muscles recover quickly, how to engage in cold therapy appropriately, and more! TIMESTAMPS: You must build that aerobic conditioning base in order to reach your potential in endurance sport. [01:18] Periodization is dividing your training into period where you emphasize different types of workouts. [02:03] Primal eating means to escape from the trap of carb dependency. [04:51] Strength training and sprint make a huge contribution to the improvement of endurance athletes. [05:48] Sleep, walking, moving frequently, and lifting heavy things are all lifestyle practices that improve your all-around fitness. [07:01] There are many activities that aid in your recovery. Cold therapy is one that should have a place in the regimen of a hard-training athlete. [09:41] The old injury treatment of RICE is being replaced by ECM which means elevate, compress, and move. We now find that icing of injuries can retard the natural healing process. [14:44] The overall recovery for both mind and body works better at a leisurely pace. [18:24] Compression wraps or garments act like pumps to squeeze blood vessels open with force, allowing more blood and oxygen into the area. [21:06] Get your replenishment going as soon as your workout is over. Be sure to hydrate with a bit of salt. [22:13] Movement is also an important element of recovery. [25:56] For your post-workout refueling, focus on getting wholesome nutritious food. [28:56] Using rollers or balls can apply deep pressure to trigger points that represent the origination of stiffness and mobility problems. [30:23] If you are in the fight or flight state during a workout with increased heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, you will want begin chilling out. Focus on your breath. [34:56] Release your attachment to the outcome. Relax, be patient with the process of fitness. Take what your body gives you each day and nothing more. [38:18] Heart rate variability is an excellent method of monitoring your state of stress and recovery. [43:39] A metronomic heartbeat is a sign of overstress and more variation indicates that you are fit, healthy and well balanced. [52:12] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Brad’s Cold Exposure Move Your DNA Breath Oxygen Advantage BradBeat HRV Primal Endurance Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been YEARS since we did a Q&A show on Primal Endurance (including the podcast being on pause from 2019 to 2022). We have some excellent and widely relevant questions, including: Can I raise my MAF training heart rate if I feel comfortable? A listener asks about ketogenic endurance training—yes, it can prompt quick benefits in metabolic flexibility and escaping carb dependency, but can it become too stressful over time? Other questions include: how to proceed comfortably with minimalist footwear, is striving for maximum cellular energy status to support performance and recovery the most sensible and effective longevity strategy for healthy, active, fit enthusiasts?, and if practicing nasal diaphragmatic minimized breathing can confer a performance advantage with increased O2 delivery and less workout stress. Enjoy, and please contribute to the conversation by emailing [email protected]! TIMESTAMPS: Heather is rather new to the sport of triathlon. She finds it difficult to stick with the slower heart rate in her training. Is that okay? Brad explains why the MAF rate is so important. [00:24] Brad would strongly urge everyone listening to reject the obsession with pace per mile and just train according to your heart rate and according to the desired duration of your workouts. [08:02] You should look at it as three types of workouts: key workouts, break even workouts, and recovery workouts. [10:10] Heather also asks: Should I opt for fast walking until improvement in my aerobic fitness allow for a jogging pace? The heart rate is the focus. [14:07] Same Heather, different area of concern, asking about diet. Keto diet is stressful. The main benefit is getting rid of processed carbohydrates that are difficult to digest and interfere with your body's ability to burn energy internally. [18:54] The elevation of resting heart rate from combining keto and endurance training is a red flag. [25:45] Stacy Clark is a very active athlete at age 59, asking about her training regimen and whether she should do some faster runs or sprinting maybe once a week. [28:29] Ryan Baxter talks about getting away from devotion to fasting or low carb and keto and going to good sensible intake of nutritious foods that fuel his performance and recovery goals. He added an additional 700 calories per day and gained no weight. [35:17] The single most powerful intervention to promote longevity is exercise. If you fast for 48 hours, you get wonderful benefits but you can get the same benefit from doing an intense one-hour workout. [40:48] Breathing is playing an important role. If the muscle is not getting enough oxygen, the muscle will burn glucose rather than fat. [47:07] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Brad’s Running Technique Running Drills for Beginners Carnivore Score Food Ranking Chart Peluva.com Outlive Why I Stopped Fasting (Mutzel) Oxygen Advantage shiftadapt.com Podcast on breathing Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part seven of this multi-part presentation covering 115 key insights about the Primal Endurance approach, we’re talking about a very important (but often neglected) part of performing, recovering, and preserving your health—complementary movement and lifestyle practices. As you will hear, the centerpiece of these practices is of course, sleep, but in this show, I present the idea that getting adequate sleep is not as simple as putting in the prerequisite number of hours every night—there are a lot of peripheral variables here, including the quality of the sleep that you get, the environment you sleep in, and even the time of year (sleep requirements vary depending on the seasons). Since everything flows downstream from getting adequate sleep, sleep quality is crucial, so you don’t want to miss this episode—if your sleep is not entirely optimal, this can show up as sub-optimal thyroid, cortisol, or inflammatory markers (it can also affect sex hormones like testosterone, etc). TIMESTAMPS: When you look at healthy fitness goals, everything flows downstream from getting adequate sleep. It is more than just getting the requisite number of hours every night. [00:24] There is a small percentage of people who have a gene that allows them to get by just fine on fewer hours of sleep, but there is a large percentage of people who wrongly believe they have that gene. [03:53] It is important to have quiet and darkness in your sleeping room. [08:41] Optimal sleep starts with minimizing artificial light and digital stimulation allowing for circadian influence that makes you feel sleepy. [11:43] To feel fresh and energetic in the morning get outdoors and expose yourself to direct light…..then have you cup of coffee if you want. [12:48] Keep your evenings as mellow as possible and dimly lit. [17:33] Waking up perky in the morning indicates that you have had a good night’s sleep. [19:23] An ideal sleeping environment is quiet and clutter-free and cool. [21:13] Napping is a good way to catch up on your evening sleep deficiencies. And to fire up your cognitive function. [25:32] The Active Couch Potato Syndrome is a real problem where athletes think can minimize activity for the rest of the day after a workout. [29:19] Walking is the centerpiece of recovery. Extended periods of sitting can compromise musculoskeletal function, cellular health, and cardio function. [32:46] Research shows that even a 20-minute period of stillness can decrease your body’s operation and cognitive function. [35:28] Cardiovascular fitness is the ability to challenge the heart and certain muscles to perform extreme athletic efforts in order to deliver oxygen to all cells of your body. [37:07] Create variation in your work environment. It takes more than a stand-up desk. [39:27] Brain science confirms that humans are incapable of focusing for longer than 20 minutes without a break. [43:00] Complimentary movements like Yoga and Pilates improve athletic performance. They also provide a calming balance to high stress workouts. [45:05] Play is a critical stress release from the pressures, schedules and responsibilities of daily life. Play can take many forms. [48:10] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) PrimalEndrance.fit Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Lights Out Sleep, Sugar and Survival Marick Health Huberman Lab Brad Kearns’s Morning Routine Brad’s First Simpler Morning Routine Red-colored flashlight Dr. Jack Kruse Podcast, part 1 Dr. Jack Kruse Podcast, part 2 Eight Sleep mattresses Take a Nap! Change Your Life Move Your DNA Ready State.com Mark Bell Podcast The Primal Blueprint The Primal Connection QUOTES: "A good night's sleep starts first thing in the morning with getting outdoors." Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed an

This episode is a syndicate from the B.rad Podcast where I catch up with the legendary Dave Scott! Dave is a 6-time Hawaii Ironman world champion and respected coach, and in this show, we talk about endurance training, savoring the small victories and not just the big ones, the importance of having hobbies and other interests, how to know when you need to cut back on training and the mental toll it takes, what he does to feel fulfilled, and much more! TIMESTAMPS: Does Dave Scott take the opportunity to reflect back on how really awesome his career at Ironman was? [02:40] Dave recalls how brutal the races were back in the day. [05:15] Is it a possibility to be a well-adjusted but extremely competitive athlete? A well-rounded athlete will have some diversions besides the striving for success in the sport. [07:57] How has the transition from the competitor on top of the field to coaching been for Dave? [12:33] Dave has had some heart concerns but keeps up a pretty good exercise regimen. You can’t go “kind of hard” all the time. [18:06] How do the athletes and equipment of today’s athletes compare with the former years? Dave thinks the new shoes should be banned! [21:49] Today’s athletes are more sensible with monitoring the hearts rates and understanding that “kind of hard” is to be modulated. [33:55] It makes no sense to run a marathon close to a week before doing Ironman. [36:35] At what point do you bestow the distinction of being fit versus someone who is less fit metabolically? [41:22] Everything varies by athlete and their goals. What is an “easy day” of training? [44:21] A heavy diet of carbs was not optimal. Many people look thin but have lost muscle mass. [48:30] We need to regulate our metabolic rate by having a bigger block of protein, whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner. Grazing is not as good. [51:29] It is easy to mis-estimate the amount of protein you are eating. Is there a danger in ingesting too much protein? [55:32] Today’s dietary strategy is still a mess. [01:06:19] At the end of a tough training day, is there a justification to going and trying to maximize intake of all the macronutrients? [01:10:07] Many of the bars on the market are toxic. [01:123:50] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Dave Scott Train with Dave Scott Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m so pleased to introduce a very interesting guest to the show, my old friend Gordo Byrn. A prolific blogger and Tweeter on his favorite subjects, family, fitness, and finances, Gordo also writes two newsletters: Gordo Byrn’s Endurance Essentials (focused on training, anti-aging, peak performance, longevity, being strong and fit physically and mentally) and True Wealth (family, parenting, being self-reflective about how you spent time, and the true meaning of health). One theme of this show is self-reflectiveness—Gordo is a deep thinker and has experienced many transitions throughout his career, has lived all over the world, and has performed and trained at a level few others have ever matched. Enjoy listening to this conversation as we talk about parenting, training, aging gracefully, and being prudent with financial decisions and how to align those decisions up with your career goals, dreams, and values. TIMESTAMPS: Gordo’s fascinating journey has gone from high finance to endurance sports, coaching to family man. He brings wisdom to all areas of life. [00:23] Realizing that he couldn’t make a living in triathlon, Gordo spent time with family where he got out of shape, and now continues to work on staying fit. [07:16] Many people in finance and in the corporate lifestyle, make a mistake in that they view spending as quality of life. [10:57] If you have potential for something and enjoy the process, you can get to the top. You can learn physical skills late in life. [12:59] Teach yourself and teach your kids de-escalation and persistence. [19:30] Do the personality attributes of a competitive athlete transfer over to parenting skills? [24:42] If you are a Type A person very competitive, you may find you are competing in everything. So chose your game carefully. [32:00] Athletics can help fill the void when you feel that empty nest. Metabolic fitness is important for healthy aging. [34:50] If you are a new athlete or coming to a new sport, ignore the optimal program. It will hurt you. Think about quickness, strength and stamina. [39:05] Running has weightbearing bone-density benefits. [45:41] There should be a pendulum between strength and endurance. [45:41] It’s not a good idea to make your body bigger than it wants to be or have too much extreme exercise. [54:36] If it is not enjoyable for you, it is too intense. Time is the ultimate asset. [59:45] When you are a big spender, you are much less wealthy than you think. [01:05:30] There is a huge percentage of people living paycheck to paycheck. They don’t have the luxury of changing direction like Gordo did. A lot of our spending and a lot of our goals come from the environment that we put ourselves in [01:08:55] We tend to pass our unfinished business to our children. How do we define success? You cannot make your child a champion. [01:13:39] You may not have as much influence on your kids as you hope or wish. Your actions are going to be stronger than your words. [01:20:18] In the Ironman in Hawaii, the times keep improving. Improved bicycles and other things are at play. [01:22:25] LINKS: PrimalEndrance.fit Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Gordo Byrn's Endurance Essentials Can You Make a Living Doing That? Thousand day pacing.com True Wealth Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part six of this multi-part presentation covering 115 key insights about the Primal Endurance approach, we focus on the category of strength training and sprinting—an area many devoted athletes tend to fall short in, despite their importance and effectiveness, as they can deliver tremendous performance improvement in a relatively short time—if done properly. But when you disregard them, this leaves a lot of potential on the table. There are many reasons athletes end up avoiding strength training and sprinting (which I will cover in this episode), but part of honoring the Primal Endurance approach is including these complimentary workouts and improving your aerobic function—and this episode will reveal how you can do that most effectively. TIMESTAMPS: Strength training and sprinting will be covered in the “need to know” podcast.This is where a lot of devoted endurance athletes fall short and don't integrate these important types of workouts into their pattern. [00:25] Improving your aerobic function will give you the most bang for your buck. [02:23] Your body is forced to recruit the oxidative fast twitch muscle fibers. There are two types of these muscle fibers. One type is for explosive behaviors and the other more for longer duration. [05:42] Doing some core work in the gym is important. If your core becomes fatigued when you are racing, you start to exhibit poor posture, your stride length shortens and you start to get tensions and aches in your lower back. [08:32] Strength training can help athletes identify functional weaknesses. [10:57] Many endurance athletes err by conducting what is called blended workouts. [13:01] Endurance athletes with excellent cardiovascular endurance should focus on brief high intensity strength training sessions that increase raw strength and explosiveness. [16:39] An extensive rest is appropriate and necessary to be explosive during the workout. [21:38] Focus on brief high intensity sessions maintaining excellent technique. Strength declines more steeply than endurance with aging. Muscle strength correlates with healthy organ function. [22:41] Primal essential movements represent a safe, simple effective, full-body workout sequence. [26:01] Maximum sustained power training represents a cutting-edge strategy to improve absolute power and explosiveness. [28:07] Get good at sprinting, and you get good at everything. Also helps with anti-aging. [31:36] One of the most important benefits of sprinting is how it cuts you up like nothing else. [34:56] A huge element of successful sprinting is you go there with a sprinter’s mindset that you are there to deliver. Use a consistent quality of similar time and perceived effort with sprinting workout. [38:41] Sprinting in a pre-fatigued state is harmful for muscles and the central nervous system. [39:57] A proper warmup entails dynamic movements that elevate your body temperature and lubricate your joints. Afterwards get a deliberate cool down. [42:01] Running is the best sprinting choice because of the benefits of weight-bearing intense activity. [43:23] The rest interval between sprints should be sufficient to ensure that respiration returns to near normal, muscles feel reinvigorated and mental energy is refreshed. [45:10] LINKS: PrimalEndrance.fit Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Podcast with Robb Wolf Podcast with Cynthia Monteleone Brad’s video on proper skipping form Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See o

If you want to learn from the best, you can’t get any better than Eliud Kipchoge. In this episode, I deconstruct the marathon world record and training patterns of the greatest long-distance runner of all time, the greatest marathon runner of all time, and one of the greatest endurance athletes and humans of all time. I talk about how Eliud balances consistency and discipline with consciously trying to never exceed 80% of his capacity during training, because his goal is to save his energy for races instead. As you’ll hear, Kipchoge rarely exceeds the MAF pace formulated by Dr. Phil Maffetone, who actually predicted that Kipchoge would become the greatest marathoner in history by training easier than other elite marathoners. Tune in to hear me break down how he trains, runs 110-120 miles a week with discipline and joy, and never gets sick or injured. There is a lot to gain from emulating Eliud’s sensible approach, especially when you consider that the cover of the book Primal Endurance says: “Slow down to go faster.” This episode will teach you how to actually do that. TIMESTAMPS: Eluid Kipchoge broke the marathon record by running under two hours. [00:24] Kipchoge’s training principles are unique. [02:14] Marathon running has become so popular that it enables us ordinary runners to learn lessons about our own capacity. [05:39] The doping problem is still out there, but efforts are being made to handle it. [09:50] Kipchoge never goes over the edge of breakdown but he works hard and consistently. HJe doesn’t exceed his MAF heartrate. [12:53] The state of organized running in America, especially for youth, is disastrous. The abuse of young runners must stop. [25:40] Some interesting quotes from Kipchoge are below: [29:28] Motivation plus discipline equals consistency. Learn to embrace this mindset of slow pace and relaxed training. [30:30] QUOTES from Kipchoge: “Only the disciplined ones in life are free.” “If you are undisciplined, you are a slave to your moods and your passions.” “It's not about the legs, it's about the heart and mind.” “The best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is today.” LINKS: PrimalEndrance.fit Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Ready to Run Seven Habits of Highly Effective People A case for Eliud Kipchoge (Magness) Fartlek Run NY Times: Kipchoge is greatest marathoner ever Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this rebroadcast episode I catch up with the legendary Dave Scott, 6-time Hawaii Ironman world champion and respected coach of both elite professional and amateur multisport enthusiasts. Dave brings his knowledge of the science of nutrition and exercise physiology to give you incredible insights into cutting-edge science and the competitive mindset of a champion athlete. You’ll hear Dave describe his transition from being a major high-carb pioneer back in the 80’s to his current support of primal/paleo/ketogenic eating patterns. You will learn about the science behind keto and the protective health and heart benefits the keto diet offers that can help with potential damage caused by strenuous training. Dave also gives his opinion on the “intensity vs. volume” debate by describing why it’s such a mistake to go “kinda hard” on a regular basis and how this puts your health at serious risk. Dave also shares his unique methods of introducing an assortment of distinct interval patterns that help to cleanse your cardiovascular system, which protects it from damage caused by excessive, “ kinda hard” endurance workouts, as well as why he advocates strength training year-round for endurance athletes. LINKS: PrimalEndrance.fit Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page DaveScottInc.com Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to part 5 of a multi-part presentation covering 115 key insights about the Primal Endurance approach, divided into six categories: Aerobic Training, Periodization, Primal Eating, Strength and Sprint Training, Complementary Movement And Lifestyle Practices, and Recovery. You can access the whole list by downloading a free eBook at PrimalEndurance.fit, and in this episode, I continue down the list by starting with #26 (carb dependency). I talk about the link between leaky gut and extreme endurance training, what happens to your body when you become highly carb-dependent, how the appetite-stimulating properties in processed foods actually cause you to eat a shocking amount of additional calories a day, how to make the transition away from carb dependency easier, how restrictive diets affect your body and performance, and much more! Thanks for listening and stay tuned for part 6. LINKS: PrimalEndrance.fit Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final part of this three-part presentation on all aspects of overtraining, you will learn tips for returning to training with a refreshing new outlook and approach, how to heal, and how to ensure that this never happens again! As you will hear, the key is adopting a new process—a fully intuitive approach. Yes, this entails “listening to your body” but it also means applying high-level reasoning and critical thinking to your training decisions. This includes being able to recognize when you occasionally need to back off—even when you’re feeling great—and learning how to emphasize recovery as the centerpiece of your training program, instead of letting it be an afterthought, (listen to my podcast with Joel Jamieson for more details). An important element of this approach is minimizing chronic post-exercise muscle soreness, as this is a definite sign that you have been pushing beyond your current capabilities and/or have functional weaknesses and imbalances that can be addressed by adding new exercises to your regimen. You will also learn how to determine when it’s time to return to training when you are chomping at the bit and why you should stay away from establishing arbitrary timelines to what is a very delicate process—rejuvenating your mind and body after burnout. TIMESTAMPS: Part one and part two covered stress response in the body and discussed the symptoms of over-reaching. [02:24] A variation in beat-to-beat intervals is representative of being rested, having a strong cardiovascular system and a healthy sympathetic to parasympathetic balance. [04:13] Don’t over-train. Use your motivation, discipline, resilience to make good decisions. [06:00 It takes many, many years of experience to learn the hard way about applying that intuition into your stress/rest balance of daily life. [08:44] You may over-train and get exhausted. The first step is psychological acceptance. “Okay, I screwed up.” Then do not pinpoint an arbitrary time to return to action [09:36] There may come a time when you have to reevaluate your goals. You may learn it is time to give up and pursue other activities. Your extra time can be devoted to extra sleep as a payback on the sleep debt you have accumulated over the past years. [12:58] Functional medicine is an avenue you might want to explore. [14:50] Exercise can wait until you really are passionate about returning rather than getting back because you think you “should”. When you do start out, do half effort. [18:35] The basic principles of the Primal Blueprint are: move frequently at a slow pace, lift heavy things and sprint once in a while. [20:19] If you feel crappy after a “good” workout, you probably overdid it. Muscle soreness is a sign that you overdid it. [25:44] The over-training pattern can truly be career ending and when you are a chronically overtrained athlete, you are shortening your lifespan. [29:46] It is important to remember, if you are struggling, that the genetic differences we have are profound and some people can simply tolerate more stress than others. [36:10] Just aspire to do your best. [39:52] LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Primal Health Coach.com Nourish Balance Thrive Podcast with Chris Kelly Big Book of Endurance Training Podcast with Craig Marker Podcast with Phil Maffetone The Primal Blueprint Podcast with Joel Jamieson Running on Empty One Running Shoe The Weight of Gold QUOTES: "When you're deciding how to train, take what your body gives you each day and don't try to force more." Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for pri

This episode was inspired by a quote I read in a New York Times article about Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who, at only 21 years old, is at the very top of the world. This quote was one of the most impactful things I had ever heard about athletic training: “Jakob Ingebrigtsen estimates that he seldom pushes himself beyond 87% of his maximum effort in workouts. Yes, 87%, so he can preserve the best of himself on race day.” If you think 87% doesn’t sound like it would do that much, check out his races on YouTube and you will see how he shoots straight to the front and dares anyone to pass him—Jakob manages to wear out the greatest runners on the planet by using his strategic and very powerful running strategy at his preferred distance of 1,500 meters. This show will walk you through all of Jakob’s specific training methods, and I share how his methods were actually designed by his father and two brothers (who also are quite impressive champions themselves) to formulate this uniquely effective training program—one that is notably different from the traditional model that we’re all used to. TIMESTAMPS: Jakob Ingebrigsten estimates that he seldom pushes himself beyond 87% of maximum effort in workouts. [00:24] The Ingebrigsten team has very unique training strategies. Training at or even a bit below anaerobic threshold can be highly effective to teach your body to buffer lactate more effectively. [03:06] The athletes are very careful to work at or below that threshold, knowing that there is an extreme cost to pay in terms of recovery when you go too hard. [07:30] Jakob, at age 16, broke the four minutes mile. [09:18] Most of us are working relatively too hard. [12:20] Jakob rarely runs an individual workout for over one hour. [16:48] Eluid Kipchoge has a similar protocol for training although his distances differ from Jakob’s. [20:42] How can you apply this 87% idea to your own training? [29:52] Be sure you end any type of vigorous or stressful session well under an hour. The brain does not have to be trained to suffer. [33:44] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Jakob Ingebrigsten on youtube Ingebrigsten Reality Show Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to part two of this series on all aspects of overtraining. In this episode, you will learn about an assortment of symptoms that will help you get better at identifying the tenuous state of overreaching, and you’ll also hear about the various symptoms that are indications to your body when it is in a state of overtraining/burnout. Finally, I present a strategy for effectively recovering from overtraining, including how to avoid it in the first place by making intuitive evaluations of your present condition and behavior patterns and then taking corrective action. TIMESTAMPS: We have many chronic stressors in our every-day life, some of which we aren’t aware. [00:24] One of the symptoms indicating you are overreaching and overtraining is your heart rate variability. [03:48] After an intense workout, it is time for some diaphragmatic or parasympathetic breathing. [05:17] The MAF test is probably the most important indicator of you heart working best. [08:12] Dysregulated energy in everyday life can be when you work out, feel fine, do some more workouts and then in the afternoon you start to drag. Then sometimes you get a second wind. [11:24] Another signal that you may be overreaching is slight immune disturbances and inflammatory disturbances. [14:47] Cramping, twitching and other hyper-movements are indications of overstimulation or imbalance in sympathetic function. [16:43] The skin is really sensitive to stress. [17:28] Frequent urination, especially at nighttime is a big deal. [18:03] Decreased libido and erectile dysfunction can also indicate a problem even though you are performing well in workouts. [19:58] Many elite female athletes are trading in reproductive fitness for performance. [20:54] Next on the list of dangerous signs is insomnia. [22:51] Dietary irregularities and digestive disturbances are a sign of overreaching. [23:52] If you find your mood has changed to irritability, impatience, crankiness, it could be an indication of overtraining. [25:59] The symptoms of burnout cannot be ignored. Recognize these things in yourself and remedy them as soon as possible. [29:01] The digestive system is particularly sensitive and vulnerable. [31:36] Long COVID has been prevalent among endurance athletes. [36:35] We always want to speak in terms of balance when it comes to stress and rest. [38:31] If you are not getting joy and satisfaction from your activity, you could be in burnout. [43:52] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Overtraining, Part 1 BradBeat HRV Tracker One Running Shoe Running on Empty C N S Tap Test Podcast with Joel Jamieson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m pleased to welcome to the show Shelby Houlian—one of the greatest female distance runners in the world. She is an American record holder at 5000 meters, an 11 time US national champion, and an extraordinary competitor, so it’s going to be great to hear about her dedication, focus, and how she builds muscle mass. You will also hear about a highly-publicized and extremely dramatic setback she endured when she was hit with a doping violation—an ordeal that she has been forced to reckon with, and one that has made her grow tremendously as a person since this injustice has been heaped on her by the anti-doping authorities in global sports. While we do acknowledge that we have had a massive problem in modern sports with doping and cheating, you will find out in this episode exactly why Shelby is such a unique case, and why she was someone who was a victim of a system, but not a cheater. TIMESTAMPS: Shelby Houlihan is a great athlete who, unfortunately, experienced a major setback in her career when accused of doping. [00:01] By understanding Shelby’s ordeal, we hope to shed a light on the flaws in the system of the anti-doping establishment. [02:19] Unfortunately, she bought a burrito. [07:02] The public hates cheaters and Shelby has had to deal with the distrust in herself and others. [20:17] She had little recourse in fighting to decrease her four-year ban. [29:10] Is it possible that some of the members of the anti-doping establishment are in it for the wrong reasons? [40:48] Having to put her dreams aside, how is Shelby processing this setback? [43:24] She felt empowered when she was able to say “They can’t take my love of running away from me.” [51:52] Running by herself has been most difficult. [55:06] She cannot officially train with other runners as part of her suspension. [01:01:13] How clean is the world of sport these days? [01:05:12] As an athlete ages, does the odometer theory come into play? [01:14:51] How is Shelby supporting herself after spending money on attorneys and losing her sponsors. [01:20:00] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Shelby Houlihan on YouTube Shelby Houlihan talking about her case PrimalEndrance.fit Shelby on Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to a three-part presentation that walks you through every aspect of overtraining. You will hear an overview of how the stress response occurs in the body, and how it affects it; as well as the ways that the nature and pacing of hectic, high stress modern life have resulted in a terrible disconnect from our human genetic expectations for health. You’ll also learn just how much our ruminating minds can actually contribute to burnout, just like stressful personal or work circumstances or overly-stressful training patterns. You’ll also hear about the state of “overreaching”—a precursor to overtraining where you are capable of peak performance, but running on borrowed time and headed straight for burnout. TIMESTAMPS: In our athletic endeavors, it is easy to make both simple and complex mistakes that can set you back. [00:24] If we think a negative or fearful thought, we can elicit a stress response in the body. Stimulus, perception, and response are the three aspects of stress. [01:27] We don’t want to have a fight or flight response every single day. [03:28] Our body always want to regulate itself. [07:19] Too little stress is unhealthy and leads to boredom and malaise. [09:46] Generally, our hunter gatherer ancestors lived a pretty sedate life compared to our modern hectic-paced life. [12:06] Many people assume that they have balance in their life, however, trips to the gym for a hard workout is unable to diffuse the stress from your workday stresses. [15:04] Be careful proudly pronouncing yourself as a Type A person. That expression originated with people with elevated heart disease risk. [18:11] Fasting is extremely stressful. Cold plunge overdone or staying in sauna too long are dangerous. [20:10] It has been cited that todays’ extreme elite athletes are working six times as hard as any type of ancestral experience causing many problems with digestive function and immune function. [25:34] Fat is a clean burning fuel whereas carbohydrate is considered a dirty burning fuel. A chronically stressful lifestyle is directly associated with a carbohydrate dependency. [26:54] What’s happening with burnout? It’s important to recognize that lifestyle itself causes some of the illness. [32:20] Overreaching is that temporary high that’s afforded by the chronic overproduction of stress hormones in the bloodstream. [38:38] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Podcast with Dr. Bruce Lipton Biology of Belief Brad’s cold plunge video Primal Endurance Two Meals a Day One Running Shoe Running on Empty Paleo Thyroid Solution PrimalEndrance.fit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a pleasure to connect with the legendary author and investigative journalist David Epstein (who wrote one of my favorite books ever, The Sports Gene) for this episode! Our conversation ranges from the validity of the 10,000 Hour Rule (you’ll hear David dispel the accuracy of the science behind the concept) to the role our genetics play in sports and performance to the concept of practice variability, and David also shares that he’s looking at writing a book on the specialization in youth sports. TIMESTAMPS: David Epstein is an investigative journalist reporting many aspects in the sports world including the role of genetics in sports. [00:27] If you spend 10,000 practice hours on something, can you become a master at it? [07:09] There is a concept called practice variability which is not focusing on just one skill. [11:52] Genetics plays a big role in high level athletics. Some people have a compulsive desire to train. [16:30] Many people become afraid to go against the traditional approach to training. [27:16] When we see these exceptional feats in sports, we assume it is their natural God-given gift that allows them this performance. Not so simple. [29:37] Usain Bolt’s training has been varied. There are no secrets or templates. [30:17] Epstein, while investigating doping in the sports world, found he had to deal with much controversy. [38:28] Dave is looking at writing a book on the specialization in youth sports. [46:21] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit The Sports Gene Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World ProPublica DavidEpstein.com thompsonriverranch.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to part 4 of a multi-part presentation covering 115 key insights about the Primal Endurance approach, divided into six categories: Aerobic Training, Periodization, Primal Eating, Strength and Sprint Training, Complementary Movement And Lifestyle Practices, and Recovery. To read the complete list, download the free eBook at PrimalEndurance.fit. In this episode, I cover items 1-25 under the category of Primal Eating, starting with the many problems caused by the Standard American Diet and why it leads to lifelong insidious weight gain, chronic inflammation, and elevated disease risk factors. You will hear how refined grains and sugar products prompt the production of endotoxins in the gut, and how these internally manufactured toxins promote inflammation and inhibit ATP energy production, leading to overeating and poor performance. You’ll also learn why carrying excess body fat in spite of careful attention to diet and a high volume of training hours can largely be attributed to inhibited energy production (aka carbohydrate dependency), how chronic training patterns can lead to thyroid and adrenal problems and a lack of energy in daily life, and why weight loss strategies like portion control and devoted calorie burning is ineffective. I reveal why the secret to weight loss is actually hormone optimization, which foods are best to eat for performance and recovery, and why even lean people can still suffer from the negative health consequences of carbohydrate dependency, like chronic inflammation, oxidative damage, and accelerated aging and disease risk factors. Finally, we talk about ketosis and Intermittent Fasting, and how I.F. can be used to accelerate fat loss, fine tune insulin sensitivity, and improve cellular repair for an anti-aging, immune-boosting effect. I also talk about why ketogenic endurance training represents such an exciting new frontier for peak endurance performance, the ultra-low-carb athletes who are performing amazing feats and literally becoming bonk-proof by remaining in a fat- and ketone-burning state, the results of Dr. Jeff Volek’s vaunted FASTER study, and the well-chronicled personal experiments of Dr. Peter Attia and Sami Inkinen, which suggest that any endurance athlete can quickly become fat-adapted and deliver performances superior to carb-fueled efforts. TIMESTAMPS: The standard American diet is based on excessive intake of processed foods, namely refined sugars, grains, and industrial seed oils. [00:23] High calorie-burning athletes have an especially distinct need for good nutrition and for avoiding nutrient deficient foods because they're trying to nourish the body and recover. [05:48] There is no good reason for humans to consume grains and many good reasons not to. Fruits, stems, seeds and leaves need more scrutiny. [07:28] The most superstars of the animal kingdom include animal organs, oysters, salmon, eggs, grass-fed beef and oily cold-water fish. [10:28] Plant toxins cause innumerable problems. [11:40] Endurance athletes can dial in optimal carb intake by first asking the question: Do I carry excess body fat? [12:27] Calories burned through exercise stimulate a corresponding increase in appetite. [14:13] Read labels. Industrial seed oils are hidden in many of the products presented as healthy. Choose your treats wisely. [17:11] There is a condition called “overfat” as opposed to being overweight. People can appear slender but accumulate visceral fat. [18:37] Carbohydrate dependency leads to burnout. [20:10] Primal-style eating is fractal and intuitive when escaping carb dependency. [21:52] Once fat adapted, intermittent fasting can be used to accelerate fat loss, fine tune insulin sensitivity and improve cellular repair for an anti-aging immune boosting effect. [24:19] A suggested energy strategy for intermittent fasting is to wait until you experience hunger before eating in the morning. [26:44] Your excess body fat is a function of your genetic predisposition to store fat combined with the amount of insulin you produce in your diet. [28:22] Primal-style eating minimizes the importance of genetic predispositions. [30:16] Escaping sugar dependency and becoming fat adapted gives you a cleaner burning engine. [33:32] Ketones are an internally manufactured energy-rich byproduct of fat metabolism in the liver. [34:48] Ketogenic endurance training is an advanced strategy that requires a strict devotion to very low dietary carbohydrate intake. [27:08] A bonk-proof ketogenic athlete is preserving ketones for use by the brain, relieving it of heavy glucose dependency. Ketones burn cleaner than carbs. [40:16] The fat-burning paradigm offers great promise to endurance athletes but you lose a little bit of power at the top when you are restricting dietary carbs. [42:03] “Carb insulin model of obesity” is oversimplified. [45:12] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Feldman Podcast no. 1 Feldman Podcast no. 2 Carnivore Score Food Ranking Chart Over

Get ready for a conversation with a very high energy human, Peter Park! Peter is a highly regarded personal trainer and a legend in the fitness industry who has worked with countless professional athletes and everyone from elite businessmen and Hollywood types to younger athletes. He has a great facility in the beautiful Santa Barbara area, Platinum Fitness, and you will hear all about his interesting background in this wide-ranging discussion. Peter, an extreme endurance athlete, talks about how he became such an enthusiastic and passionate trainer, and all about his lifelong dedication to getting people fit and healthy so they can perform at their peak. He takes us through his past as a powerlifter and volleyball player, his total immersion into the Iron Man scene, and how he has explored the limits of human endurance. You will hear him talk about his favorite elements of his current training schedule, and how he used his experience in all different levels and types of athletic training to form the unique and effective philosophy he dispenses at Platinum Fitness. We also talk about Energy Balance and, especially as we are the same age, the best strategies live a truly healthy, energetic and active lifestyle. TIMESTAMPS: Peter Park is a legend in the fitness industry and a 23 times Ironman competitor. [01:03] Starting out as a volleyball player, Peter evolved into weightlifting and then running. [04:54] Are there any attributes that transfer over from putting in that hard work in power lifting and getting super strong and then trying to be an endurance athlete? [10:42] Athletes at the elite level need to be aware that off-season training has to be the right kind. [15:16] Sometimes performance depends on how many calories one can process in a day. [20:00] A lot of people err when selecting their diet regimen. Restricting times for eating and restricting carbs can be stressful. [26:22] Active people can get an A plus in cardio pretty easily. [29:35] Muscle mass, muscle strength correlate with brain function. [34:16] We have this notion in fitness where you have to confuse your muscles instead of doing the same exercise all the time. Is this right? [37:24] Meditation has become a big part of Peter’s routine. [41>23] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Platinum Fitness See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to part 3 of this multi-part presentation covering the 115 key insights from the Primal Endurance approach, which fall into six categories: Aerobic Training, Periodization, Primal Eating, Strength and Sprint Training, Complementary Movement And Lifestyle Practices, and Recovery. The insights outlined in this show will provide you with an overview of the content in the Primal Endurance book as well as the online Mastery Course. This episode covers 10 key insights from the category of periodization, and you will learn what periodization entails, the importance of focusing on different types of training during specific blocks of time over a calendar year, and why consistency in the context of endurance training is actually ill advised. You will also learn why intensity should only be introduced after a successful aerobic period and last for a maximum of four weeks, effective strategies for intuitive training, and the importance of mini-rest periods and how to time them. Finally, you will hear how to formulate a season-ending rest period that is both diligent and comprehensive, and the surprising things you can do to promote peak performance. LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’re going to love this rebroadcast of a discussion Mark Sisson and I had about the very complex issue of doping in sports. You won’t find a more knowledgeable and free-thinking expert than Mark—he served for a long time as the Chair of the Anti-Doping commission for the sport of triathlon and this issue has continued to pervade sports till this day. It’s such a controversial subject, one that is largely misunderstood by the public, and you’ll hear us talk about major doping cases and the details of the different cases, if sports are still clean, and why the problem is more nuanced than people realize. We also talk about the danger of taking shortcuts, how neglecting to optimize lifestyle factors can lead to your body easily converting excess testosterone into estrogen through a process called aromatization, and Mark explains the inconsistencies that exist in the testing procedures and random demarcation lines for what constitutes a performance enhancing substance (e.g., Gatorade enhances performance when you are thirsty!). We also discuss how the public perception that certain athletes cheat to gain an advantage is actually a more complex cultural issue than a true morality weakness. Mark offers an interesting perspective—that we might view modern pro sports as theater—a theatrical event in which athletes perform for the pleasure of fans, with big money on the line, and this is why we will always be fighting a battle (perhaps a losing one) against dopers who may remain a step ahead of the testing efforts. We also talk about the hypocrisy of a society where the use of “performance enhancing” substances (like caffeine or prescription drugs to treat ADHD) is viewed differently than an athlete trying to recover faster. TIMESTAMPS: The hot topic of performance-enhancing drugs, testosterone replacement therapy, doping and cheating are on Brad’s mind. [01:11] Currently we see widespread use of EPO in endurance sports. [02:06] The athlete in a drug-laden professional sport is faced with three choices. [04:29] The use of performance enhancing drugs is pervasive. [08:08] Hormone replacement therapy is good for advanced aged group but is filtering down to young people in their 20s. [13:41] During Brad’s racing career, he opted to be free of any outside intervention because he wanted to feel what his current state of readiness and recovery was. [14:59] Abuse of any drugs is dangerous. [18:10] Brad’s aversion to outside intervention includes healing from surgeries. [20:41] A lot of the prescription drugs and the massive profits the drug companies make comes from relief of symptoms rather than addressing the root cause of the problem. [24:46] Exhaust all possible natural strategies before you even form the thought of bringing in outside intervention into your physiology. [27:40] If you're training at the elite level in professional triathlon or CrossFit games like the most extreme athletes are doing, those performance enhancing drugs are possibly minimizing the adverse health consequences of the extreme regimen that you are performing. [37:27] There is a lot of research going on looking at testosterone replacement therapy for prostate cancer patients that might prove interesting. [40:28] The only justification for someone who's not already in pretty good health and fitness level to try a hormone replacement is to give a temporary boost so that you will have the energy to start doing some exercise, start doing some resistance training, start walking in order to change your body chemistry. [44:20] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page The Secret Race EPO, the Drug Podcast with Shelby Houlihan Plantar Fasciitis video Testosterone Optimization Therapy Bible See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I first met this episode’s guest, elite professional ultra-runner Zach Bitter way back in 2016, back when he was first starting, getting himself on the map and dreaming of a career in ultra marathon running—and now look at what’s happened to his career! Besides being the national 100k champion and holder of many other titles and records, Zach was an early pioneer in the ultra running scene, and is known for his success at pushing the edges of human performance as a fat adapted endurance athlete. He also hosts the wonderful Human Performance Outliers podcast. To get a sense of the level he’s performed at, get this: he set the world record in the 100 mile run (on an indoor track) when he caught the time of 11 hours and 40 minutes. That is an average pace per mile of 6:48. The next time you run, try to see if you can run a 6:48! He also set an amazing record for 100 miles on a treadmill in 12 hours and 18 minutes. You’re going to learn so much from Zach in this show as this absolute endurance machine talks about his background and training, his take on minimalist footwear and the reason why he actually still wears “normal” shoes (and how often). You will also hear him discuss his revolutionary training methods, what he does in order to race more efficiently and recover faster, and much more! Enjoy the show and connect with Zach via his website, linked below. TIMESTAMPS: Brad reviews conversation from 2016 with Zach Bitter when he was just getting started in his career in ultra-running. [01:05] Zach Bitter’s amazing fetes include setting a world record in the hundred-mile run on an indoor track. [02:11] Zach and Brad are both fans of minimalist shoes, but they intersperse wearing those with “puffy” shoes. [04:02] The big goal of the Faster Study was to find out what is the difference in energy oxidation rates between carbs and fats. [06:06] You can get better and better at burning fat and your’re gonna need fewer ingested calories. [08:10] On the Western States 100-mile race Zach ate very little fruit and drank only water with electrolytes. [10:23] In the beginning in the ultra-scene, Zach was carb fueled. What changes have you noticed? [12:46] As Zach transitioned his diet, he slowed his training a bit. [16:03] The experience of oxidative stress comes from consuming the carbohydrates. [20:09] When restricting dietary carbs, it has a potent anti-inflammatory effect known to be at the level of the most powerful drugs. [24:20] Zach lowers the carb intake to get better performance. [25:19] Has there been a change in the ultra-scene towards that adaption? [30:39] What tips does Zach have for runners looking to make the transition? Be patient is the first one. Get good sleep. [33:48] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping pageHuman Performance Outliers podcast Cactus to Clouds race Primal Endurance The Faster Study Zach Bitter.com PrimalEndrance.fit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part 2 of this multi-part presentation covering 115 key insights about the Primal Endurance approach, we discuss the next 15-24 items under the category of Aerobic Training (part 1 introduced the six categories: Aerobic Training, Periodization, Primal Eating, Strength and Sprint Training, Complementary Movement And Lifestyle Practices, and Recovery). In this episode, I continue to provide some color commentary on each insight to provide you with more nuanced knowledge of everything you need to know if you want to have fun and go faster. You will learn why high-intensity workouts are not advised until you’ve built a strong aerobic base, why even a slight stimulation of anaerobic metabolism during a workout can compromise your fat reduction efforts, and what causes endurance athletes to be at high risk for overstress and burnout. You will also learn which types of workouts can actually improve mitochondrial function and protect you from stress-induced oxidative damage, the benefits of nose breathing during exercise, and why wearing a wireless heart rate monitor is essential to conducting proper aerobic workouts. We also touch on how slowing down to perform better in endurance competitions has actually been proven to be an effective strategy by the world’s leading athletes for over fifty years and the seven habits of highly effective primal endurance athletes (sleep, stress/rest balance, intuitive and personalized schedule, aerobic emphasis, structured intensity, complementary movement and lifestyle practices, and periodization). TIMESTAMPS: High intensity workouts are not advised until a strong aerobic base is built. [01:08] If you are constantly dipping into the sugar burning zones, you are going to promote carbohydrate dependency eating and lifestyle patterns. [03:58] Besides exceeding maximum aerobic heart rate, some athletes are guilty of an overly consistent regimen. [05:35] Aerobic and anaerobic workouts and primal aligned eating help improve mitochrondrial function. [09:18] Mitochondria burn fat and ketones more cleanly than they do glucose. [12:42] Nose breathing during exercise ensures the most efficient exchange of oxygen on each breath. [14:56] The black hole designates an exercise intensity that is slightly too strenuous to be aerobic, but not difficult enough to qualify as a peak performance speed workout. [21:28] A wireless heart rate monitor is essential to conducting proper aerobic workouts. [26:20] Slowing down to perform better in endurance competition has been proven effective by the world's leading athletes [29:19] The seven habits of highly effective primal endurance athletes are sleep, stress, rest, balance, intuitive and personalized training schedule, emphasizing aerobic development. [33:33] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit The Oxygen Advantage Breath Shift Adapt BOHR Effect See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I caught up with one of my favorite athletes to talk to ever for this episode—someone who has a record six victories at the Hawaii Ironman and ten victories at the Nice, France World Long Course Championship. His name is Mark Allen, and he’s also known as the greatest triathlete in history, but today, he is a popular triathlon coach at MarkAllenCoaching.com, a TV commentator, corporate speaker, author, and presenter of “Fit Soul, Fit Body” retreats with Brant Secunda, a Huichol shaman and healer. One important takeaway from this show is what a powerful effect releasing your attachment to outcomes and being committed to both the enjoyment and appreciation of the process will have on your life. Mark shares how despite a series of unfortunate setbacks, his first victory in 1989 precipitated five Ironman attempts before he retired at the top of his game at age 39. He also talks about balancing the pursuit of extreme endurance goals with maintaining health, how research on Heart Rate Variability has been a great breakthrough in monitoring stress and planning training, and describes how he was able to live a normal, laidback lifestyle after his grueling training sessions or competitive seasons were over. You will also hear about the importance of sleep when training and all about Mark’s new book, The Art of Competition, which blends stunning nature photography with inspirational quotes chosen by Mark for their significance to competitors seeking a healthy perspective and inspiration to pursue athletic goals. LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit MarkAllenCoaching.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Scott is a prominent and well-regarded health coach and 6-time IronMan Hawaii champion. Highly informed about exercise, training strategies, coaching, diet and physiology, you can’t get any better than Dave when it comes to a knowledgeable source for triathlon training. In this episode, we go deep into important topics like finding a healthy balance between being driven and obsessed with peak performance goals with enjoying the process and celebrating your successes, and not always looking for more more more. We also discuss the technologies and innovations discovered in recent years and end the show with an important discussion about nutrition and what prompted Dave to completely change his diet, what his meals look like today, and protein timing. TIMESTAMPS: Dave Scott and Brad reflect on their histories on the triathlon circuit as well as talk about new innovations in the sport. [00:25] Brad asks Dave to reflect back on his awesome six Ironman wins. Would he want to do anything different? [03:57] A healthy athlete should have other outlets and hobbies. [11:16:09] How has it gone for Dave to transition from the peak years to this stage of his life? [14:34] Heart problems are common in endurance athletes. [17:57] There have been many changes in the sport of triathlon like equipment, road surfaces, and improvements in training protocol. The shoes are a big problem when we look for a level playing field. [25:15] Some of the stronger competitors for the Ironman are coming from Europe. Why is that? [32:25] Do you have to train beyond the race distance to get the best performance [38:11] How do you distinguish between being fit or un-fit? [43:23] Nutrition deserves much discussion and understanding. We need to regulate our metabolic rate by having a bigger block of protein. [50:22] What about the dangers of over-consumption of protein? [01:01:09] Are today’s athletes better informed about diet? [01:08:20] After a tough training day, would you see justification to maximize intake of all macronutrients in the name of recovery? [01:12:0] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Dave Scott PrimalEndrance.fit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time to cover 115 things you need to know as a Primal Endurance athlete! The 115 things on the list have been divided into six categories (Aerobic Training, Periodization, Primal Eating, Strength and Sprint Training, Complementary Movement And Lifestyle Practices, and Recovery) that will be presented in a series of shows. If you want to see the full list, head over to PrimalEndurance.fit to download a free eBook. In part one of this multi-part presentation, I cover items 1-14 under the category of Aerobic Training, offering my color commentary on each item so you have a thorough understanding of everything you need to know to have fun and go faster. This episode reveals why endurance athletes generally tend to carry too much body fat, the fundamental elements of the Primal Endurance approach, and why the conventional approach to endurance training is deeply flawed. You will learn why even the most dedicated athletes still struggle with an excess of body fat, how chronic cardio causes permanent damage to your heart, how moderate exercise schedules actually dramatically increase longevity and why time-consuming training schedules can accelerate aging. You will also learn why emphasizing aerobic workouts delivers the best return on investment for endurance athletes, the importance of developing an efficient aerobic system, and much more! TIMESTAMPS: This is the first of a series putting you on the right track to reach your ambitious goals that support health and hormonal function and longevity. [00:27] Endurance athletes, in general, carry too much body fat. Many endurance athletes also overtrain. [02:47] The key factor is to slow down! A heartrate of 180 minus you age is widely promoted. [07:56] There are many well-intentioned ideas about how to train, but they may fail to solve problems. They do not put individuals’ situations into the approach. [12:08] Escape chronic cardio. Every day should find you moving frequently at low level, lifting heavy things once in a while and occasionally sprinting. [15:04] The heart is like any other muscle. It can be inflamed and scarred. You want to stay away from the elevated disease risk factors associated with extreme endurance training. [18:59] A more moderate exercise schedule can dramatically increase longevity. [22:04] Aerobic workouts emphasize fat burning and are energizing and minimally stressful. Anaerobic workouts emphasize glucose burning and elicit a significant stress response. [29:50] If you have a limited amount of time to train, you may want to downscale your goals and focus on events that match your ability to train for them. [35:14] Aerobic development is best accomplished by training exclusively at aerobic heart rates for a sustained period of time. [38:29] The cutoff point for aerobic training is the maximum aerobic heart rate defined as 180 minus your age, in beats per minute. You want to remain comfortable. [41:22] The real magic happens when you can become more efficient at that comfortable heart rate, and you can realize that your training’s working. Regression in MAF test results suggests you are overtraining. [44:10] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Primal Endurance Mark’s Daily Apple A Case Against Cardio One Running Shoe in the Grave Running on Empty Run for Your Life, But Not too Far, and at a Slow Pace See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I am outnumbered 2-to-1 by Canadians in this episode as Olympic gold and silver medalist Simon Whitfield joins me and my co-host Andrew MacNaughton for a conversation about pursuing goals, changing our mindset towards success, and training. In this episode, Simon talks about the most important things he has learned from his long career at the top of the sport, sharing some of the most unique memories and important perspective shifts he has experienced, like his incredible victory in the inaugural Olympic triathlon in Sydney, Australia in 2000. Simon is such a thoughtful and introspective guest to listen to, and he offers many sharp insights that are applicable to both peak performance goals as well as life goals in general. Simon’s way of thinking is: “If you love your pursuits, you’ll find a way to success. If you succumb to your fears and insecurities, your results will suffer accordingly.” You’ll enjoy hearing Simon’s refreshing honesty in this show as he delves into the problems that come with drifting into a prima donna perspective, the importance of recalibrating to focus on the journey, and what changes when you have a strong and authentic support team. “Hard truths come with sharp edges, but they are the source of the greatest learning,” Simon says. He also talks about some fun, recent life events, like his epic standup paddling adventures in Victoria. Enjoy this revealing and impactful episode with triathlon’s most thoughtful coach, Andrew MacNaughton, and most thoughtful elite athlete, Simon Whitfield. TIMESTAMPS: Simon Whitfield had an amazing gold medal showing at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney Australia. [00:27] Triathlon is high intensity macho contest which takes a certain mindset. [03:12] Amazingly, after Simon crashed during the bike ride in the Olympics, her remained calm. He talks about his thoughts at that time. [09:22] When Simon was adjacent to the leader, Vokovich, and Vukovich pulled ahead, Simon’s body language changed. [15:36] People need to celebrate what they get, not what they didn’t get. [19:58] How did Simon’s life change after he won the Olympic gold? He does mentor some younger athletes and spent time reconnecting with family. [21:20] After spending time away from the sport is feels good to reconnect with the young newcomers to the sport and remember how it was for you loving and training for your career. [26:31] Sometimes it is important for someone to tell you the hard truth. [31:05] Team and training partners are very important in so many ways. It is easy to self-sabotage. [33:53] The playfulness and bantering with other athletes help to keep you level headed. [37:45] Simon is coached by his 80-year-old self. Paddleboarding in the ocean is his best pastime. [41:17] An athlete has to understand the math to be aware of where they are as well as the competitors. [50:48] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page YouTube 2000 Sydney Olympics Triathlon Primal Endurance The Art of Learning Mark’s Daily Apple PrimalEndrance.fit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ryan Baxter is a part-time Primal health coach, father to two young kids, a full-time software engineer, and an athlete. In this episode, Ryan joins host Brad Kearns to discuss training strategies, effective recovery methods, and his experience with embarking on a personal experiment to consume more calories and more carbs. Ryan offers incredible insights about training and recovery in this show, such as when he talks about a 28-mile bike ride he did in Barcelona, saying: “I didn’t come home with a medal or a trophy or anything like that, but I came home with what was a once in a lifetime experience and probably the highlight of my endurance training this year, which speaks to a lot of things—it’s not about the medals and stuff, but when you can find that when you put your fitness capacities towards something that creates lifelong memories and once in a lifetime experiences, then that is the ultimate use of your endurance and your training.” We also talk about a 14 mile obstacle course race Ryan partook in—at 4,000 feet elevation atop a ski mountain!—how to look, feel, and recover better, and much more! TIMESTAMPS: Ryan tells his story of his bike ride through the Barcelona wine country even though he had not much training on long distance biking. [01:29] You can find that you put your fitness capacities to something that creates lifelong memories. That is the ultimate use of your training. [03:45] The fourteen-mile obstacle course is quite an endeavor. You can train for an obstacle course with many simple things around your home. [06:37] Ryan has been on the journey of trying to figure out how to optimize diet and match to training. [12:03] If training at a comfortable aerobic heart rate, there is a strong argument that that training can be sustained with a ketogenic diet. Did Ryan find that to be true? [18:42] If the diet and the lifestyle don’t match the outcome you want, and you keep trying to do the same thing over and over, and it’s not working for you, you need to try something different. [24:56] There are some studies that show that ketones can be a performance benefit. [20:46]If we could just all clean up our diets, then we'd have kind of an open road toward the pursuit of optimization rather than damage control. {33:51] Ryan has been charting his diet quantifying his increase in caloric intake. [40:22] When you are well nourished, you will naturally be more active. [45:46] There are so many benefits from just eating more protein. [53:00] During his study, Ryan increased his caloric intake by 700 calories. [56:16] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Primal Endurance Dr. Herman Pontzer Podcast (Metabolism) Dr. Herman Pontzer Podcast (Energy Expenditure) RJBHealth.coach PrimalEndrance.fit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to part two of this show detailing the seven essential habits of highly effective endurance athletes. In this episode we cover the importance of aerobic efficiency, why following Dr. Maffetone’s method is so crucial, why the best benefits actually come from slowing down, and the seven habits to incorporate into your life in order to become a highly effective endurance athlete. Enjoy the show! TIMESTAMPS: Aerobic emphasis in your training comes after sleep, stress reduction, rest and balance on your list of good habits for training [00:26] Don’t forget Dr. Maffetone’s suggested heart rate of your age minus 180 in beats per minute. Don’t fall into that Black Hole. [02:23] Even if you have a limited time to train, your best benefits are going to come from slowing down. [05:08] You have to respect the need to engage in blocks of specific training focus as an immutable law of endurance training. [17:27] Brad summarizes the seven habits of successful endurance athletes. [18:09] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Mark Sisson and I talk about the origin of the fat-adapted athlete approach in contrast to the carb-dependent endurance athlete, which represented our main experience in endurance sports for those early years and decades. This show will give you a nice overview of the rationale and the benefits of transitioning from being the typical carbohydrate dependent endurance athlete to being a fat adapted athlete, and how you can do that through dietary modification and training modification. Mark shares how he feels about reconciling his longtime passion for endurance training and elite competition with his Primal living path and his recent breakthroughs in his endurance training philosophy. You will also hear us discuss the benefits of being fat adapted and the drawbacks of training in an inflammatory, oxidative carbohydrate dependency pattern. TIMESTAMPS: Brad is back with Mark Sisson to talk about the origin of the fat adapted athlete approach. [00:01] What is going on these days with endurance training theory compared to 20 years ago? [01:42] What kind of diet works best away from training? By cutting out carbs and cutting way back on sugars and starches and grains, Mark is a super fat-burning machine. [07:03] Sugars are more than candy. There are tremendous quantities of sugars in fruit juices, pancakes, waffles, pasta, cereal. [09:21] How does one dial this in with a primarily approved eating pattern as well as a sensible endurance training? [11:14] What is the right amount of carbs? You need intuitive knowledge regarding your training program and your daily life. [15:55] To do this right, you need to go back to a strong aerobic base. [21:22] Form and strength training are important to plan out your program. [24:31] The importance of rest seems to be overlooked in many areas of training. You can’t train on someone else’s schedule. [29:23] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit The Primal Blueprint Primal Endurance See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part one of this two-part show, I cover a key takeaway from Primal Endurance: the seven habits of highly effective endurance athletes. What are the seven habits? In part one, we’re focusing on the first three: 1) Sleep, 2) Stress/Rest/Balance, and 3) Following An Intuitive and Personalized Schedule. You’ll learn why sleep is number one and the next frontier of performance breakthroughs in all sports, especially endurance sports, as well as how to wake up each morning without an alarm, but still feeling completely refreshed and energized. You’ll also hear why I recommend sleeping more if you are training more and the importance of observing “lower lows” (meaning implementing more rest with shorter, easier recovery workouts, and staying below aerobic maximum heart rate for most of your workouts) as you reach for higher “highs” like breakthrough workouts. We also get into the importance of keeping your training schedule sensible, intuitive, flexible, and even spontaneous. Instead of keeping things super regimented and pre-planned, give some respect to your daily life circumstances, motivation levels, stress and energy levels, immune function, even your mood—you’ll thank yourself for this later. I also reveal why artificial light is so harmful, how to effectively achieve balance between rest and stress, and share how you can make your schedule intuitive and personalized! LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndurance.fit PrimalEndurance Facebook How to Improve Your Triathlon Time Primal Endurance book Primal Endurance Mastery Course See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the return of the Primal Endurance podcast! This is your host Brad Kearns, and we are going on a journey towards a kinder, gentler, smarter, more fun, more effective way to train for ambitious endurance goals. You can check out Primalendurance.fit to join the community and also enroll in a free video course! In this premiere episode, I share a bit about my background and athletic career, what I stand for and what I’m all about, and reflect on a lifetime of being an athlete, author, and coach, and the most important things these experiences have taught me. I am also so excited to be back on the mic after over a 3-year long break from cranking out shows (I also invite you to go back to revisit some of the wonderful shows we have in our catalog, some of which will be airing again with edits and adjustments made to keep it fresh) and working on the Primal Endurance mastery course. I spent a couple years of my life working on this, traveling around North America interviewing many of the world’s experts in so many of these categories that are so important to your endurance training and racing goals—especially reconnecting with my old time athletic friends and hearing them talk about the times they were at the top of their sport and pushing the envelope for human performance. You’re going to get so much value out of these interviews that will not be published anywhere else, and the Primal Endurance mastery course is going to be such an epic journey of discovery, knowledge acquisition, and focus and motivation for all of your endurance goals in all sports. It is by far the most comprehensive online endurance mastery course and I strongly encourage you to sign up, as you will get so much more value out of the podcast as well when you do. You can also check out a free introductory course to see what’s coming in further detail that gives you access to some great eBooks. I also encourage you to email us at [email protected] with all your questions, comments, and feedback about your training and competitive goals and experiences, especially those that will be interesting and/or relevant to other listeners, as we’re really aiming for making this a community experience. We’re in this together, so let’s do it right! TIMESTAMPS: Brad’s career as an athlete began with not making the football and basketball teams in high school to being a world class professional triathlete. [04:26] Brad shares what he learned about training and nutrition as he grew in his athletic career. [08:59] Showing potential is good, but the training is and motivation is what gets you there. The beauty is in the journey. [17:51] You cannot rush the process of fitness to happen and it's very unwise to compare yourself to other athletes in terms of your training protocols. [22:16] Putting his professional competition behind him, Brad focuses on fitness and longevity with age-appropriate goals. [28:58] Cultivate your internal passion for competition and maintain competitive intensity throughout life in an appropriate manner. [33:09] We have to prioritize peak performance, protect our health, promote longevity in the process and never fall into that trap of more is better nor allow your ego to drive the narrative. [37:20] Fantastic endurance sports records are getting broken. [44:55] The term 80/20 training is often misinterpreted. Take a more sensitive, sensible, enjoyable rewarding approach to endurance training. [46:58] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndurance.fit PrimalEndurance Facebook How to Improve Your Triathlon Time Brad’s Fastest golf hole Primal Endurance book Primal Endurance Mastery Course QUOTES: "Struggle gives meaning and richness to life." (Roger Bannister) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Future Primal Endurance shows will be published on the Primal Blueprint Podcast channel. Please subscribe and enjoy the diverse content on this thriving channel. You'll see the Endurance shows designated accordingly for quick access at a glance. You'll also enjoy feature interviews from ancestral health leaders, shows dedicated to keto, and narrations of MarksDailyApple.com posts. In this fast-paced show, Brad hits you with a barrage of hot topics and reflections about healthy eating and training: Shifting from HIIT to HIRT, as advocated by Craig Marker at StrongFirst (listen to his Primal Endurance episode). Stands for High-Intensity Repeat Training. The importance of gut health, especially for endurance athletes who tempt gut dysfunction with long, hot workouts. How Brad healed his gut dysfunction by pounding probiotic foods and supplements and making his own kombucha. Brad's surprising recent test results from NourishBalanceThrive (listen to previous shows with Chris Kelly and with Dr. Tommy Wood), possibly indicating he should eat more food! A fantastic success story from UK, where coach Morgan has healed from serious heart problems with the Primal Endurance approach. Can I add 5 more beats to my MAF based on AeT test results? I'm concerned about going slower after a couple of months of MAF. Comparing the aerobic benefits of running and cycling and the cross training effect. A question about the great Walter George, 1880's era world record-setting runner, and his amazing "100-up" running drill. Finally, Brad describing his spontaneous, intuitive, sometimes keto, sometimes not eating patterns. We are switching the publication of Primal Endurance podcasts over to the Primal Blueprint channel. [00:00:34] When preparing for high Intensity repeat training make sure you are rested and motivated, then recover. [00:01:51] Poor gut health is very prevalent and we might not even know we have a problem. [00:06:23] Learn how to make your own Kombucha. [00:13:09] It is believed that Triglycerides to HDL ratio is a key to heart disease risk factor metric. (1 to 1 or better is the goal.) [00:17:05] Success story from Morgan Williams talks about how the primal endurance program helped him get out of the unfit coach trap. [00:22:50] Lisa, age 48, is seeing limited results from Maffetone aerobic threshold. How to adjust your training is suggested. [00:25:34] When someone like MaryAnn is trying something new, it's okay to ask "What is normal?" [00:28:44] Mike asks: Running is much more taxing than biking. Is there a comparable maximum duration training run? [00:30:56] Mike also asks does building the aerobic base for running will help your cycling base and vice versa? [00:34:54] Sauna is highly recommended for recovery. [00:35:52] Lor asks about the 100-up drill. Is it a good way to build foot and leg strength for running? [00:38:24] Brian asks about the Keto Diet. What does Brad's eating day look like? [00:43:46] Do you know what happens to an animal that is stressed at the moment they die? [00:52:21] Dark chocolate is great but you should look at label and see "bean to bar." Cacao bean should be the first ingredient. Also you should see "fair trade" designation. [00:55:24] LINKS: Craig Marker Podcast Jacques Devore Chris Kelly Dr. Ron Sinha Dr. Rhonda Patrick Walter George Wild Idea Buffalo Fast Food Nation Book Brad’s podcast on chocolateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad welcomes back popular Australian guest Andre Obradovic to go off script and talk about real-life matters not related to workout strategy, but of critical importance to your happiness and effectiveness as a parent, partner or career person. If you caught Andre's previous shows, you will love his colorful, hard-hitting commentary about what it takes to succeed as an endurance athlete and his important call for "no muppets" (blind followers who can't think for themselves). In this show, Brad and Andre, both age 53 as it happens, reflect on their journey as fathers of kids who are now adult age and offer some choice feedback for young dads trying to balance raising kids with intense athletic and career goals. Yes, this show takes an important and memorable detour from the constant talk about training. You will love Andre's insightful commentary in fresh Aussie spirit. An important show to reflect upon, especially for young dads trying to do it all. TIMESTAMPS: These two experienced athletes and fathers talk about how to balance their lives. [00:00:16] What impact does our behavior as parents affect the children? [00:02:33] We can look back and see a culture without today's technology and yet we were still too busy to learn to relax. [00:08:23] The parent needs to set the example of healthy eating, more sleep, healthier lifestyle. [00:15:15] What are some tips on how to teach your kids or partners to make healthier choices? [00:19:03] As you get older, how should you set your goals? [00:21:18] Are the helicopter parents pushing too hard? [00:23:44] Think about how you are teaching your children about money. [00:27:55] It's a high priority to help your children learn to make healthy meals. [00:38:25] Stress at home can disrupt your performance at work and training. Pay attention to family. [00:41:34] LINKS: Andre Obaradovic QUOTES: Life’s too short to suffer. If you were to die tomorrow, how would you want your kids to remember you? To talk about you?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the awesome big picture show about healthy living and avoiding the manipulations of today’s mainstream media and marketing forces, Brad welcomes Dr. Maffetone back for a show on the usual popular topics of endurance peak performance. First, Phil discusses the amazing marathoner Eluid Kipchoge, and how he can finally hit the magic 1:59 barrier. First, running barefoot would achieve a significant time improvement! Yes, hard to do if you have been in shoes for years. Second, getting muscular balance treatments, because hard training creates imbalances that increase injury risk and slow you down. Dr. Phil says even extreme endurance goals are not necessarily unhealthy for older folks if you adopt the correct approach. He cites examples of world class endurance athletes around age 40, and also recommends that you have more patience with recovery as you get older. On the topic of explosive training, Phil relates how important this is even for endurance athletes, who “epidemic” show physical and functional weaknesses. Try to add a vertical jump test to your MAF test as an excellent fitness marker. If you can’t exceed 12 inches from a standing start, you best add more explosive training. A couple great ideas: Sprint for 7 seconds several times, with long recovery periods between (~30 seconds) and repeat a couple times per week. Consider Maffetone’s “slow weights” idea, where you perform a single set of a single exercise, but repeat it several times a day. I have a hexagonal deadlift bar in my backyard for this purpose. Choose a weight that’s about 80% of your single rep absolute max and do about six reps. If you do this several times a day, you are talking about a fantastic increase in strength in a short time! What you are doing with these brief workouts is recruiting more of your existing muscle fibers to perform a function. This differs from the hypertrophy workouts when you break down and exhaust muscles, slam down protein shakes, and prompt the growth of bigger muscles—often these are for looking rad only and can obviously compromise endurance performance. With these brief single set, single exercise sessions, you avoid the risks and the adverse consequences of post-workout muscle soreness, something Brad complained to Phil about and he confirms is no bueno. Soreness leaves the muscles weak for a couple days, and if you get sore a couple times a week, well…FYI, did you know Ben Franklin was the one who made up “no pain, no gain?” Always fun insights from Dr. Phil. Enjoy, and check out his PhilMaffetone.com website and products! It's time to start thinking about running barefoot. [00:00:43] We are now close to an athlete breaking two-hour marathon. Look at Eliud Kipchoge. [00:03:41] Muscles imbalance is a big concern. Posture and gait are important. [00:12:59] Running at the same pace with muscle imbalance could raise your heart rate 5 or 6 beats! [00:15:27] What kind of practitioner would deal with muscle imbalance? The assessment is really important. [00:17:19] The times of the marathon have decreased in recent years. Why have people slowed down? [00:19:18] Diet is primary to the training. You cannot run away from a bad diet. [00:22:51] As we age, do we need to rethink the basic premise of these endurance goals? [00:24:16] What about in the explosive sports? [00:29:04] As you age, are there some modifications one would make to their training? [00:31:53] What kind of parameters do you recommend to assess whether the subject is recovered and ready for another explosive workout? [00:36:18] Overtraining or undertraining? [00:38:49] Shouldn't we expect muscle soreness after workouts? [00:41:13] What is a jump test? [00:42:58] How can we build strength without getting weak muscles? [00:47:00] We can train the brain to learn to contract more muscle fibers within the muscle. [00:51:57] If you are not eating enough protein, it will be difficult to get stronger. [01:01:56] Not all vitamins you buy in a jar are healthy. Do we get enough Vitamin D? [01:03:53] LINKS: Eliud Kipchoge Phil Maffetone BradKearns.com Pocket Hercules QUOTES: You cannot run away from a bad diet! (Tim Noakes) We have a serious epidemic of weakness throughout the world. (Phil Maffetone) Why would you want to sacrifice your health and fitness just to look better? (Maffetone) People who put on a lot of bulk are not necessarily stronger. (Maffetone) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Phil Maffetone returns to the show and we take a few steps back to cover some big picture items. First, the tremendous amount manipulation and hype we are exposed to each day with mainstream media is destructive and unhealthy. Phil disengages from this stuff! Realize how we make impulse decisions based on primitive brain function, or alternatively can get over-analytical. Better to cultivate our intuition where we can leverage both powerful gut instincts with our rational mind skills. Phil describes the global “overfat” epidemic, and how you can strive to keep waistline less than half your height in inches. This will help you avoid the prevailing disease triad of chronic inflammation, carbohydrate intolerance, and insulin resistance. First step to health: Ditch refined carbohydrates (sugars, flour/bread products, sweetened beverages) for two weeks per Maffetone’s “2-week test.” Then you can reintroduce natural carbohydrates back in (fruit, sweet potatoes, etc.) and see what you can tolerate without adverse symptoms. For many people with insulin resistance and decades of junk food consumption, keto might be warranted. Check out Dr. Phil’s great articles and products at PhilMaffetone.com TIME STAMPS: We want to personalize our journey of life in a way that we continually build our health and fitness. [00:02:50] There are two ways that our brains work. 1. Instant gratification. 2. We think in an analytical way. [00:07:35] Many writings are: "Here's how to do it." Sometimes it makes things worse. [00:12:11] Companies are allowed to convince us to be unhealthy. Pubic health education needs to help. [00:14:24] Sometimes a person has to experience pain for them to start to listen to advice. [00:16:11] There needs to be a consensus about refined vegetable oils and their impact on public health. It's about the money. [00:20:07] What should a well intentioned person do about making decisions about eggs, for example? Or training styles? [00:24:04] People are often willing to latch on to tradition and emotion when making their decisions. [00:28:22] The problem is it is difficult for us to see if the advise we are getting is effective. Doctors tend to treat the diagnosis and forget there is a person there. [00:30:33] There is so much information out there, that people are overwhelmed and confused. The stress factor plays a huge role. [00:36:49] What are the causes of chronic illnesses? [00:42:44] Chronic inflammation, carbohydrate intolerance, and insulin resistance causing people to be overfat. (85% of Indian adults are overfat.) [00:46:00] Measure your waist and hope that is is less half the height of your body. If it is not, then you are overfat. [00:49:00] If we want to turn things around, what can we do to attack this problem? Get rid of refined sugar and carbohydrates. [00:55:17] One thing you may notice is that our brains work better, therefore our instincts and tuition are working better. [01:03:31] LINKS: PhilMaffetone.com QUOTES: Is your waist less than half of your height? We buy the sizzle, not the steak. You can be normal weight and not obese and still have excess body fat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad welcomes Logan Schwartz of AustinVitalityCoach.com to discuss evolved concepts of athletic training within the context of healthy living. It's time to reject the flawed and narrow focus of the traditional athletic training approach, where the focus is on work output connected specifically to your athletic goals. Logan, like other thought leaders, places the emphasis on overall daily movement and functionality over a devoted workout regimen. Of particular interest is the concept presented about conducting brief bursts of exercise output over the course of the day. Cranking about 20 deep squats in your cubicle, doing a few vertical jumps onto a park bench, or doing a few pullups every time you enter a certain doorway in your house. This kinda stuff adds up! Furthermore, you enjoy fitness adaptation benefits without the risk of overstress and overtraining that happens with prolonged, exhausting workouts. Logan explains that any effort that even slightly exceeds your "basic adaptation threshold will improve your fitness. If you do 5 pullups at a time 10 times per day, that's 50 pullups a day. "There is a time to survive (such as a maximum effort competition) and a time to thrive (by training in a sensible manner and leading a varied and active lifestyle.) Many more important insights are offered throughout the show, and you will pick up some recurring themes revealing the progression of thought in the fitness world from other leaders like Katy Bowman, Dr. Kelly Starrett, and Craig Marker (who advocates for HIRT--High Intensity Repeat Training, over the more popular HIIT--High Intensity Interval Training.) Logan comes to the table with extensive experience, having been a strength and conditioning coach for the University of Texas mens and womens basketball teams for over a decade. If you have an open mind and want to get better in any sport, listen carefully to this show and broaden your perspective about what training and fitness really mean! We are losing the ability to have delayed gratification. What one sees on social media often is distorted truth. [00:00:40] Are the current methods of training adequate or even appropriate? [00:04:59] What has Logan seen to help people stay healthy, use their potential, and avoid the pitfalls of injury? [00:11:27] We are seeing a lack of fundamentals. [00:00:15:00] High intensity interval training is tiring. The idea is not how much you can endure over the length of the workout, it's the performance of each interval that matters. [00:20:25] We should get back to self-limiting exercise. [00:23:41] Train all day. The body was not designed for what most of us do during the day. [00:25:43] The fitness business is a business convincing that you need them. [00:28:01] The sensible message is to sleep and eat well. The societal message has been, "if you want to get better, you have to work hard and suffer." Some people use exercise as a punishment. [00:35:54] I love my body, why would I have a “cheat” day? [00:38:30] Why does a person want to lose weight? [00:39:12] Much exercise is like processed food: Planned and structured isn't necessary. Just move. [00:41:20] How might a person get redirected from a structured exercise program? [00:44:20] Gradually build from your personal threshold. Worry about just getting better each time. [00:48:45] LINKS: Austin Vitality Coach Katy Bowman QUOTES: How hard can you work without working hard? We should get back to self-limiting exercise. You don’t exercise to get fit. You exercise because you are fit. I love my body, why would I have a “cheat” day? Some people use exercise as a punishment. Man is the only animal smart enough to make it’s own food but is the only animal stupid enough to eat it! I think there are people out there trying to kill themselves in the name of health and performance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.