Endurance Planet

  John and Tawnee are on for On My Mind episode 9. Tawnee shares a quick running update as she heads into half-marathon race weekend, and John also shares about his return to Zwift racing with his team. Then we get into our main topic of the day: At-home gyms. This is something we first covered in detail on Ask The Coaches #228 with Lucho in Feb. 2017. Tawnee also wrote an in-depth post on at-home gyms with pricing and links to go-to items: “Build a badass home-gym on a budget” by Coach Tawnee In this show we talk about what we’d update, change or do differently, looking back at the past 6-7 years. We also discuss price differences from 7 years ago till now and much more to help you dial in your at-home gym dreams! What we’d keep (or re-buy): TRX Kettlebells Pullup bar Doorway Permanent (bolt in) Olympic barbell Stretch cords (for swim/upper body drills) What we’re updating: Bike trainer: Wahoo Kickr Core What’s new (to us): More KBs–heavier and some weight duplicates Treadmill Salmon ladder Squat rack Battleropes Archery range Hatchet throwing Big tire + sledgehammer swing What we’d omit or not prioritize: Resistance bands galore Weighted vest  The post OMM 9: Building An At-Home Gym – Part 2, What We’ve Learned, What We’re Doing first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. Welcome to episode 37 of Holistic Performance Nutrition (HPN) featuring Tawnee Gibson, MS, CSCS, CISSN, and Julie McCloskey, a certified holistic nutrition coach and personal trainer, who you can find over at wildandwell.fit. Julie’s Big Win!  The race: Palisades 50 Miler: Palisades, ID July 22nd. 11,000’ up/down. 14 hours, 2am-4pm. Hot. Result: 1st place female. Was in 7th/8th until mile 35 then steadily took the lead. Things that went well: Scaled back pace after going out too hard. Let people pass and reminded “to run my own race,” there’s a wholeeee lotta miles left to make up ground. Started out fast, scaled back and focused on “enjoyment” from mile 5-35, then flipped on my competitive switch with 15 miles left. Kept my HR low Nasal breathing, slowing down. Pushed it when it felt good Saved having coca cola for the last aid station and then passed about 15 people going up the final climb at mile 35. 3,000’ in 3-4 miles at 12:00 in a section with no water and absolutely found my flow and rocked it. Favorite part of the race, truly felt so empowered and connected to myself and to the race. Dunked in every creek – kept cool! Stayed calm and was constantly on top of her shit…checking in: Eating enough? Drinking enough? What sounds good right now? What doesnt? What do I need at the next aid station? Training Wise/Prep: got the workouts, long runs, and easy runs in. 2 strength workouts. Ran a good amount of miles but didn’t sweat it if wasn’t running as much. Nutrition: tried for 250cals/hour…did well in the beginning with gels and chews and then just ate whatever and whenever; let go of the “plan.” Body: mostly feet hurt and were tired toward the end, they were ready to be done. Low-grade nauseous on and off all day, but always manageable. Body and mind felt good and strong for the most part! Things that didn’t feel good: Ate a full breakfast RIGHT before the race. You gain 2,000’ in the first 2 miles so no time to digest it :)…BUT would rather be uncomfortable for an hour at the beginning then go into a long race without giving body fuel..no regrets. Shoes – felt like wearing high heels out there. Couldn’t get footing right, slipping all over the place and rolling ankles left and right…luckily had old shoes to wear for a while. Headlamp died after 1.5 hours so I had to use iPhone flashlight. Didn’t have enough salt. Body felt swollen and tender. Lifestyle Medicine & the Roots of Wellness  Part 2: The Research and #4 In HPN 36 we shared our dimension of wellness #1-3… We often are asked how to heal x,y,z or get better at x,y,z… then often hearing “I can’t heal or get better…” Maybe we’re looking too much at the surface and not enough at the roots. J, I know you and I are people who’ve dug deep to be well and we are reaping benefits in this season of life. So let’s think deeper than just a current fad or protocol, what does it take to get well and stay well? This is lifestyle medicine… Healing and thriving is not just about supplements or a perfect diet. Holistic wellness is much deeper and intricate. If there are unhealed wounds or imbalances, no supp or diet will be a “magic pill.” Before sharing our 4th key dimension of wellness, we briefly discuss some of the research and evidence-based resources to support this idea of lifestyle medicine! Holistic Wellness Research Dimensions of wellness: change your habits, change your life – article from 2017 “Wellness is a holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, fueling the body, engaging the mind, and nurturing the spirit (1). Although it always includes striving for health, it’s more about living life fully (1), and is “a lifestyle and a personalized approach to living life in a way that… allows you to become the best kind of person that your potentials, circumstances, and fate will allow” Wellness encompasses 8 mutually interdependent dimensions: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental Give attention to all (otherwise suffer) although doesn’t have to be balanced Find your own personal harmony, does not have to be perfectly balanced Change becomes much more achievable if you pay attention to who you are and insert routines that take advantage of your strengths, tendencies, and aptitudes. With self-awareness, you can cultivate the habits that work for you. Consider, for instance, differences in circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms reflect our natural tendencies for sleeping and waking and influence our energy and productivity at different times in the day (11). The odds of success to improve your fitness won’t increase if, for example, you decide to rise an hour earlier to exercise each day when you happen to be a “night owl” rather than “morning lark.” Self-awareness includes knowledge about other aspects of self as well, such as whether you are a marathoner, sprinter, or procrastinator; under- or over-buyer; simplicity or abundance lover; finisher or opener; and familiarity or novelty lover (8). It also includes whether you are promotion- or prevention-focused, and whether you like taking small or big steps (8). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world Forming new habits The median time to reach 95% automatic mode with habits was 66 days, with a range from 18 to 254 days.  The time it took participants to reach 95% of their asymptote of automaticity ranged from 18 to 254 days; indicating considerable variation in how long it takes people to reach their limit of automaticity and highlighting that it can take a very long time. Missing one opportunity to perform the behaviour did not materially affect the habit formation process. Clustering of Five Health-Related Behaviors for Chronic Disease Prevention Among Adults, United States, 2013 From 2013, wonder what this is like today? these five health behaviors are critical for disease prevention: not smoking, regularly exercising, consuming moderate to no alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night. ***Only 6% of Americans include all five behaviors in their daily routine.*** IFM’s functional medicine tree (chart) – awesome from roots to branches What I like in this is that it shows how our genetics don’t have to be our fate and what influences our genetic predisposition e.g. mental, emotional, spiritual influences (or lack thereof ie spiritual connectedness) + experiences, attitudes and beliefs. Shows the power of what we think… and a lot of the time I think our experience and attitudes/beliefs are the make or break point in onset of disease. Not always but I believe in a correlation. There also needs to be antecedents, triggers and mediators that lead to being unwell, ill or diseased. Disease is DIS-EASE. Of course, it’s not always in our control… environmental, trauma, relationship (behaviors/treatment by others), etc. We can try here but sometimes this is tough stuff. And this tree on integrative medicine Our list continues… 4: Nutrition! Seems so obvious but there are so many layers of nutrition as it relates to holistic wellness and our nutritional needs vary so much as individuals. Consistent, good quality, nourishing nutrition is a foundation we must abide by to live well. Whether it’s 90/10 or 80/20, it has to be a priority, and there will be times when we stray from our go-to nutritional norms, that’s ok, just keep the foundation strong. Experiencing joy with quality nutrition. Finding and making the time to invest in this practice. When we stray. When it’s tied up in emotions and doesn’t serve us. Excuses, poor excuses (eg covid 15 weight gain). The post HPN 37: Sweet, Sweet Victory and Lifestyle Medicine Part 2 – Evidence-Based Wellness Practices first appeared on Endurance Planet.

  In this episode of On My Mind, Tawnee and John catch up about intuitive training and the process and progress Tawnee’s been making this year. Running slump—scaling it back for 3 weeks, not easy but felt it had to be done (talked about this on ATC 356). Struggle with resting. Recognizing patterns; push till over-tired then needing extra rest. The good stuff happens when athletes LISTEN and respond accordingly, even if that’s the uncomfortable rest they know they need. The not-so-good is when we override that and push harder. Intuitive training isn’t always easy, kind of like tough love with your self. ATC 342 reference—study on overtraining. Recovered & MAF test.  Analyzing splits. Faster average than previous 2 tests this season. However, drop off in pace is obvious. When there is a wide range between mile times, what does that mean? Lacking a certain level of aerobic endurance. Problem solving. Breastfeeding is a strain on adrenals, sleep deprived is a big strain, and I’m just doing my best in the season to mind all the variables so I can show up how I want in life and for my family… Still signed up for a race in late September–flat and fast half marathon! Overall: this is a reminder that nothing beats taking downtime when you need it—no supplement will change that. Supplements are there to support but not be a magic pill. Check out our shop page, new additions: Rosita Cod Liver Oil! Most recently mentioned them on HPN 36, natural form of vitamin A, D with omegas – food first! Not just a supplement. It is a whole food. As the rosita founder says, nature creates everything in balance and harmony. This is what I feed my family  Unadulterated, gentle extraction with no high heat processing to ruin the sensitive fatty acids. Also tested for purity and free from chemicals, heavy metals, etc.  #1 on my list as went enter back to school, cold/flu season. SHOES! Earth runners, grounding sandals with a copper ground plug. The post OMM 8: When Progress Isn’t (The Usual) Progress first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by the UCAN Company, the fat-burning fuel of choice for metabolically efficient endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch, a unique, low glycemic complex carbohydrate that delivers long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash, keeping your blood sugar steady. It’s the perfect complement for the healthy metabolically efficient athlete. Whether you’re racing fast short-course events or grueling Ironmans and ultra runs, UCAN products have grown so much over the years, as well, to fit your needs, with everything from drink mixes to their popular EDGE gels.  Athletes from all types of sports and levels are using UCAN these days, with top-level and pro triathletes, runners and even Crossfit athletes are using UCAN to fuel their best performances. But, UCAN is also a fantastic product for non-athletes and/or outside of training too.  Many UCAN products are offered in both plant-based and whey protein options, all with SuperStarch, including plant-based bar flavors cherry berry almond, salted peanut butter and chocolate almond butter, as well as a variety of energy + protein powders—great for those of you athletes looking to gain or maintain strength.  Best of all: EP fans get 15% off everything UCAN offers, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET2021 if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount. Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! Intro: Lucho and Tawnee share their “hangups” with training and the things they tend to grapple with, despite years of learning, knowledge and how they coach others (why are we this way haha?!). Lucho gets obsessed with mileage and volume, tracking via training peaks. Tawnee worries about health consequences of training too much and repeating past mistakes of lacking balance. Todd asks: Consequences of eating in a “sympathetic” state on digestion and GI health? Listening to Endurance Planet is always a staple of my Saturday long run.  Thanks for continuing to put out a show that is high quality and an enjoyable listen. In ATC 355, near the end of the episode, Tawnee mentioned a condition in which a person thinks he/she is relaxed but in fact — by objective measurements — the person is really quite tense.  The result, Tawnee said, is that the person really cannot digest food well, leading to GI and other issues. Can you direct me to more information on this condition and how possibly to overcome it?  It sounds like a condition that might be afflicting me, and I would like to find some relief. Thank you again for an outstanding show. What the coaches say: Sympathetic vs parasympathetic When we feel or are in a state of stress, anxiety, etc, the “fight or flight” response of the central nervous system is triggered, this is called a sympathetic state. In this process, the body’s response is to slow down or stop digestion (or in some cases speed up, e.g. diarrhea). It’s a primal survival type mechanism—our way to “save energy to run from the tiger” so to speak, it’s the body’s way of shutting down digestion so that more of the body’s energy can be diverted to the situation causing the threat. Hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol increase in sympathetic state. But cortisol, etc, has to lower for parasympathetic activation. This imbalance over time can lend to adrenal fatigue, for example. The problem of modern life is that many of us are stuck in hyperdrive sensing constant threats or being under attack all of the time. Sympathetic dominance results and we are unable to slip into a parasympathetic state, when it matters, like at mealtime. This can also result from past trauma or PTSD that hasn’t been properly dealt with. Signs of sympathetic dominance: blood sugar imbalance  brain fog chronic fatigue difficulty recovering sleep issues lowered immune function hormone imbalances  ultimately over time: malabsorption, leaky gut, dysbiosis, opportunistic bacteria or pathogens, chronic inflammation, chronic disease Re-training mind & body Work on getting body into parasympathetic – known as “rest and digest” via: diaphragmatic breathing meditation anything calming vagal tone exercises – humming, gargling, cold water face splash positive thinking As it relates to eating We see this issue a lot in athletes who are often ravenous, lacking routine or rhythm to eating habits, eating on the go, eating really fast, multi-tasking while eating mindlessly, etc… Sympathetic arousal and being in that state is an ADDICTION! It takes work, consistency and discipline to break this cycle and tap into parasympathetic state. Take the time to cook often and set a calm environment at mealtime, this helps start the process of relaxation and heck sometimes a little wine helps too But try to establish a routine around food. Sit down at a table in a normal position not half off the chair, etc. Connect with your food. Breathe deeply before you eat. Light candles. Make the environment more conducive to relaxation!  Seasons of life, just do your best, for example tawnee is in a season with small kids so mealtime isn’t always a relaxing “date night” vibe. She says she rarely gets to sit down and enjoy a whole dinner without interruption. Doing my best in the season I’m in. Awareness is key. The post ATC 356: Our ‘Hangups’ With Training, Roadmap to Track PRs, The Value of ‘Rest and Digest’ At Mealtime (But Why So Many Of Us Miss This and The Consequences) first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Enjoy this rerelease of a show from July 2016… A special edition of Endurance Planet with Tawnee and her husband, John, who are interviewed by Lucho about their backpacking honeymoon! Click here for the full written recap of the trip on Tawnee’s blog that includes more photos, GPS files, and a detailed spreadsheet of their exact gear list (with brands), meal plan, HST itinerary, travel info and more. Background on why they did it and what they did (what is the High Sierra Trail) They wanted to create their own event–not participate in a structured event with rules Discussing the original conservative plan vs. how the actual timeline unfolded–finishing 2 days early!! Preparing for the trip (planning, shopping, training, mental, etc) Lessons learned: they could not treat this immense thru-hike like a race, and had to get over the “racing attitude” that’s usually ingrained The mental and physical of backpacking vs. endurance racing It’s not easy to backpack, it’s also not as hard as preparing for Ironman, it’s just different Having a new concept of what “a mile” means. And why it’s better to focus on time! Mileage was always off, couldn’t rely on trail or map numbers, just accept it and keep moving forward Having patience and a flexible approach Dealing with blisters The simplicity of being out in the backcountry: everything to live was on our backs Day 4: Tawnee deals with a visit from an “old friend” and how she managed Girls, get the Diva Cup! Day 6: Climbing Mt. Whitney and feeling those old “pre-race butterflies” “Performing” at elevation, and/or feeling like death over 13,000 ft. Tying this into races at high elevation like Leadville, etc. Similarity of picking ultra pacers and picking your backpacking partner(s) The importance of TEAMWORK! Finding a routine in the mornings and evenings before and after they day’s hike. Backpacking vs. ultra (mindset) Feeling “free” without being addicted to the data–a shift from past ways Equipment highlights: Delorme – safety net in case of emergency Garmin watch – good backup for tracking hikes Trekking poles – and why they were the best decision ever to have these on the trail! Shoes and blisters – harsh realities Top experiences on the HST: Kaweah gap Getting completely on the same page with your mate Summiting Mt. Whitney Precipice Lake What would we do differently? Little mistakes: poor choice in mittens/gloves, accidentally brought multiple soaps yet not enough floss, no SD card in GoPro, bad socks, solar panel vs. battery packs, different shoes, etc. The post Rerelease: Endurance Tales: Backpacking the High Sierra Trail, Summiting Mt. Whitney, and Comparisons with Competitive Sport first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by the UCAN Company, the fat-burning fuel of choice for metabolically efficient endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch, a unique, low glycemic complex carbohydrate that delivers long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash, keeping your blood sugar steady. It’s the perfect complement for the healthy metabolically efficient athlete. Whether you’re racing fast short-course events or grueling Ironmans and ultra runs, UCAN products have grown so much over the years, as well, to fit your needs, with everything from drink mixes to their popular EDGE gels.  Athletes from all types of sports and levels are using UCAN these days, with top-level and pro triathletes, runners and even Crossfit athletes are using UCAN to fuel their best performances. But, UCAN is also a fantastic product for non-athletes and/or outside of training too.  Many UCAN products are offered in both plant-based and whey protein options, all with SuperStarch, including plant-based bar flavors cherry berry almond, salted peanut butter and chocolate almond butter, as well as a variety of energy + protein powders—great for those of you athletes looking to gain or maintain strength.  Best of all: EP fans get 15% off everything UCAN offers, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET2021 if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount. Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. On this episode we have The Sock Doc, Dr. Steve Gangemi, joining us. Steve is a natural health care doctor who founded and practices at Systems Health Care, an integrative wellness center in Chapel Hill, NC. Steve is also a longtime endurance athlete and is a wealth of knowledge for athletes looking to optimize wellness. We are starting a new series called “When Things Don’t Go As Planned” that will dissect your health and injury issues that come up when you least want them and can negatively affect your training and race season–how to heal, prevent and overcome going forward of common (and not so common) issues that athletes face. Send us your requests for topics! Future episodes may include sciatica, rhabdomyolysis, GI issues, recurrent ankle sprains, migraines and so on. Part 1: Tibialis Posterior Issues & Injuries  Post tib anatomy/connections/basic function Where is located? Tibia, fibula, foot arch, etc. Tendon – inner ankle, by medial malleolus  What it does Foot/arch support Natural pronation, shock absorption, natural rolling inward of your foot Its role in supination Functions with/relates to Big toe Plantar fascia Medial arch Tibialis anterior Questions Why so commonly injured in runners? Who’s most at risk? What warning signs should we be aware of on this issue? i.e. when there’s a little niggle/pain in that general area – when to take it more seriously, right away? Explain the role of post tib issues being from an imbalance between anterior/posterior? Tie in with overtraining/excess stress: “Another significant and perhaps more common reason for muscle imbalances resulting in pronation/supination problems is overtraining. Yup, too much stress will have a dramatic effect on the lower leg muscles, particularly the tibialis posterior muscle that supports the main arch of the foot. There is a common connection between this muscle and the adrenal glands, which is where the major sdtress hormone cortisol is produced. So high levels of stress result in high levels of cortisol and tibialis posterior problems and then overpronation. Shin splints and plantar fasciitis are two common injuries that accompany this problem too.”  The ROOT of INJURY: “You get injured from being too anaerobic and that could mean either the training is too anaerobic or there’s too much stress in your life creating anaerobic excess. And that’s really how people get injured. They get injured from basically trying to handle more than what they can. And that results in injuries along possibly with the wrong type of footwear.” Treatment Rehab/prehab/trigger point work: Things we can do at home ourselves!? Exercises and manual therapy/trigger points* — identify the spots to work on What about stretches? Or NO to stretching these issues? What if PF or stiff big toe is related- stretch/roll? Footwear recs? (And what to avoid here) Lifestyle recommendations to incorporate Preventing recurrence – ongoing “maintenance” Part 2: Vertigo/Dizziness Article: The Dizzy Athlete “Among patients who present with dizziness, vertigo accounts for approximately 50% of the cases. Furthermore, approximately 80% of these patients have peripheral vestibular dysfunction, whereas the remaining 20% have a central cause [28].” The Right diagnosis “The first step in evaluation involves defining dizziness as either presyncope, vertigo, disequilibrium, or nonspecific dizziness.” What else would you look for and ask a patient?  Self-diagnosing this for those who have symptoms but haven’t been to the dr (can it be confused with something else; is it safe for us to assume what it is and deal with on our own)? What is vertigo? Spinning sensation, etc. Other symptoms? e.g. sensory issues, overwhelm, imbalance, migraines, hearing problems, vision disturbances, confusion, etc.  Types of vertigo Peripheral The 80% with peripheral – the problem can be w/ the part of the inner ear that controls balance (the vestibular labyrinth or semicircular canals) or with the vestibular nerve, which connects the inner ear to the brainstem. Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV) is 50% of peripheral causes and is due to stimulation of vestibular sense organs by canalith (define what this means) Let’s talk about BPPV and inner ear, etc? Central – Way less common, e.g. tumors, MS, etc. Reasons/causes of vertigo? Any particular profile of who’s most “at risk” for this? Inner ear/vestibular issues (crystals in ear and their role in proprioception/spatial orientation; explain this?) Can come after bacterial or viral infections  Has there been an uptick since Covid – i.e. symptom of covid/post-covid infection? Neck tightness/neck alignment? Why would an athlete experience a sudden onset with seemingly no warning signs, i.e. during a race? Is vertigo also stress induced to some degree? (e.g. friend who said after a lot of travel and life stress was having vertigo symptoms) Treatment Epley’s maneuver – what is this, is it effective and supported by functional/holistic practitioners? article says: BPPV treatment involves head rotation maneuvers to displace the canalith causing symptoms. Conventional/traditional treatment? most people probably go to their primary, what would they do? (ie prescription drugs/meds – of which I’m sure there are plenty of nasty side effects) On the other hand, what about holistic/natural treatments, what can we do or do with a functional/natural dr? Prevention / prevent recurrence? (especially if experienced previously) Supplements to consider? Lifestyle awareness – anything in particular?  The post Sock Doc 20: ‘When Things Don’t Go As Planned’ – Tibialis Posterior and Vertigo first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Intro banter John has coffee with RD of North by Northwest Relays. Future relay team event for EP fans?! Update, we are back in a good flow with the podcast these days and receiving wonderful feedback—thank you, grateful! On curiosity and the urge to “dive deeper” in work, research and extracurricular things when life’s big stressors ease up. Fullscript now offering subscriptions for your favorite, most valued supplements—brilliant idea in our opinion! Subscribe and save via EP here. Tawnee still holding strong to her daily routine with Crucial Four Icelandic Sea Salt and MagBicarb. Grab your salt and more now for 10% off here. Is your avocado oil rancid or unpure? Research: “First report on quality and purity evaluations of avocado oil sold in the US” (Oct 2020) Currently no standards to regulate avo oil—quality/purity control not there, adulterated oils are a thing. Quality and purity were analyzed (details in article on what this means).  Researchers even made their own avocado oil as a control. 22 samples purchased at a grocery store or online, majors brands though not specified, from extra virgin to refined.  Key findings: Adulteration with soybean oil at levels near 100% was confirmed in two “extra virgin” and one “refined” sample.  The majority of the samples were of low quality with five of the seven oils labeled as “extra virgin” having high FFA values and six of the nine “refined” oils had high PV (measure of oxidation). FFA, PV, and specific extinction in UV data demonstrated that these oils have undergone lipolysis and oxidation, respectively. This likely resulted from improper or prolonged storage, using damaged or rotten fruits, or extreme and harsh processing conditions Only two brands produced samples that were pure and nonoxidized. Those were Chosen Foods and Marianne’s Avocado Oil, both refined avocado oils made in Mexico. Among the virgin grades, CalPure produced in California was pure and fresher than the other samples in the same grade. Personal note: We’ve been avocado oil and products with avocado oil for YEARS! Will rethink what I’m buying. Smoke point and how extra virgin olive oil stacks up against other cooking oils when heated, etc. Research: “Evaluation of Chemical and Physical Changes in Different Commercial Oils during Heating” (May 2018) Research study evaluating the efficacy of smoke point and other traits of oils when heated to high temps, for long duration or repeatedly over time. Measured high quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), virgin olive oil (VOO), olive oil (OO), canola oil (CO), rice bran oil (RO), grapeseed oil (GO), and coconut oil (CoO). Key findings: “An oil’s stability against oxidation depends not only on the degree of unsaturation, but also on the antioxidant content present in the unsaponifiable fraction [25].” “Canola oil demonstrated a rapid increase in polar compounds from 150C to 240C (Figure 6), with its highest value of polar compounds (27,5%) above the limits permitted for human consumption, followed by grapeseed (19,3%) and rice bran (13.0%) oils.” “Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and other common cooking oils were heated up to 240C and exposed to 180C for 6 hours, with samples assessed at various times, testing smoke point, oxidative stability, free fatty acids, polar compounds, fatty acid profiles and UV coefficients. EVOO yielded low levels of polar com- pounds and oxidative by-products, in contrast to the high levels of by-products generated for oils such as canola oil. EVOO’s fatty acid profile and natural antioxidant content allowed the oil to remain stable when heated (unlike oils with high levels of poly-unsaturated fats (PUFAs) which degraded more readily). This study reveals that, under the conditions used in the study, smoke point does not predict oil performance when heated. Oxidative stability and UV coefficients are better predictors when combined with total level of PUFAs. Of all the oils tested, EVOO was shown to be the oil that produced the lowest level of polar compounds after being heated closely followed by coconut oil.” We are focusing more on animal fats for cooking: local raw grassfed butter, grassfed tallow, pork lard and duck fat. Buy on Thrive Market! Discussing butter issues with the Sock Doc. The post OMM 7: Avocado Oil Woes, EVOO Outperforms, and More On Cooking Oils and Fats first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by the UCAN Company, the fat-burning fuel of choice for metabolically efficient endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch, a unique, low glycemic complex carbohydrate that delivers long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash, keeping your blood sugar steady. It’s the perfect complement for the healthy metabolically efficient athlete. Whether you’re racing fast short-course events or grueling Ironmans and ultra runs, UCAN products have grown so much over the years, as well, to fit your needs, with everything from drink mixes to their popular EDGE gels.  Athletes from all types of sports and levels are using UCAN these days, with top-level and pro triathletes, runners and even Crossfit athletes are using UCAN to fuel their best performances. But, UCAN is also a fantastic product for non-athletes and/or outside of training too.  Many UCAN products are offered in both plant-based and whey protein options, all with SuperStarch, including plant-based bar flavors cherry berry almond, salted peanut butter and chocolate almond butter, as well as a variety of energy + protein powders—great for those of you athletes looking to gain or maintain strength.  Best of all: EP fans get 15% off everything UCAN offers, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET2021 if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount. Sponsor: Thorne supplements help athletes meet their unique needs and we have everything Thorne offers available to you over at our shop page, endurance planet dot com slash shop or link through the show notes. When you shop through us you support the podcast, a win win. Thorne products are shipped around the world and they ensure quality control year-round. Whether you’re looking to heal from issues like gut dysbiosis, hormonal imbalances like low sex hormones or imbalanced stress hormones, or just looking to improve performance, maintain a strong immune system and get that extra edge, Thorne has so many formulas to fit you needs or bundles to cover even more bases. And many of Thorne’s supplements are NSF certified. If you’re curious on what supplements might be a good fit for you, just ask us! Send us an email to questions at endurance planet dot com telling us about yrouself and where you think you might need to fill in some gaps. Thorne now even offers health testing such as a convenient budget-friendly gut health tests! So starting shopping with the best there is with Thorne—also over on our Shop page—and like we say about all supplements: when you buy from the source you ensure higher efficacy and proper handling of your supplements plus you support the podcast! Intro Banter: Recent episode with Phil Maffetone on music and NOT listening to music during exercise. How meditative a long workout can be when you keep the headphones off and tune into your body. Lucho shares about his recent MAF test comparison of running at altitude/hilly vs. running at flat sea level (and being 2min faster per mile at sea level). A reminder: we’re almost never the same athlete in harsh conditions (altitude, heat, humidity)… so don’t get down on workouts where you seem less fit but it’s the conditions that are likely to blame. Basal body temperature readings (BBT): regularly low BBTs under ~97F-97.4F can be indicative of hypothyroidism. Jenn says: Followup on Stroller Running Show Thank you so much for putting your anecdotal “research” running with your stroller. Yes to single arms! We really need that rotation through the torso as postpartum women who’s pelvis & pelvic floor are healing. That rotation helps to decrease downward pressure (as well as leaning forward). Love this episode so much! — from a mom & PT who specializes in pelvic floor health Anonymous asks:  Breaking Through a Run Plateau I am a lifelong athlete who started triathlon last year and am training for my second Wisconsin 70.3 on Sept 9. My goal is to finish middle of the pack, having had a blast! I know that you may not be able to answer this in time for this year’s race, but I would love to incorporate your guidance next year or between seasons. I have plateaued on my run!  My current schedule is: one long run, a shorter Z2 run (or run off the bike), and a high intensity run workout. I am using a Training Peaks plan and get help from my triathlete friend who coached me last year. The seemingly obvious solution would be to change up my program and take a volume-based  MAF-like approach, but there are two issues I am facing that may guide your advice and lead me to be hesitant about doing that. First, is that long runs are currently a slog and adding more volume sounds awful! Historically, they were my favorite because I love jamming out to music in the beautiful area I live, while high fiving the regulars I see on the trail. However, due to injury, I have been working for 6.5 months to change my cadence from 150/160 SPM to 180spm and stop swinging my hips like a salsa dancer! Now, I run with a boring metronome, paying attention to my form, while my watch berates me for going under SPM target, especially after mile 6 when form starts falling apart without real effort. I sure hope it clicks soon! I also LOVE the intensity stuff! It’s always been my favorite and my SPM naturally increases, so I can listen to music, be in the moment, and just have fun. The other is concern about a diet-based target. I have a 26-year, pretty significant eating disorder history that magically eased up a ton last year when I switched over to triathlon and simply couldn’t get away with skipping meals and not fueling during long workouts. My obsession with thinness has mostly shifted and I am all about being strong! While I do objectively eat quite healthily 80% of the time, for the first time in decades, I let myself have cookies or even a slice pizza without berating and punishing myself. Did you know cookies are delicious! I am trying not to consider any foods bad or harmful. So, trying an approach that leads me to hyper- focus on food or target fat-adaptation is really slippery for me; my brain likes lists of foods I can avoid. When I read the MAF food recommendations, that part of my brain lit up. I simply can’t go down that road again, I’m just too happy now. Do you have any advice for the run plateau? Should I just be a slower runner who has fun (once I can get this cadence thing down) and reframes long runs as mental endurance practice? I love this distance, so don’t want to switch to short-course races. Thanks so much! -Anonymous, aprox 2,914 feet below Lucho What the Coaches say: How are we defining a run plateau? In order to shake a plateau you have to change the stimulus. Add some intensity without adding volume, perhaps. Was it really an injury caused by cadence? Injury was peroneal tendinopathy, weak glutes, etc. Don’t try to bump cadence by ~20 strides per minute on long runs. Better to do the cadence work in much shorter drills–we learn best this way! Also, Born to Run 2 cadence drills (our podcast with the authors here). Watch alarms are so triggering and miserable for most of us. Don’t be miserable. Cadence may be lower on longer runs compared to faster runs, to some degree this is normal. Just like longer bikes there are natural variations.  It seems like the stride frequency stuff – research is mixed on whether 180 target helps or not, it’s definitely not a certainty (like most things in science) Running injuries are multifactorial. SOme people can have horrible mechanics and never get injured. Others work on form all the time yet are constantly injured. Higher cadence CAN help BUT this piece is NOT a guaranteed way to prevent injury. So many other factors to consider like foot strike pattern, how hard are you pounding when running, etc. The idea of 180 bpm came from an observation by Jack Daniels of elite runners running very fast. Implement functional strength training beyond running: TRX elevated reverse lunge, jump roping, hopping, knee ups, Born to Run 2 drills, etc. Multifactorial Determinants of Running Injury Locations in 550 Injured Recreational Runners  550 injured runners (49.6% female) with a medically diagnosed RRI were included.  A logistic regression model was used to determine the association between the biomechanical parameters and RRI locations. Because injuries can be associated with age, sex, and body mass index, these variables were also entered into the logistic regression. Results: Strike pattern and peak vGRF = vertical ground reaction force were the only biomechanical variable distinguishing an injury from the group of injuries.  Look at other variables: foot strike pattern In terms of cadence, a low step rate has been shown to increase the risk of anterior lower leg pain in competitive cross-country runners (17).  No association between cadence or VILR Vertical instantaneous load rates  and injury location or sublocation was found. VILR = the peak change in vGRFs over the linear portion of impact phase of stance (generally first 15% of stance).  Bottom line: The researchers concluded that cadence did not correlate with injury occurrence.  Relationships between Habitual Cadence, Footstrike, and Vertical Load Rates in Runners No association between one’s natural cadence and injury risk (assessed via vertical load rates) in both injured and uninjured runners. “We found no relationships between habitual running cadence and vertical load rates. The highest load rates were in injured RFS runners, and the lowest load rates were in FFS runners, regardless of injury status. Future studies of gait retraining to increase CAD and reduce load rates should follow runners long term to examine this relationship once CAD has become habituated.” The ED Factor & Diet Fixation on the cadence issue in running, correlation with personality type. The idea that triathlon can heal from an eating disorder—true to some degree, but not completely. Dr. Phil Maffetone episode that Tawnee mentions where they “debate” diet and Tawnee makes a case for food freedom when recovering from an ED or disordered eating. Do the MAF training you can ignore the diet component if it’s not relevant or healthy for your mental state (eg when recovering from an ED). Look holistically at Fit But Unhealthy. Objectively check in with HRV to measure stress, but don’t live by the wearables. In an injury context, consider: nutritional status, running form, training load, training progression, sleep quality, gut issues, other health conditions/illnesses, etc. But also food freedom… there is a growth where it turns into loving nourishment. Jenny W. asks: Training When “In Between” Races, and Adapting to Heat I am 59 years old and have done mostly endurance training for past 10 years along with some triathlon races. I did some weight training to prevent or to rehab an injury. I used to put muscles on easily so I set consistent lifting aside while I spent a lot of time on endurance training. I started working out in my mid 40s, learning to swim and bike. I have not done any sports prior to then. I am now losing muscles and I do not gain muscles as fast as I used to. I plan to spend more time on lifting heavy and do the endurances activities for the enjoyment. I was in Mont Tremblant for IM 70.3 that was canceled due to smoke from the wildfire. Both the run and bike courses were hillier than I expected. I would like to complete the race sometime in the future. My question is what I can do with swim, run and bike so I can get back into race training feeling strong when I am ready. Is it better to do some workouts to keep some strength in endurance or start fresh when I am ready? I plan to establish routine and lift five days a week while I take break from endurance training. My next question is on heat. I do not do well in the heat. We were expecting sun and 85F for Mont Tremblant. The run course is hilly without any shade. I would’ve been running during the hottest time of the day and thought that walking up the hill might be my only option during the race. There weren’t that many hot days leading up to this race since this race is at the end of June. I heard of a few people who love hot racing condition. Is there a way to train to get to love the heat? How do I determine how much of heat training I should do for hot racing condition? Should I have over dressed for bike and run through out the training for the race? There were a string of hot days leading up to the race day. Should I have crammed in as many days of training in the heat? Thank you so much for ATC. What the Coaches say: On heat acclimatization Very time-based, need exposure of 20-30min minimum that elevated HR e.g. sauna, but not a comfortable sauna session. Get in hot environment, ie train, at certain HR and you’ll see drop in pace/watts and that’s to be expected and shows the work is happening. Key point: When doing heat training, look for a drop in performance! 10-15min in hot water works as well, especially when paired with a workout. Point is, we’re getting body core temp over 100F, around 102F or so. Overdressing is one way but this can be tricky. We generate heat through movement, the more intense the more heat, even more so in hot weather–hydrating appropriately is critical to “survive” this. Heat adaptation helps blood volume, that’s one way we physiologically adapt and get stronger in heat. Know when to back off with the heat exposure–i.e. stress your body just enough, don’t go overboard with it. Takes at least 2 weeks of DAILY work to adapt to heat, sometimes 4+ weeks. Plan accordingly. Book mention: The Untethered Soul. Training maintenance Podcast mention, OMM 6: Minimum effective dosage as an idea for endurance training maintenance between race periods while focusing on strength. Couple short workouts a week of each sport. Consider WHY you want to take a break, i.e. burnout or just placing focus elsewhere. Diet tie in. Tangent: looking at the immune system, 70% is in our gut, when gut is compromised we are compromised in so many ways. Don’t go from 0 to 5 sessions a week in strength training! Gradual build, space out recovery, adaptations when recovering. The post ATC 355: Run Plateaus, The Science on Run Cadence and Injury Rate (Hint: No Consensus), Triathlon Maintenance While Strength Building, Heat Adaption Protocols and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Micro-Dosing Strength & Endurance Training: Defined as the division of volume within a microcycle across frequent, short duration and repeated bouts, according to NSCA. This is basically like Dr. Phil Maffetone’s slow weights (and even movement snacks to some degree) but more scientific and structured. Can be a solution to lack of time without sacrificing overall quality and gains. Can allow for more autonomy; better adherence? Gives athlete power and flexibility to fit in workouts when they’re able and duration not so daunting  Can improve motor learning. Not necessarily the same as minimum effective dose/maintenance (but can be) this is still about building. Less DOMS /residual fatigue.  Potential greater improvements/adaptations in strength (especially when concurrent training) Offset negative effects of concurrent training (mixed signaling) due to frequency/duration piece Kilen et al 2015 found: Regarding possible negative effects of endurance training on muscular strength gains (8,11), the results demonstrate that strength gains can be achieved simultaneously with increased peak oxygen uptake and intermittent running performance. Thus, short, frequent training sessions aimed at either muscular strength or endurance adaptation seem to represent an efficient training strategy.  When volume/load is matched, improvements are the same or potentially better (!)  ie more frequent sessions, less volume per session UTILIZE WHEN STRESSORS ARE HIGHER! Use if stringing together a long season and wanting to stay in peak condition? Exceptions: If highly-trained endurance athlete, this dosage/stimuli may not apply to making improvements; however can helps with maintenance. Adaptations to Short, Frequent Sessions of Endurance and Strength Training Are Similar to Longer, Less Frequent Exercise Sessions When the Total Volume Is the Same (2015) – Kilen et al 8 weeks, 29 subjects, military physical training (experience of 3 x 45min prior to intervention) “Micro training” performed 9 x 15-min training sessions weekly,  Double days M-Th + AM Fri “Classical training” completed exactly the same training on a weekly basis but as 3 x 45-min sessions.  For each group, each session comprised exclusively strength, high-intensity cardiovascular training or muscle endurance training.  The 6.5% increase in peak oxygen uptake in MI demonstrates that short, frequent interval running sessions are sufficient to induce cardiovascular adaptation, which is in line with previous studies (6,20).  Running intensity was prescribed as fastest possible average pace for the intervals: fixed speed was determined by the subject’s average running pace based on their current estimated best time for 5k or 10k to elicit a running speed close to the aerobic threshold.  MI significantly increased peak oxygen uptake, grip strength, lunges performed, and distance covered in the shuttle run test, whereas CL significantly increased shuttle run performance. When comparing the groups’ response to training, there was no difference between groups in any measurements after the training intervention period.  Impact of low-volume concurrent strength training distribution on muscular adaptation (2020) Kilen et al Also showed that weekly distribution of low-volume concurrent training completed as either 8 x 15-min bouts or 2 x 60-min sessions of which 50% was strength training did not impact strength gains in a real-world setting.  The 8 x 15 was further divided to 4 x strength, 4 x endurance (15 each) Pull-up performance can increase with as little as 15 min of specific training per week.  Pull-Up Program John mentioned However, Robust strength training effects requires a higher training volume than 1hr/wk for 9 weeks.  Maintaining Physical Performance: The Minimal Dose of Exercise Needed to Preserve Endurance and Strength Over Time – my old professor was author on this! (2021) Spiering et al when goal it to maintain during busy/stressful periods, during high competition (athletes), or even during a healing phase… review article of minimal dose of exercise (i.e., frequency, volume, and intensity) needed to maintain physical performance over time Endurance performance can be maintained for up to 15 weeks when training frequency is reduced to as little as 2 sessions per week or when exercise volume is reduced by 33-66% (as low as 13-26 minutes per session), as long as exercise intensity (exercising heart rate) is maintained.  Strength and muscle size (in younger populations) can be maintained for up to 32 weeks with as little as 1 session of strength training per week and 1 set per exercise, as long as exercise intensity (relative load) is maintained;  Strength in older populations, maintaining muscle size may require up to 2 sessions per week and 2-3 sets per exercise, while maintaining exercise intensity. Intensity is king! Exercise intensity seems to be the key variable for maintaining physical performance over time. (i.e. HR based training, is this MAF or LT, it’s relative, and for strength intensity refers to LOAD) The post OMM 6: Micro-Dosing Strength and Endurance (Research-Based Principles) first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by the UCAN Company, the fat-burning fuel of choice for metabolically efficient endurance athletes and health enthusiasts. UCAN products are powered by SuperStarch, a unique, low glycemic complex carbohydrate that delivers long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash, keeping your blood sugar steady. It’s the perfect complement for the healthy metabolically efficient athlete. Whether you’re racing fast short-course events or grueling Ironmans and ultra runs, UCAN products have grown so much over the years, as well, to fit your needs, with everything from drink mixes to their popular EDGE gels.  Athletes from all types of sports and levels are using UCAN these days, with top-level and pro triathletes, runners and even Crossfit athletes are using UCAN to fuel their best performances. But, UCAN is also a fantastic product for non-athletes and/or outside of training too.  Many UCAN products are offered in both plant-based and whey protein options, all with SuperStarch, including plant-based bar flavors cherry berry almond, salted peanut butter and chocolate almond butter, as well as a variety of energy + protein powders—great for those of you athletes looking to gain or maintain strength.  Best of all: EP fans get 15% off everything UCAN offers, click to activate your discount and shop now. You can also use the code ENDURANCEPLANET2021 if you’re shopping at ucan.co for that same 15% discount. Sponsor: Fullscript is an online supplement dispensary with professional, high quality top-brand supplements from a verified distributor. When you sign up for  Fullscript through EP you can get an exclusive discount off thousands of choice of top-level supplements. Fullscript even carries PerfectAmino essential amino acids by BodyHealth—including the tablet form and powder form. Some other good finds on  Fullscript include Vital Protein Collagen Peptides, Thorne products, Nordic Naturals fish oils, and other great, trusted brands such as Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. Fullscript has you covered on every aspect of health and wellness. Head over to Fullscript now by clicking the link, and get set up with your own personal account for an exclusive discount off your supplements. When you buy supplements from a trusted source you ensure higher efficacy and proper storage and handling. So check out Fullscript, your go-to online dispensary with a discount.. We are excited to welcome back Dr. Phil Maffetone in this special episode where we branch off into the wonderful world of music, and what music can do to enrich our lives, our brains and our athletic performance—when used appropriately, as we’ll explain. Phil also shares more insight on his personal story and music has shaped his life so positively. All of this and much more can be found in Phil’s new book titled B Sharp available now. IN this episode: Phil’s Story Phil’s early years with a brain injury and how music helped heal. Autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, amusia. Amusia—difficulty and confusion relating to music. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Phil’s epiphany and redirecting his career to one that involved music and song-writing. Working with Rick Rubin and living in LA. Book Premise Building a better brain with music via neuroplasticity—stay sharp and expand your brain any time, any age. The lost arts—“Artistic passion is not encouraged and often repressed, de-emphasized in education, and no longer a respected endeavor.” Music for stress/HPA Axis: better adapt by influencing chemicals like oxytocin, testosterone, the estrogens, prolactin, endorphins and endocannabinoids. “Poor health, illness and disease can significantly impair alpha and theta, while both can foster the potential to be significantly creative and therapeutic.” Brain waves: Beta, Alpha, Theta, Delta Music for alpha and theta brainwaves—helps for deep meditation state. “Music can powerfully manage the effects of our daily physical, biochemical and mental-emotional stress through the brain’s natural neurohormonal HPA axis.” Morning routines—don’t destroy that moment upon waking before you’re fully awake; ie don’t reach for device or screen. Instead when brain is half awake take that moment… linked to successful learning and creativity. Music can help encourage healthy mind-wandering during non-focused tasks.  5-minute power break: respiratory biofeedback Daily or even more frequently. Makes it easier to reach alpha, helping the brain get there more on its own, further adding to feeling more refreshed, relaxed, balanced and younger. Troubleshooting: falling asleep, too sleepy/carb intolerance Then there’s the: Five-Minute Meditative Dance. “Better than a runner’s high” Can you carry a beat? “The inability to effectively maintain even a reasonably consistent musical tempo can carry over to other areas. Many appear uncoordinated, clumsy, or have irregular walking or running gaits. Most are not athletic, and if physically active are less proficient and more injury prone. A simple approach called marching is used to address this cerebellar dysfunction. It requires a small handheld metronome (free apps for phones and other electronics can be downloaded from the Internet) that accurately sound each beat.” Avoid junk music, aggressive music/weaponized. Dancing!! If you wanna dance, it’s a great way to sneak more physical activity, fun and added brain benefits into your life, one song at a time! Music And Exercise & Training Physical activity and music go hand in hand: however, it’s not so straight forward. DMN (alpha) state vs intentional focus (beta) Turn off the music and listen to your body! MUSIC CAN BE ERGOGENIC AID BUT… “Research shows that listening to appropriately selected songs exert a range of work-enhancing (ergogenic) and psychological effects on the body. The process underlying this auditory–motor coupling is called entrainment. Reported short-term effects include increased exercise intensity, distraction from fatigue and pain, improving arousal, mood and motivation, and inducing a sense of power. While some researchers have hailed these effects, likening them to illegal performance-enhancing drugs, especially when using loud driving rhythmic music, some clinicians are aware of potential long-term harms. Research shows that these ergogenic effects can eventually lead to reductions in health and performance.” So, can music be partially driving no pain no gain?? Musical mentality can influence stress when not used correctly, lending to fit but unhealthy athletes. Are you dependent on music to workout or train? Explore this…misguided motivation, distorts messages to the brain  Anecdotally, music listening correlated with higher injury rates. Bottom line: music can be distracting and interfere with effective physical performance—but there are exceptions! Solution: Music listening at specific times around exercise: Pre-exercise music: relaxing, calm, not too aggressive! During: silence is best. Post-exercise initiates recovery: easy-listening. If you still plan to listen to music during exercise here are ways to reduce the risks: Wear heart rate montior Slower-tempo music —may improve physical performance, lower the heart rate, reduce stress and encourage autopilot mode. Avoid playing music loudly. In addition, matching music to your workout can be very helpful.  Example: WARMUP – 15min relaxing songs? not pump up songs? LOL MIDDLE – faster music but not louder, caution against too upbeat for overtraining risks What about using specific tempo ie 90 bpm cadence song to help with stride rate? As a drill only COOLDOWN – 15min The post Dr. Phil Maffetone 27: Music As An Ergogenic Aid (But…), Plus Its Role In Neuroplasticity, Nervous System Balance and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.