WHOOP Podcast

On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by health expert Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. Dr. Lyon is the founder of the Institute for Muscle-Centric Medicine and is a nationally recognized speaker and media contributor specializing in brain and thyroid health, lean body mass support, and longevity. Kristen and Dr. Lyon will discuss a patient’s story that unlocked Dr. Lyon’s research (3:15), where things start to go wrong for people’s health (6:35), what skeletal muscle does and the behaviors needed to build it up (11:35), the relationship between protein and skeletal muscle (13:50), how to find the right amino acids (17:20), Dr. Lyon working with patients to get proteins (21:45), fasting and eating throughout the day (26:50), getting adequate levels of protein as a vegetarian (31:25), protein and resistance training helping to prevent disease (34:25), having tough conversations about health (37:25), Dr. Lyon’s journey in writing her book (43:30), Dr. Lyon’s ideologies and practice (47:15), dealing with doubters and skeptics (53:55), talking with loved ones about health (57:40), and tips on improving muscle tissue health (1:01:25).

Resources:
Dr. Lyon's Website
Dr. Lyon’s TEDx Talk
EPISODE 45 The Science of Recovery: How to be More Resilient | Kristen Holmes 

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by former U.S. Navy SEAL officer Mike Sarraille. After 20 years of service, including 10 combat deployments, Mike began to focus his energy on leadership and human performance. He was a member of the Triple 7 Expedition which was a record-breaking skydiving journey that completed 7 skydives across 7 continents in 7 days. Kristen and Mike will discuss Mike’s time in the service and the transition out (3:00), dealing with mental health (12:10), his leadership learnings and mentoring others (16:25), creating a culture of high performance (25:40), Legacy Expeditions and developing the Triple 7 campaign (37:40), the Folds of Honor Foundation (49:40), the Triple 7 Expedition Team’s WHOOP data (51:05), and developing longevity and a tough mindset (1:03:18).

Resources:
Mike's Website
Legacy Expeditions
Everyday Warrior Podcast

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by author and endurance coach Paul Laursen. Paul is the Co-Founder and CEO of HIIT Science, the Co-Founder and Head of Product for Athletica, and co-host of the Training Science Podcast. Not only has he published over 150 scientific manuscripts and had his work cited more than 15,00 times, but he’s also competed in 17 Ironman triathlons. Kristen and Paul will discuss how Paul got started training and teaching (3:05), the relationship between the cardiovascular system and the nervous system (6:15), defining the different training zones (10:50), creating a weekly program with cardio zones (25:40), staying balanced with your training (29:10), autonomic recovery and Zone 2 as an active recovery tool (31:25), how Zone 2 can be linked to hormone levels (37:33), Paul’s paper on metabolism and burning fat (41:30), the best medium for Zone 2 training (47:15), training for longevity and VO2 max (50:15), and how Paul thinks about sleep with his athletes (52:05).

Resources:
Paul's Website
Paul’s Twitter
HIIT Science
Autonomic Recovery after Exercise in Trained Athletes
Athletes: Fit but Unhealthy
Fat Oxidation during HIIT

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by author James Nestor. James is an international bestselling author and journalist known for his book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. Breath has sold over 2 million copies worldwide, was translated into 35 languages, and was an instant bestseller in the New York Times. Kristen and James will discuss the research that inspired the work for Breath (3:20), how breathing is linked to performance and health (5:05), where we went wrong with breathing (6:48), why people weren’t paying attention to breathing issues (8:54), the connection between asthma, allergies, and breathing (11:20), people using James’ teachings and techniques (16:45), negative effects of mouth breathing (18:55), getting started with nasal breathing (22:15), elite athletes working on their breathing (25:30), HRV’s correlation to breathwork (32:05), breathing protocols and optimization (33:30), seeing benefits from breathing protocols (40:40), and the connection between breathing and weight loss (46:05).

Resources:
mrjamesnestor.com
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Guy Winch. The licensed psychologist and author is a relationship and emotional health expert with one of the industry's most highly regarded TED Talks. His TED Talks have been viewed over 30 million times and his books have been published in 28 different languages. Kristen and Dr. Guy will discuss how Guy began studying emotional health (3:15), the approach and skills involved with emotional health (5:50), the dos and don’ts of emotional health (10:25), dealing with rumination (15:25), getting space to grieve properly (26:55), managing self-esteem (32:50), dealing with heartbreak and finding your identity (35:05), creating a social circle in line with your own values (44:20), the timeline for recovering from emotional damage (49:15), the global outlook on emotional health (53:25), and developing the right work-life balance (57:25).

Resources:
Dr. Guy's Website
TED Talk - Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid
TED Talk - How to Fix a Broken Heart
Dear Therapists Podcast

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This week’s episode is all about the newest feature on WHOOP, Strength Trainer. WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by WHOOP Chief Technology Officer Jaime Waydo to give an in-depth look at the science behind the new feature that tracks exercises, reps, and weight to calculate the load you put on your musculoskeletal system. With Strength Trainer, that muscular load is now going to be factored into your overall strain, giving you a more comprehensive view of the demands you place on your body. Will and Jaime will discuss what is Strength Trainer (3:25), the technology behind the feature (4:55), acquiring and incorporating the PUSH technology (7:35), testing the product and feature throughout development (11:00), how WHOOP is able to track various movements and muscles (14:00), the WHOOP Workouts available to users (15:25), how WHOOP is the first wearable to track this type of weight training data (21:25), how your strain, recovery, and sleep scores will be impacted (24:35), and the future of Strength Trainer (26:55).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by WHOOP Senior Sport Scientist Chris Chapman. Chris is also the Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Big Air / Slopestyle Team for Freestyle Ski Canada. Kristen and Chris discuss how Chris got into Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and how he applies it to training (3:40), how to assess training readiness in athletes (7:35), components of a strength training program (12:30), what is HRV and why it is important (18:45), how HRV is impacted by strength training (26:15), how people are adapting their HRV (34:00), how HRV can influence exertion and performance (45:45), recovery tools and tips (48:15), dealing with stress while training (54:15), and how age influences HRV (1:00:20).

Resources:
Oliveira 2019
Williams 2020
Thamm 2019
Flatt 2019
Figeuiredo 2015
Marasingha 2022

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Andy Galpin. Dr. Galpin is a professor of kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton and an expert in exercise science. He is also the Director of the Center for Sport Performance at CSU Fullerton where he conducts kinesiology and human performance research. Dr. Galpin and Kristen will discuss how to Dr. Galpin describes strength training (3:00), getting started on a program (5:45), neural adaptations and how muscles and bones work together (7:40), how to train differently based on your desired results (14:00), training for high performance vs. longevity (20:55), how speed plays a role in strength training (29:40), recommendations for a basic training routine (36:45), how Andy trains his pro athletes (47:15), tips on how to accelerate recovery (50:25), strength training advice for women (55:35), and the best tips to optimize your strength training program (58:47).

Resources:
Dr. Galpin on Instagram
Dr. Galpin on Twitter
Dr. Galpin on YouTube
Dr. Galpin’s Website

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by ultramarathoner and data scientist John Kelly. John is fresh off his completion of one of the most grueling endurance races in the world, the Barkley Marathons. He has won numerous endurance races, competed in multiple Ironmans and triathlons, holds a Guinness World Record, and a PhD from Carnegie Mellon focused on brain-computer interfaces. Will and John discuss how John got into ultramarathons and endurance competitions (3:52), what John gets out of running ultras (9:10), running the Barkley Marathons (12:00), how to fuel before and during an ultra (16:40), how to navigate while running the Barkley Marathons (18:33), John’s WHOOP data before and after the races (20:05), recovering from an ultramarathon (25:08), the mental and physical fatigue when running ultras (28:07), how John developed mental toughness (34:45), what it was like going back to the Barkley Marathons after winning (40:05), people who John has learned from over the years (47:44), what John has learned while being on WHOOP (50:00).

Resources:
John’s Website
John's Twitter
John's Instagram

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On this week’s podcast, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by WHOOP Chief Technology Officer Jaime Waydo to dive deep into the new Stress Monitor feature. Stress Monitor measures your stress levels in real time and helps you manage them with scientifically-backed breathing interventions developed in partnership with Dr. Andrew Huberman.  Jaime is a product and technology executive with over 20 years of experience leading companies including Alphabet, Apple, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, among many others. Will and Jaime discuss the new Stress Monitor feature (4:58), the Stress Score scale (7:05), how to use the breathing interventions developed in partnership with Dr. Andrew Huberman (10:30), monitoring your recovery and how it impacts your stress levels (15:50), using the Stress Monitor before going to sleep and waking up in the morning (20:20), how the Stress Score is calculated and showing up in everyday events (27:05), Jaime’s background in the tech industry (31:35), a behind-the-scenes look at the building of Stress Monitor (35:00), and how the feature will continue to be developed and integrated throughout the WHOOP platform (40:25).

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On this week’s podcast, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by sports medicine expert Dr. Kate Ackerman. Dr. Ackerman is the Founder and Director of the Wu Tsai Female Athlete Program Boston Children’s Hospital and Biennial International Female Athlete Conference and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. The sports medicine expert focuses her research on female athlete health and is currently the chair of the US Rowing medical committee and a member of the World Rowing medical commission. Dr. Ackerman and Kristen will discuss Kate’s time as a student-athlete at Cornell (3:50), the Female Athlete resilience study at Boston College (11:00), questions to ask to learn more about someone’s health (13:47), people being more open to discussing their mental health (16:37), the factors behind injuries and setbacks (18:50), the importance of young athletes being active and a part of a team (24:00), behaviors that can lead to energy deficiencies (27:23), the Wu Tsai Female Athlete Program (32:30), recovering from an injury and the path back to peak performance (42:00), the process of seeking help (45:40), mantras that inspire Kate (47:35), and the lifestyle tips and things outside of training that set athletes up for success (50:50).

Resources:
Female Athlete Program
The Female Athlete Conference
Dr. Ackerman on Twitter

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This week WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Allison Brager. She is a neurobiologist with expertise in sleep and circadian rhythms who works to examine the mind and body’s resilience to extreme environmental stress. She serves as a member of the WHOOP Scientific Advisory Council and wrote a popular science book entitled Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain. Kristen and Dr. Brager will discuss the NCAA handbook and sleep trends for NCAA student-athletes (3:07), WHOOP member sleep statistics (8:35), the proper framework to maximize sleep performance (12:33), what happens when sleep performance is poor (16:05), how to effectively lower sleep debt (19:10), behaviors to advance and delay your sleep onset (21:35), the impact of light before bed (27:00), myths about sleep (32:55), how to get a good night’s sleep and how to prep during the day (35:47), taking the perfect nap (40:30), practicing yoga nidra (44:00), sharing a bed with a partner or pet (47:05), and sleep tourism (48:50).

Resources:
Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain
Dr. Brager on Instagram

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This week WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims. Dr. Sims is a leader in the women’s health space who has directed research programs at Stanford, AUT University, and the University of Waikato, focusing on female athlete health and performance and is pushing the dogma to improve research on all women. Kristen and Dr. Sims will discuss the differences in strength between men and women (5:10), how coaches and parents should talk to young girls about puberty (7:10), training through the menstrual cycle (12:15), maintaining fuel and energy during the luteal phase (15:38), the psychological impact of the menstrual cycle (18:40), behaviors people can adopt to stay balanced (21:50), what training modalities you should focus on during each menstrual cycle phase (26:11), reprioritizing how we train when women reach perimenopause and post-menopause (28:52), various training techniques and when to implement them (31:51), protein need and intake (36:53), training during the different stages of menopause (38:30), how to stay active during a chaotic travel schedule (42:25), and certain health risks and factors that come with aging and menopause (46:13).

Resources:
Stacy's Website
Stacy’s Books
TEDx Talk: Women are Not Small Men

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by OB/GYN and women’s health expert Dr. Jessica Shepherd. She is the Chief Medical Officer for Verywell Health. She is the founder and CEO of Sanctum Med + Wellness, a wellness concierge practice. Dr. Shepherd is also a member of the WHOOP Scientific Advisory Council and is also the founder of Her Viewpoint, an online women's health forum that focuses on addressing taboo topics in a comfortable setting. Kristen and Dr. Shepherd discuss why men should learn about menopause (5:55), what is happening in the body during menopause (8:10), the timing of entering menopause (11:15), the hallmark symptoms of menopause (13:15), advice on getting good sleep when experiencing symptoms (17:00), hormone replacement therapy (22:25), how to detect whether you’re in perimenopause (28:05), nutritional tips and behavioral recommendations (33:15), understanding mindsets and habits (40:40), health risks associated with postmenopause (46:55), Don Lemon on women in their primes (54:25), and the women’s health space over the next 10 years (58:25).

Resources:
Verywell Health
Dr. Shepherd on Instagram
Sanctum Med + Wellness on Instagram
NY Times Article: Women Have Been Misled About Menopause

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On this week’s episode, our VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by health expert Dr. Kyle Gillett. Dr. Gillett is a dual board-certified physician in family medicine and obesity medicine and an expert in optimizing hormone levels to improve overall health. He leads the Gillett Health clinic where he preaches a holistic approach to health and believes each person requires precise attention to their body, mind, and soul to achieve optimal health. Kristen and Kyle will discuss Dr. Gillett’s path to medicine (2:40), what are hormones (5:21), conditions caused by hormonal imbalances (6:55), heart rate and homeostasis (9:32), how hormones impact exercise performance (12:30), the entry point into resistance training (15:13), the connection between sleep and body composition (17:55), exercise and metabolic function (20:50), Zone 2 and Zone 5 cardio work (24:00), fueling the body and staying balanced (26:40), protein and hormone optimization (30:05), hormone health and sleep (37:55), tips to get better restorative sleep (41:40), intentional stress vs. unintentional stress (44:10), creatine and supplements that impact strain (48:35), and melatonin, magnesium, and other supplements Kyle focuses on for health (52:15).

Resources:
Gillett Health
The Gillett Health Podcast

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by Bryan Johnson, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, writer, author, and the Founder and CEO of Kernel. Through his research, Bryan has become obsessed with slowing down the pace of aging. He has personally been following a daily regimen to increase his endurance, optimize his heart health, and even improve his skin – all in an effort to reverse aging. Bryan and Will discuss why Bryan is passionate about health and wellness (4:25), Bryan’s body on the Blueprint Method (7:25), his sleep and recovery WHOOP data (9:25), variables that impact Bryan’s sleep (12:25), how Bryan tests his body for optimal performance (14:25), his outlook on life since starting Blueprint (17:02), summarizing the Blueprint method (20:20), how he has filtered his relationships and a look into his family life (26:50), society and self-destructive behaviors impacting aging (32:35), the media backlash Bryan receiver when starting Blueprint (38:10), his diet on Blueprint (44:40), society and the government’s role in education around health and wellness (49:00), understanding how to remove your autonomy (52:00), and how we can build the next version of humans (56:50).

Resources:
Kernel
Bryan Johnson Blueprint
Theta Waves
Rejuvenation Olympics
Bryan’s Twitter

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On this week’s episode, Founder and CEO of WHOOP Will Ahmed is joined by training expert Bobby Stroupe. Bobby is the CEO and Founder of Athlete Performance Enhancement Center (APEC) and is the trainer of Super Bowl Champion Patrick Mahomes. Coach Stroupe and his team have worked with and supported over 300 professional athletes across 6 different sports including World Series Champions, Super Bowl Champions, and first-round picks in both the NFL and MLB. Ahead of this weekend’s Super Bowl, Will and Bobby discuss how Bobby works virtually with Patrick throughout the season (4:37), Patrick playing hurt in the AFC Championship game (6:27), Patrick getting injured in the Divisional Round (7:37), Patrick’s strain and recovery data during the week (10:07), tips on how to overcome an injury (12:12), gamifying the offseason training regimen (15:02), different recovery and therapy methods (16:10), how Patrick and Bobby use WHOOP (17:27), Patrick’s WHOOP data on gamedays and getting stronger throughout the season (18:15), Patrick’s weekly training program (25:17), course correcting throughout the week (34:09), talking with other trainers to compare styles (40:37), Patrick’s unique ability to throw the football (45:45), navigating the extra-long halftime during the Super Bowl (49:47), Bobby’s thoughts on the Super Bowl (53:18), and Bobby’s relationship with Eagles QB Jalen Hurts (55:17).

Resources:
Team APEC

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This week’s episode focuses on the recovery benefits of cold therapy and cold plunges. Winter swimming expert and best-selling author Dr. Susanna Søberg joins WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Kristen Holmes, for a discussion around one of the top growing recovery behaviors. She has a Ph.D. in metabolism, is the founder of the “Søberg Institute,” and is the leading mind behind the #SøbergPrinciple. Susanna and Kristen will discuss what happens to the skin during cold exposure (4:00), how to best adapt to cold shock (9:18), the difference between brown fat in men and women (13:14), the other ways to activate brown fat through cold exposure (16:10), how scientists first discovered brown fat (22:13), the best time in the day to do cold plunges (26:50), how cold exposure impacts sleep (31:20), how long people should be submerged in cold water (36:15), the #SøbergPrinciple (46:40), the optimal water temperature to benefit from cold therapy (49:30), combining cold therapy with your workout routine (55:32), and how to get over the mental barrier of the cold (1:01:14).

Resources:
Winter Swimming
The Søberg Institute

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This week’s episode is all about nutrition and learning how to create a diet plan that works for your body. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by Co-Founder and CEO of Whole30, Melissa Urban. Melissa is a recovered addict, nutritionist, and a seven-time New York Times bestselling author who realized she needed to change her habits and her life in order to maintain her recovery – which caused her to examine her relationship with food and its impacts on her body. The two will discuss Melissa’s background and battling addiction (3:03), the importance of setting boundaries (5:40), how to deal with others while trying to make personal changes (8:05), how Whole30 started and grown over the years (10:40), changing the relationship with the scale (12:51), the process of elimination foods (14:50), the moment Melissa realized the positive impacts of Whole30 (16:13), the concept of a health reset (19:40), making Whole30 accessible to everyone (22:48), reintroducing foods back into a diet (25:10), how context matters when it comes to eliminating foods (27:35), tips on how to use WHOOP data to make better food and sleep choices (28:35), Melissa’s sleep data (34:31), how Melissa keeps people motivated to stick to their programs (36:35), her new book The Book of Boundaries (38:55), her concussion and how it has impacted her over the years (43:20), how she combats anxiety and other recovery tips (47:05), and how nutrition is the foundation for a healthy lifestyle (54:23).

Resources:
Melissa Urban
Whole30
The Book of Boundaries

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We’re at the mid-way point of January and this week’s episode is a compilation of tips and tricks to stick to your goals. It takes 21 days for a new behavior to become a habit so we have 21 minutes of insight and expertise on how you can set yourself up for success and achieve your January Jumpstart resolutions. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes sets the stage by explaining the Goldilocks Rule (0:51), author and endurance athlete Rich Roll explains the importance of taking a leap of faith (3:00), Super Bowl Champion Steve Weatherford shares his insight on how to feel better in your life by developing a routine and rhythm, Paralympic track star Scout Bassett highlights how leaving your comfort zone can help you achieve your goal (11:20), Olympic diving gold medalist Tom Daly talks about living in the moment and taking the pressure off of yourself (14:55), and finally CrossFitter Noah Ohlsen offers his tips for getting a good night’s sleep (18:20).

Resources:
Rich Roll Episode
Steve Weatherford Episode
Scout Bassett Episode
Tom Daly Episode
Noah Ohlsen Episode

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We are kicking off the new year with a show that will help you get a jump start on your resolutions. Our VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by behavioral scientist and WHOOP Scientific Advisory Council member Dr. Gina Merchant to share her insights on behavioral change. Dr. Merchant and Kristen discuss creating the framework for change (3:18), intrinsic and extrinsic motivations (7:38), how core values can impact changing habits (11:08), the science behind behavior change (16:08), the non-negotiables for creating new behaviors (18:49), the interpersonal aspect of committing to altering your lifestyle (22:01), the impact of making small changes day-to-day (26:58), self-monitoring while achieving goals (32:33), unpacking self-determination theory (34:27), how social media can impact change (38:58), quitting cold turkey (42:16), developing long-term changes and self-reporting (45:58), and how competition can help fuel habit-forming (50:40).

Resources:
Gina’s Website
Gina’s LinkedIn
Connected by Nicholas A. Christakis and James Fowler 

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During 2022 we spoke to Olympic champions, Hall of Fame athletes, and leading experts in various fields of research and human performance – and this week, we’re sharing our favorite conversations. It’s an episode that’s equal parts education and inspiration. Throughout our Best Of episode, you’ll hear from Emily Capodilupo on alcohol’s effect on the body (2:41), Andy Blow on hydrating to prepare for a night of drinking (5:55), Dr. Hazel Wallace on creating better nutritional habits (8:48), Dr. Maya Shankar on how to stay committed to goals (13:45), Reggie Miller on how practice led him to a winning mindset (19:12), Michael Phelps on his battle with depression and anxiety (24:24), Sloane Stephens on mental health and being open to understanding others (31:15), Dr. Andrew Huberman on breathing protocols to reduce stress and improve health (36:41), and Brian MacKenzie on the benefits of nose breathing (42:43).

Resources:
Ep. 171 Michael Phelps
Ep. 173 Sloane Stephens
Ep. 181 Andy Blow
Ep. 184 Brian MacKenzie
Ep. 185 Emily Capodilupo on Alcohol
Ep. 192 Maya Shankar
Ep. 193 Reggie Miller
Ep. 195 Dr. Andrew Huberman
Ep. 198 Dr. Hazel Wallace

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On this week’s episode, Emily Capodilupo SVP of Data Science and Research at WHOOP joins the show to take a deep dive into the year that was 2022. Will and Emily will unpack 2022’s top trends, behaviors, and activities across the WHOOP Community. They’ll discuss sleep trends throughout the WHOOP community (2:05), the cities that slept the most and the least (8:10), nap statistics within the WHOOP community (9:50), the recovery trends from 2022 (10:45), the top positive and negative behaviors affecting recovery (15:35), joining the 1% Club (28:25), how supplements impact your recovery (30:07), the top mental health behaviors and diets related to recovery (31:12), circadian health and sleep behaviors (32:45), strain and activity trends throughout the year (35:58), the WHOOP Geographical Superlatives (41:20), and the top journal behaviors recorded during 2022 (45:40).

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This week’s episode is all about unlocking the exercises to improve long-term cognitive function and brain health. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood to discuss his background in neuroscience and pediatrics (2:50), the mind-body connection (4:38), the framework for optimal brain health (6:40), the importance of committing to sleep (10:58), how nutrients affect overall brain health (16:00), the effect of creatine and creatinine (20:15), how general movement influences the brain (22:05), the amount of exercise needed to see a positive change in cognitive function (25:33), how reducing stress can lead to better brain health (28:13), the best ways to recover to improve cognitive function (31:40), how to start exercising to optimize brain health (34:19), developing a strength training program (37:45), training to avoid dementia and improve long-term health (41:27), the ideology of Movement Snacks (46:06), and how to find Tommy’s research (49:10).

Resources:
Dr. Tommy Wood on Instagram

Dr. Tommy Wood on Twitter

Ellen J. Langer Study on Sleep Duration and Cognitive Performance

Marc Hamilton Study on Seated Calf Raises

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This week, we are diving deep into the science behind circadian rhythms and shift work. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by sleep expert Dr. Greg Potter. Dr. Potter is here to shed light on the secrets of regulating circadian rhythms and his research around sleep, nutrition, and metabolism. Kristen and Dr. Potter discuss the risks of shift work on the body (3:50), the optimal timing for employers to schedule shift work employees (8:55), the process of sleep homeostasis (13:55), the circadian process (14:53), what zeitgebers are and how they influence circadian rhythms (17:51), how to shift your biological clock (23:56), how to schedule your meals (27:29), the positive and negative effects of caffeine consumption (31:18), developing a pre-bed relaxation routine (36:46), melatonin and other supplements for sleep (38:42), the best ways to restrict light exposure (42:36), the L-Glycine and L-Theanine proteins (45:36), how exercise can aid metabolic health (47:09), and how to manipulate zeitgebers to adapt to a new time zone and dealing with jet lag (51:38).

Resources:
Dr. Greg Potter

Cheri Mah's Study on Sleep and Athlete Performance

Claudio Moreno's Study on Melatonin 

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This week Kristen Holmes, VP of Performance Science at WHOOP, is joined by author and nutritionist Dr. Hazel Wallace for a conversation around a holistic approach to nutrition and women’s health. The two discuss Dr. Wallace’s latest book The Female Factor (1:43), nutrition’s impact on health (4:09), the biggest misconception around nutrition (6:42), how to start creating better nutritional habits (8:44), the potential risks of disease and poor nutrition habits (10:59), how to manage cholesterol through nutrition and what it means for the body (13:28), metabolism during sleep and eating during shift work (17:31), eating meals late in the evening before bed (23:21), the link between food and mood (25:03), the nutritional differences between men and women (29:28), the act of sequencing foods (33:40), the difference between insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance (34:38), explaining what PCOS is (36:55), intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding for women (41:14), understanding the body during the menstrual cycle (45:33), training and strain during the menstrual cycle (47:04), and the difference between probiotics and prebiotics (48:53).

Resources:
The Food Medic
The Female Factor

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In this episode, we discuss groundbreaking research around pregnancy that could pave the way in improving the lives and health outcomes of premature infants worldwide New research from WHOOP has uncovered a first-of-its-kind digital biomarker that can be a potential indicator of preterm delivery, all by using HRV patterns. VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo joins the show to discuss what we found in our pregnancy data (3:55), how she looked at her own data as a pregnant member (5:25), a pregnancy study conducted at West Virginia University by Dr. Shon Rowan (7:16), the HRV inflection point (9:19), how Dr. Rowan used WHOOP in his study (10:26), how WHOOP conducted a pregnancy research study with members (11:43), what you can learn from the inflection point (13:35), the impact of preterm births (16:25), the options and preventative measures regarding preterm births (18:10), and how we will incorporate this research into the WHOOP app (20:36). WHOOP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patrick Carroll joins the show to talk about how wearables are impacting health care (27:52), providing WHOOP data to your medical provider (30:29), the power of non-invasive studies (32:52), the exclusion criteria for the study (34:00), and the overall impact on the medical field (34:49).

Resources:
The Locker: Understanding Every Stage of Pregnancy
Dr. Shon Rowan's Research Study from WVU

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After wrapping up Sober October, we’ve brought back a fan favorite to dive deep into the effects of alcohol on the body, sleep, and recovery. VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes and SVP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo break down all things alcohol by discussing what we know about alcohol’s impact on the body (2:45), how alcohol leads to poor sleep (4:05), how alcohol deters muscle development and hinders the results of a workout (6:40), what you can expect to see in your WHOOP metrics after drinking (8:22), the story of a collegiate athletics team that won a championship after going sober for a season (9:50), collegiate athletes and recovering from drinking (11:45), healthy behaviors to offset hangovers and alcohol consumption (15:35), tricks to improve recovery if you know you will be drinking (16:50), a case study with military soldiers and the impact of alcohol (18:40), the potential benefits of consuming small amounts of alcohol (21:36), experimenting with your own WHOOP data (25:55). Then tune in to a couple of soundbites from experts including Andy Blow on hydrating while drinking and the power of non-alcoholic beer (27:20), and Dr. Kelly Starrett on using alcohol to self-soothe (29:44).

Resources:
Andy Blow on the WHOOP Podcast
Dr. Kelly Starrett on the WHOOP Podcast

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This week we revisit an all-time classic episode all about Heart Rate Variability (HRV). VP of Performance Kristen Holmes  and SVP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo dive deep into everything there is to know about HRV – and why it’s such a critical metric for evaluating your body’s readiness to perform. Learn what HRV is (3:00), why it’s so valuable to measure (6:35), and how it is a sign of fitness (9:40). Find out why WHOOP collects HRV data during sleep (17:05) and how it can impact your recovery score (22:27). Emily and Kristen explain how HRV can fluctuate on a daily basis (25:58) and how there is no true “normal” HRV (29:23). Hear some simple lifestyle choices that can improve your HRV (36:15) as well as how hydration (36:15), nutrition (38:43), and sleep (41:55) relate to HRV.

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This week, we sit down with NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller to discuss his 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers, including all of the mental and physical focus that went into becoming one of the best in the league. Since hanging up his professional hat, he's gone all-in on a sport that would surprise many: cycling. Reggie sits down with CEO Will Ahmed to discuss falling love with basketball (2:39), how he actually got a late start in basketball after exploring other sports (4:40), his journey to UCLA (8:15), how he started to build his confidence as a player (10:57), being drafted into the NBA (12:59), the differences in the game then to now (19:09), his approach to mindset (25:39), practice vs. game day (29:17), how he uses WHOOP  now that he's transitioned to cycling(30:30), what he's learned about his sleep (33:18), and what his typical day looks like (34:30).

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On this week’s episode, Dr. Maya Shankar – a cognitive neuroscientist and creator and host of the podcast, A Slight Change of Plans – sits down with VP of Performance Kristen to how to change our patterns of behavior when it comes to our health. Maya shares the secrets of staying motivated, what the fresh start effect is, and how we can handle setbacks when we're not making the progress we want towards our goals. Maya shares her story of studying violin under Itzhak Perlman (2:22), how a hand injury spurred what she calls identity foreclosure (5:41), her transition to neuroscience (8:48), how she changed her plans and found herself on her career path (10:31), what the endowment effect is (17:14), the benefits of the fresh start effect (18:22), how to think about restarting after your goals have been derailed (23:44), the best ways to cement new habits (25:29), the power of data and behavioral science (29:43), how to make good decisions (31:11), and the illusion of control (34:15).

Resources:
Maya's podcast, A Slight Change of Plans

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Scout Bassett, Paralympic track athlete, joins the podcast for a powerful conversation on resilience, what fear teaches us, and how things often get harder before they get better. Scout grew up in an orphanage in China, having lost her right leg in a chemical fire as a newborn. After being adopted, she was introduced to sports, and ultimately, made track and field her career. That journey has been nothing but linear, and she joins the podcast to discuss growing up in China (3:11), how she prioritizes her mental health (8:05), getting into sports (14:29), moving to California (21:29), transitioning to triathlon and ultimately track and field (24:42), the 2021 Paralympic Games (28:00), what her goals are (34:15), how she uses WHOOP (39:12), what she noticed about her metrics that helped her understand she had COVID-19 (42:23), the importance of sleep (50:54), and how she prioritizes self care (52:38).

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This week, we're featuring an episode that originally aired on the Founder’s Field Guide podcast. Will Ahmed joins Patrick O’Shaugnessy to discuss the journey of founding and building WHOOP. They discuss how to quantify sleep, strain, and recovery (5:35), early lessons in building WHOOP (21:28), how WHOOP stays ahead of upcoming trends in the wearable space (18:45), what data beyond HRV will become more accessible and affordable to track (48:48), why WHOOP doesn’t have a screen and other key differentiators (58:13), and the lessons Will has learned in the past 10 years since founding WHOOP (52:01).

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You asked, we answered. This week, Kristen Holmes, VP of Performance, joins the podcast to answer listener questions. From understanding the connection between mental health and Recovery, to discussing  HRV, to understanding calorie calculations, Kristen covers HRV (1:44), the science behind menstrual cycle coaching (5:54), mental health and HRV (9:27), understanding recovery scores (22:30), and fasted cardio (26:43).

Additional research:

• The research behind Menstrual Cycle Coaching
• Dr. Huberman's tools for circadian alignment
• Zone 2 exercise
• Polarized training
• Calorie tracking and calculation

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Kristen Holmes, WHOOP VP of Performance, is joined on this week's podcast by Cedric Unholz, WHOOP Senior Performance Scientist and Strength & Conditioning Coach for Olympic Windsurfers, and Chris Chapman, WHOOP Sr. Sports Scientist and Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach for Freestyle Ski Canada’s Slopestyle and Big Air National Team to share the physiological benefits of a strength training regimen. They discuss the benefits of a strength training program (6:45), the difference between traditional strength training and functional training (8:50), where most people go wrong when strength training (14:58), difference in training protocol between men and women (23:09), how to plan for recovery after a hard training session (24:23), what the interference effect is, and how it can influence how and what you train (33:05), how to evaluate your one-rep max (37:27), and the importance of building rest into your training (38:40).

Find the research mentioned in this episode here.

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Emily Capodilupo, WHOOP SVP of Data Science & Research, and Kristen Holmes, WHOOP VP of Performance, join the podcast to discuss the perils of disregarding sex as a meaningful biological variable in research, which has implications in training, fueling, medication dosing, and so much more.  Emily and Kristen discuss why there are disparities in research (3:48), how exclusion has been both systemic and practical (7:53), the role lack of research has in diagnostics and in medication dosage (13:24), how wearables are well poised to bridge the research gap (19:01), pivotal research on how exercise is beneficial to pregnant people (25:11), the impact of training and pre-sleep feeding on women (29:02), and training modulations during different phases of the menstrual cycle (32:59).

Other resources to check out:
Stacy Sims on Nutrition Differences between Men & Women
Why We Need a Title IX for Research
Pregnancy Study Shows Benefits of Exercise

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Emily Capodilupo, WHOOP SVP of Data Science & Research, joins Will Ahmed to share recently analyzed data on alcohol consumption patterns and what we see happen to the body physiologically with each and every drink. Emily shares what we're trying to achieve with recovery (2:28), the negative effects of alcohol on recovery (3:46), the effect of every incremental drink on recovery (5:32), the differences between men and women when it comes to alcohol consumption (7:48), holiday drinking (11:44), which month has the highest reports of alcohol consumption (14:11), consumption relative to bedtime - and what happens physiologically (14:54), and drinking hacks to optimize recovery if you do decide to drink (17:53).

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Brian MacKenzie is a human performance and endurance expert, and the President and co-founder of The Health & Human Performance Foundation. He is on a mission to help everyone from top executives to the US military understand how breath can help optimize their health and performance. Brian joins the podcast to talk about what hypoxia is and why it matters (6:37), the downstream effects of improper breathing (10:42), the characteristics of optimal breathing (15:30), the physiological impact of mouth breathing (20:24), benefits of nasal breathing (28:13), elevating your awareness and achieving an optimal breath practice (35:27), and how to think about your breath in gears (35:59).

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Annie Thorisdottir has twice been named the Fittest Woman on Earth at the CrossFit Games. Since taking CrossFit by storm, she's gone on to multiple podium finishes, including becoming the first woman to win back-to-back CrossFit Games titles. She joins the podcast to talk about her long career in the sport, including getting started in the sport (3:25), her journey to motherhood, including struggles with postpartum depression (13:31), her athletic rebirth after having her daughter (18:00), competing as an individual and as a team (22:49), how she paces herself (27:31), and the importance of mindfulness (32:30). 

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This week's episode features arguably the greatest female wheelchair racer of all time, Tatyana McFadden, who has won 20 Paralympic medals, 24 World Marathon majors, and 4 consecutive Grand Slams. She joins the podcast to share how she's overcome the many obstacles she has been faced with in her life, how sport saved her life, and how she advocates for others with disabilities. Tatyana and host Will Ahmed discuss her story of growing up in an orphanage in Russia (3:23), her transition to wheelchair racing (6:23), how sports saved her life (9:11),  how she prepares for her races (18:24), how she uses WHOOP (19:07), how she prioritizes sleep (24:07), what it took to overcome a lymphedema (30:22), advice for those who are struggling (36:58), and the goals she's working toward (39:24) next.

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WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with Andy Blow, a world-renowned expert in sweat, dehydration, and cramping to discuss how you can lock in your hydration. Andy draws on his experience as a triathlete and a Formula 1 sports scientist to help explain what you need to know about your own hydration -- and how to avoid common mistakes when it comes to hydration and fueling. Andy discusses the variability in sweat losses from person to person (8:56), what our bodies do while sweating (10:08), perceived effort and thirst (11:50), pre-hydrating (16:20), diet and hydration (21:46), caffeine's role in hydration (24:27), alcohol (30:09), electrolytes (33:14), hydrating while fasting (37:22), and carbs and fueling (42:05). 

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The Tour de France is underway, and this week Jeremy Powers sits down with world class cyclist Lachlan Morton of the EF Education-EastPost team. Lachlan has raced in some of the biggest world tour events, but he’s perhaps best known for some of his achievements in ultra long distance and uphill events. He recently set the world record in “Everesting,” climbing the equivalent of Mount Everest in just 7 and a half hours. He also rode the Tour de France route last summer by himself, riding 12 hours a day, sleeping in tents alongside the road, and raising $700,000 for charity in the process. Lachlan discusses his journey to cycling (3:42), going pro (8:50), winning the Tour of Utah (15:26), his charitable efforts (18:15), his WHOOP data while riding the Tour de France route by himself (25:38), recovery and adaptation (29:50), road racing vs. adventure cycling (33:36), and biking around the globe (38:08). Plus, Jeremy quizzes Lachlan on some of the WHOOP Data from the EF team (40:37). 

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On this week’s episode we take an in-depth look at the science behind your circadian rhythm and how light exposure affects your body. WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with Dr. Samer Hattar, a world-renowned expert in the field of circadian health, who is credited with discovering neurons in the eye that set our circadian clocks and regulate mood and appetite. Dr. Hattar explains the light-dark cycle and the circadian clock (3:44), the consequences of viewing light at the wrong time (6:34), the importance of light exposure in the morning (12:44), viewing light during the day and blue-light blockers (15:35), what happens when we are exposed to light at night (16:55), circadian health and digestion (19:37), eating windows and meal timing (25:07), exercise routines (28:46), new WHOOP Journal additions on circadian health (34:25), time zones and shifting your circadian rhythm (36:37), and your body's temperature minimum (40:15).

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This week’s episode is all about nutrition and how locking in your diet can help prevent chronic disease, fix health problems you might be dealing with, and help you live a longer life. Dr. Julie Foucher, family physician and four-time CrossFit Games athlete, talks about how food can often be used as the medicine for what ails you. She joins WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to discuss food's medicinal capabilities (3:25), preventing chronic disease (7:20), inflammation (9:20), processed foods (14:08), eating for longevity (17:36), eating close to bed (22:15), comparing different diets (27:02), injury prevention and recovery (29:48), nutrition and mental health (33:15), and habit formation and behavior change (35:12).

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Neurophysiologist Louisa Nicola joins the WHOOP Podcast to detail the intersection between brain health, physiology, and peak performance. Louisa sits down with WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to explain the role sleep, nutrition, and exercise play in growing our brains, how the brain ages, and the steps we can take to keep our brains young. Louisa discusses training your brain (5:54), exercise and brain aging (12:28), brain health and resistance training (18:19), nutrition (20:57), hydration (25:34), sleep deprivation and the role it plays in immunity and injuries (32:05), measuring inflammation and stress with HRV (37:13), and how alcohol affects the brain (43:17). 

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To unlock your best ideas, creativity, and performance, it is essential to create a safe space – part of which can be done with the right interpersonal behaviors, and part of which is done at home with a good night’s sleep. To examine this, WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down for a discussion with Harvard business school professor and behavioral science researcher Dr. Amy Edmondson on the concept of psychological safety. Dr. Jemma King from the University of Queensland in Australia and researcher Nadia Fox also join the podcast to detail new groundbreaking research on the intersection between psychology and physiology and how that manifests in metrics like sleep debt and HRV. Learn more about psychological safety (3:23), stress responses (9:08), burnout (11:23), cognitive functioning under stress (14:52), sleep deprivation (18:09), the study findings (25:50), slow wave sleep and mental control (28:41), cognitive fitness (29:53), sleep debt and psychological safety (32:27), and sleep consistency (41:17).

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Unlocking human performance isn’t just about tapping into the potential your body has – it’s about harnessing the power of the mind. We’re taking a look back at some of the learnings and insights we’ve covered on the WHOOP Podcast related to mental performance. In this episode, you’ll learn from some of the masters of mindset on how to improve your mindfulness, meditation, and visualization practices, including Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe (2:35), world-renowned sports psychologist Dr. Jim Loehr (4:38), Free Solo rock climber Alex Honnold (6:21), 2-time PGA Champion Justin Thomas (11:59), Olympic legend Michael Phelps (14:13), former Navy SEAL Mark Divine (17:11), Steve-O from Jackass (21:12), and Stanford Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman (24:37).

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Leading evolutionary psychologist Dr. Bill von Hippel sits down for a discussion on what makes us tick as humans and how that plays a role in our mental health. Dr. von Hippel is the author of the book The Social Leap, and explains how the experience of our ancestors shaped the way our minds and bodies react to stressful situations, positive and negative emotions, and social settings. He joins WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to talk about the beginnings of humanity (2:30), the pursuit of happiness (4:28), social comparisons (7:57), healthy motivation (12:02), stress (12:48), framing the right mindset (17:50), staying present (23:56), flow states (27:23), negative feelings and stress responses (29:07), self-control and willpower (32:29), our limitations as humans (37:27), and mindfulness practices (41:02).

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