#294 ‒ Peak athletic performance: How to measure it and how to train for it from the coach of the most elite athletes on earth | Olav Aleksander Bu

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Mar 18, 2024

Olav Aleksander Bu, an internationally renowned sports scientist and endurance coach, shares his expertise in optimizing athletic performance. He delves into VO2 max, its critical role in endurance and energy production, and how low-intensity training enhances it. Olav discusses innovative assessments like portable VO2 testing, the importance of lactate threshold, and uses data-driven approaches to push high-performance athletes. He also emphasizes mindfulness in training and explores unique cycling and swimming methodologies to advance performance.

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ANECDOTE

200-Watt Time Trials

Peter Attia and training partners did 80km time trials, keeping average power at 200 watts.
Over a year, they increased speed from ~20.5 mph to ~22 mph by improving efficiency, not power output.

INSIGHT

Mindful Low-Intensity Training

Low-intensity cycling allows mindful focus on form and efficiency.
Triathletes, unlike specialists, often prioritize brute force over nuanced movement efficiency.

ANECDOTE

Swimmers vs. Triathletes

Olav Aleksander Bu tested triathletes and Olympic swimmers in a flume, measuring oxygen consumption while swimming at the same speed.
The swimmers used ~25% less oxygen, demonstrating superior efficiency despite lower VO2 max.

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Olav Aleksander Bu is an internationally renowned sports scientist acclaimed for his coaching prowess with elite athletes spanning a diverse range of sports disciplines. In this episode, Olav delves deep into the intricacies of VO2 max and its profound impact on performance. They explore the relationship between VO2 max and ATP production, energy efficiency, and power, as well as the impact of low-intensity training on VO2 max. The conversation extends to Olav’s experiences pushing the boundaries with high-performance athletes and the data driven interventions he uses to improve performance. They also dissect the role of lactate threshold, discuss other important metrics to track, and explore the exciting possibility of utilizing a portable VO2 testing device as a practical alternative to traditional lab-based assessments.

We discuss:

Olav’s background, expertise in exercise physiology, coaching experience, and interest in the extremes of human capability [4:15];
The processes of energy conversion within the human body and its implications for performance [9:30];
Improving movement efficiency, and the importance of mindfulness in training to optimize performance [20:00];
The relationship between VO2 max, power output, and endurance performance in different sporting contexts [34:45];
How VO2 max is measured in the lab, and why it’s a crucial predictor of both lifespan and quality of life [44:45];
Absolute vs relative VO2 max, the significance of functional threshold power in cycling, and the importance of longer duration tests for accurate assessments [54:00];
Portable VO2 testing devices as a practical alternative to lab-based tests [1:05:15];
The complexities of measuring ventilation and its impact on performance metrics like VO2 max and heart rate [1:15:45];
Training interventions to increase VO2 max, and factors that impact performance outcomes [1:23:30];
The respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and endurance sports, and how factors such as diet composition and exercise intensity influence RER values and performance [1:32:45];
Science-guided training for versatile athletes: maximizing VO2 max, power, torque, and cadence in cycling, and the importance of incorporating diverse stimuli to enhance performance [1:41:00];
Physiological limitations on VO2 max [2:02:15];
The different energy systems used during work, and other things to monitor like VCO2 and heart rate [2:06:00];
Lactate threshold and other metrics to guide your training [2:10:30];
Analysis of a lactate power curve: exploring lactate dynamics in endurance training and performance [2:23:15]; and
More.

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