The High-Performance Athlete with Drs Tommy Wood and Andy Galpin

Andy is a tenured Professor in the Center for Sport Performance at California State University Fullerton, and Director of the Biochemistry and Molecular Exercise Physiology Laboratory. Having previously been a competitive football player, weightlifter, and martial artist, Andy now uses what he learns in his research to help amateur and elite or Olympic athletes in multiple sports, from UFC to the NFL.

Andy recently co-authored a book with Brian MacKenzie and Phil White called Unplugged. As the name suggests, a major theme in the book is avoiding the pitfalls of modern technology.

One theme of the book is the use of hormetic stressors - pushing your physiology with cold or fasting, for instance, to improve health and performance. In this interview, Andy talks about how he is using that in terms of recommendations for the general public, and in his elite athletes.

Our favourite Andy Galpin quote from this episode:

When you're optimising, you're not adapting

Here’s the outline of this interview with Andy Galpin:

[00:02:51] Molecular-level studies vs human clinic trials.

[00:04:26] Leg strength.

[00:05:42] Study: Bathgate, Katie & Bagley, James & Jo, Edward & NL, Segal & Brown, Lee & Coburn, Jared & CN, Gullick & Ruas, Cassio & Galpin, Andrew. (2016). Physiological Profile of Monozygous Twins with 35 Years of Differing Exercise Habits. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 30. S43-S44.

[00:07:38] Endurance 90% slow-twitch, untrained 50% fast-twitch.

[00:09:48] Podcast: The Joe Rogan Experience #996 with Dr. Andy Galpin.

[00:10:33] Intra-muscular triglycerides (IMTGs).

[00:11:41] Marbling.

[00:14:35] Specificity of training.

[00:18:32] Polarised training. Study: Hydren, Jay R., and Bruce S. Cohen. "Current scientific evidence for a polarized cardiovascular endurance training model." The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 29.12 (2015): 3523-3530.

[00:19:30] Brian McKenzie, CrossFit Endurance -website coming soon.

[00:23:26] Body conditioning for long events.

[00:24:24] Book: Unplugged: Evolve from Technology to Upgrade Your Fitness, Performance, & Consciousness by Brian MacKenzie, Dr. Andy Galpin and Phil White.

[00:25:29] The misuse of technology in training.

[00:28:05] Technology makes no adjustment for context.

[00:31:07] Tim Ferriss.

[00:31:46] Collect the minimum amount of data possible.

[00:32:28] Use the least amount of technology possible.

[00:32:51] Tracking subjective measures.

[00:33:26] Study: Saw AE, Main LC, Gastin PB. Monitoring the athlete training response: subjective self-reported measures trump commonly used objective measures: a systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2016;50(5):281-291. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-094758.

[00:33:43] Shawn M. Arent, PhD.

[00:39:05] Hormetic stress. Podcast: Getting Stronger with Todd Becker.

[00:40:49] Mike Bledsoe at Barbell Shrugged, coffee.

[00:43:41] When you're optimising, you're not adapting.

[00:44:28] Coach Cal Dietz, Minnesota Golden Gophers.

[00:44:45] Michael Phelps swim coach, Bob Bowman.

[00:45:24] Benjamin Levine, MD.

[00:47:29] Low-carb diets for performance.

[00:49:19] The whole point is to overreach.

[00:50:56] Podcast: Wired to Eat with Robb Wolf where he discusses the 7-day carb test.

[00:51:40] Book: Wired to Eat: Turn Off Cravings, Rewire Your Appetite for Weight Loss, and Determine the Foods That Work for You by Robb Wolf.

[00:54:05] Nothing is forever.

[00:54:36] Book: Unplugged: Evolve from Technology to Upgrade Your Fitness, Performance, & Consciousness by Brian MacKenzie, Dr. Andy Galpin and Phil White.

[00:54:50] Andy Galpin on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

[00:55:06] Podcast: The Body of Knowledge hosted by Andy Galpin, PhD and Kenny Kane.

[00:55:32] andygalpin.com and Dr. Andy Galpin on Patreon.