The Optispan Podcast with Matt Kaeberlein Elite Performance: How Pro Athletes Use HRV to Train Smarter (Not Harder)
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Sep 10, 2025 
Joel Jamieson, a global authority on heart rate variability (HRV) training, shares insights from training elite fighters to enhance health and performance. He explains the importance of consistency, balance, and resilience over high-intensity workouts. The discussion unpacks why VO2 max predicts longevity, and how HRV serves as a vital biomarker for stress and recovery. Jamieson highlights the significance of lifestyle factors and emotional health impacting athletic performance, while stressing the need for a comprehensive approach to fitness and recovery.
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Strength Didn’t Translate To Fight Conditioning
- Joel grappling with MMA fighters exposed his conditioning gaps despite superior strength.
- That experience pushed him to study metabolic conditioning and VO2-based training.
HRV Measures Vagal Tone And Resilience
- Heart rate variability (HRV) measures parasympathetic (vagal) influence on the heart by quantifying beat-to-beat interval variability.
- Higher resting HRV indicates greater resilience and recovery capacity while lower HRV reflects sympathetic dominance and greater chronic stress.
HRV Links Stress, Vagus, And Inflammation
- HRV reflects both cause and effect: sympathetic dominance increases inflammation and low HRV, while low HRV also indicates greater disease risk.
- The vagus nerve mediates a cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway connecting HRV to systemic inflammation.
