Stephen Seiler

Professor Stephen Seiler, a world-renowned sports scientist, challenges the 'no pain, no gain' ideology. He reveals how you can reach fitness goals with less effort through a balanced approach to exercise. Discussing the dangers of high-intensity training, especially in stressful lives, he promotes the 80-20 principle, advocating 80% low-intensity workouts for optimal recovery and performance. Seiler also emphasizes the necessity of rediscovering physical activity in our sedentary lives, offering insights for weekend warriors on achieving better fitness without burnout.

Our guest today is one of the most influential people in Cycling and Triathlon training, and that’s because he was one of the original founders of the 80/20 rule, commonly referred to as Polarised Training. Even if you haven’t heard of him, basically the entire world of cycling and triathlon now train to this principle of, 80% of your training is to be easy, and only 20% hard. His name is Dr Stephen Seiler, he is a Professor of Sports Science, earning his doctoral degree from the University of Texas at Austin and has lived and worked in Norway for over 20 years as a university teacher, researcher, and leader. He still resides in Norway and it’s no wonder that they are at the forefront of training development with minds like his leading the way. We went for almost 2 hours in this interview and we could’ve kept going. We are big fans of his work and are very familiar with majority of his teachings and principles, but even we were surprised about some of the controversial opinions he holds around the wrong things the world is still doing in training. We clarify exactly what polarised training actually means, we dive deep into training intensity and what the optimal training sessions actually are, we discuss the value and limitations of VO2 max training and a whole lot more. This was such an enjoyable episode. Timestamp: 00:00 - Introduction 00:42 - Dr. Seiler’s Day 02:05 - What’s Easy Endurance Ride for Dr. Seiler 06:42 - 80/20: Polarised Training Defined 13:35 - Get Away from the 7-day Micro Cycle 17:45 - Frequency and Consistency 20:30 - The 14-day Cycle 27:30 - Failure with Trying Harder 32:00 - Structuring a 14-day Cycle 37:40 - VO2 Testing 43:30 - Lactate Tolerance 47:20 - Frequency, Volume, and Intensity 53:20 - The Right Intensity for High-Level Athletes 1:03:45 - The Recovery Clock and Alignment 1:12:20 - Staying in the Threshold Zone 1:20:20 - Should Aging Athletes Avoid Intensity? 1:30:30 - Data Triangulation 1:40:24 - Dr. Seiler’s Training with Scottie Pippen If you want to learn how to TRAIN SMARTER and RACE FASTER, you can join our weekly coaching email, just go to: getfastpodcast.com Some of you might already be in there, but many of you won’t be and so this is our official invitation for you to come and join our free community: www.facebook.com/groups/trivelocoaching Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trivelocoaching/ Disclaimer: The Content in this podcast is in no way intended to be medical advice, treatment or diagnoses. None of our Content is intended to imply that any products mentioned, remedies or information provided are intended to prevent, diagnose, cure or alleviate a disease, ailment, defect or injury or should be used for therapeutic purposes. The Content is intended to assist you with running, cycling, swimming or triathlon and should not be substituted for medical advice by your healthcare professional. We do not accept any liability for any injury, loss, or damage incurred by the use or reliance on our Content.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this engaging discussion, Professor Stephen Seiler, a world-renowned sports scientist, shares surprising insights on how to get fitter with less effort using the 80:20 rule. He emphasizes the importance of low-intensity workouts and introduces a simple traffic light method for exercise intensity. Seiler discusses how elite athletes balance training with everyday life and highlights the significance of proper recovery. Listeners will also learn about the mental aspects of endurance sports and the value of functional fitness for aging.

Dr. Stephen Seiler, a leading expert on high-intensity interval training, dives into the science behind effective training strategies. He discusses the balance of intensity and recovery, emphasizing personalized training plans over traditional metrics. Insights into breathing metrics as performance indicators and the evolution of fitness tracking technology are explored. Seiler also shares fascinating revelations from Kenyan runners on minimalist training practices, highlighting the importance of consistency for athletic success.

Exploring the challenges of tracking metrics and estimates in training, from validating data to individualizing approaches. Discussing the complexities of measuring training metrics and the potential negative effects of excessive monitoring. Delving into the challenges of translating lab measurements to real-world cycling scenarios and the importance of accurate metrics for sports performance tracking. Exploring the significance of subjective metrics like RPE alongside objective measurements and warning against overreliance on too many measurements for tracking performance.

Interval workouts are often tough and many athletes finish them wondering if they were effective. We discuss how to get the most from your interval workouts with Dr. Stephen Seiler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Stephen Seiler, an exercise physiologist from the University of Agder, is a leading authority on endurance training. He reveals fresh insights into polarized training, questioning its universal applicability among athletes. Discussions cover the significance of training intensity distribution, the balance of high and low workouts, and the importance of recovery. Seiler emphasizes trust between coaches and scientists while exploring how systematic reviews enhance understanding of training efficacy, ultimately advocating for a tailored approach to athlete performance.

Everyone from Peter Attia to the Global Cycling Network is talking about zone-based fitness training. It’s gaining popularity as a way to optimize your workouts and train like an endurance athlete, all while making sure you don’t work too hard. So we contacted a global expert to determine whether it’s worth the hype. What is Zone 2 training, and how can you do it effectively—no matter your fitness level? Dr. Stephen Seiler is a professor at Norway’s University of Agder, and for decades he’s been researching the concept of the “polarized training” that separates training styles by lactate range and heart rate. Here, he explores the benefits of slowing down with Medcan CEO Shaun Francis.  Check out the episode webpage for links and more info. 

Dr. Stephen Seiler is a pioneering exercise physiologist known for his groundbreaking research in endurance sports and the polarized training model. He discusses the 80/20 training model, emphasizing low-intensity training for endurance enhancement and lactate reduction. The conversation dives into the physiological mechanisms that allow athletes to cycle faster at lower heart rates, introducing concepts like Zone 2 training and 'green zone' training for optimal recovery. Dr. Seiler also explores the significance of ventilation measurements over traditional lactate testing for better training metrics.

Dr. Stephen Seiler, a leading physiologist from the University of Agder renowned for his research on polarized training, discusses an innovative project focusing on breathing frequency as a training metric. He explores how this approach may better align with perceived exertion than heart rate, offering deeper insights into athletes' performance. The conversation also covers the complex mechanics of breathing, the potential of wearable technology in measuring exertion, and the importance of personalized respiratory training for optimizing athletic performance.