wise athletes podcast

I'm sure you've heard something, somewhere about magnetic field therapies providing pain and healing through noninvasive anti-inflammatory effects. To my ears, this all sounded a little too much like those X-Ray glasses that I ordered in 1975 that never arrived. Today I am talking with Bob Dennis, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Founder of Micro-Pulse, about his work with NASA on PEMF and his pursuit of a non-drug solution to his own back pain. Bob is a scientist and an old-school tinkerer on a mission to bring affordable PEMF technology to Wise Athletes and people in pain everywhere. The original NASA TVEMF - PEMF systems were developed by Dr. Robert Dennis for NASA under contract in 1997 - 1998.  Recently corrected NASA patents verify his status as original inventor.  Four additional patents (1 2 3 4) demonstrate the recent advances that have been made since the original work at NASA, leading to modern ICES® DigiCeutical® technology developed in 2013 - 2014.  ICES is the new PEMF. Founded by Dr. Robert Dennis (LinkedIn profile) to provide biomedical technology research & development to bridge the gap from academic research to industry, Micro-Pulse LLC has evolved into an independent core technology origination company for a wide range of products, including specialized test apparatus for basic scientific research, robust products for military applications, and low-cost high-performance commercial products for medicine, research, and education. Links: Micro-Pulse.com website: https://www.micro-pulse.com/ PEMF Forum: https://forum.fluxhealth.co/ Bob Dennis's article on PEMF: https://www.josam.org/josam/article/view/69 Bob's University of North Carolina bio: https://bme.unc.edu/bme-person/bob-dennis/ Bob's Bio: Bob Dennis is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a medical scientist and tissue engineer, and consultant in medical device design. He has worked in the aerospace and defense industries, the automotive industry, and the medical device industry. He co-founded the Biomechatronics Group in the Harvard-MIT HST program in the original MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, where he developed the world’s first hybrid (living + synthetic) swimming robot for DARPA. As a professor at U-Michigan and UNC, he has lead multi-institutional research projects to develop new tissue engineering technologies for the United States Department of Defense. Want to help the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes. And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES Thanks.

A.G.E.s are extremely damaging to our health. You are wise to become "A.G.E. aware". A.G.E.s is an acronym for Advanced Glycation End-products or "glycation". Most people wrongly think A.G.E.s is only a problem for people with a high HbA1c score measuring average blood glucose levels over the last 3 months. A.G.E.s affect us all. A.G.E.s are now known to be a cause of cancer and of many chronic diseases, including: type 2 diabetes, heart disease, painful joints, erectile disfunction, cataracts, and even wrinkling of the skin. Our bodies make A.G.E.s as an unavoidable consequence of making energy to live, and we eat foods containing a wide range of A.G.E volumes. Avoiding the A.G.E.s in our food is the easiest way to control the accumulation of A.G.E.s. The volume of AGEs in our food is dependent upon the type and amount of food and how it is prepared. Cooking food slowly, wet, with acidic marinades (such as lemon, lime, tomato sauce, vinegar, wine) and/or certain spices (such as Indian) makes all the difference. Eating food raw is even better. And regular exercise may be the only way to reduce the retention of A.G.E.s. The Anti-A.G.E. Foundation says research suggests up to 30% of the A.G.E.s we consume in our food remains inside our bodies. Over our lifetime, very slowly these A.G.E.s build up in our tissues. Very slowly but very surely. The organs of a 50 year old will have far more A.G.E.s than a 20 year old. Initial studies in healthy individuals suggest that consumption of 15,000 to 20,000 A.G.E.s per day may be a healthy limit, as the body can detoxify some amount of A.G.E.s. But research has not concluded a safe level, so “less is more” applies.  15,000 A.G.E.s may sound like a lot but a single fast-food meal contains 22,000 A.G.E.s. Fried, grilled, and baked foods...and in particular fatty meats ... generate the most A.G.E.s. Learn about A.G.E.s from Dr Turner's TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/LvwMXqyrKG0?feature=shared Anti-AGEs / Dr Turner / Dr Findlay Info: Dr. David Turner's Lab: https://surgery.vcu.edu/research/surgery-research/turner-lab/ Dr Victoria Findlay's Lab: https://surgery.vcu.edu/research/surgery-research/findlay-lab/ Anti-AGEs Foundation website: https://anti-ages.org/ Dr. David Turner is President & Co-Founder Anti A.G.E Foundation (non-profit) and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Surgery at the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center. His strong British accent was honed growing up in the North of England where he completed his Honors Science Degree in Molecular Biology and Doctorate in Biochemistry at the University of Newcastle in the United Kingdom. His passion is combining his scientific research on A.G.E.s with a total commitment to making the world “A.G.E. aware”.   Dr. Victoria Findlay is a Co-Founder of Anti-A.G.E. Foundation (non-profit) and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery and a Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention & Control Program at the Massey Cancer Center at the Virginia Commonwealth University. She earned her BSc in Edinburgh, Scotland and her doctorate in Genetics at the University of Newcastle in England. Her passion is to educate and inspire the next generation of scientists. Her work with A.G.E.s in normal breast development seeks to focus a light on the ‘windows of susceptibility’ that occur throughout a woman’s life to increase her risk of breast cancer. She has a particular interest in the A.G.E. levels in breast milk and infant formula and the resultant effects on childhood diseases. Want to help the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes. And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES Thanks.

Recovery from too much exercise or stress in life can be a hard problem to solve. Trying hard to relax is not only an oxymoron but is also impossible. Wise Athletes need some external signal to trigger our brain's unconscious program for relaxation and recovery. This is critical for athletic performance as well as for longevity. Listen in as Don Moxley explains how the cannabis plant includes compounds that work with our body's signaling infrastructure to switch on recovery mode, and to resolve anxiety-led sleep interference. If you've tried CBD before but didn't get any benefit, you probably weren't taking a large enough dose. Don also explains the difference between CBD and CBDa, and why CBD is the wrong target. CBDa is what you need for affordable recovery support. Learn about CBD: https://projectcbd.org/ Don Moxley Bio: Mode+Method website: www.modemethod.com (use discount code -- wise15) SpermidineLife website: https://spermidinelife.us/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donmoxley/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donmoxley/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/donmoxley?lang=en Mode+Method's HRV+ Includes cannabinoids CBD, CBDa, BCP (50mg cannabinoids per capsule; daily dose = 3 capsules per day) Formulated with Curcumin, Magnesium and Omega-3 to reduce inflammation Don is a regarded longevity science leader known for making the complex simple. Don Moxley is Director of Applied Science and Brand Development at Longevity Labs Inc. in the United States. Operating with the personal mission of helping individuals understand the changes necessary to alleviate suffering and contribute to the betterment of all people, Moxley draws upon his career as an athlete, a sports scientist, and an instructor to lead and educate on the science of autophagy and longevity. Throughout his life and career, Moxley has applied science to enhancing well-being. A former captain and Big 10 Championship winner with the Ohio State University wrestling team, Don served as the university’s first sport scientist. By giving athletes the ability to track their progress in strength, cardiovascular and resilience training, he helped the wrestling team win a national title and three Big 10 Championships. He has helped athletes achieve two Olympic metals, four World Championships, seven National Championships and 23 All-Americans. Want to help the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES Thanks.

Mental fitness is much like physical fitness in many ways. As athletes we are also human beings living in a stressful world. Building mental fitness can come randomly over many years of experience, but structured training can make all the difference. Getting professional help can produce the fastest results, but be sure to have a training plan to get you where you want to do. Listen into Kate Allgood of Quantum Performance, as she explains her approach and answers my questions about how to think about mental fitness and some mental tools to deploy to accomplish specific goals. Kate Allgood Bio: Kate's Website: www.qpathlete.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/qpathlete/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sportpsychology/ Kate delivers mental training solutions to overcome the demands faced by elite athletes and other high performers in the military and business. Kate's life has always involved balancing a healthy body and mind. After a successful athletic career, Kate found her passion for helping others to improve and enhance their mental health and performance. Kate earned two Masters degrees with honors in psychology, specializing in applied sport psychology, and general psychology with a concentration in family psychology. She graduated with distinction for both degrees. And, in 2010 Kate launched Quantum Performance Inc, a high performance coaching firm specializing in the mental training of high performers. Current and past clients have included professional athletes in the MLB, NFL, NHL, AHL, Supercross, PGA, LPGA, skateboarding, the Anaheim Ducks & San Diego Gulls hockey teams, Olympic, college, & high school athletes, Navy SEALs and Marine fighter pilots to ironman triathletes.  And, Kate is the author of 3 books that provide all the details behind her approach. Kate's books: The Athlete Within: How to build Your Mental Game for Peak Performance Get Into The Zone: The Essential Guide To High Performance Through Mental Training Fortitude: The Essential Guide to Building and Sustaining Mental Toughness What is Mental Training for Peak Performance? Multiple levels of framework, from highest level to lowest: Self-awareness. Confidence. What helps with Self-awareness? Medication What helps with Confidence? Self talk, focusing on small successes Focus....at the core of everything. Tools for training attention. Energy...energy level and type of energy to synch mind and body Imagery and visualization Perspective. Mindset falls into perspective. Respond vs. react. Lot's of skills and techniques to pull all of this together Outline of Discussion Kate's background Mental performance in sport vs. in life...separate but connected Kate's framework for mental training for peak performance Growth mindset: athletes succeed through effort, not talent Growth mindset: constant improvement is at the core of all great athletes. Every experience is an opportunity to grow, not good vs. bad Growth mindset: help others to improve Stress is not good or bad, it is a physiological response. We can learn to have the right response, and use tools to modulate the response to be more appropriate for the situation when necessary Getting centered: feel the grass/dirt, smell the grass/dirt Chewing gum for the mind: music, mantras Breathing for calmness: "box breathing" (4 x 4 x 4 x 4) and "diaphramatic breathing" (making exhales 2x the length of inhales; in via nose, out via mouth) Laughing, singing, emotional release Mental preparation. Think through what could go wrong to prepare your mind for how to react. Cut the stress and make it easier to make a good decision under pressure. Use the "if-then" statement structure. Want to help the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES Thanks.

I have a number of amazing episodes coming up (mental strength, CBD, avoiding glycation/AGEs, PEMF and more) but I haven't been able to get any of them ready. It's been too long since I published anything so I thought I'd share an great one from last year done with one of my favorite people, Dr Mike T Nelson. Enjoy! Mike T Nelson, PhD Dr Mike is a well known expert on Metabolic Flexibility, and I have had him on Wise Athletes twice out of pure admiration for his amazing body of work. On episode #68, Glen and I spoke with Dr. Mike T Nelson about building anti-fragility across a range of physical and mental functions. If you missed this one or the 2021 episode on Metabolic Flexibility, be sure to listen in. If you already heard it, you wouldn't be wasting your time to check out Dr Mike's advice again. Episode 32: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/32-helping-older-athletes-feel-young-again-via-metabolic-and-physiologic-flexibility-with-dr-mike-t-nelson/ Bio Creator of the Flex Diet Certification & Phys Flex Certification, kiteboarder, lifter of odd objects, metal music lover.   PHD IN EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY FROM UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BA IN NATURAL SCIENCE FROM ST. SCHOLASTICA MS IN BIOMECHANICS FROM MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT CARRICK INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL NEUROLOGY AND MUCH MORE Dr. Mike's Website https://miketnelson.com Dr. Mike's Instagram drmiketnelson Physiological Flexibility  The 4 main regulators pH, temp, blood gas oxygen and CO2, and blood glucose.  The 8 interventions (2 for each) are: Hot -such as warm temps outside or sauna Cold - cold water immersion, cooler temps, cold showers HIIT -high intensity exercise as Wingates (aka Beast Mode) LISS - as Dr Mike's buddy Luke from Muscle Nerds calls it "Least Mode" aka lower intensity exercise Low blood glucose - via fasting protocols High(er) blood glucose challenge - 2 pop tart test Slow breathing techniques and breath holds Fast (supra ventilation) techniques like Wim Hoff and others -------- Met Flex = Flexible Diet + metabolic flexibility.  The focus is Body composition and athletic performance, which are intertwined.  Body composition is good for health, self esteem and performance. Athletic performance is good for (1) health (body is built to move), (2) longevity (3 factors) and (3) body composition (burning calories  Key Principals: Speed of adaptation reflects health status and resilience:  fuel switching speed, sugar tolerance, temperature tolerance,  HR capacity (max vs. resting), endurance, mobility and strength provides headroom to recover from problems. Benefit stacking:  getting multiple benefits from our actions and food Health maintenance is the real goal.  Achieving goals is nice, but sustaining fitness and health is the real achievement.   The key is fuel matching and non-linear calorie imbalance. (Practice maintenance) No suffering; stay within yourself but push a little most days.  “Better is better”.  Optimal is elusive but will slowly be achieved for each person  Little things add up.   Start with easy to gain momentum and motivation for harder change. Exercise doesn’t have to dominate your life; you just need to do enough of cardio/ endurance and HIIT/ strength work.  More variability = better resilience Consistency of effort (we are forming new habits, need time to obtain positive feedback) Progressive overload (change is painful, but only a little and only some of the time, if done right) Modulated workload (for recovery, adaptation, mental health, and practice for maintenance mode) Inflexible people have a insulin resistance, have lots of insulin to deal with sugar, makes it hard to burn fat.  Issue in losing fat and using fat for endurance intensity exercise.  8 interventions for nutrition and recovery. Help people: higher metabolic flux, fast switching between fat and carb burning.   Getting stronger and getting control over body composition. Help people understand nutrition, and factors involved in body composition and performance. Not treating medical conditions.  Started with Dr David Kelly(Brooks and mercier) Coined “Cross over effect”  Leverage: Focus on high impact (make a big difference in physiology), easy to do (clients will do it) interventions: physiology & psychology. Actually have clients rank interventions according to what they will do.  Progressive disclosure

Fullscript for WiseAthletes Exercise is not the same as physical activity. Wise Athletes must continue to use all of our physical skills to retain them long into life. Instead of investing in carefully planned strength training, cardio training, balance training, mobility training....just get out into nature and use your body in ways that are unpredictable...that challenge your brain. Dr. Scott Grafton Dr. Scott Grafton, Distinguished Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara, directs the Action Lab, which works on the neuroscience of goal-directed movement. Professor Grafton is also the author of Physical Intelligence: The Science of How the Body and Mind Guide Each Other Through Life.   Physical Intelligence book (Amazon) Action Lab Website What is Physical Intelligence? Dr. Grafton shares how ‘physical intelligence’ works, what you can do to hold on to old physical skills as well as learn new fun things to do, and why it’s so important for all of us as we age. Physical intelligence is the brain's ability to figure out how to perform physical skills better and better. It learns by doing.  But we forget. We lose skills we don’t use. That results in losing basic life skills if we withdraw from life. The more we pull back from activities that might result in injury the less capable we become over time. We have to find a way to stretch ourselves in what we already know or in learning new activities.  Exercise is not enough. We need unpredictable environments. An opponent across the net. An unstable trail. Something that engages the brain in adapting skills to accommodate new information. We retain physical skills and we exercise the brain. Smart Practice -- spending time wisely that provide the best result....only practicing the hardest skills...not wasting time on the easy stuff because it's fun Variability in Practice -- it's good to have randomness in the practice to maximally stimulate the brain to learn faster Good sleep is important for consolidating new physical skills We are born to learn physical skills. We are great at it. But we are also great at forgetting. Use it or lose it. Find a way to stretch your physical capabilities (which will stretch your mental capabilities as well) to keep from shrinking down to a fragile person who is afraid and incapable of operating in the world Why do people fall down? Strength? Balance? Vision? No: its a loss of skill in moving through real-world environments. Outline of Discussion you were talking about how exercise is not the same as physical activity ….as a “exerciser” I found that a little annoying eventually I understood that you were diagnosing the problem I have been complaining about publicly for the last 6 months… about how I have lost athleticism as I have focused more and more on just lifting weights and riding a stationary bike, and not doing sports anymore you just returned from a trip to the mountains.  How did it go?  Was this your annual trip to you mentioned in your book?  And, when you tell us about that also tell our audience how you came to know so much about physical intelligence I admit to being a bit jealous of your trip.  So much so that I had to brag to you earlier about the mountains I have climbed in my life, but the truth is I regret feeling that I had to give it up as too hard for my aging body.  But you are still doing it.  How?  And please tell us why. you are doing it right. Am I am not going it right, which brings us to the point of our talk today.  How should wise athletes do to find a good glide path to perhaps slowing but as slowly as possible….staying staying strong both physically and mentally as long as possible?. So , Healthy aging is not from a treadmill.  We need complex physical engagement for the body and brain.  And the mindset, the attitude matters….is that just for motivation or does the mindset affect the benefit we get form doing physical activity?  in the context of aging, when we’re told to do our “exercise” for our health, we aren’t being given completely good advice, are we? physical activity that engages the brain is important….use it or lose it seems to apply broadly to the human condition.  I used to think the declines of the body and mind was just a natural progression…unavoidable.  But now I wonder if we are doing it to ourselves somehow.  Leaping past the question of why the body “gets old” and just start with the thought that because my joints hurt, I stop doing certain activities…and maybe that is the beginning of the end.  I stop using my body the way I used to, and pretty quickly I lose the ability to do it.  My mom followed this path to doing less and less.  The less she did, the more things that felt dangerous…which led to further reductions in activity and more lost physical skills. Are we doing it to ourselves, dr grafton? Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, please leave us a review. And, be sure to check out our FullScript supplements link to see the amazing prices on the best brands on the planet. Pro Level Supplements

Red Light & Near-Infrared Light Therapy delivers amazing healing and pain-relief along with many other benefits Dr. Zulia Frost Dr. Zulia Frost is a medical doctor and clinical director at Recharge Health. Dr. Frost explains that red light & near infrared light technology has many applications, including treating injuries, resolving age-related pains, improving sleep and much more.  drzulia.com recharge.health What is Red & NIR Light? Sun exposure has long been valued for its healing properties. But the dangers of sunburn, skin aging and skin cancer, and just the modern, indoor lifestyle has dramatically reduced the exposure we get to the sun.  The largest proportion of sunlight is infrared light which we feel as heat.  The reason we can feel it is the infrared wavelengths can penetrate through clothing and through our skin and even through bone, down into our muscles and organs.  It turns out that our bodies react to this light, as well as to other wavelengths including red light which is at the longest wavelength end of visible light.    The technology for replicating red and NIR light is called photo biomodulation.  It used to be called “cold laser” therapy because it relied on low power lasers, but eventually it was discovered that LEDs worked as well.  This is where all the consumer products are coming from. Red & IR light are of wavelengths that do not create heat in the body but do have a photobiomodulation effect Mechanisms of benefit include: Increases energy in cells impacted by red & IR light Via nitric oxide release, improves blood flow, which is critical for healing Release of anti-inflammatory cytokines (to reduce inflammation related to healing) Rapid pain reduction in certain circumstances via reduction in inflammation Increased production of collagen: higher quantity and quality Dosing is important to get any effect Power of LEDs Distance from skin Time of exposure Biphasic dosing: the benefits build up over time but too much for too long can be counterproductive. Not injury but lost effect. Take a break to recover ability to get benefits. Key Details: Near-Infrared (NIR) Light is considered to be about 750nm-1200nm. NIR's longer-wavelength, lower-energy light can reach deeper tissues of the body like muscles, joints, and even brain tissues.  The most effective wavelengths of NIR are 810-850nm. Red Light is typically considered to be 620nm-750nm. Red light's shorter-wavelength, higher energy light will penetrate a little less than NIR but can help with shallower parts of the skin, like skin repair and rejuvenation.  The most effective wavelengths of Red Light are 635-670nm. Outline of Discussion What is sunlight made up of in terms of wavelengths? How did red / NIR light therapy get started as a treatment? What are the benefits? How does it help? Pain reduction, improved skin quality, blood glucose control, better sleep, lower anxiety, faster muscle recovery, recovery from TBI. How do we know it really works, and is not just a placebo effect? (this was my fear, originally) How does it work? Multiple mechanisms: improved blood flow, higher cellular energy, activated immune response for healing plus anti-inflammatory response How can people determine which devices will suit their goals? Part of body to target, device form factor, power, distance from lights, time of exposure Tell us about Recharge, and how people can learn more about red / NIR light therapy Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES Thanks.

Song Credit: Twice in One Lifetime by Phil Maffetone Dr Phil Maffetone Dr. Phil Maffetone’s credo is that “everyone is an athlete.” As a health and fitness trendsetter, Dr Phil has had as much positive impact on a wider variety of people than anyone in modern history. Dr. Phil is a long-time respected pioneer in the field of complementary medicine, bringing the latest advances to health-care professionals around the world. He is an internationally recognized researcher, educator, clinician and author in the field of nutrition, exercise and sports medicine, and biofeedback. In 2003, Dr. Maffetone was presented with the prestigious Statuette award by the International Academy for Child Brain Development. He was named Triathlete Magazine’s coach of the year in 1995, and in 2000 was honored by Inside Triathlon magazine as one of the top-20 most influential people in endurance sports worldwide. Since the 1970s, Dr. Phil Maffetone has warned against sugar addiction and carbohydrate intolerance along with pioneering the use of biofeedback via heart-rate monitoring devices. His approach has been proven successful by thousands of MAF devotees. Dr. Phil is committed to making the Maffetone Method available to everyone. Music can positively influence intensity, fat-burning, as well as encouraging overall brain and body benefits. However, it needs to be used intelligently. Best to avoid the stress-induced pounding drums and driving bass lines. While a no-pain, no-gain approach to exercise and music can be enjoyable, be careful out there. If you want an aerobic workout to burn more fat and increase energy capacity, listening to intense music can be problematic. Lower heart rate exercise increases fat-burning and builds mitochondria capacity for superior aerobic performance. Consider songs that help promote warmups — slower, easy music allows your body to ease into the session, increasing the workout benefits. Likewise, with your cool down. For aerobic workouts, a more moderate beat is great, and for high intensity a faster song helps move you along. The most important music choice is always the music you enjoy. However, the choice. Personalize. Most importantly, always avoid junk music. Dr Phil has created some playlists of his music. The two playlists are for an Easy Aerobic Workout, and for Higher Intensity Training. And, it’s all free. Links: www.Maffetonemusic.com www.philmaffetone.com   Dr. Phil's B Sharp! book on Amazon Outline of Talk The main topic today is music, which a newer aspect of your amazing career….a career which I think can be summarized as:  helping athletes to be faster by being healthier. Before we get into the music side of this story... can you give us a high level understanding of the MAF Method. …. Why did you see a need for it and why does it work? MAF Method  -- The point is not to see how fast your body can move. The point is to change the way your body gets energy. You want to burn more fat and less sugar. MAF stands for Maximum Aerobic Function and combines exercise, nutrition, and stress to build your aerobic system, the fat-burning engine responsible for fueling the body. A well-functioning aerobic system leads to: Increased energy and endurance Run / bike / swim faster for longer Prevent injury and disease Improved brain function So, a healthy athlete is a strong athlete… that makes sense, But why can’t I just focus on getting what I want … a higher FTP and VO2Max, so why not go for it directly instead of doing so much “talking pace” exercise? The more I learn about health and fitness and even longevity, the more I understand that the body and mind want and need cycles of stress and recovery, feast and famine, growth and repair, intensity, and relaxation, again and again.  It’s funny …. Recovery is one of those things that quote/unquote “everybody knows and nobody does”…. it is so elusive, I think, because you can’t go directly at it… Let’s start with music and exercise, then we’ll get into the broader use of music. Tell us your thinking about how a wise athlete should use music before or during or after exercise? When I first heard you talk about using music to relax, I realized that I only listened to fast tempo music anymore….and that was my choice because it charged me up…made me ready to move and made exercise much easier. But after your talk, I started listening to relaxing music after my workouts. Luckily I had some old favorites on my phone that I never listened to… and now I find I can calm down and just relax for a bit instead of charging off into some other project that needs doing.  And if I sing along with the music I even feel happy. But it’s true that Fast music feels exciting and makes exercising feel easier and more fun.  But you say it raises the heart rate for the same level of output , but that’s is the opposite of what the MAF Method is trying to build…which is lower heart rate for a given level of power or effort To transition in into talking about music and aging well…music and improving the brain, I want to read part of a quote from Mark Allen about your book. And for the younger audience members, Mark Allen won the Hawaii Ironman 6 times (’89-’95); Mark was an athlete Dr Maffetone helped to transition from a regular top-10 athlete to perhaps the all-time-great endurance athlete:  Here’s a part of what Mark said: “Reducing stress, gaining happiness, experiencing joy and fulfillment, living a life filled with longevity and vitality… In "B Sharp!” Dr. Maffetone explains how participation in music brings us all of this and more. obviously Mark is talking about more than recovery from exercise here. Can you explain what he means ….how can music give us all of this…reducing stress, gaining happiness, experiencing joy and fulfillment?  I would certainly like some? Your book lists 5 benefits of using music to expand the mind. Deep meditation - boost alpha and theta brainwaves Revitalization - encourage optimal aging Neuroprotection - repair and protect the brain Neurogenesis - produce new brain cells Human performance - maximize brain-body health and fitness So, music is a lever that is built into our operating system.  It’s like a backdoor to tuning our minds to support our goals.  Heck, maybe it’s the front door.  As I have thought about music in preparation for today, I occurred to me that any particular song picks up….an emotion or a mental state, a program that plays in my mind when I hear that song.  .  But for me, some songs have particular effects Christmas songs I only hear at Christmas time and remember back through happy tmes Songs from my childhood that I rarely hear anymore, send me flying back in time.  I feel a happy for some reason.  Nostalgic Songs that I have had in my exercise playlist for 20 years…those songs get me riled up…ready to do hard work because I have done a 1000 hard workouts while listening And old favorites that are slow tunes play a program that let’s me sit and relax and not think about the other things I could be doing.  On the other hand, A song that I listened to all the time in many situations can lose the program due to interference of so many things attached Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES Thanks.

The journey to happiness always includes a bicycle. And a bicycle that fits you is the most important part. A bike is a marvelous extension of the human body. Riding a bike is a like full-body meditation. When you do it right you are immersed in the present….lost in the pleasure of your body working well. That is, as long as your bike doesn’t cause pain.   Some people never have problems but others have to struggle to get the right combination of gear, body function, and set up. For those of us in that last category, a good bike fitter is priceless.  So why is good bike fitting so hard to come by?  It turns out that it isn’t hard if you know what to look for.  Kevin Schmidt knows bikes, and he knows bodies. He's a good friend to the cyclist. I have to admit that I didn't think this episode would apply to me. I mean my bike fits me already. But after my discussion with Kevin, on my very next bike ride, I noticed I had to scoot back on my saddle. Suddenly I was reminded of Kevin's advice about saddle tilt. I got off my bike and looked at my saddle for the 1000th time, and it looked good. But I decided to make the smallest possible adjustment to my saddle tilt, and BINGO! Suddenly my bike felt 100% better, and no more sliding. Yeah, you should listen to Kevin. Kevin Schmidt, PT, MSPT, CMP, Bike Friendly Physio and owner/founder of Pedal PT Kevin Schmidt is a physical therapist, clinical bike fitter, bike adventurer, and entrepreneur.  Since 2007, Kevin has dedicated himself 100% to living the 'bike life' and has not driven a car to a workday in over 12 years. He Founded Pedal PT in 2012 in Portland, Oregon, which became America's very first Physical Therapy clinic ever to be certified as a 'Gold-Level' Bike Friendly Business from the League of American Cyclists. In his pursuit of ‘Bike Friendly Physical Therapy” Kevin has written and been featured in numerous articles and speaking events on Bike Fit and managing the cycling population, and is also the creator of the ‘Pedal PT Online Academy’, and “The Portlander” Bike Fit training stand. Kevin lives in southeast Portland, OR with his family.   Links: www.pedalpt.com Pedal PT YouTube Channel Pedal PT Blog on Medium Email: Kevin [at] pedalpt.com  Kevin's Pedal PT Academy: https://pedal-pt.mykajabi.com   Outline of Talk Kevin’s journey from PT to Pedal PT and commuting to work by bike for 16 years.  A bike fit is not always about buying new gear. This is why getting a bike fit from a person who understands the human body and physical mechanics makes too much sense to ignore. But find a PT who lives for bikes and can use a wrench.  Pain is not a normal part of cycling. The solution can be equipment/ bike size related but mostly (80%) it’s about some body issue that needs a tweak to the existing bike parts that can move or some rehabilitation of some muscle imbalance or other body issue.  Priorities of bike adjustment  Get the pedals and cleats right first. Feet first because the foot affects seat height and handlebars reach. Don’t have cleats too far forward.  Saddle position. The biggest problem is saddle tilt nose down causes slipping forward which changes everything as well as pressure on hands. Flatter saddles are better for most people, and wider saddles for more upright positions and problems with undercarriage pain and numbness.  Foot pain. Pain in bony part of foot, move cleat back. Numbness? Shoe too narrow. Hotfoot? Too much room; fill with an insole.  The usual client is getting physical therapy AND needs a bike fit. Clients often need some know-how on using a bike well to minimize problems. How to shift gears properly and when. The need to stand up periodically to relieve the tissues BEFORE then pain starts. Don’t try to look like a 20 year old professional cyclist.  How to find a good bike fitter? Obviously a PT who is trained to fit bikes is a good bet. A PT who is not a trained bike fitter os a bad bet. Any bike fitter who is quick to sell gear is likely to be a problem. A bike fitter in a bike shop is trained to upsell, which costs extra $ and might not solve the problem.  DIY can work with patience. Give adjustments time to work; it won’t necessarily be immediate even if correct. And checkout Kevin’s YouTube videos.  First thing is to get the bike fit into the green zone. A safe place. Then tweak.  Good exercises for the cyclist. The more time you ride, the more time you need training reversing the sitting shape. Backwards bending, arms behind the back. Superman’s for strengthening the low back. Suitcase carry to strengthen core ability to resist twisting. Kettlebell swings. Planks aren’t that helpful.  Don’t buy into the BS seriousness of cycling. Riding a bike is fun and should make you happy. Don’t work with bike fitters or bike shops who intimidate and have a my-way-or-highway attitude.   Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES Thanks.

You can't get sunshine in a pill. Vitamin D is not enough. Prof Prue Hart Professor Prue Hart is a photoimmunologist and researcher investigating the beneficial effects of ultraviolet (UV) light on health and disease.  Prof Hart agreed to come onto the Wise Athletes podcast to share an important message…despite the fear mongering about skin cancer and skin aging, the research has shown that TOO LITTLE sun exposure is linked to increased mortality and multiple chronic diseases, including autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases.  In addition, Vitamin D is only one of many molecules made by our bodies in response to UV light (others include nitric oxide and urocanic acid).  You can't get sunshine in a pill. Vitamin D is not enough.  Listen in to learn how to find the sweet spot of UV light for the many health benefits while avoiding the harmful effects of too much UV light. Links: Avoidance of Sun is a Risk Factor for Major Causes of Death More Than Effects in Skin: Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Changes in Immune Cells in Human Blood Alfredsson L, Armstrong BK, Butterfield DA, et al. Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(14):5014. Published 2020 Jul 13. doi:10.3390/ijerph17145014 Hart PH, Norval M. The Multiple Roles of Urocanic Acid in Health and Disease. J Invest Dermatol. 2021;141(3):496-502. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2020.07.017 Outline of Talk What is sunlight?  The sun is a big ball of fire throwing off many wavelengths of light.  UV (don’t see but notice the effects later), visible (all colors together appears as white light), and infrared (which we don’t see but feel as heat) We’ve been hearing about the dangers of UV light for decades:  cancer, wrinkles. Only 60% of melanomas is from sun exposure. You do need to be vigilant. Get the cancers taken off if they arrive.  The skin knows how to deal with sun damage. The skin is always being replaced. Our immune system fights the damage. Immune compromised people need to be extra careful. What are the negative effects of too little UV light?  How can people tell if they are getting too little?  What are the risks of continuing to get too little UV?  Does the harm get worse as we age? How is UV light on skin is good?  Vit D, clear up acne, attractive suntan…we know about these.  What else?  Molecules activated by UV light, and how do they help or how do we know they help? So it’s more than vit D?  How do we know? Too much or too little UV light is the problem.  So how much UV light should we aim for?  Every day?  How to get enough for regular people who work indoors? Avoid the middle of the day…the brightest sun?  Get some early morning sun to prepare the skin (melatonin?)?  Each person is different because of many factors including latitude and season, and skin color and tendency to burn People with the most sun exposure live the longest. Aim for 70% of an amount of sun that would cause a redness of the skin. It’s different for each person and each person adapts over time.   Only a few minutes at a time can be enough. Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. Thanks. Paper Provided by Prof Prue Hart: Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem