Welcome to part 5 of a multi-part presentation covering 115 key insights about the Primal Endurance approach, divided into six categories: Aerobic Training, Periodization, Primal Eating, Strength and Sprint Training, Complementary Movement And Lifestyle Practices, and Recovery. You can access the whole list by downloading a free eBook at PrimalEndurance.fit, and in this episode, I continue down the list by starting with #26 (carb dependency). I talk about the link between leaky gut and extreme endurance training, what happens to your body when you become highly carb-dependent, how the appetite-stimulating properties in processed foods actually cause you to eat a shocking amount of additional calories a day, how to make the transition away from carb dependency easier, how restrictive diets affect your body and performance, and much more! Thanks for listening and stay tuned for part 6.   LINKS: PrimalEndrance.fit Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page   Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! Plunge: Sensational custom-designed home cold plunge with filtered, circulating water, custom temperature setting, and sleek design. Save $150 with code BRAD LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final part of this three-part presentation on all aspects of overtraining, you will learn tips for returning to training with a refreshing new outlook and approach, how to heal, and how to ensure that this never happens again! As you will hear, the key is adopting a new process—a fully intuitive approach. Yes, this entails “listening to your body” but it also means applying high-level reasoning and critical thinking to your training decisions. This includes being able to recognize when you occasionally need to back off—even when you’re feeling great—and learning how to emphasize recovery as the centerpiece of your training program, instead of letting it be an afterthought, (listen to my podcast with Joel Jamieson for more details). An important element of this approach is minimizing chronic post-exercise muscle soreness, as this is a definite sign that you have been pushing beyond your current capabilities and/or have functional weaknesses and imbalances that can be addressed by adding new exercises to your regimen. You will also learn how to determine when it’s time to return to training when you are chomping at the bit and why you should stay away from establishing arbitrary timelines to what is a very delicate process—rejuvenating your mind and body after burnout.     TIMESTAMPS: Part one and part two covered stress response in the body and discussed the symptoms of over-reaching. [02:24] A variation in beat-to-beat intervals is representative of being rested, having a strong cardiovascular system and a healthy sympathetic to parasympathetic balance. [04:13] Don’t over-train. Use your motivation, discipline, resilience to make good decisions. [06:00 It takes many, many years of experience to learn the hard way about applying that intuition into your stress/rest balance of daily life. [08:44] You may over-train and get exhausted.  The first step is psychological acceptance.  “Okay, I screwed up.” Then do not pinpoint an arbitrary time to return to action [09:36] There may come a time when you have to reevaluate your goals.  You may learn it is time to give up and pursue other activities.  Your extra time can be devoted to extra sleep as a payback on the sleep debt you have accumulated over the past years.  [12:58] Functional medicine is an avenue you might want to explore. [14:50] Exercise can wait until you really are passionate about returning rather than getting back because you think you “should”.  When you do start out, do half effort.  [18:35] The basic principles of the Primal Blueprint are: move frequently at a slow pace, lift heavy things and sprint once in a while. [20:19] If you feel crappy after a “good” workout, you probably overdid it. Muscle soreness is a sign that you overdid it. [25:44] The over-training pattern can truly be career ending and when you are a chronically overtrained athlete, you are shortening your lifespan. [29:46] It is important to remember, if you are struggling, that the genetic differences we have are profound and some people can simply tolerate more stress than others. [36:10] Just aspire to do your best. [39:52]   LINKS: Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!) Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Primal Health Coach.com Nourish Balance Thrive Podcast with Chris Kelly Big Book of Endurance Training Podcast with Craig Marker Podcast with Phil Maffetone The Primal Blueprint Podcast with Joel Jamieson Running on Empty One Running Shoe The Weight of Gold   QUOTES: "When you're deciding how to train, take what your body gives you each day and don't try to force more."   Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode was inspired by a quote I read in a New York Times article about Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who, at only 21 years old, is at the very top of the world. This quote was one of the most impactful things I had ever heard about athletic training: “Jakob Ingebrigtsen estimates that he seldom pushes himself beyond 87% of his maximum effort in workouts. Yes, 87%, so he can preserve the best of himself on race day.”  If you think 87% doesn’t sound like it would do that much, check out his races on YouTube and you will see how he shoots straight to the front and dares anyone to pass him—Jakob manages to wear out the greatest runners on the planet by using his strategic and very powerful running strategy at his preferred distance of 1,500 meters. This show will walk you through all of Jakob’s specific training methods, and I share how his methods were actually designed by his father and two brothers (who also are quite impressive champions themselves) to formulate this uniquely effective training program—one that is notably different from the traditional model that we’re all used to.    TIMESTAMPS: Jakob Ingebrigsten estimates that he seldom pushes himself beyond 87% of maximum effort in workouts. [00:24] The Ingebrigsten team has very unique training strategies. Training at or even a bit below anaerobic threshold can be highly effective to teach your body to buffer lactate more effectively. [03:06] The athletes are very careful to work at or below that threshold, knowing that there is an extreme cost to pay in terms of recovery when you go too hard. [07:30] Jakob, at age 16, broke the four minutes mile. [09:18] Most of us are working relatively too hard. [12:20] Jakob rarely runs an individual workout for over one hour. [16:48] Eluid Kipchoge has a similar protocol for training although his distances differ from Jakob’s. [20:42] How can you apply this 87% idea to your own training? [29:52] Be sure you end any type of vigorous or stressful session well under an hour. The brain does not have to be trained to suffer. [33:44]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Jakob Ingebrigsten on youtube Ingebrigsten Reality Show Primal Endurance Mastery course (FREE bag of Whey Protein Superfuel if you sign up for the full course, just email us!)   Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t promote anything he doesn’t absolutely love and use in daily life. Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount! NutriSense: Continuous glucose monitor and 1:1 expert support to help optimize diet choices and lifestyle behaviors. $30 B.rad discount! Marek Health: Comprehensive lab testing and expert tele-health support for peak performance. Use code “BRAD” for 10% discount! LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix: Tasty, sugar-free, scientifically formulated electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Free sample pack, just click the link! B.rad Whey + Creatine Superfuel: Premium quality, all-natural supplement for peak performance, recovery, and longevity Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience Check out the my Favorites page for discounts on other great products!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to part two of this series on all aspects of overtraining. In this episode, you will learn about an assortment of symptoms that will help you get better at identifying the tenuous state of overreaching, and you’ll also hear about the various symptoms that are indications to your body when it is in a state of overtraining/burnout. Finally, I present a strategy for effectively recovering from overtraining, including how to avoid it in the first place by making intuitive evaluations of your present condition and behavior patterns and then taking corrective action.    TIMESTAMPS: We have many chronic stressors in our every-day life, some of which we aren’t aware. [00:24] One of the symptoms indicating you are overreaching and overtraining is your heart rate variability.  [03:48] After an intense workout, it is time for some diaphragmatic or parasympathetic breathing. [05:17] The MAF test is probably the most important indicator of you heart working best. [08:12] Dysregulated energy in everyday life can be when you work out, feel fine, do some more workouts and then in the afternoon you start to drag. Then sometimes you get a second wind. [11:24] Another signal that you may be overreaching is slight immune disturbances and inflammatory disturbances. [14:47] Cramping, twitching and other hyper-movements are indications of overstimulation or imbalance in sympathetic function. [16:43] The skin is really sensitive to stress. [17:28] Frequent urination, especially at nighttime is a big deal. [18:03] Decreased libido and erectile dysfunction can also indicate a problem even though you are performing well in workouts. [19:58] Many elite female athletes are trading in reproductive fitness for performance. [20:54] Next on the list of dangerous signs is insomnia. [22:51] Dietary irregularities and digestive disturbances are a sign of overreaching. [23:52] If you find your mood has changed to irritability, impatience, crankiness, it could be an indication of overtraining. [25:59] The symptoms of burnout cannot be ignored.  Recognize these things in yourself and remedy them as soon as possible. [29:01] The digestive system is particularly sensitive and vulnerable. [31:36] Long COVID has been prevalent among endurance athletes. [36:35] We always want to speak in terms of balance when it comes to stress and rest. [38:31] If you are not getting joy and satisfaction from your activity, you could be in burnout. [43:52]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Overtraining, Part 1 BradBeat HRV Tracker One Running Shoe Running on Empty C N S Tap Test Podcast with Joel Jamieson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m pleased to welcome to the show Shelby Houlian—one of the greatest female distance runners in the world. She is an American record holder at 5000 meters, an 11 time US national champion, and an extraordinary competitor, so it’s going to be great to hear about her dedication, focus, and how she builds muscle mass. You will also hear about a highly-publicized and extremely dramatic setback she endured when she was hit with a doping violation—an ordeal that she has been forced to reckon with, and one that has made her grow tremendously as a person since this injustice has been heaped on her by the anti-doping authorities in global sports. While we do acknowledge that we have had a massive problem in modern sports with doping and cheating, you will find out in this episode exactly why Shelby is such a unique case, and why she was someone who was a victim of a system, but not a cheater.   TIMESTAMPS: Shelby Houlihan is a great athlete who, unfortunately, experienced a major setback in her career when accused of doping. [00:01] By understanding Shelby’s ordeal, we hope to shed a light on the flaws in the system of the anti-doping establishment. [02:19] Unfortunately, she bought a burrito. [07:02] The public hates cheaters and Shelby has had to deal with the distrust in herself and others. [20:17] She had little recourse in fighting to decrease her four-year ban. [29:10] Is it possible that some of the members of the anti-doping establishment are in it for the wrong reasons?  [40:48] Having to put her dreams aside, how is Shelby processing this setback? [43:24] She felt empowered when she was able to say “They can’t take my love of running away from me.” [51:52] Running by herself has been most difficult. [55:06] She cannot officially train with other runners as part of her suspension. [01:01:13] How clean is the world of sport these days? [01:05:12] As an athlete ages, does the odometer theory come into play? [01:14:51] How is Shelby supporting herself after spending money on attorneys and losing her sponsors. [01:20:00]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Shelby Houlihan on YouTube Shelby Houlihan talking about her case PrimalEndrance.fit Shelby on Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to a three-part presentation that walks you through every aspect of overtraining. You will hear an overview of how the stress response occurs in the body, and how it affects it; as well as the ways that the nature and pacing of hectic, high stress modern life have resulted in a terrible disconnect from our human genetic expectations for health. You’ll also learn just how much our ruminating minds can actually contribute to burnout, just like stressful personal or work circumstances or overly-stressful training patterns. You’ll also hear about the state of “overreaching”—a precursor to overtraining where you are capable of peak performance, but running on borrowed time and headed straight for burnout.    TIMESTAMPS: In our athletic endeavors, it is easy to make both simple and complex mistakes that can set you back. [00:24] If we think a negative or fearful thought, we can elicit a stress response in the body. Stimulus, perception, and response are the three aspects of stress. [01:27] We don’t want to have a fight or flight response every single day. [03:28] Our body always want to regulate itself. [07:19] Too little stress is unhealthy and leads to boredom and malaise. [09:46] Generally, our hunter gatherer ancestors lived a pretty sedate life compared to our modern hectic-paced life. [12:06] Many people assume that they have balance in their life, however, trips to the gym for a hard workout is unable to diffuse the stress from your workday stresses. [15:04] Be careful proudly pronouncing yourself as a Type A person.  That expression originated with people with elevated heart disease risk. [18:11] Fasting is extremely stressful. Cold plunge overdone or staying in sauna too long are dangerous.  [20:10] It has been cited that todays’ extreme elite athletes are working six times as hard as any type of ancestral experience causing many problems with digestive function and immune function. [25:34] Fat is a clean burning fuel whereas carbohydrate is considered a dirty burning fuel. A chronically stressful lifestyle is directly associated with a carbohydrate dependency. [26:54] What’s happening with burnout? It’s important to recognize that lifestyle itself causes some of the illness. [32:20] Overreaching is that temporary high that’s afforded by the chronic overproduction of stress hormones in the bloodstream. [38:38] LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page Podcast with Dr. Bruce Lipton Biology of Belief  Brad’s cold plunge video Primal Endurance Two Meals a Day One Running Shoe Running on Empty Paleo Thyroid Solution PrimalEndrance.fit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a pleasure to connect with the legendary author and investigative journalist David Epstein (who wrote one of my favorite books ever, The Sports Gene) for this episode! Our conversation ranges from the validity of the 10,000 Hour Rule (you’ll hear David dispel the accuracy of the science behind the concept) to the role our genetics play in sports and performance to the concept of practice variability, and David also shares that he’s looking at writing a book on the specialization in youth sports.    TIMESTAMPS: David Epstein is an investigative journalist reporting many aspects in the sports world including the role of genetics in sports. [00:27] If you spend 10,000 practice hours on something, can you become a master at it? [07:09] There is a concept called practice variability which is not focusing on just one skill. [11:52] Genetics plays a big role in high level athletics. Some people have a compulsive desire to train. [16:30] Many people become afraid to go against the traditional approach to training. [27:16] When we see these exceptional feats in sports, we assume it is their natural God-given gift that allows them this performance. Not so simple.  [29:37] Usain Bolt’s training has been varied. There are no secrets or templates. [30:17] Epstein, while investigating doping in the sports world, found he had to deal with much controversy. [38:28] Dave is looking at writing a book on the specialization in youth sports. [46:21]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit The Sports Gene Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World ProPublica DavidEpstein.com thompsonriverranch.com.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to part 4 of a multi-part presentation covering 115 key insights about the Primal Endurance approach, divided into six categories: Aerobic Training, Periodization, Primal Eating, Strength and Sprint Training, Complementary Movement And Lifestyle Practices, and Recovery. To read the complete list, download the free eBook at PrimalEndurance.fit.  In this episode, I cover items 1-25 under the category of Primal Eating, starting with the many problems caused by the Standard American Diet and why it leads to lifelong insidious weight gain, chronic inflammation, and elevated disease risk factors. You will hear how refined grains and sugar products prompt the production of endotoxins in the gut, and how these internally manufactured toxins promote inflammation and inhibit ATP energy production, leading to overeating and poor performance. You’ll also learn why carrying excess body fat in spite of careful attention to diet and a high volume of training hours can largely be attributed to inhibited energy production (aka carbohydrate dependency), how chronic training patterns can lead to thyroid and adrenal problems and a lack of energy in daily life, and why weight loss strategies like portion control and devoted calorie burning is ineffective. I reveal why the secret to weight loss is actually hormone optimization, which foods are best to eat for performance and recovery, and why even lean people can still suffer from the negative health consequences of carbohydrate dependency, like chronic inflammation, oxidative damage, and accelerated aging and disease risk factors. Finally, we talk about ketosis and Intermittent Fasting, and how I.F. can be used to accelerate fat loss, fine tune insulin sensitivity, and improve cellular repair for an anti-aging, immune-boosting effect. I also talk about why ketogenic endurance training represents such an exciting new frontier for peak endurance performance, the ultra-low-carb athletes who are performing amazing feats and literally becoming bonk-proof by remaining in a fat- and ketone-burning state, the results of Dr. Jeff Volek’s vaunted FASTER study, and the well-chronicled personal experiments of Dr. Peter Attia and Sami Inkinen, which suggest that any endurance athlete can quickly become fat-adapted and deliver performances superior to carb-fueled efforts.   TIMESTAMPS: The standard American diet is based on excessive intake of processed foods, namely refined sugars, grains, and industrial seed oils. [00:23] High calorie-burning athletes have an especially distinct need for good nutrition and for avoiding nutrient deficient foods because they're trying to nourish the body and recover. [05:48] There is no good reason for humans to consume grains and many good reasons not to. Fruits, stems, seeds and leaves need more scrutiny.  [07:28] The most superstars of the animal kingdom include animal organs, oysters, salmon, eggs, grass-fed beef and oily cold-water fish. [10:28] Plant toxins cause innumerable problems. [11:40] Endurance athletes can dial in optimal carb intake by first asking the question: Do I carry excess body fat? [12:27] Calories burned through exercise stimulate a corresponding increase in appetite. [14:13] Read labels.  Industrial seed oils are hidden in many of the products presented as healthy. Choose your treats wisely. [17:11] There is a condition called “overfat” as opposed to being overweight.  People can appear slender but accumulate visceral fat. [18:37] Carbohydrate dependency leads to burnout. [20:10] Primal-style eating is fractal and intuitive when escaping carb dependency. [21:52] Once fat adapted, intermittent fasting can be used to accelerate fat loss, fine tune insulin sensitivity and improve cellular repair for an anti-aging immune boosting effect. [24:19] A suggested energy strategy for intermittent fasting is to wait until you experience hunger before eating in the morning. [26:44] Your excess body fat is a function of your genetic predisposition to store fat combined with the amount of insulin you produce in your diet. [28:22] Primal-style eating minimizes the importance of genetic predispositions. [30:16] Escaping sugar dependency and becoming fat adapted gives you a cleaner burning engine. [33:32] Ketones are an internally manufactured energy-rich byproduct of fat metabolism in the liver. [34:48] Ketogenic endurance training is an advanced strategy that requires a strict devotion to very low dietary carbohydrate intake. [27:08] A bonk-proof ketogenic athlete is preserving ketones for use by the brain, relieving it of heavy glucose dependency. Ketones burn cleaner than carbs. [40:16] The fat-burning paradigm offers great promise to endurance athletes but you lose a little bit of power at the top when you are restricting dietary carbs. [42:03] “Carb insulin model of obesity” is oversimplified. [45:12]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Feldman Podcast no. 1 Feldman Podcast no. 2 Carnivore Score Food Ranking Chart Overfat Pandemic 21-Day Total Body Transformation The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get ready for a conversation with a very high energy human, Peter Park! Peter is a highly regarded personal trainer and a legend in the fitness industry who has worked with countless professional athletes and everyone from elite businessmen and Hollywood types to younger athletes. He has a great facility in the beautiful Santa Barbara area, Platinum Fitness, and you will hear all about his interesting background in this wide-ranging discussion. Peter, an extreme endurance athlete, talks about how he became such an enthusiastic and passionate trainer, and all about his lifelong dedication to getting people fit and healthy so they can perform at their peak. He takes us through his past as a powerlifter and volleyball player, his total immersion into the Iron Man scene, and how he has explored the limits of human endurance. You will hear him talk about his favorite elements of his current training schedule, and how he used his experience in all different levels and types of athletic training to form the unique and effective philosophy he dispenses at Platinum Fitness. We also talk about Energy Balance and, especially as we are the same age, the best strategies live a truly healthy, energetic and active lifestyle.   TIMESTAMPS: Peter Park is a legend in the fitness industry and a 23 times Ironman competitor. [01:03] Starting out as a volleyball player, Peter evolved into weightlifting and then running. [04:54] Are there any attributes that transfer over from putting in that hard work in power lifting and getting super strong and then trying to be an endurance athlete? [10:42] Athletes at the elite level need to be aware that off-season training has to be the right kind. [15:16] Sometimes performance depends on how many calories one can process in a day. [20:00] A lot of people err when selecting their diet regimen.  Restricting times for eating and restricting carbs can be stressful. [26:22] Active people can get an A plus in cardio pretty easily. [29:35] Muscle mass, muscle strength correlate with brain function. [34:16] We have this notion in fitness where you have to confuse your muscles instead of doing the same exercise all the time. Is this right? [37:24] Meditation has become a big part of Peter’s routine. [41>23]   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit Platinum Fitness  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to part 3 of this multi-part presentation covering the 115 key insights from the Primal Endurance approach, which fall into six categories: Aerobic Training, Periodization, Primal Eating, Strength and Sprint Training, Complementary Movement And Lifestyle Practices, and Recovery. The insights outlined in this show will provide you with an overview of the content in the Primal Endurance book as well as the online Mastery Course. This episode covers 10 key insights from the category of periodization, and you will learn what periodization entails, the importance of focusing on different types of training during specific blocks of time over a calendar year, and why consistency in the context of endurance training is actually ill advised. You will also learn why intensity should only be introduced after a successful aerobic period and last for a maximum of four weeks, effective strategies for intuitive training, and the importance of mini-rest periods and how to time them. Finally, you will hear how to formulate a season-ending rest period that is both diligent and comprehensive, and the surprising things you can do to promote peak performance.   LINKS: Brad Kearns.com Brad’s Shopping page PrimalEndrance.fit  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.