Primal Endurance Podcast

Brad Kearns tackles more interesting Q&A from Primal Endurance podcast listeners and book readers. Submit your questions at www.primalblueprint.com/endurance and they will get covered on the air.  While the questions relate to the specific needs of the individual, the answers are presented in a manner that applies to a broad audience. Listen and enjoy learning about the challenges and successes of your endurance peers, and come away with plenty of practical tips to help improve your training and competitive results Dave Reed from the UK has been really working with the book since January and has adopted primal diet, MAF training and now is fat adapted.  He has been racing but finds his performance has dipped.  Would going MAF since January have caused a dip in my performance with the increased benefit being seen after a long period on this training or could it be some other factor? [00:01:16]  Dave also inquires about MSP (maximum sustained power) training with the 4-3-2-2-1 (reps) format described in the book. This is a format that can vary among individuals who are working toward building with those high-quality sets.  [00:06:00]  Kenny is a slow but committed triathlete and asks about drinking carbonated water. Is it okay? Also, why does he have trouble losing weight? [00:17:00]  Brian is asking: Why does my MAF time improve so much faster on a bike than when I'm running? [00:20:18]  A second question is how to respond to the folks who still think one should use carbs for high performance. [00:22:34] Shannon has many questions about counting macronutrients.  There is no fat minimum. She is worried about going overboard on carbs. [00:32:19]  Shannon is also asking about how to manage cravings and appetite. [00:39:47]    QUOTES: An athlete who eats a low-carb/high-fat diet can, indeed, alter the metabolic fuel source they use during exercise and recovery in a different manner than previously believed possible and perform in a different manner than previously believed possible. When you are counting macronutrients, there is NO fat minimum. More protein consumption doesn’t always mean more muscle mass. Sugar cravings in the evening are a sign that your ego is deflated! (Chris Kelly) REFERENCES AND NOTABLE PEOPLE: Brownlee Brothers: These well-known triathletes went viral when the one brother carried an ailing brother over the finish line at the World Triathlete Championships in Mexico. Brad mentions their diet is questionable. FASTER Study: This study out of the University of Connecticut was aimed at discovering the role diet plays in how our bodies metabolize fat vs. carbohydrate during exercise. Johnny G: This South African, a fitness visionary, created the Spinning movement. He also road in the Race Across America Andre Obradiovic: He is one of the country’s leading coaches. Listen to Brad’s postcast with him: “Don’t Be A Muppet, Be a Powerful Fat-Burning Beast” RAAM: The world’s toughest bicycle race.  Next one is June 2019!! Lindsay Taylor: Listen to her podcast with Nourish Balance Thrive discussing brain training for the primal Keto endurance athlete. Luis Villasenor: Everything you want to know bout the ketogenic diet is here. Simon Whitfield: Look at his YouTube of the exciting finish in Olympic Gold Medal Race  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad covers some very thoughtful Q&A, including where weights might fit into the seemingly rigid guidelines and how Primal Endurance differs from Primal Blueprint Fitness guidelines. He looks at the possibility of over-consuming fat and possibly compromising fat loss goals. Brad's super duper awesome cure for plantar fasciitis, how MAF might require you to slow down to a fast walk in the name of rebuilding your broken down body. How to integrate carbs into peak performance efforts and do they cause any trouble? More great stuff along these lines, thanks for the great questions, enjoy the show! Kevin asks about lifting weights. Please explain the Primal Endurance rules on this activity. Why are you so tough on strength training? [00:01:34]  Tori wants to know about what can she do after surgery for ACL regarding recovery.  What can she do about her diet since she won't be able to train as she has the past ten years? [00:06:01]  Olivia has a wonderful testimonial regarding healthy eating. They are eating Keto and paleo and feels great.[00:13:07]  David Porte. a 50-year-old trail runner, is a steady listener of the podcasts. What can be done about his plantar fasciitis? [00:15:27]  Conrad asking about short sprints. What would be advised about altering my weekly schedule regarding sprints? [00:19:44]  Darren has quite a running history. He asks about Maffetone's suggestions of one hour sessions with 15 minute warm up, 30 minutes at maximum aerobic heart rate, and 15 minute cool down. He is training for NYC marathon. What distances should I be training at?  [00:24:35]  Matt: How do mid-race or pre-race carbs affect my ability to burn fat?  [00:29:23] Derek is asking: What do you recommend to someone who loves Keto but expends 3000 to 5000 calories a day during constant activity and two highly intense workouts per day? [00:35:50]    IMPORTANT LINKS: Dr. Mark Cucuzella: He is a professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine. Of his many specialties he has designed programs to promote healthier and better running and has also worked on getting sugar out of the hospital because he knows excessive sugar consumption leads to a host of ailments. Brad’s podcast with Mark Cucuzzella Ketogains.com: This podcast is about how physiology affects food habits (and vice versa), carnivore diets, high vs. low-carb/keto for bodybuilding, exogenous ketones, how insulin sensitivity possibly affects BAT vs WAT fat depots. Ted Mcdonald: Creator of barfoot running.  He has run the Inca Trail in Peru. He teaches yoga. Paleo FX: The world’s premier holistic wellness event, covering healthy nutrition, fitness, sustainability, self-development, spirituality, relationships, entrepreneurship and everything in between. Trail Runner Nation: They provide podcasts and social media connections for trail running, pacing, race nutrition, gear and much more. UCan:  For a steady long-lasting energy without the sugar crash!! Luis Villasenor:  A Podcast on strength training on a Ketogenic diet   QUOTES: You need to tie in what you are doing nutritionally in training and know exactly what is happening on race day. (Brad)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Brad Kearns shares the little known secret about Janet Jackson's racy lyrics in the song "If" that were imperceptible to the human ear when it was getting radio play in the 90s as a hit song. Horrors Casey Kasem! Brad talks about the overstimulation of the fight or flight response leading first to PRs and then to impending doom. A cool success story from James, who was running 14 min miles when starting MAF 3.5 years ago and now being able to hold the same pace at 52 beats per minute below MAF! How's your training gone over the past 3.5 years? Consider being patient and experiencing a significant reduction in your MAF pace, though not in a linear manner   96-year-old golfer WalterKearns.com getting some cameo props for his endurance in life. Jason Trew with a unique and creative way to stay below MAF while running faster spurts and then walking to keep watch from beeping. James Hall asks about the rationale of applying 180-age formula everyone, causing Brad to go off about his burnout experience followed by major medical misfortune in 2015 that he attributes strongly to a chronic training pattern where he routinely exceeded 180-age (by 12 beats in fact) due to using the inferior 75% of max heart rate calculation for an aerobic workout. Oh man, we talk about peeing blood and all kinds of stuff that will have you sorry you ever asked to increase MAF heart rate!! Enjoy this lively show with some memorable takeaway insights.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad catches up with Guinness World Record holding ultra-endurance athlete Tom Seabourne, a professor of Exercise Physiology at Northeast Texas Community College who has pushed the limits of human endurance with numerous finishes in what Outside magazine calls the toughest athletic event in the world: The non-stop solo bicycle Race Across America (RAAM). Tom and Brad reminisce about the old days where Tom was on the cheapest crew in the history of the race, while Brad was part of Johnny G’s most expensive crew in the history of the race. Tom was 103 miles from the finish line at 3,000 miles when he was eliminated on time. Heartbreak, but it got him “addicted” to the event, which he went on to finish several times. Cycling over 300 miles for 22 hours a day is pretty tough, but Tom’s crew follies were epic. Once, his team lost him in the California desert soon after the start. Another time his relay team members bailed in Utah! Tom also set a Guinness World record for the longest stationary bike ride of 185 hours - over 7 days (watching The Office re-runs helped pass the time)! The record performance, notwithstanding the “urine explosion” incident, that you have to hear to believe. As a “horrible carb addict” during his ultramarathon cycling days, Tom actually developed Type 1.5 diabetes (fasting glucose 450!) despite being at 5% body fat. He also developed atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, which are now becoming commonplace maladies among extreme endurance athletes. Learn what’s happening in the mind of an ultra king during these long efforts, which Tom describes as a flow-like experience.    Brad welcomes Tom Seabourne who is doing amazing athletic exploits while battling various health conditions. [00:00:16]  What is the Race Across America (RAAM)? What was Tom's experience? [00:01:45]  How did Tom's plantar fasciitis get cured? [00:08:28]  What is entailed in being on the crew for this race? [00:09:45]  Never try something without having the training or having sponsors for it! [00:16:26]  He had a history of horrible eating. [00:20:53]  What about calories in and calories out? [00:23:35]  What happened when Tom did the record-setting ride on the Spinner bike? [00:25:01]  Tom talks about his atrial fibrillation. [00:31:35]  Has Tom changed his approach to training since the heart problems? Is he addicted? [00:35:33]  Does Brad think about going back to the triathlon? [00:39:07]  Is something special about the sort of meditative experience we have when riding? [00:40:57]  What is a Type 1.5 diabetic? How is he handling it? What is the difference between Type 1 and 2? [00:53:27]  What is the ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation? Don't wait too long to take care of yourself. [01:01:08]   Check out Tom’s book on Amazon called, Glitches Into Gold    LINKS: Glitches Into Gold: https://www.amazon.com/Glitches-into-Gold-Live-Champion/dp/0998833967/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1530055780&sr=8-1&keywords=glitches+into+gold Race Across America: http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/   QUOTES: Never try something without having training for it! We are nothing more than the space between our thoughts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad lays out a master plan to improve your running performance, looking beyond the obvious and sometimes misguided insights to push harder, add more speed workouts, or run more miles. Endurance athletes often overlook the importance of technique, and often exhibit horrible technique. No excuses are such a simple sport! Golf - plenty of excuses for a lousy swing (it’s very technical and hard to develop), but not running! Some discussion of technique ensues, emphasizing balanced center of gravity at all times and good posture. The listener is urged to dive deep into the running technique instruction, drills and sprint workout videos in the Primal Endurance Mastery Course at primalendurance.fit. Sprinting is great for technique development because the penalty for a poor technique is severe. Ditto for running barefoot on concrete - you very quickly learn how to strike the ground and absorb shock optimally, and generate explosive force with each stride. In contrast, cushy running shoes ruin your proprioception and enable lousy technique to become ingrained   When you sprint, make sure it’s an actual sprint. Even reps of 100-meter sprints are great for the hormonal, musculoskeletal and technique refinement benefits. Brad rarely goes further than this. Sprints are quality over quantity, both in the frequency of workouts (3x/month during intensity phases is plenty) and duration of efforts. Most endurance athletes make their “speed” workouts a suffer fest (ahem, 6 x 800m and so forth). They just get exhausted, don’t really run explosively, and lose out on the benefits of actual sprinting. This show will be a real eye-opener for how to integrate high intensity into your schedule the right way and get you thinking more about good technique instead of just shuffling along.  QUOTES: “The penalty for technique errors and not properly absorbing the impact is severe.” SHOW NOTES: How does one build aerobic base efficiency? [00:00:58]  What is the cut-off point 50-50 performance? [00:05:30]  What are the benefits of doing super hard sprinting? [00:07:19]  Dorsa flex foot is like imagining pedaling your bike over hot lava. [00:08:40]  A good way to teach people how to run is to have them run barefoot on cement! [00:10:58]  How does one rewire the Central Nervous System to be more efficient? [00:13:59]  How often should a person sprint? [00:16:09]  What are some good workout suggestions? [00:17:23]    LINKS: Barefoot Ted Primal Blueprint primalendurance.fit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad lays out a master plan for you to improve your swimming performance in multisport events. And no, sorry, it’s not about pushing harder and grinding out more yards. It entails a strategic approach where you emphasize the right things and work smarter instead of harder. Let’s consider that there are three components to swimming performance: technique, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular fitness. Technique is by far the most important factor for improvement. The report card of most triathletes might look like: D or F in technique, B or C in muscular endurance and an A+ in Technique is best refined at a slow pace, not when you are fighting to make an interval time. Slow down to go faster - sound familiar? This is when you can best rewire new and improved neuromuscular patterns and make them stick. “Nerves that fire together wire together,” says Dr. Kelly Starrett. Muscular endurance can be developed with dry land exercises that are vastly more time efficient than swimming. Check out the Vasa trainer or Stretch Cordz and hit it hard for 10 minutes; it’s similar in muscular benefit to an hour swim (and remember, you already have an A+ in cardio!) Get out into open water as often as possible, and if you are in the pool, simulate open water by sighting every few strokes or closing your eyes for a few strokes to check your balance.  Finally, conduct workouts that simulate the race experience, such as time trialing for 1.5k (Olympic) or 2k (70.3) or even 4k (ironman) and immediately jumping on your bike for a time trial. Yes, dripping wet and fussing with wet feet into shoes or water dripping into your lenses. If you are dedicating your season and paying a zillion dollars to enter an Ironman, at least get into the open water for a 4k nonstop swim, then immediately jump on your bike for a long. We don’t want surprises on race day.  Brad uses paddleboats as a comparison to explain human swimming technique. [00:00:49]  What can you learn from comparing your stroke to a boat's propeller's action? [00:05:41]  It is important to find the still water for your stroke. Learn the difference between "Lift Propulsion” and “Drag Propulsion." [00:08:18]  Technique, muscular endurance, and cardio-vascular fitness are the three main areas of the swim stroke. [00:13:45]  What is a description of a streamlined position in the water? [00:19:54]  How do you engrain good technique or revise flawed patterns? [00:23:15]  You might want to focus on your stroke rate rather than stroke length. [00:30:25]  How does one improve muscular endurance? [00:32:55]  How important is it to simulate the competitive experience as I train? [00:40:42]    Dr. Kelly Starrett Stretch Cordz Vasa Trainer BoFlex Jeff FloatSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Brad Kearns ups the ante and records this podcast as a Facebook Live event! You can find the video to the show archived on the Primal Endurance Facebook page. Frequent contributor David Lapp weighs in on the do's and don'ts of cold water therapy (use away from the training stimulus). An interesting question is posed about whether high ketone levels might enable magnificent endurance feats at a fast pace (sorry, no can do; the natural laws of the universe apply to fitness, and you will get tired if you aren't prepared to go long...ask Brad when he tried to run 15 miles with Dr. Steven and made it only 7 before tying up). Another interesting question about an adverse telomere length test, and can one improve their longevity profile? Yes, including improving your time in the one-mile run to deliver a strong longevity benefit. Sebastian Bach of Skid Row gets a cameo, trip out on that. David Lapp has asked if cold therapy is best right after workouts. [00:00:56]  There shouldn't be a big need to stretch unless you are overtraining!  [00:07:09]  What about rolling out the IT band? [00:08:23]  Should one push up to a higher heart rate? [00:10:10]  Is fat adaptation the reason for my improvement or the MAF way of training? [00:12:35]  Be cognizant that you may be ingesting food outside the recommended 12-hour window. [00:15:58]  How does Brad make Kombucha? [00:21:02]  Charles age 42 asks: "If I'm in ketosis, could I run a marathon and just keep going if I run slow enough?" [00:24:36]  Paul age 53 says:  "My telomeres tests show that my body is 13 years older than my chronological age! YIKES!!! What can I do?" [00:30:54]  Aerobics Institute in Texas predicts longevity with a test of a one-mile run. [00:40:57]  QUOTES: “There shouldn’t be a need to stretch unless you are overtraining.” “Keep your caloric ingesting within a 12-hour window.”   SHOW NOTES: Aerobic Institute Ageless Body, Timeless Mind The Maybe Not So Definitive Guide to Cold Therapy Brad Kearns Chest Freezer Cold Plunge Brad Kearns Morning Green Smoothie IT Band Eating Academy Sami Inkinen Telomeres Ben Greenfield 21-Day Primal Reset  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad fields many interesting and unusual questions in today's podcast. Question from Charles: What entails maximum sustained power training? How often should a person do this?  [00:01:27] Brad warns about the danger of road cycling. [00:12:11]  Brad explains workouts done properly. [00:18:08]  David Lapp asks: How do you get rid of the bad habit of chronic training patterns?  [00:23:13]  What is the argument against consistency? [00:29:04]  Brad gives the secret password for a discount on the Primal Endurance course. [00:34:01]  Todd asks: If one takes a long walk or a hike at a brisk pace,  is it possible to still trigger the flight or fight response in the body? [00:35:36]  Travis asks about his frustration of trying to adjust to the MAF training. [00:41:15]  The cutoff point for 50-50 (50 percent aerobic and 50 percent anaerobic) is a race that lasts 1 minute and 25 seconds.   QUOTES: “A little goes a long way. Make sure you get rest.”   “Of all the dangerous things you may do in your life remember that road cycling is the number one most dangerous thing you can do.  Be careful out there!!”   “The cutoff point for 50-50 (50 percent aerobic contribution and 50 percent anaerobic contribution) is a race that lasts 1 minute and 25 seconds.”   LINKS: Jacques Devore Sirens and Titans VersaClimber Dave Zabriski The Forward (Lance Armstrong) Hex Bar Whole Doods Spiderman Push Ups Brad Kearns Morning Routine Brave Athlete: Calm the F*** Down Nourish Balance Thrive Kelly Starrett Primal Blueprint  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Brad Kearns talks to Andre Obradovic from Melbourne, Australia. Andre is a highly engaging personal trainer, triathlon coach, and elite level performer in the 50+ ranks at 70.3 triathlon—ranked 10th in the Ironman All World Athlete rankings for Australia, the most competitive triathlon environment on the planet, mate. Andre’s remarkable story of transitioning from a “little fatty carb burner, sucking up food like a pool sweep machine” back in 2011 to a lean, mean, fat burning beast will inspire you to trust the process and be the best you can be. Basically, Andre cut processed carbs, slowed down his training pace, threw in some mobility/flexibility and power training, and started getting healthier and faster. He went from needing an energy gel to complete a 10k run, to improve his marathon time by 17 minutes despite being 7 years older.  Now he is so committed to the primal approach that he refuses to train a prospective client in his gym until they agree to transition from a SAD diet (Standard Australian Diet - yes they wolf down Weetabix Down Under) to a nutritious, primal-style diet.  Andre peppers in some highly entertaining and memorable quotes during this show. Trust the process, don’t be a “muppet” (a blind follower of what Andre calls “conventional stupidity”), don’t fritter time away on “Wastebook”, and when you’re running a marathon, focus on a rapid cadence with balanced center of gravity, and try the mantra “Glutes On! Hips Up!”—yes, technique matters even when you’re jogging along at marathon pace. Try training and even racing without a watch to increase focus on form and intuitively optimal effort.   Andre relates how only two years ago, he was hopeless in the gym. He studied the Maximum Sustained Power concept detailed in Primal Endurance book and Mastery Course and even booked a private Skype session with MSP guru Jacques DeVore to get a custom program designed. Yeah, this dude you line up against in the 50-54 division is going into the gym and hitting the hex bar deadlift with multiple sets at 97 kilos (that’s 213lbs for a guy weighing a buck-forty - amazing!), along with numerous complementary exercises like lat pulls, clap pushups, Bulgarian split lunges (sounds hard), Swiss ball core work, and explosive lunge walks. Yes, friends, this is the picture of the evolved multisport athlete — grabbing podiums spots while training more sensibly and less exhaustively. This is not about flawed and dated “quality vs quantity” debate, but rather about eating right, balancing stress and rest at all times, honoring the MAF heart rate for aerobic development, looking at the big picture of training that includes flexibility/mobility and strength/power as well as endurance, making intuitive decisions (Andre does an extensive warmup in the gym and then has a “check-in” moment before he proceeds with the hard stuff.) Finally, Andre embodies that relaxed, “no worries, mate,” Aussie ethos where you tone down the misplaced competitive intensity and enjoy the journey. Andre reminds us that life is short but we are dead for a bloody long time, so you might as well make your best effort. Enjoy the show.    Andre Obradovic tells us his outstanding accomplishments and has good tips for maintaining health and recovering from stress caused fatigue.  [00:01:20]  Does he really run marathon at his MAF heart rate? [00:04:25]  After gaining weight, he was transformed back to normal healthy weight because of the dietary changes he made. [00:06:52]  Flexibility/mobility training is most important. [00:15:23]  Should you be focusing on your time and heart rate? [00:20:29]  Why are we in such a rush? [00:24:40]  We should be aware how stress affects the family. [00:27:23]  What does he mean by his "gluts and high hips" mantra when he is running? Why should we run with barefoot? 00:29:19]  You ought to be able to race without data. [00:32:41]  How does (MSP) maximum sustained power correlate to endurance competitive goals? What is Andre's workout routine?  00:36:59]  Checking in on our bodies is so important. [00:43:53]  MEMORABLE QUOTES - I go against conventional stupidity! - Don’t be a Muppet…get off the couch! - Personal trainers should be talking about diet before the physical training. - The endurance athlete’s perceived sign of success seems to be training themselves into exhaustion. - You ought to be able to race without data. - Think Wastebook instead of Facebook! - Checking in on our bodies is so important.   Andre Obradovic   Primal Endurance Mastery CourseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad Kearns tackles more interesting Q&A from Primal Endurance podcast listeners and book readers. Submit your questions at www.primalblueprint.com/endurance and they will get covered on the air.  While the questions relate to the specific needs of the individual, the answers are presented in a manner that applies to a broad audience. Listen and enjoy learning about the challenges and successes of your endurance peers, and come away with plenty of practical tips to help improve your training and competitive results. Dan (?) Can you elaborate on what is a suitable domain for self-experimentation vs. the core principles that have remained unchanged in your routine over the past several years? Can you comment on the relative merit of Fartlek vs. occasional dedicated speed workouts?  [00:00:37]  David Lapp asks whether one can still do long distance Ironman-length triathlons after age 50 and be healthy? [00:09:26]  As I am learning to go with the low carb diet, will my fasting lead to not eating enough? [00:20:14]  Thomas Peterson: Can you please compare and contrast the benefits of doing short speed work during a normal 180 minus age run vs. a dedicated speed workout? [00:29:31]  Thomas also asks: What are the principles that we should never change come hell or high water? AND What are the aspects of fitness where we should feel free to experiment? [00:30:17]  Dr. Ted asks "Do I need to add more speed work or race pace runs to help me finish better?" [00:37:16] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.