WHOOP Podcast

On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by Brittany Mahomes. A lifelong athlete, Brittany played pro soccer briefly before shifting her focus to the fitness and wellness space. Brittany is the co-owner of the NWSL’s Kansas City Current, and she was instrumental in bringing the team’s home field, CPKC Stadium, to fruition this spring. Will and Brittany discuss a big announcement from the Mahomes family (1:04), Brittany’s passion for sport and fitness (1:39), Patrick and Brittany’s competitive nature (3:07), Patrick and Brittany’s relationship (3:44), Brittany’s fitness routine (7:02), recovery tips and diet (9:32), co-owning the KC Current (13:33), what people don’t see about the Mahomes family (16:05), and some rapid fire questions (18:44).

Resources:
Brittany’s Instagram

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After a number of inquiries about heart rate zones and the best ways to train, we brought back a very popular episode featuring WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes and endurance coach Paul Laursen. Paul is a Zone 2 cardio expert and has competed in 17 Ironman triathlons. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of HIIT Science and co-host of the Training Science Podcast. He’s published over 150 scientific manuscripts and had his work cited more than 15,00 times. Kristen and Paul will discuss how Paul got started training and teaching (3:05), the relationship between the cardiovascular system and the nervous system (6:13), defining the different training zones (10:48), creating a weekly program with cardio zones (24:51), staying balanced with your training (29:08), autonomic recovery and Zone 2 as an active recovery tool (35:17), how Zone 2 can be linked to hormone levels (36:57), Paul’s paper on metabolism and burning fat (41:51), the best medium for Zone 2 training (47:49), training for longevity and VO2 max (50:51), and how Paul thinks about sleep with his athletes (52:38).

Resources:
Paul's Website
Paul’s Twitter
HIIT Science
Autonomic Recovery after Exercise in Trained Athletes
Athletes: Fit but Unhealthy
Fat Oxidation during HIIT

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by pro golfer Neal Shipley. Neal has had one of the most memorable years in golf so far during 2024. He went back to back as the low amateur at the Masters and the U.S. Open, which included playing Sunday at Augusta alongside Tiger Woods. A couple weeks after the U.S. Open, Neal officially turned pro and has already achieved a Top 20 and a Top 10 finish in only 5 career pro starts on the PGA Tour. Will and Neal discuss Neal’s Masters experience (1:50), Tiger Woods influencing golf (5:49), growing up and falling in love with golf (11:17), the 2023 US Amateur (15:31), the explosion of WHOOP in golf (19:21), Neal’s US Open experience (25:32), playing on the PGA Tour (29:37), building the perfect golfer (33:53), and what’s next for Neal (41:48).

Resources:
Neal's Instagram

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Megan Rossi, founder of The Gut Health Doctor. Dr. Rossi is considered one of the most influential gut health specialists internationally. A registered dietitian and nutritionist for the last decade with an award-winning PhD in gut health, which was recognized for its contribution to science, receiving the Dean’s Award for outstanding research. Kristen and Dr. Rossi discuss what is a healthy gut (2:47), Megan’s passion for gut health (7:43), the research gaps in the gut health space (12:00), the gut being the center of the problem (18:57), HRV and gut health (21:13), diet supporting a healthy gut (25:16), gut health and sleep (41:41), gut health and stress (46:12), supplements for gut health (53:46), and gut health and exercise (59:53).

Resources:
Stanford Medicine Study on Personal Microbiomes
Dr. Rossi’s Gut Health Quiz
The Gut Health Doctor Website
Dr. Rossi’s Instagram

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by Barry’s Global CEO, Joey Gonzalez. Joey has an incredible story that starts as a client of Barry’s and ends up in the C-suite. Barry’s is known as the original cardio and strength interval workout, revolutionized fitness, and began the boutique movement. In 2018, Gonzalez was named to Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business list and recently earned his OPM degree from Harvard Business School. Will and Joey discuss Joey’s background and upbringing (2:14), Joey’s first Barry’s class (7:10), what to expect in a Barry’s class (12:25), Joey’s rise through the organization to CEO (19:32), COVID’s impact on Barry’s (33:35), Barry’s today and the vision moving forward (43:58), and Joey’s fitness and nutrition routines (48:22).

Resources:
Joey's Instagram
Barry's Website

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by fitness legend Katrin Davíðsdóttir. The Icelandic athlete was crowned the "Fittest Woman on Earth" in both 2015 and 2016 at the CrossFit Games. Her background in gymnastics and track and field led to her strong athletic foundation. In March of 2024, Katrín and fellow WHOOP athlete Annie Thorisdottir, launched Empower by Dóttir to help provide insight and training tips to women throughout their fitness journeys. Will and Katrin discuss Katrin getting started in the fitness world (1:57), what makes a good mentor (5:17), becoming the Fittest Woman on Earth (6:34), work ethic and mindset (16:22), how Katrin uses WHOOP (18:24), Katrin’s Surgery and her rehab (21:29), tools to recover from surgery (30:13), tracking in the WHOOP journal (34:33), and what’s next for Katrin (38:45).

Resources
Katrin's Instagram
Empower by Dóttir

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes and WHOOP SVP, Research Algorithms and Data Emily Capodilupo are here to discuss all things body composition. We’re excited to announce we just launched a new feature in the WHOOP app in partnership with Withings. With the feature, WHOOP members can now calculate their body composition, lean body mass percentage, body fat percentage, and weight. Kristen and Emily discuss the foundation of losing weight (1:25), WHOOP as the home for your health (6:32), the feature integration process (8:54), key terms of body composition (10:06), skinny doesn’t mean healthy (17:41), metrics you will see in the feature (20:09), having a more complete look of your health (23:02), and tips for improving your body composition (30:09).

Learn More:
The New WHOOP Body Composition Feature
Get 20% off a WITHINGS Scale

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by Vincent Hancock.  Vincent is a 3 time Olympic Gold medalist and former sergeant in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit who earned the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, among other service accolades. He was the first person to win back-to-back gold medals in skeet shooting when he took home gold in Beijing and London. He is also the first person to win 4 World Championship titles in Men’s Skeet. Will and Vincent discuss how Vincent got started shooting (1:36), the sport of skeet shooting (3:31), getting recruited to the US Army Marksmen Unit (7:28), the process of competition (12:55), Vincent’s training program (15:11), the power of a flow state (18:26), how Vincent uses WHOOP (31:58), Vincent’s WHOOP data (39:49), competing at the Olympics (50:04), and what to expect in Paris (1:03:50).

Resources:
Vincent Hancock's Instagram

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist Kristen Holmes is joined by Julie Menanno. The licensed marriage and family therapist specializes in Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples. She’s the author of the book, Secure Love, which helps couples create lasting relationships. Additionally, she founded and runs the Bozeman Therapy & Counseling clinic, and The Secure Relationship Coaching. Kristen and Julie discuss how Julie started working with couples (2:15), couples therapy vs individual therapy (5:45), finding optimism in couples therapy (8:04), characteristics of a healthy relationship (11:11), emotionally focused therapy (14:15), the four attachment styles (18:06), practicing secure love (38:27), red flags in a relationship (43:47), and the organization of Julie’s book (48:42).

Resources:
Julie Menanno’s Website
Julie Menanno’s Instagram
The Secure Love Podcast
Julie’s Articles on Disorganized Attachment Theory

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist Kristen Holmes is joined by women’s soccer star, Ali Riley. Ali currently captains the New Zealand National Team and Angel City FC. She has represented New Zealand at 5 FIFA World Cups, 4 Olympic Games, and will be headed to Paris this summer. In 2023, Ali led the New Zealand National Team to the country’s first-ever World Cup match win. Kristen and Ali discuss Ali’s state of mind ahead of Paris (1:35), representing the New Zealand National Team (4:27), life as a student-athlete and national team player (10:27), advocating for yourself (15:28), dealing with nerves (18:23), Ali’s leadership style (21:11), Ali’s professional career (28:57), nutrition and Ali’s cookbook (38:04), using WHOOP to maximize performance (44:34), the power of social media (47:49), Caitlin Clark and women’s sports (58:54), improving longevity in sport (1:02:14), and thinking about a final game (1:05:22).

Resources:
Ali’s Instagram
Ali’s Cookbook 

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On this week’s episode WHOOP SVP of Research, Algorithms, and Data, Emily Capodilupo, is back to answer questions from you, our listeners. Our listeners reached out via social media, email, voicemail, and more. Emily joins us to answer questions about how to define and calculate VO2 Max (2:13), how to improve VO2 Max (8:00), how to hydrate and train in the heat (11:40), hydrogen water bottles (17:35), using WHOOP to monitor pregnancy (27:19), and how bulking and high caloric intake impacts HRV (31:30).

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist Kristen Holmes is joined by Australian-born supermodel Bambi Northwood-Blyth. She has worked with some of the most notable brands in fashion like Balenciaga, Chanel, Armani, Vogue, Elle, and more.  As a young woman living with Type 1 diabetes since the age of 11, Bambi is an outspoken advocate demonstrating how to manage her condition while simultaneously striving for your dreams. Kristen and Bambi discuss getting into modeling (3:25), being consistent in the fashion industry (7:06), the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (10:32), finding your health baseline (14:26), building in mini moments of relaxation (18:55), staying in a healthy and neutral state (23:43), managing a global travel schedule (31:25), Bambi’s new business venture (37:39), dietary habits for diabetics (39:37), and advocacy for diabetes (44:25). 

Resources:
Bambi's Instagram 

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist Kristen Holmes is joined by tennis star Bethanie Mattek-Sands. The 9-time Grand Slam champion, commonly known as America’s Rock Star of Tennis, Bethanie has brought a charismatic and eccentric energy to the sport, which has propelled her to 31 titles throughout her career. Kristen and Bethanie discuss how Bethanie started tennis at a young age (2:47), leaning into her true identity on and off the court (7:58), prioritizing recovery (13:48), the biggest impacts and tools for Bethanie’s health (20:45), breathwork (35:29), how Bethanie resets away from tennis (38:42), using data to optimize performance (42:17), the state of women’s sports (51:06), and what’s next for Bethanie (54:25).

Resources:
Bethanie’s Instagram
The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by multi-platinum recording artist Mike Posner. Mike’s songs have been streamed more than 10 billion times, and his pop single "I Took A Pill In Ibiza” was nominated for “Song of The Year” at the 2017 Grammys. Mike has now found a new passion for health and wellness and spirituality. Will and Mike discuss how Mike got into music (2:36), developing a chip on your shoulder (8:10), getting his music career started (9:36), becoming a real celebrity (17:18), the switch to owning his own identity (20:10), walking away from material fame (27:00), grief as a remarkable reset (36:13), walking across America (40:46), climbing Mt. Everest (46:36), how Mike uses WHOOP (1:03:20), and advice to give yourself (1:08:49).

Trigger warning: this episode contains content about suicide 

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Mike’s Facebook
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Mike’s X

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by the world’s best footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo. The legendary athlete is now an investor and Global Ambassador for WHOOP. The 5x Ballon d’Or and 5x Champions League winner describes WHOOP as a tool he cannot live without in order to perform at his peak. Will and Cristiano discuss Cristiano’s first memory playing football (1:23), being motivated by his father (2:55), talent vs. work ethic (4:19), being at the top for so long (6:56), how Cristiano uses WHOOP (8:08), his recovery modalities (13:35), mindfulness and visualization (16:22), and his partnership with WHOOP (18:35).

Resources:
whoop.com/cr7
Cristiano's Website
Cristiano's Instagram

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by Dermot Whelan. Dermot is an award-winning Radio and TV Broadcaster, Author, Comedian, Podcast Host, and Meditation Expert. As the host of The Mind Full Podcast, Dermot is sharing his wealth of knowledge and teachings around meditation, stress management, positivity, and more. Will and Dermot discuss how Dermot found comedy (1:35), his first time doing stand-up (8:15), developing material (11:07), finding meditation (15:50), Dermot’s 16-second meditation technique (23:33), meditation sparking Dermot’s health kick (31:24), how society views meditation (36:54), how Dermot uses WHOOP (40:50), and the power of fulfillment (48:07).

Resources:
Dermot’s Website
Dermot’s Instagram
The Mind Full Podcast
Dermot’s Book

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by barre3 Co-Founder and CEO Sadie Lincoln. Barre3 is a fitness company focused on teaching people to be balanced in body and empowered from within. Beyond running her company and being a global spokesperson, Sadie still enjoys teaching barre3 classes to many of her founding clients in her hometown of Portland, Oregon. Will and Sadie discuss how Sadie got into barre (1:38), the biggest difference from the first barre3 studio to now (4:23), what makes barre unique (7:16), teaching and coaching clients (12:15), using WHOOP (17:00), Sadie teaching classes (21:52), work-life balance with a loved one (24:35), what it means to be inside your body (27:41), the difference between being a founder and CEO (37:32), and advice to other female CEOs (39:27).

Resources:
barre3.com
Sadie’s Instagram

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by Performance Chef and Podcast Host Dan Churchill. The Australian native is now the Chef at The Osprey in Brooklyn and the host of The Epic Table Podcast. With a Master's Degree in Exercise Science, Dan blends his expertise in fitness and wellness with his passion for healthy cooking and has become the face of nutrition-based performance. Dan is here to talk about his latest book Eat Like a Legend and his experience running the Boston Marathon. Dan and Will discuss how Dan treats his body and mind (2:15), physical strain vs. mental strain (9:15), becoming a chef (11:58), moving from Australia to America (20:33), Dan’s new book Eat Like a Legend (24:45), top meals for performance (29:10), what’s next for The Osprey (34:18), running the Boston Marathon (40:27), and weight loss tips (49:04).

Resources:
Dan's Website
Dan’s Instagram 

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist Kristen Holmes is joined by WHOOP SVP, Research Algorithms, and Data Emily Capodilupo. The pair is here to talk about the link between sleep, stress, and blood pressure. Kristen and Emily will be talking about an upcoming study conducted by our team here at WHOOP, that you our listeners and members can be a part of. Kristen and Emily discuss an overview of the study (1:50), why we are conducting this study (4:32), the protocols of the study (12:14), the power of big data collections (22:34), breaking down stress (26:35), how anxiety impacts sleep (32:27), how we perceive stress (39:55), and understanding sleep patterns (49:16).

Resources:
Harvard Health: Stress Response
What Happens to the Body During Stress
Email Research Study
Navy Seal Box Breathing
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee: Breathing Techniques

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist Kristen Holmes is joined by Lori Locust. Lori is entering her sixth season coaching in the NFL and her second season with the Titans. Prior to arriving in Tennessee, she spent four seasons as an assistant defensive line coach at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where she won a Super Bowl in 2021. Kristen and Lori discuss preparing for the NFL season (3:01), learning a playbook (6:20), getting her first shot at coaching (9:27), Coach Lo’s perspective on the game (13:20), starting in the NFL (16:08), integrating with the Tampa Bay staff (28:10), Tom Brady joining the Buccaneers (28:10), preparation and mindset before the Super Bowl (32:07), Lo’s coaching style (34:32), defining success (36:42), shedding the stigma of “just ticking a box” (38:32), barriers for women in sport (41:04), the future of women in the NFL (46:57), meditation and self-reflection (50:04).

Resources:
Coach Lo’s Instagram 

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by Jason McCarthy the Co-Founder and CEO of GORUCK. Jason served in Special Forces after 9/11. He founded GORUCK in West Africa with his wife Emily, a Case Officer for the CIA, and a napkin sketch for a rucksack that could thrive in Baghdad and NYC.  He also proudly serves on the Board of Directors of the Green Beret Foundation. Will and Jason discuss how Jason joined the military (2:30), having accountability for the country (11:45), the idea for GORUCK (16:25), what is in a go bag (19:35), starting the business (21:20), defining rucking and its benefits (25:53), what’s next for GORUCK (31:28), baseline and extreme rucks (33:14), developing mental toughness (35:49), advice to future Green Berets (39:41), and how Jason uses WHOOP (41:36).

Resources:
GORUCK Website 

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As Women’s History Month comes to an end, we wanted to answer your questions around women’s health. Who better do that than WHOOP SVP, Data Science and Research, Emily Capodilupo. Emily answers questions about menstrual cycle physiology (2:05), how to use WHOOP to better understand your cycle (3:55), nutritional habits during your period (4:50), how cycles can impact HRV (6:35), supplements to take during your cycle (8:58), birth control methods (12:12), long-term impacts of birth control (14:45), birth control impacting athletic performance (16:08), preparing the body for pregnancy (21:03), and sleeping tips while pregnant (24:16).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by rock climbing legend Alex Honnold. You probably know Alex from the incredible Netflix documentary Free Solo where Alex scaled the famous El Capitan mountain face. Alex joins us to discuss his next greatest challenge a route called, Bachelor Party, and it’s graded 9a/5.14d. This is going to be the most challenging climb of Alex’s career and he will be wearing WHOOP throughout his training and during the climb. Will and Alex discuss some major life updates from Alex (1:40), a day in the life for Alex (8:18), pulling back from free soloing (9:44), risk and consequence (12:56), dealing with negative thoughts (22:30), the flow state of climbing (25:24), how life has changed since becoming a father (29:44), getting nervous (32:15), Alex’s next challenge “The Road to 9a” (35:06), his hiking journal (48:21), and his role as a public figure (52:03).

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On this week’s episode, with World Sleep Day right around the corner, WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is here to guide you through a Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) session. This session will help you prepare for sleep and enter a state of relaxation to promote a higher quality night’s sleep. If you are a WHOOP member, you can track this activity in the WHOOP app. So be sure to have that activity started as you listen to this episode. Kristen will explain what NSDR is (1:30), the numerous benefits of NSDR (2:26), and lead listeners on a guided NSDR session (3:54).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD. Dr. Feldman Barrett is a University Distinguished Professor of psychology at Northeastern University with appointments at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). She is among the top 1% most-cited scientists worldwide over the past five years and has authored two best-selling science books, How Emotions are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain and Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain. Kristen and Dr. Feldman Barrett discuss how Dr. Feldman Barrett got started in the field (3:35), realizing her research was taking shape (11:56), the human brain (16:25), modernity impacting brain evolution (24:17), affect and arousal (42:17), Seven and a Half Lessons on the Brain (53:41), people thinking about emotions (55:22), and what Dr. Feldman Barrett is obsessing over (1:00:39).

Resources:
Dr. Feldman Barrett's Website  

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by one of the most successful real estate brokers in the world. You may have seen him on Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing or read one of his best-selling books. Real estate broker, CEO, and founder of SERHANT, Ryan Serhant is here to discuss his latest book Brand It Like Serhant, as well as his views on health and wellness and high performance. Will and Ryan discuss Ryan using WHOOP (2:00), getting started with Million Dollar Listing (3:33), the line between performing and being authentic (8:45), being comfortable under pressure (13:45), launching SERHANT (15:12), Ryan’s work ethic (21:24), Brand It Like Serhant (26:12), starting to build a brand (33:24), Ryan’s focus on health and fitness (37:52).

Resources:
Ryan's Website
Brand It Like Serhant

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by performance coach Steve Tashjian. Steve Tashjian is a world-renowned high-performance expert with decades of experience in elite sport, managing teams, and high performers. He has prepared triathletes for the Kona Ironman, boxers for world title fights, teams to play Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League, and the U.S. Men’s Team (USMNT) for the World Cup in 2022. Kristen and Steve will discuss how Steve got into sport and high performance (2:08), how he defines high performance (9:15), organizations reacting to stress (14:38), managing performance for the USMNT (18:46), working for Everton FC (24:23), managing the complex nature of an organization and its players (31:50), mitigating pressure (40:31), curiosity and risk leading to high performance (48:44), coaching teams vs individuals (55:52), and where things go wrong for organizations and individuals (1:05:19).

Resources:
Steve’s LinkedIn
Steve’s Instagram
Elevation Project

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 It is Super Bowl week and once again WHOOP Founder and CEO, Will Ahmed, is joined by the incredible Bobby Stroupe. Bobby is the Founder of Athlete Performance Enhancement Center (APEC) and is the trainer of two-time Super Bowl Champion, Patrick Mahomes. Coach Stroupe and his team have worked with and supported over 300 professional athletes across 6 different sports including World Series Champions, Super Bowl Champions, and first-round picks in both the NFL and MLB. Will and Bobby discuss how Bobby started working with Patrick (3:15), their “gymnastica” training style (6:05), tapping into the flow state (8:53), dealing with sleep and recovery throughout the season (10:43), preparing for gameday and the playoffs (14:53), sleep efficiency vs sleep duration (27:50), similarities between the Chiefs and the Patriots (29:19), Bobby’s thoughts on the 49ers (35:01), and understanding different play styles (37:26).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by orthopedic surgeon and longevity expert Dr. Vonda Wright. The double board-certified orthopedic sports medicine surgeon has over 20+ years of experience working with athletes and leaders across the sports and business industries. Kristen and Dr. Vonda will discuss Dr. Vonda’s mission (4:10), if aging is a disease (8:25), investing in longevity (11:33), exercising for longevity (16:01), how age and sex impact longevity (22:25), healthy muscle tissue leading to longevity (24:10), nutrition’s impact on aging (28:11), tactics to changing behaviors (36:40), and life as a surgeon and team doctor (48:37).

Resources:
Dr. Vonda's Website 

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On this week’s episode, we have some special guest hosts for you! Earlier this month, we were down in Miami at Wodapalooza and our good friends, the Buttery Bros took over the mic to chat with some of our favorite WHOOP-wearing athletes like Annie Thorisdottir, Katrín Davíðsdóttir, and Haley Adams. The Buttery Bros kick things off with Annie and Katrin discussing the pair’s upcoming women’s health initiative (2:50), using data throughout training (6:33), improving sleep habits (7:55), training and staying active while pregnant (10:40), keeping the competitive fire alive (14:18), and Annie and Katrin’s plans for 2024 (15:42). The Buttery Bros then welcome on Haley Adams to discuss how she uses data to train throughout her season (18:48), getting back to competition after time off (19:58), changes to Haley’s training (21:20), Haley’s goals moving forward (22:45), new habits and passions Haley is developing for balance (24:15), creating a more structured training program (27:10), inspiring the younger generation (28:20), feeling inspired to train again (29:50), and how Haley uses WHOOP (31:05).

Resources:
The Buttery Bros on Instagram
Annie Thorisdottir on Instagram
Katrín Davíðsdóttir on Instagram
Haley Adams on Instagram 

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP SVP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo is here to answer YOUR questions. We have seen several questions in our inbox about sleep, recovery, and creatine. Emily will discuss sleep supplements and interruptions (1:45), dealing with shift work and reverse schedules (5:55), the correlation between sleep and HRV (13:27), getting the most out of your creatine program (19:42), creatine impacting recovery (21:35), and taking creatine at night (24:27). 

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Angela Foster. Angela is an award-winning nutritionist, health & performance coach, keynote speaker and host of The High-Performance Health Podcast. Kristen and Angela will discuss Angela transitioning from a lawyer to a high-performance coach (3:45), the drive to start looking after yourself (9:33), creating a new identity (14:05), expanding goals and knowledge (17:36), training your self-awareness (22:15), aligning goals to who we want to be (26:35), the process of BioSyncing (29:37), improving nervous system balance (32:19), ensuring everything is in alignment (37:38), women measuring success and growth opportunities in business (42:13), obstacles women face (47:13), how to ask for help (50:01), and using data in health and wellness (55:09).

Resources:
Angela's Website

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is going to talk all things January Jumpstart. That’s right Kristen is here to break down our January Jumpstart in-app challenge, and how you can take control of your year by working on your personal readiness. Kristen discusses the January Jumpstart Challenge (1:40), the meaning of personal readiness (4:05), understanding your identity (6:57), aligning your values (14:37), the power of anchors (18:33), and how to identify your outlets (23:15).

Resources:
Personal Readiness Exercises 

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We are wrapping up the year on this week's episode and revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year. Throughout the year we spoke to NBA Champions, Military Veterans, DJs, CEOs, and leading experts across numerous fields of research and human performance. We also had fantastic episodes around key product updates and features. Hear from Zedd on how he committed to fitness (2:30), Dr. Susanna Søberg on her principle and the power of cold therapy (5:05), James Nestor on how to get started with nasal breathing (7:57), Matt Mullenweg on biohacking and how mental clarity leads to high performance (10:40), Dr. Jessica Shepherd on being an active participant in the transition of menopause (13:33), Jason Kander on dealing with PTSD (16:06), Melissa Urban on setting boundaries and creating new habits (21:14), Ken Rideout on how running and training is an outlet to combat addiction (23:05), and Steven Bartlett on the power of absurdity in marketing (26:31).

Resources:
Melissa Urban - 206
Dr. Susanna Søberg - 207
Dr. Jessica Shepherd - 211
Stress Monitor - 215
Strength Trainer - 219
James Nestor - 221
Matt Mullenweg - 225
Jason Kander - 235
Ken Rideout - 236
WHOOP Coach - 240
Steven Bartlett - 242
Zedd - 247

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Darren Candow. Darren is the Professor and Director of the Aging Muscle and Bone Health Laboratory in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina, Canada. Kristen and Darren will discuss creatine’s surge in popularity (3:00), creatine’s role within the body (4:48), the best ways to produce creatine (5:56), the benefits of creatine (8:16), the safety aspect of creatine (19:25), kids using creatine (21:15), benefits for the brain and sleep (23:42), bone health (33:00), topical creatine and anti-aging (36:54), the biggest myths about creatine (40:30), if the timing of creatine matters (43:37), and what Darren is obsessing over (47:14).

Resources:
Dr. Darren's Instagram
January Jumpstart Sign Up

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by WHOOP SVP of Data Science and Research, Emily Capodilupo. The pair are talking all things Year in Review for 2023. Take a deep dive into the data from WHOOP members across the globe, and learn how you can unlock your human performance. Will and Emily will discuss the year at large at WHOOP (1:55), the top trending activities in the WHOOP Community (6:45), the top Strength Trainer exercises (15:05), the top questions asked to WHOOP Coach (16:01), WHOOP members committing to Recovery (16:13), journal behaviors on the rise in 2023 (24:17), sex trends across the WHOOP Community (28:48), and how stress impacted WHOOP members throughout 2023 (30:17).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Jay Wiles. Dr. Jay is a clinical health psychologist, currently working as the Health Behavior Coordinator at WJB Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia, SC and the Greenville Outpatient VA Clinic. He also shares his insight and tips on his podcast titled, Mindhacker’s Radio. Kristen and Jay will discuss how mental health impacts the autonomic nervous system (6:08), how stress influences HRV (11:50), behaviors enabling the balance of the nervous system (18:00), the relationship perspective (24:45), controlling your own nervous system (29:23), self-regulation techniques (35:24), residence frequency breathing (44:18), the power of mitochondria (46:52), and Jay’s hormesis research (52:04).

Resources:
Dr. Jay's Website 

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Aric Prather. Aric is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. He co-directs the UCSF Aging, Metabolism, and Emotions Center, is the Interim Director for the UCSF Center for Health and Community, and serves as a clinician at the UCSF Insomnia Clinic. He is also the author of The Sleep Prescription, a book that offers a simple yet powerful plan to improve your sleep in seven days. Kristen and Aric will discuss the AME Research Center (2:39), sleep impacting immune function (5:37), the connection between sleep and metabolic health (13:13), restrictive eating windows and sleep (19:51), The Sleep Prescription (25:25), labeling the worry (37:38), debunking sleep myths (42:11).

Resources:
Dr. Prather's Website
The AME Research Center 

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by the Co-Founder and CEO of Whole30, Melissa Urban. Melissa is here to help us Hack the Holidays. As the holiday season ramps up, we thought we would give you some tips on staying balanced with your health and wellness throughout the festivities. Kristen and Melissa will discuss managing alcohol consumption (3:48), keeping your nutritional habits balanced (13:05), dealing with the thought of overindulging (16:49), common issues people run into during the holidays (18:23), commenting on someone’s body (21:41), making your plate at parties (23:25), having a plan for social gatherings (26:02), sleep and circadian health (28:19), the importance of downtime and saying no (34:53), educating family and friends on your personality type (38:05), exercising during the holidays (42:41), dealing with stress (45:38), seeing others performing destructive behaviors (51:25).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by DJ, record producer, and songwriter Zedd. The Grammy award-winning and platinum artist has had multiple records hit number one on the Billboard Top 100 and has made music with superstars like Justin Bieber, Maren Morris, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, and more. Not only is he a musical sensation, he is incredibly obsessed with his health and wellness and has been a WHOOP member for a number of years. Will and Zedd discuss why he decided to commit to a health and wellness journey (2:14), becoming an artist and producer (7:01), working with Lady Gaga (10:20), making music for himself vs. his fans (14:45), creating a song (19:20), collaborating with the biggest artists in the world (23:24), making his health and fitness a priority (27:34), his WHOOP data (29:51), diet and recovery habits (32:41), paying attention to his heart rate and nerves (39:17), and how AI is impacting the music and technology industries (42:04).

Resources:
Zedd's Website
Zedd’s Instagram

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Army Lieutenant Colonel Lisa Jaster is a soldier, an engineer, a wife and mother, and a trailblazer. One of only three women to graduate from the first integrated United States Army Ranger program. Lisa is also the author of Delete the Adjective, where she details her time in Ranger School and how “there is no quitting.” Kristen and Lisa will discuss taking the risk of Ranger School (3:45), signing up for Ranger School (7:40), life in Army Ranger School (11:08), when Lisa felt her most vulnerable (16:44), females in the military (20:34), the power of shedding labels (23:36), applying lessons from Ranger School to everyday life (25:52), takeaways from Lisa’s book (30:26), how Lisa uses WHOOP (34:38), doing the hard things in life (40:45), developing the mentality to accomplish difficult goals (45:45), advice to your women (48:36), and what Lisa is obsessing over (53:10).

Resources:
Delete The Adjective  

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Rachel Vickery. Rachel works with high performers in professional and elite sport, corporate and elite military who need to do big and difficult things where the stakes are high and the impact is significant for many. Now she is working as a High-Performance Consultant optimizing the physiological stress response so good people can execute when it matters and sustain long careers in these environments. Kristen and Rachel will discuss getting introduced to pressure (2:35), developing interoception (10:54), creating coaching moments through ice baths (14:10), entering the arousal state (17:45), cold therapy as a training and awareness piece (24:33), being in the moment vs natural arousal states (32:10), preparing for the arena as a high performer (38:46), breathing mechanics and performance (43:45), and setting yourself up for success (45:15).

Resources:
Rachel's Website 

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Alexandra Solomon. A couples therapist, speaker, author, and professor, Dr. Solomon is passionate about translating cutting-edge research and clinical wisdom into practical tools people can use to bring awareness, curiosity, and authenticity to their relationships. Kristen and Alexandra will discuss the definition of relational self-awareness (3:40), tactics for the service archetype (9:25), approaching conversations to reimagine boundaries (13:18), the energy of love vs the energy of fear (16:53), getting back into the dating pool (24:12), being in a good state of mind for a first date (27:15), dating apps (33:20), learning about relationships and intimacy (36:55), the biggest problem in relationships (42:15), Alexandra’s latest book LOVE EVERY DAY (51:25), and sex in the dating world and in relationships (53:27).

Resources:
Dr. Alexandra's Website
Dr. Solomon’s TED Talk

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by NBA Champion Felipe Eichenberger. Fresh off his championship-winning season as the Denver Nuggets Director of Performance and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Felipe is here to talk about how he helped some of the best players on the planet, including the league’s MVP, stay healthy throughout a grueling NBA title run. Will and Felipe will discuss how Felipe developed a passion for health and fitness (3:00), the power of consistency within the Nuggets’ organization (4:45), training Nikola Jokic (6:05), his role within the team (8:40), using WHOOP to train players (11:23), how Felipe uses WHOOP in his own life (13:50), players going out during the season (16:20), rehabbing injuries (19:44), meditation, visualization and breathing (22:32), recovery modalities (28:35), training at altitude in Denver (32:57), keeping players active and involved (36:28), Felipe’s impression of the Miami Heat (39:48), and his personal fitness motivation (42:40).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO, Will Ahmed is joined by entrepreneur and innovator, Steven Bartlett. Steven is also a speaker, investor, author and the host of UK's No.1 podcast, The Diary of a CEO. He also joined the BBC's hit TV show Dragons’ Den, the UK version of Shark Tank, as the youngest-ever Dragon in the show’s history. Steven just released his second book, 'The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life' in which he shares his learnings having interviewed some of the world's leading experts, celebrities, and business professionals. Will and Steven discuss how Steven has viewed himself throughout his career (3:08), how he got started investing (6:55), Steven’s role as a founder vs a CEO (12:01), where Steven derives his learnings from (18:35), his personal mission (21:20), constantly evolving with a growth mindset (24:15), the benefits of bias in a CEO (25:20), a risk that paid off (28:16), what keeps leaders up at night (30:10), feeling like an underdog and the power of experimentation (33:05), interviewers that Steven admirers (40:30), his new book, Diary of a CEO (44:45), and how Steven prioritizes his health (53:17).

Resources:
Steven's Website
Will Ahmed on The Diary of a CEO
The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Allison Brager. She is a neurobiologist with expertise in sleep and circadian rhythms who works to examine the mind and body’s resilience to extreme environmental stress. Kristen and Allison will discuss misconceptions about sleep trends (2:35), ideal sleeping conditions (6:12), the relationship between light and melatonin (10:35), manipulating our circadian rhythm (12:40), sleep consistency (16:55), circadian rhythms and the metabolic system (23:10), behaviors that can disrupt sleep onset (28:42), and how naps impact sleep patterns (35:40).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed and WHOOP CTO Jaime Waydo are highlighting one of our most innovative features to date – WHOOP Coach. WHOOP Coach delivers an incredibly personalized, incredibly specific performance coaching experience thanks to the latest in generative AI. Will and Jaime will discuss what the WHOOP Coach is (2:47), our partnership with OpenAI (4:15), the key use cases of WHOOP Coach (5:45), how WHOOP Coach is an educational tool (13:00), WHOOP Coach as a membership support tool (15:35), providing insight into the unknown (16:50), data retention and privacy (19:05), the vision of a 24/7 performance coach (21:55), and the technical terms and definitions around Artificial Intelligence (25:10).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Todd Anderson. Todd is the founder of Dream Recovery, the co-founder of Synergy Dryland, a training program for world-class swimmers, as well as the co-founder of the Rideout Strong marathon training program. He holds over a dozen certifications in Strength and Conditioning, Nutrition, and Performance. Kristen and Todd will discuss Todd’s passion for sport and performance (3:15), becoming a walk-on at Michigan State (8:45), training athletes with injuries (13:25), using data to contextualize how you feel (15:20), incorporating sleep and recovery into training programs (18:25), breathwork and breathing protocols (24:42), the impact of mouth tape on performance (27:48), staying motivated while changing behaviors (31:28), the opportunities for sleep studies and research (34:26), recovery meeting preparation (45:50), sauna and cold plunge (48:40), how Todd thinks about nutrition (54:35), and Todd’s training nonnegotiables (59:28).

Resources:
Todd’s Instagram
Dream Recovery

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by SVP of Data Science & Research Emily Capodilupo to talk about all things Heart Rate Variability. HRV is one of the key signs of fitness and how well your body is ready to perform on any given day. Kristen and Emily will discuss what HRV is (2:15), how WHOOP measures HRV (5:15), adaptive behaviors to help HRV rebound (11:45), how HRV is a personalized metric (17:40), menstruation and pregnancy impacting HRV (21:12), HRV and sleep (27:30), the WHOOP Core4 Challenge (33:47), and listener questions on HRV (49:15).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by one of the world’s top masters runners, Ken Rideout. Ken has been crowned the “World’s Best Marathoner Over 50” by the New York Times. In addition to his running accolades, Ken is known for sharing his story about overcoming opioid addiction. Kristen and Ken will discuss Ken’s backstory and life growing up (3:35), moving to New York and starting in finance (10:40), Ken’s struggle with addiction and seeking help (17:00), seeking extreme experiences as a high (23:35), running the Gobi March in Mongolia (27:30), the power of showing up (38:55), nutrition and hydration practices for maintaining high strains (45:20), running the 6 major marathons (46:35), and what Ken is obsessing over (51:05).

Resources:
Ken's Website
Ken’s Instagram
THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas

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On this week’s episode, Will Ahmed, the Founder and CEO of WHOOP, is joined by former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander. Before being elected Secretary of State in 2012, he was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives. Jason is also a veteran of the United States Army achieving the rank of Captain during his service as a military intelligence officer in Afghanistan. Will and Jason will discuss Jason’s decision to join the military (3:12), life in Afghanistan (5:10), Jason’s daily routine in the service (13:25), dealing with and talking about PTSD (15:50), what led him to take the first step and get help (25:10), dealing with suicidal thoughts and therapy (30:10), using meditation (36:45), how Jason uses WHOOP (38:28), Jason’s political career and life today (46:55), and Jason’s book and podcast (56:55).

Resources:
Jason’s Website
Invisible Storm: A Soldier's Memoir of Politics and Ptsd

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Simon Hill. Simon is a physiotherapist, nutritionist, and author on a mission to help people make informed lifestyle choices. In 2021, he published his first book, The Proof is in the Plants, which makes a case for a plant-based, whole-food diet, drawing on all the latest nutrition research. Kristen and Simon will discuss Simon’s book and his main philosophies (3:55), tailoring diets to the individual (11:30), scientific research that helped shape Simon’s findings (13:13), the barrier for entry for various diets (19:38), the negative stigma around legumes and soy (24:23), getting enough protein (31:38), biomarkers that people might see change while dieting (41:43), dietary data from WHOOP members (46:33), how nutrition impacts sustainability and the environment (50:38).

Resources:
Simon’s Website
Simon’s Podcast with Thomas Dayspring
Our World In Data

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by fitness expert Brad Schoenfeld. Brad is widely regarded as one of the leading authorities on body composition training. He is a lifetime drug-free bodybuilder and has won numerous natural bodybuilding titles. Kristen and Brad will discuss the definition of hypertrophy and resistance training as well as their benefits (2:50), getting started with resistance training (6:35), outlining a muscle-building program (8:05), the utility of a one rep max (10:42), training recommendations for different age groups (16:00), lifting cadence and recovery techniques (20:25), nutritional recommendations (25:50), adding cardio into a workout and warmup (28:15), incorporating rest in between sets (32:05), and the process of progressive overload (33:55).

Resources:
Brad’s Website

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This week, we’re diving back into the inbox to answer questions from our listeners – thanks to everyone who has submitted questions so far. WHOOP Senior Sport Scientist Chris Chapman is here to answer your questions about the popular Zone 2 Cardio space and strength training. We had a number of questions come in after our Zone 2 Training episode with Paul Laursen, that’s Episode 222 if you haven’t listened yet. We’ve also received some great questions about strength training and our Strength Trainer product episode. That’s Episode 219 with our CTO Jaime Waydo. Chris discusses navigating strain goals and recoveries with Zone 2 (2:45), incorporating Zone 2 into marathon training (7:05), how heart rate zones differ from person to person (11:55), identifying your Zone 2 heart rate range (14:20), how heart rate zones can change over time (20:20), combining strength training and endurance training (24:00), and the difference between free weights and machines (38:00).

Resources:
Episode 222 - Paul Laursen
Episode 219 - Strength Trainer

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, a distinguished professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. He is one of the leading researchers in the study of how psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD, and DMT can change the human brain and in doing so, be used to successfully treat various mental health challenges such as major depression, anorexia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and addiction. Kristen and Robin discuss the etymology of psychedelics (2:30), researching altered states and altered consciousness (6:35), recreational use of psychedelics (12:53), how attitudes around psychedelics are changing (16:00), the most promising and exciting aspects of psychedelic research (19:11), physiological markers impacted by psychedelics (24:20), the optimal time to explore psychedelic treatment (31:00), what it means to biologically “let go” (35:35), the performance-enhancing possibilities of psychedelics (39:57), legality in the U.S. (45:11), what Robin is obsessing over (50:20), and the biggest benefits of psychedelics (51:35).

Resources:
Psychedelics and the Impact on Veterans and PTSD
Dr. Carhart-Harris on Twitter

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On this week’s episode, Jeremy Powers WHOOP Senior Sports Marketing Manager, Endurance Sports is joined by professional cyclist Alison Jackson. Alison is a female professional racing cyclist riding for team: EF-Education First-Tibco-SVB. She is a two-time and current Canadian National Road Champion, the 2021 Canadian National Champion for Time Trial, she represented Canada at the Tokyo Olympics, and back in April, she won the 2023 Paris-Roubaix Femmes. Jeremy and Alison will discuss Alison’s life growing up and finding endurance sports (3:15), winning the famous Paris-Roubaix Femmes (10:37), Alison’s passion for entertaining fans (18:20) the emotional impact of winning Paris-Roubaix Femmes (25:31), being a team leader while also being a creator (30:30), putting yourself out there on social media (35:30), Alison’s motto throughout her career (39:50), her hobbies and life outside of cycling (42:58), the Tour de France Femmes and the state of women’s cycling (47:25), how Alison deals with negativity and down days (54:15), and what Alison has learned from WHOOP (58:25).

Resources:
Alison’s Instagram

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by behavioral psychologist Dr. Jemma King. She has a PhD in human behavior and is an emotional intelligence and performance under stress expert. Jemma is a research fellow at the University of Queensland School of Psychology and works as a specialist external advisor to McKinsey and Company. Kristen and Jemma will discuss Jemma’s work as a behavioral psychologist (2:45), defining stress types and styles (3:45), behaviors that can help mitigate stress (11:35), dealing with stress before bed and throughout the night (23:50), a study out of Oxford around moving the body forward (34:51), Jemma’s work with the Australian Special Forces (36:30), what Jemma is obsessing over at the moment (48:50), the Wim Hof Study powered by WHOOP (54:00), and the best ways to prepare yourself before a stressful event (56:20).

Resources:
Stress and Health Study 

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This week on the WHOOP Podcast, we’re diving back into the inbox to answer questions from our listeners. From the impact of sleep on HRV, detecting mental and physical stress, time-restricted eating and fasting, to the impact of THC and alcohol on the body, we’re tackling it all with none other than SVP of Data Science & Research Emily Capodilupo. Emily breaks down the correlation between sleep and HRV (2:30), the impact of alcohol and marijuana on performance and recovery (4:45), the process of tracking nicotine usage and its effects on recovery (10:20), how to detect different types of stress with the Stress Monitor feature (13:45), and the difference between time-restricted eating and intermittent fasting (16:50).

Resources:
WHOOP Stress Study

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by author Christine Yu. Christine is an award-winning journalist focusing on the intersection of sports science and women athletes. Christine is here to discuss her new book UP to SPEED: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes and the state of women’s health and wellness in today’s society. Kristen and Christine will discuss Christine’s journalism career (2:55), the biggest inequities in health and athletics (5:00), areas for more women’s health research (7:40), young athletes dealing with puberty (9:50), the impact of hormonal birth control on female athletes (14:57), media coverage of women’s sports (19:05), the push for equal pay in sport (21:50), key takeaways from Christine’s book (24:30), a research study that Christine believes changed the industry (26:05), a story about the Australian National Field Hockey team and ACL injuries (33:05), Christine’s learnings across the continuum of a female athlete’s life (35:25), what women should be doing in perimenopause (42:17), an inequity Christine would improve today (46:15), and tips for women to achieve high performance (52:05).

Resources:
Christine's Website
Christine’s Instagram
UP to SPEED 

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by WNBA star Lexie Hull. Before Lexie was selected 6th overall in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, she was a collegiate standout and 2021 National Champion at Stanford. During her collegiate career, she was a three-time All Pac-12 selection, and most recently, Lexie was named Defensive Player of the Year for Athletes Unlimited’s 2023 Basketball season. Kristen and Lexie will discuss Athletes Unlimited and what it means for women’s sports (3:15), Lexie’s collegiate career at Stanford (5:20), her mindset as an elite defender (7:20), going from a student-athlete to a professional (8:47), growing up competing with her twin sister Lacie (12:55), dealing with mental health (15:38), building a brand without creating distractions (17:55), how Lexie thinks about her performance data (22:00), her routine on game day (25:30), tracking her menstrual cycle on WHOOP (31:00), Lexie’s sleep tricks and habits (34:15), and her perspective on the current and future landscape of women’s sports (38:35).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by Matt Mullenweg the founder and developer of WordPress, the web platform powering over 40% of the sites on the internet. As the founder and CEO of Automattic, Matt is working to democratize publishing and commerce. Automattic is structured like a holding company, currently valued at over $7.5 billion, and is behind brands like WordPress.com, Tumblr, WooCommerce, Jetpack, Longreads and more. Will and Matt discuss how Matt started WordPress and his passion for open source software (3:05), what open source software is (9:20), creating an open ecosystem on the web (13:25), Matt’s early days as an entrepreneur trying to grow a business (17:40), the WordPress interview process (25:25), developing a growth mindset (32:20), managing stress and creating mental clarity (34:05), how Matt found WHOOP and the power of an executive coach (39:55), and Matt’s approach to a day-to-day routine (44:15).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by health expert Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. Dr. Lyon is the founder of the Institute for Muscle-Centric Medicine and is a nationally recognized speaker and media contributor specializing in brain and thyroid health, lean body mass support, and longevity. Kristen and Dr. Lyon will discuss a patient’s story that unlocked Dr. Lyon’s research (3:15), where things start to go wrong for people’s health (6:35), what skeletal muscle does and the behaviors needed to build it up (11:35), the relationship between protein and skeletal muscle (13:50), how to find the right amino acids (17:20), Dr. Lyon working with patients to get proteins (21:45), fasting and eating throughout the day (26:50), getting adequate levels of protein as a vegetarian (31:25), protein and resistance training helping to prevent disease (34:25), having tough conversations about health (37:25), Dr. Lyon’s journey in writing her book (43:30), Dr. Lyon’s ideologies and practice (47:15), dealing with doubters and skeptics (53:55), talking with loved ones about health (57:40), and tips on improving muscle tissue health (1:01:25).

Resources:
Dr. Lyon's Website
Dr. Lyon’s TEDx Talk
EPISODE 45 The Science of Recovery: How to be More Resilient | Kristen Holmes 

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by former U.S. Navy SEAL officer Mike Sarraille. After 20 years of service, including 10 combat deployments, Mike began to focus his energy on leadership and human performance. He was a member of the Triple 7 Expedition which was a record-breaking skydiving journey that completed 7 skydives across 7 continents in 7 days. Kristen and Mike will discuss Mike’s time in the service and the transition out (3:00), dealing with mental health (12:10), his leadership learnings and mentoring others (16:25), creating a culture of high performance (25:40), Legacy Expeditions and developing the Triple 7 campaign (37:40), the Folds of Honor Foundation (49:40), the Triple 7 Expedition Team’s WHOOP data (51:05), and developing longevity and a tough mindset (1:03:18).

Resources:
Mike's Website
Legacy Expeditions
Everyday Warrior Podcast

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by author and endurance coach Paul Laursen. Paul is the Co-Founder and CEO of HIIT Science, the Co-Founder and Head of Product for Athletica, and co-host of the Training Science Podcast. Not only has he published over 150 scientific manuscripts and had his work cited more than 15,00 times, but he’s also competed in 17 Ironman triathlons. Kristen and Paul will discuss how Paul got started training and teaching (3:05), the relationship between the cardiovascular system and the nervous system (6:15), defining the different training zones (10:50), creating a weekly program with cardio zones (25:40), staying balanced with your training (29:10), autonomic recovery and Zone 2 as an active recovery tool (31:25), how Zone 2 can be linked to hormone levels (37:33), Paul’s paper on metabolism and burning fat (41:30), the best medium for Zone 2 training (47:15), training for longevity and VO2 max (50:15), and how Paul thinks about sleep with his athletes (52:05).

Resources:
Paul's Website
Paul’s Twitter
HIIT Science
Autonomic Recovery after Exercise in Trained Athletes
Athletes: Fit but Unhealthy
Fat Oxidation during HIIT

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by author James Nestor. James is an international bestselling author and journalist known for his book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. Breath has sold over 2 million copies worldwide, was translated into 35 languages, and was an instant bestseller in the New York Times. Kristen and James will discuss the research that inspired the work for Breath (3:20), how breathing is linked to performance and health (5:05), where we went wrong with breathing (6:48), why people weren’t paying attention to breathing issues (8:54), the connection between asthma, allergies, and breathing (11:20), people using James’ teachings and techniques (16:45), negative effects of mouth breathing (18:55), getting started with nasal breathing (22:15), elite athletes working on their breathing (25:30), HRV’s correlation to breathwork (32:05), breathing protocols and optimization (33:30), seeing benefits from breathing protocols (40:40), and the connection between breathing and weight loss (46:05).

Resources:
mrjamesnestor.com
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Guy Winch. The licensed psychologist and author is a relationship and emotional health expert with one of the industry's most highly regarded TED Talks. His TED Talks have been viewed over 30 million times and his books have been published in 28 different languages. Kristen and Dr. Guy will discuss how Guy began studying emotional health (3:15), the approach and skills involved with emotional health (5:50), the dos and don’ts of emotional health (10:25), dealing with rumination (15:25), getting space to grieve properly (26:55), managing self-esteem (32:50), dealing with heartbreak and finding your identity (35:05), creating a social circle in line with your own values (44:20), the timeline for recovering from emotional damage (49:15), the global outlook on emotional health (53:25), and developing the right work-life balance (57:25).

Resources:
Dr. Guy's Website
TED Talk - Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid
TED Talk - How to Fix a Broken Heart
Dear Therapists Podcast

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This week’s episode is all about the newest feature on WHOOP, Strength Trainer. WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by WHOOP Chief Technology Officer Jaime Waydo to give an in-depth look at the science behind the new feature that tracks exercises, reps, and weight to calculate the load you put on your musculoskeletal system. With Strength Trainer, that muscular load is now going to be factored into your overall strain, giving you a more comprehensive view of the demands you place on your body. Will and Jaime will discuss what is Strength Trainer (3:25), the technology behind the feature (4:55), acquiring and incorporating the PUSH technology (7:35), testing the product and feature throughout development (11:00), how WHOOP is able to track various movements and muscles (14:00), the WHOOP Workouts available to users (15:25), how WHOOP is the first wearable to track this type of weight training data (21:25), how your strain, recovery, and sleep scores will be impacted (24:35), and the future of Strength Trainer (26:55).

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by WHOOP Senior Sport Scientist Chris Chapman. Chris is also the Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Big Air / Slopestyle Team for Freestyle Ski Canada. Kristen and Chris discuss how Chris got into Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and how he applies it to training (3:40), how to assess training readiness in athletes (7:35), components of a strength training program (12:30), what is HRV and why it is important (18:45), how HRV is impacted by strength training (26:15), how people are adapting their HRV (34:00), how HRV can influence exertion and performance (45:45), recovery tools and tips (48:15), dealing with stress while training (54:15), and how age influences HRV (1:00:20).

Resources:
Oliveira 2019
Williams 2020
Thamm 2019
Flatt 2019
Figeuiredo 2015
Marasingha 2022

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Andy Galpin. Dr. Galpin is a professor of kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton and an expert in exercise science. He is also the Director of the Center for Sport Performance at CSU Fullerton where he conducts kinesiology and human performance research. Dr. Galpin and Kristen will discuss how to Dr. Galpin describes strength training (3:00), getting started on a program (5:45), neural adaptations and how muscles and bones work together (7:40), how to train differently based on your desired results (14:00), training for high performance vs. longevity (20:55), how speed plays a role in strength training (29:40), recommendations for a basic training routine (36:45), how Andy trains his pro athletes (47:15), tips on how to accelerate recovery (50:25), strength training advice for women (55:35), and the best tips to optimize your strength training program (58:47).

Resources:
Dr. Galpin on Instagram
Dr. Galpin on Twitter
Dr. Galpin on YouTube
Dr. Galpin’s Website

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by ultramarathoner and data scientist John Kelly. John is fresh off his completion of one of the most grueling endurance races in the world, the Barkley Marathons. He has won numerous endurance races, competed in multiple Ironmans and triathlons, holds a Guinness World Record, and a PhD from Carnegie Mellon focused on brain-computer interfaces. Will and John discuss how John got into ultramarathons and endurance competitions (3:52), what John gets out of running ultras (9:10), running the Barkley Marathons (12:00), how to fuel before and during an ultra (16:40), how to navigate while running the Barkley Marathons (18:33), John’s WHOOP data before and after the races (20:05), recovering from an ultramarathon (25:08), the mental and physical fatigue when running ultras (28:07), how John developed mental toughness (34:45), what it was like going back to the Barkley Marathons after winning (40:05), people who John has learned from over the years (47:44), what John has learned while being on WHOOP (50:00).

Resources:
John’s Website
John's Twitter
John's Instagram

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On this week’s podcast, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by WHOOP Chief Technology Officer Jaime Waydo to dive deep into the new Stress Monitor feature. Stress Monitor measures your stress levels in real time and helps you manage them with scientifically-backed breathing interventions developed in partnership with Dr. Andrew Huberman.  Jaime is a product and technology executive with over 20 years of experience leading companies including Alphabet, Apple, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, among many others. Will and Jaime discuss the new Stress Monitor feature (4:58), the Stress Score scale (7:05), how to use the breathing interventions developed in partnership with Dr. Andrew Huberman (10:30), monitoring your recovery and how it impacts your stress levels (15:50), using the Stress Monitor before going to sleep and waking up in the morning (20:20), how the Stress Score is calculated and showing up in everyday events (27:05), Jaime’s background in the tech industry (31:35), a behind-the-scenes look at the building of Stress Monitor (35:00), and how the feature will continue to be developed and integrated throughout the WHOOP platform (40:25).

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On this week’s podcast, WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by sports medicine expert Dr. Kate Ackerman. Dr. Ackerman is the Founder and Director of the Wu Tsai Female Athlete Program Boston Children’s Hospital and Biennial International Female Athlete Conference and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. The sports medicine expert focuses her research on female athlete health and is currently the chair of the US Rowing medical committee and a member of the World Rowing medical commission. Dr. Ackerman and Kristen will discuss Kate’s time as a student-athlete at Cornell (3:50), the Female Athlete resilience study at Boston College (11:00), questions to ask to learn more about someone’s health (13:47), people being more open to discussing their mental health (16:37), the factors behind injuries and setbacks (18:50), the importance of young athletes being active and a part of a team (24:00), behaviors that can lead to energy deficiencies (27:23), the Wu Tsai Female Athlete Program (32:30), recovering from an injury and the path back to peak performance (42:00), the process of seeking help (45:40), mantras that inspire Kate (47:35), and the lifestyle tips and things outside of training that set athletes up for success (50:50).

Resources:
Female Athlete Program
The Female Athlete Conference
Dr. Ackerman on Twitter

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This week WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes is joined by Dr. Allison Brager. She is a neurobiologist with expertise in sleep and circadian rhythms who works to examine the mind and body’s resilience to extreme environmental stress. She serves as a member of the WHOOP Scientific Advisory Council and wrote a popular science book entitled Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain. Kristen and Dr. Brager will discuss the NCAA handbook and sleep trends for NCAA student-athletes (3:07), WHOOP member sleep statistics (8:35), the proper framework to maximize sleep performance (12:33), what happens when sleep performance is poor (16:05), how to effectively lower sleep debt (19:10), behaviors to advance and delay your sleep onset (21:35), the impact of light before bed (27:00), myths about sleep (32:55), how to get a good night’s sleep and how to prep during the day (35:47), taking the perfect nap (40:30), practicing yoga nidra (44:00), sharing a bed with a partner or pet (47:05), and sleep tourism (48:50).

Resources:
Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain
Dr. Brager on Instagram

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This week WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims. Dr. Sims is a leader in the women’s health space who has directed research programs at Stanford, AUT University, and the University of Waikato, focusing on female athlete health and performance and is pushing the dogma to improve research on all women. Kristen and Dr. Sims will discuss the differences in strength between men and women (5:10), how coaches and parents should talk to young girls about puberty (7:10), training through the menstrual cycle (12:15), maintaining fuel and energy during the luteal phase (15:38), the psychological impact of the menstrual cycle (18:40), behaviors people can adopt to stay balanced (21:50), what training modalities you should focus on during each menstrual cycle phase (26:11), reprioritizing how we train when women reach perimenopause and post-menopause (28:52), various training techniques and when to implement them (31:51), protein need and intake (36:53), training during the different stages of menopause (38:30), how to stay active during a chaotic travel schedule (42:25), and certain health risks and factors that come with aging and menopause (46:13).

Resources:
Stacy's Website
Stacy’s Books
TEDx Talk: Women are Not Small Men

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On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by OB/GYN and women’s health expert Dr. Jessica Shepherd. She is the Chief Medical Officer for Verywell Health. She is the founder and CEO of Sanctum Med + Wellness, a wellness concierge practice. Dr. Shepherd is also a member of the WHOOP Scientific Advisory Council and is also the founder of Her Viewpoint, an online women's health forum that focuses on addressing taboo topics in a comfortable setting. Kristen and Dr. Shepherd discuss why men should learn about menopause (5:55), what is happening in the body during menopause (8:10), the timing of entering menopause (11:15), the hallmark symptoms of menopause (13:15), advice on getting good sleep when experiencing symptoms (17:00), hormone replacement therapy (22:25), how to detect whether you’re in perimenopause (28:05), nutritional tips and behavioral recommendations (33:15), understanding mindsets and habits (40:40), health risks associated with postmenopause (46:55), Don Lemon on women in their primes (54:25), and the women’s health space over the next 10 years (58:25).

Resources:
Verywell Health
Dr. Shepherd on Instagram
Sanctum Med + Wellness on Instagram
NY Times Article: Women Have Been Misled About Menopause

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On this week’s episode, our VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by health expert Dr. Kyle Gillett. Dr. Gillett is a dual board-certified physician in family medicine and obesity medicine and an expert in optimizing hormone levels to improve overall health. He leads the Gillett Health clinic where he preaches a holistic approach to health and believes each person requires precise attention to their body, mind, and soul to achieve optimal health. Kristen and Kyle will discuss Dr. Gillett’s path to medicine (2:40), what are hormones (5:21), conditions caused by hormonal imbalances (6:55), heart rate and homeostasis (9:32), how hormones impact exercise performance (12:30), the entry point into resistance training (15:13), the connection between sleep and body composition (17:55), exercise and metabolic function (20:50), Zone 2 and Zone 5 cardio work (24:00), fueling the body and staying balanced (26:40), protein and hormone optimization (30:05), hormone health and sleep (37:55), tips to get better restorative sleep (41:40), intentional stress vs. unintentional stress (44:10), creatine and supplements that impact strain (48:35), and melatonin, magnesium, and other supplements Kyle focuses on for health (52:15).

Resources:
Gillett Health
The Gillett Health Podcast

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On this week’s episode WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by Bryan Johnson, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, writer, author, and the Founder and CEO of Kernel. Through his research, Bryan has become obsessed with slowing down the pace of aging. He has personally been following a daily regimen to increase his endurance, optimize his heart health, and even improve his skin – all in an effort to reverse aging. Bryan and Will discuss why Bryan is passionate about health and wellness (4:25), Bryan’s body on the Blueprint Method (7:25), his sleep and recovery WHOOP data (9:25), variables that impact Bryan’s sleep (12:25), how Bryan tests his body for optimal performance (14:25), his outlook on life since starting Blueprint (17:02), summarizing the Blueprint method (20:20), how he has filtered his relationships and a look into his family life (26:50), society and self-destructive behaviors impacting aging (32:35), the media backlash Bryan receiver when starting Blueprint (38:10), his diet on Blueprint (44:40), society and the government’s role in education around health and wellness (49:00), understanding how to remove your autonomy (52:00), and how we can build the next version of humans (56:50).

Resources:
Kernel
Bryan Johnson Blueprint
Theta Waves
Rejuvenation Olympics
Bryan’s Twitter

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On this week’s episode, Founder and CEO of WHOOP Will Ahmed is joined by training expert Bobby Stroupe. Bobby is the CEO and Founder of Athlete Performance Enhancement Center (APEC) and is the trainer of Super Bowl Champion Patrick Mahomes. Coach Stroupe and his team have worked with and supported over 300 professional athletes across 6 different sports including World Series Champions, Super Bowl Champions, and first-round picks in both the NFL and MLB. Ahead of this weekend’s Super Bowl, Will and Bobby discuss how Bobby works virtually with Patrick throughout the season (4:37), Patrick playing hurt in the AFC Championship game (6:27), Patrick getting injured in the Divisional Round (7:37), Patrick’s strain and recovery data during the week (10:07), tips on how to overcome an injury (12:12), gamifying the offseason training regimen (15:02), different recovery and therapy methods (16:10), how Patrick and Bobby use WHOOP (17:27), Patrick’s WHOOP data on gamedays and getting stronger throughout the season (18:15), Patrick’s weekly training program (25:17), course correcting throughout the week (34:09), talking with other trainers to compare styles (40:37), Patrick’s unique ability to throw the football (45:45), navigating the extra-long halftime during the Super Bowl (49:47), Bobby’s thoughts on the Super Bowl (53:18), and Bobby’s relationship with Eagles QB Jalen Hurts (55:17).

Resources:
Team APEC

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This week’s episode focuses on the recovery benefits of cold therapy and cold plunges. Winter swimming expert and best-selling author Dr. Susanna Søberg joins WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Kristen Holmes, for a discussion around one of the top growing recovery behaviors. She has a Ph.D. in metabolism, is the founder of the “Søberg Institute,” and is the leading mind behind the #SøbergPrinciple. Susanna and Kristen will discuss what happens to the skin during cold exposure (4:00), how to best adapt to cold shock (9:18), the difference between brown fat in men and women (13:14), the other ways to activate brown fat through cold exposure (16:10), how scientists first discovered brown fat (22:13), the best time in the day to do cold plunges (26:50), how cold exposure impacts sleep (31:20), how long people should be submerged in cold water (36:15), the #SøbergPrinciple (46:40), the optimal water temperature to benefit from cold therapy (49:30), combining cold therapy with your workout routine (55:32), and how to get over the mental barrier of the cold (1:01:14).

Resources:
Winter Swimming
The Søberg Institute

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This week’s episode is all about nutrition and learning how to create a diet plan that works for your body. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by Co-Founder and CEO of Whole30, Melissa Urban. Melissa is a recovered addict, nutritionist, and a seven-time New York Times bestselling author who realized she needed to change her habits and her life in order to maintain her recovery – which caused her to examine her relationship with food and its impacts on her body. The two will discuss Melissa’s background and battling addiction (3:03), the importance of setting boundaries (5:40), how to deal with others while trying to make personal changes (8:05), how Whole30 started and grown over the years (10:40), changing the relationship with the scale (12:51), the process of elimination foods (14:50), the moment Melissa realized the positive impacts of Whole30 (16:13), the concept of a health reset (19:40), making Whole30 accessible to everyone (22:48), reintroducing foods back into a diet (25:10), how context matters when it comes to eliminating foods (27:35), tips on how to use WHOOP data to make better food and sleep choices (28:35), Melissa’s sleep data (34:31), how Melissa keeps people motivated to stick to their programs (36:35), her new book The Book of Boundaries (38:55), her concussion and how it has impacted her over the years (43:20), how she combats anxiety and other recovery tips (47:05), and how nutrition is the foundation for a healthy lifestyle (54:23).

Resources:
Melissa Urban
Whole30
The Book of Boundaries

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We’re at the mid-way point of January and this week’s episode is a compilation of tips and tricks to stick to your goals. It takes 21 days for a new behavior to become a habit so we have 21 minutes of insight and expertise on how you can set yourself up for success and achieve your January Jumpstart resolutions. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes sets the stage by explaining the Goldilocks Rule (0:51), author and endurance athlete Rich Roll explains the importance of taking a leap of faith (3:00), Super Bowl Champion Steve Weatherford shares his insight on how to feel better in your life by developing a routine and rhythm, Paralympic track star Scout Bassett highlights how leaving your comfort zone can help you achieve your goal (11:20), Olympic diving gold medalist Tom Daly talks about living in the moment and taking the pressure off of yourself (14:55), and finally CrossFitter Noah Ohlsen offers his tips for getting a good night’s sleep (18:20).

Resources:
Rich Roll Episode
Steve Weatherford Episode
Scout Bassett Episode
Tom Daly Episode
Noah Ohlsen Episode

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We are kicking off the new year with a show that will help you get a jump start on your resolutions. Our VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by behavioral scientist and WHOOP Scientific Advisory Council member Dr. Gina Merchant to share her insights on behavioral change. Dr. Merchant and Kristen discuss creating the framework for change (3:18), intrinsic and extrinsic motivations (7:38), how core values can impact changing habits (11:08), the science behind behavior change (16:08), the non-negotiables for creating new behaviors (18:49), the interpersonal aspect of committing to altering your lifestyle (22:01), the impact of making small changes day-to-day (26:58), self-monitoring while achieving goals (32:33), unpacking self-determination theory (34:27), how social media can impact change (38:58), quitting cold turkey (42:16), developing long-term changes and self-reporting (45:58), and how competition can help fuel habit-forming (50:40).

Resources:
Gina’s Website
Gina’s LinkedIn
Connected by Nicholas A. Christakis and James Fowler 

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During 2022 we spoke to Olympic champions, Hall of Fame athletes, and leading experts in various fields of research and human performance – and this week, we’re sharing our favorite conversations. It’s an episode that’s equal parts education and inspiration. Throughout our Best Of episode, you’ll hear from Emily Capodilupo on alcohol’s effect on the body (2:41), Andy Blow on hydrating to prepare for a night of drinking (5:55), Dr. Hazel Wallace on creating better nutritional habits (8:48), Dr. Maya Shankar on how to stay committed to goals (13:45), Reggie Miller on how practice led him to a winning mindset (19:12), Michael Phelps on his battle with depression and anxiety (24:24), Sloane Stephens on mental health and being open to understanding others (31:15), Dr. Andrew Huberman on breathing protocols to reduce stress and improve health (36:41), and Brian MacKenzie on the benefits of nose breathing (42:43).

Resources:
Ep. 171 Michael Phelps
Ep. 173 Sloane Stephens
Ep. 181 Andy Blow
Ep. 184 Brian MacKenzie
Ep. 185 Emily Capodilupo on Alcohol
Ep. 192 Maya Shankar
Ep. 193 Reggie Miller
Ep. 195 Dr. Andrew Huberman
Ep. 198 Dr. Hazel Wallace

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On this week’s episode, Emily Capodilupo SVP of Data Science and Research at WHOOP joins the show to take a deep dive into the year that was 2022. Will and Emily will unpack 2022’s top trends, behaviors, and activities across the WHOOP Community. They’ll discuss sleep trends throughout the WHOOP community (2:05), the cities that slept the most and the least (8:10), nap statistics within the WHOOP community (9:50), the recovery trends from 2022 (10:45), the top positive and negative behaviors affecting recovery (15:35), joining the 1% Club (28:25), how supplements impact your recovery (30:07), the top mental health behaviors and diets related to recovery (31:12), circadian health and sleep behaviors (32:45), strain and activity trends throughout the year (35:58), the WHOOP Geographical Superlatives (41:20), and the top journal behaviors recorded during 2022 (45:40).

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This week’s episode is all about unlocking the exercises to improve long-term cognitive function and brain health. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood to discuss his background in neuroscience and pediatrics (2:50), the mind-body connection (4:38), the framework for optimal brain health (6:40), the importance of committing to sleep (10:58), how nutrients affect overall brain health (16:00), the effect of creatine and creatinine (20:15), how general movement influences the brain (22:05), the amount of exercise needed to see a positive change in cognitive function (25:33), how reducing stress can lead to better brain health (28:13), the best ways to recover to improve cognitive function (31:40), how to start exercising to optimize brain health (34:19), developing a strength training program (37:45), training to avoid dementia and improve long-term health (41:27), the ideology of Movement Snacks (46:06), and how to find Tommy’s research (49:10).

Resources:
Dr. Tommy Wood on Instagram

Dr. Tommy Wood on Twitter

Ellen J. Langer Study on Sleep Duration and Cognitive Performance

Marc Hamilton Study on Seated Calf Raises

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This week, we are diving deep into the science behind circadian rhythms and shift work. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by sleep expert Dr. Greg Potter. Dr. Potter is here to shed light on the secrets of regulating circadian rhythms and his research around sleep, nutrition, and metabolism. Kristen and Dr. Potter discuss the risks of shift work on the body (3:50), the optimal timing for employers to schedule shift work employees (8:55), the process of sleep homeostasis (13:55), the circadian process (14:53), what zeitgebers are and how they influence circadian rhythms (17:51), how to shift your biological clock (23:56), how to schedule your meals (27:29), the positive and negative effects of caffeine consumption (31:18), developing a pre-bed relaxation routine (36:46), melatonin and other supplements for sleep (38:42), the best ways to restrict light exposure (42:36), the L-Glycine and L-Theanine proteins (45:36), how exercise can aid metabolic health (47:09), and how to manipulate zeitgebers to adapt to a new time zone and dealing with jet lag (51:38).

Resources:
Dr. Greg Potter

Cheri Mah's Study on Sleep and Athlete Performance

Claudio Moreno's Study on Melatonin 

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This week Kristen Holmes, VP of Performance Science at WHOOP, is joined by author and nutritionist Dr. Hazel Wallace for a conversation around a holistic approach to nutrition and women’s health. The two discuss Dr. Wallace’s latest book The Female Factor (1:43), nutrition’s impact on health (4:09), the biggest misconception around nutrition (6:42), how to start creating better nutritional habits (8:44), the potential risks of disease and poor nutrition habits (10:59), how to manage cholesterol through nutrition and what it means for the body (13:28), metabolism during sleep and eating during shift work (17:31), eating meals late in the evening before bed (23:21), the link between food and mood (25:03), the nutritional differences between men and women (29:28), the act of sequencing foods (33:40), the difference between insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance (34:38), explaining what PCOS is (36:55), intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding for women (41:14), understanding the body during the menstrual cycle (45:33), training and strain during the menstrual cycle (47:04), and the difference between probiotics and prebiotics (48:53).

Resources:
The Food Medic
The Female Factor

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In this episode, we discuss groundbreaking research around pregnancy that could pave the way in improving the lives and health outcomes of premature infants worldwide New research from WHOOP has uncovered a first-of-its-kind digital biomarker that can be a potential indicator of preterm delivery, all by using HRV patterns. VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo joins the show to discuss what we found in our pregnancy data (3:55), how she looked at her own data as a pregnant member (5:25), a pregnancy study conducted at West Virginia University by Dr. Shon Rowan (7:16), the HRV inflection point (9:19), how Dr. Rowan used WHOOP in his study (10:26), how WHOOP conducted a pregnancy research study with members (11:43), what you can learn from the inflection point (13:35), the impact of preterm births (16:25), the options and preventative measures regarding preterm births (18:10), and how we will incorporate this research into the WHOOP app (20:36). WHOOP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patrick Carroll joins the show to talk about how wearables are impacting health care (27:52), providing WHOOP data to your medical provider (30:29), the power of non-invasive studies (32:52), the exclusion criteria for the study (34:00), and the overall impact on the medical field (34:49).

Resources:
The Locker: Understanding Every Stage of Pregnancy
Dr. Shon Rowan's Research Study from WVU

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After wrapping up Sober October, we’ve brought back a fan favorite to dive deep into the effects of alcohol on the body, sleep, and recovery. VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes and SVP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo break down all things alcohol by discussing what we know about alcohol’s impact on the body (2:45), how alcohol leads to poor sleep (4:05), how alcohol deters muscle development and hinders the results of a workout (6:40), what you can expect to see in your WHOOP metrics after drinking (8:22), the story of a collegiate athletics team that won a championship after going sober for a season (9:50), collegiate athletes and recovering from drinking (11:45), healthy behaviors to offset hangovers and alcohol consumption (15:35), tricks to improve recovery if you know you will be drinking (16:50), a case study with military soldiers and the impact of alcohol (18:40), the potential benefits of consuming small amounts of alcohol (21:36), experimenting with your own WHOOP data (25:55). Then tune in to a couple of soundbites from experts including Andy Blow on hydrating while drinking and the power of non-alcoholic beer (27:20), and Dr. Kelly Starrett on using alcohol to self-soothe (29:44).

Resources:
Andy Blow on the WHOOP Podcast
Dr. Kelly Starrett on the WHOOP Podcast

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This week we revisit an all-time classic episode all about Heart Rate Variability (HRV). VP of Performance Kristen Holmes  and SVP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo dive deep into everything there is to know about HRV – and why it’s such a critical metric for evaluating your body’s readiness to perform. Learn what HRV is (3:00), why it’s so valuable to measure (6:35), and how it is a sign of fitness (9:40). Find out why WHOOP collects HRV data during sleep (17:05) and how it can impact your recovery score (22:27). Emily and Kristen explain how HRV can fluctuate on a daily basis (25:58) and how there is no true “normal” HRV (29:23). Hear some simple lifestyle choices that can improve your HRV (36:15) as well as how hydration (36:15), nutrition (38:43), and sleep (41:55) relate to HRV.

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This week, we sit down with NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller to discuss his 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers, including all of the mental and physical focus that went into becoming one of the best in the league. Since hanging up his professional hat, he's gone all-in on a sport that would surprise many: cycling. Reggie sits down with CEO Will Ahmed to discuss falling love with basketball (2:39), how he actually got a late start in basketball after exploring other sports (4:40), his journey to UCLA (8:15), how he started to build his confidence as a player (10:57), being drafted into the NBA (12:59), the differences in the game then to now (19:09), his approach to mindset (25:39), practice vs. game day (29:17), how he uses WHOOP  now that he's transitioned to cycling(30:30), what he's learned about his sleep (33:18), and what his typical day looks like (34:30).

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On this week’s episode, Dr. Maya Shankar – a cognitive neuroscientist and creator and host of the podcast, A Slight Change of Plans – sits down with VP of Performance Kristen to how to change our patterns of behavior when it comes to our health. Maya shares the secrets of staying motivated, what the fresh start effect is, and how we can handle setbacks when we're not making the progress we want towards our goals. Maya shares her story of studying violin under Itzhak Perlman (2:22), how a hand injury spurred what she calls identity foreclosure (5:41), her transition to neuroscience (8:48), how she changed her plans and found herself on her career path (10:31), what the endowment effect is (17:14), the benefits of the fresh start effect (18:22), how to think about restarting after your goals have been derailed (23:44), the best ways to cement new habits (25:29), the power of data and behavioral science (29:43), how to make good decisions (31:11), and the illusion of control (34:15).

Resources:
Maya's podcast, A Slight Change of Plans

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Scout Bassett, Paralympic track athlete, joins the podcast for a powerful conversation on resilience, what fear teaches us, and how things often get harder before they get better. Scout grew up in an orphanage in China, having lost her right leg in a chemical fire as a newborn. After being adopted, she was introduced to sports, and ultimately, made track and field her career. That journey has been nothing but linear, and she joins the podcast to discuss growing up in China (3:11), how she prioritizes her mental health (8:05), getting into sports (14:29), moving to California (21:29), transitioning to triathlon and ultimately track and field (24:42), the 2021 Paralympic Games (28:00), what her goals are (34:15), how she uses WHOOP (39:12), what she noticed about her metrics that helped her understand she had COVID-19 (42:23), the importance of sleep (50:54), and how she prioritizes self care (52:38).

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This week, we're featuring an episode that originally aired on the Founder’s Field Guide podcast. Will Ahmed joins Patrick O’Shaugnessy to discuss the journey of founding and building WHOOP. They discuss how to quantify sleep, strain, and recovery (5:35), early lessons in building WHOOP (21:28), how WHOOP stays ahead of upcoming trends in the wearable space (18:45), what data beyond HRV will become more accessible and affordable to track (48:48), why WHOOP doesn’t have a screen and other key differentiators (58:13), and the lessons Will has learned in the past 10 years since founding WHOOP (52:01).

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You asked, we answered. This week, Kristen Holmes, VP of Performance, joins the podcast to answer listener questions. From understanding the connection between mental health and Recovery, to discussing  HRV, to understanding calorie calculations, Kristen covers HRV (1:44), the science behind menstrual cycle coaching (5:54), mental health and HRV (9:27), understanding recovery scores (22:30), and fasted cardio (26:43).

Additional research:

• The research behind Menstrual Cycle Coaching
• Dr. Huberman's tools for circadian alignment
• Zone 2 exercise
• Polarized training
• Calorie tracking and calculation

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Kristen Holmes, WHOOP VP of Performance, is joined on this week's podcast by Cedric Unholz, WHOOP Senior Performance Scientist and Strength & Conditioning Coach for Olympic Windsurfers, and Chris Chapman, WHOOP Sr. Sports Scientist and Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach for Freestyle Ski Canada’s Slopestyle and Big Air National Team to share the physiological benefits of a strength training regimen. They discuss the benefits of a strength training program (6:45), the difference between traditional strength training and functional training (8:50), where most people go wrong when strength training (14:58), difference in training protocol between men and women (23:09), how to plan for recovery after a hard training session (24:23), what the interference effect is, and how it can influence how and what you train (33:05), how to evaluate your one-rep max (37:27), and the importance of building rest into your training (38:40).

Find the research mentioned in this episode here.

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Emily Capodilupo, WHOOP SVP of Data Science & Research, and Kristen Holmes, WHOOP VP of Performance, join the podcast to discuss the perils of disregarding sex as a meaningful biological variable in research, which has implications in training, fueling, medication dosing, and so much more.  Emily and Kristen discuss why there are disparities in research (3:48), how exclusion has been both systemic and practical (7:53), the role lack of research has in diagnostics and in medication dosage (13:24), how wearables are well poised to bridge the research gap (19:01), pivotal research on how exercise is beneficial to pregnant people (25:11), the impact of training and pre-sleep feeding on women (29:02), and training modulations during different phases of the menstrual cycle (32:59).

Other resources to check out:
Stacy Sims on Nutrition Differences between Men & Women
Why We Need a Title IX for Research
Pregnancy Study Shows Benefits of Exercise

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Emily Capodilupo, WHOOP SVP of Data Science & Research, joins Will Ahmed to share recently analyzed data on alcohol consumption patterns and what we see happen to the body physiologically with each and every drink. Emily shares what we're trying to achieve with recovery (2:28), the negative effects of alcohol on recovery (3:46), the effect of every incremental drink on recovery (5:32), the differences between men and women when it comes to alcohol consumption (7:48), holiday drinking (11:44), which month has the highest reports of alcohol consumption (14:11), consumption relative to bedtime - and what happens physiologically (14:54), and drinking hacks to optimize recovery if you do decide to drink (17:53).

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Brian MacKenzie is a human performance and endurance expert, and the President and co-founder of The Health & Human Performance Foundation. He is on a mission to help everyone from top executives to the US military understand how breath can help optimize their health and performance. Brian joins the podcast to talk about what hypoxia is and why it matters (6:37), the downstream effects of improper breathing (10:42), the characteristics of optimal breathing (15:30), the physiological impact of mouth breathing (20:24), benefits of nasal breathing (28:13), elevating your awareness and achieving an optimal breath practice (35:27), and how to think about your breath in gears (35:59).

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Annie Thorisdottir has twice been named the Fittest Woman on Earth at the CrossFit Games. Since taking CrossFit by storm, she's gone on to multiple podium finishes, including becoming the first woman to win back-to-back CrossFit Games titles. She joins the podcast to talk about her long career in the sport, including getting started in the sport (3:25), her journey to motherhood, including struggles with postpartum depression (13:31), her athletic rebirth after having her daughter (18:00), competing as an individual and as a team (22:49), how she paces herself (27:31), and the importance of mindfulness (32:30). 

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This week's episode features arguably the greatest female wheelchair racer of all time, Tatyana McFadden, who has won 20 Paralympic medals, 24 World Marathon majors, and 4 consecutive Grand Slams. She joins the podcast to share how she's overcome the many obstacles she has been faced with in her life, how sport saved her life, and how she advocates for others with disabilities. Tatyana and host Will Ahmed discuss her story of growing up in an orphanage in Russia (3:23), her transition to wheelchair racing (6:23), how sports saved her life (9:11),  how she prepares for her races (18:24), how she uses WHOOP (19:07), how she prioritizes sleep (24:07), what it took to overcome a lymphedema (30:22), advice for those who are struggling (36:58), and the goals she's working toward (39:24) next.

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WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with Andy Blow, a world-renowned expert in sweat, dehydration, and cramping to discuss how you can lock in your hydration. Andy draws on his experience as a triathlete and a Formula 1 sports scientist to help explain what you need to know about your own hydration -- and how to avoid common mistakes when it comes to hydration and fueling. Andy discusses the variability in sweat losses from person to person (8:56), what our bodies do while sweating (10:08), perceived effort and thirst (11:50), pre-hydrating (16:20), diet and hydration (21:46), caffeine's role in hydration (24:27), alcohol (30:09), electrolytes (33:14), hydrating while fasting (37:22), and carbs and fueling (42:05). 

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The Tour de France is underway, and this week Jeremy Powers sits down with world class cyclist Lachlan Morton of the EF Education-EastPost team. Lachlan has raced in some of the biggest world tour events, but he’s perhaps best known for some of his achievements in ultra long distance and uphill events. He recently set the world record in “Everesting,” climbing the equivalent of Mount Everest in just 7 and a half hours. He also rode the Tour de France route last summer by himself, riding 12 hours a day, sleeping in tents alongside the road, and raising $700,000 for charity in the process. Lachlan discusses his journey to cycling (3:42), going pro (8:50), winning the Tour of Utah (15:26), his charitable efforts (18:15), his WHOOP data while riding the Tour de France route by himself (25:38), recovery and adaptation (29:50), road racing vs. adventure cycling (33:36), and biking around the globe (38:08). Plus, Jeremy quizzes Lachlan on some of the WHOOP Data from the EF team (40:37). 

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On this week’s episode we take an in-depth look at the science behind your circadian rhythm and how light exposure affects your body. WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with Dr. Samer Hattar, a world-renowned expert in the field of circadian health, who is credited with discovering neurons in the eye that set our circadian clocks and regulate mood and appetite. Dr. Hattar explains the light-dark cycle and the circadian clock (3:44), the consequences of viewing light at the wrong time (6:34), the importance of light exposure in the morning (12:44), viewing light during the day and blue-light blockers (15:35), what happens when we are exposed to light at night (16:55), circadian health and digestion (19:37), eating windows and meal timing (25:07), exercise routines (28:46), new WHOOP Journal additions on circadian health (34:25), time zones and shifting your circadian rhythm (36:37), and your body's temperature minimum (40:15).

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This week’s episode is all about nutrition and how locking in your diet can help prevent chronic disease, fix health problems you might be dealing with, and help you live a longer life. Dr. Julie Foucher, family physician and four-time CrossFit Games athlete, talks about how food can often be used as the medicine for what ails you. She joins WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to discuss food's medicinal capabilities (3:25), preventing chronic disease (7:20), inflammation (9:20), processed foods (14:08), eating for longevity (17:36), eating close to bed (22:15), comparing different diets (27:02), injury prevention and recovery (29:48), nutrition and mental health (33:15), and habit formation and behavior change (35:12).

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Neurophysiologist Louisa Nicola joins the WHOOP Podcast to detail the intersection between brain health, physiology, and peak performance. Louisa sits down with WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to explain the role sleep, nutrition, and exercise play in growing our brains, how the brain ages, and the steps we can take to keep our brains young. Louisa discusses training your brain (5:54), exercise and brain aging (12:28), brain health and resistance training (18:19), nutrition (20:57), hydration (25:34), sleep deprivation and the role it plays in immunity and injuries (32:05), measuring inflammation and stress with HRV (37:13), and how alcohol affects the brain (43:17). 

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To unlock your best ideas, creativity, and performance, it is essential to create a safe space – part of which can be done with the right interpersonal behaviors, and part of which is done at home with a good night’s sleep. To examine this, WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down for a discussion with Harvard business school professor and behavioral science researcher Dr. Amy Edmondson on the concept of psychological safety. Dr. Jemma King from the University of Queensland in Australia and researcher Nadia Fox also join the podcast to detail new groundbreaking research on the intersection between psychology and physiology and how that manifests in metrics like sleep debt and HRV. Learn more about psychological safety (3:23), stress responses (9:08), burnout (11:23), cognitive functioning under stress (14:52), sleep deprivation (18:09), the study findings (25:50), slow wave sleep and mental control (28:41), cognitive fitness (29:53), sleep debt and psychological safety (32:27), and sleep consistency (41:17).

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Unlocking human performance isn’t just about tapping into the potential your body has – it’s about harnessing the power of the mind. We’re taking a look back at some of the learnings and insights we’ve covered on the WHOOP Podcast related to mental performance. In this episode, you’ll learn from some of the masters of mindset on how to improve your mindfulness, meditation, and visualization practices, including Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe (2:35), world-renowned sports psychologist Dr. Jim Loehr (4:38), Free Solo rock climber Alex Honnold (6:21), 2-time PGA Champion Justin Thomas (11:59), Olympic legend Michael Phelps (14:13), former Navy SEAL Mark Divine (17:11), Steve-O from Jackass (21:12), and Stanford Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman (24:37).

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Leading evolutionary psychologist Dr. Bill von Hippel sits down for a discussion on what makes us tick as humans and how that plays a role in our mental health. Dr. von Hippel is the author of the book The Social Leap, and explains how the experience of our ancestors shaped the way our minds and bodies react to stressful situations, positive and negative emotions, and social settings. He joins WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to talk about the beginnings of humanity (2:30), the pursuit of happiness (4:28), social comparisons (7:57), healthy motivation (12:02), stress (12:48), framing the right mindset (17:50), staying present (23:56), flow states (27:23), negative feelings and stress responses (29:07), self-control and willpower (32:29), our limitations as humans (37:27), and mindfulness practices (41:02).

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2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens joins the WHOOP Podcast for an in-depth conversation on her career, high performance, and mental health. Sloane is one of the most recognizable American tennis players of the last decade. She became the youngest woman in the top 100 by the time she turned 18 and has reached as high as the third overall ranking in the world. Despite that, she explains how she has avoided placing unnecessary pressure on herself and talks about how obsessing over winning proved to be a detriment to her. She discusses her journey to tennis (1:28), going pro at 16 (5:02), winning the U.S. Open (9:27), mental health and wellbeing (11:28), how she felt before the U.S. Open final (17:04), mindfulness and meditation (19:34), using WHOOP (23:19), strain (26:41), "peak Sloane" (33:19), finding gratitude (37:40), life after tennis (41:42), and the Sloane Stephens Foundation (42:25). 

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Resilience expert Dr. Mollie Marti shares practical ways that you can go about building your mental resilience and improving your emotional wellbeing. She joins WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to discuss what mental resilience is (6:32), the THRIVE model for building resilience (8:38), the importance of relationships (9:10), our core needs as humans (11:32), practicing realistic optimism (15:22), awareness (20:52), accepting what you can't control (21:44), negative thoughts and using sensory resets (24:21), physiological health and mental health (29:42), utilizing resets for your body (39:03), and stress, rest, and recovery (41:21).

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Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, joins the WHOOP Podcast for an in-depth discussion on his career, high performance, and mental health. Michael talks about his journey to winning 28 Olympic medals, but also details his struggle with depression and anxiety. He explains his mission to help those battling mental health challenges and also talks about how WHOOP plays a critical role in his own health and well-being. He sits down with Will Ahmed to discuss his early days in swimming (1:52), how he quickly discovered swimming was therapeutic for him (3:37), dealing with expectations and his burning desire to win (9:42), capturing his first gold medal (13:31), making sacrifices (16:47), the pursuit of perfection at the Beijing Olympics (19:36), his love of competition (23:25), experiencing emptiness after Beijing (25:04), recovery and sleep (27:48), why WHOOP (29:41), his mental health struggles and his darkest moments (34:02), showing the world the "real" Michael Phelps (39:37), trying to lower the suicide rate (45:56), flow states (48:22), diet and nutrition while training (55:17), and the Michael Phelps Foundation (56:55). 

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Orla Walsh's journey to professional cycling was far from ordinary. She was a self-described party girl who was smoking up to 20 cigarettes a day, but that all changed when she started biking to work.  She quickly transformed her life and is now one of Ireland's best athletes, winning three straight national championships in women's sprint. She sits down with Jeremy Powers to discuss her journey to sport (3:13), her competitive spirit (8:46), getting into racing (11:28), her vegan diet (15:31), being a woman in cycling (25:06), how she uses WHOOP (31:08), her respiratory rate story with COVID-19 (32:29), rest and recovery (34:06), and the performance mindset (37:17).

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Portland Trail Blazers guard Josh Hart is coming off the best season of his career, something he attributes to an increased focus on rest, recovery, and nutrition. He explains how WHOOP plays a critical role in his performance and tells us what he’s learned from his WHOOP insights both on the court and off. Josh details his dreams of being a professional athlete (1:55), nighttime practice sessions with his dad as a kid (3:15), his experience as a college athlete at Villanova (9:35), winning the 2016 national championship (12:06), getting his nutrition locked in (14:30), improving his sleep (15:58), the best game of his career and how his WHOOP data showed he was primed for success (18:52), eating habits (25:41), making sacrifices for better recovery (29:40), mindfulness and meditation (34:09), his advice to younger athletes (38:14), and getting in-game insights from WHOOP (41:23). 

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This week’s guest is Malaika Mihambo, the reigning Olympic, European, and World champion in long jump. Malaika has been named the German Sportswoman of the Year for three consecutive years, the first person to accomplish that feat since tennis legend Steffi Graf. Malaika speaks openly about the self-doubt she experienced leading up to the Tokyo Olympics, and details how writing in her journal and using mindfulness practices helped her overcome the anxiety she felt approaching the Olympic competition. She also discusses her journey to sport (2:02), staying grounded (3:45), preparing for Tokyo (6:31), journaling (9:37), the night before winning gold (12:30), believing in yourself (18:09), mindfulness and meditation (20:34), using WHOOP (24:49), being a vegan athlete (27:38), and habit tracking (32:40). 

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Brad Faxon is one of the best putters the PGA Tour has ever seen. He led the PGA Tour in putting average three times, and set the single season putting record in 2000, edging out Tiger Woods in what was Tiger’s best season on Tour. He sits down with Will Ahmed to discuss his beginnings in sport (2:24), how he overcame his early career struggles (8:41), the difference between playing scared and playing nervous (12:12), using WHOOP (14:18), the mental side of golf (17:24), becoming a great putter and the mindset for success (20:09), learning to accept your misses (26:37), The Masters (32:40), Tiger Woods and his impact on golf (34:28), and his favorite courses (40:22).

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Adam Thielen has become one of the most recognizable names in football, but his success in the NFL was far from guaranteed.  He joins the WHOOP Podcast to detail his journey from an overlooked Division II athlete to a star wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, and explains how his determination led him to the NFL after going undrafted. Adam discusses his lifelong dream to play sports (2:32), why he chose football (5:16), his "good delusion" and how it helped him pursue the NFL (6:36), the mental side of performance (9:51), proving yourself (13:55), his mindset (17:36), injury prevention and overcoming setbacks (21:28), preparing for Sunday (25:17), using WHOOP (27:36), the importance of sleep (33:43), defining the many types of talent (34:51), and fulfilling your potential (37:30).

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Kristen Holmes, Emily Capodilupo, and Dr. Shon Rowan of West Virginia University detail a first-of-its-kind study with WHOOP on pregnancy and exercise. The research revealed that participants experienced an increase in resting heart rate and a decrease in heart rate variability for much of their pregnancies, but saw a bounce back in those metrics in the weeks before birth. The participants also reported higher HRV scores postpartum compared to their heart rate variability baseline before pregnancy. Kristen, Emily, and Dr. Rowan discuss the exclusion of pregnant women from studies on exercise (4:10), the current guidelines for exercise during pregnancy (8:36), the myths about exercise for women.(12:09), diet and exercise during pregnancy (13:39), the study findings (14:56), HRV during pregnancy (18:09), Postpartum data and HRV increases (22:05), and menopause (30:35).

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This week's episode is a deep dive on sleep debt and how sleep deprivation affects your body. VP of Performance Kristen Holmes is joined by sleep expert Dr. Allison Brager, a neuroscientist and a Major with the United States Army. Dr. Brager's research has covered survival in extreme environments under sleep deprivation and stress, and serves on fatigue management and neuroenhancement working group for NATO, the Office of the Army Surgeon General, the Department of Defense, and NASA. She discusses what sleep debt is (3:38), why sleep need is highly individualistic (5:17), how mindset plays a role in sleep, recovery, and performance (13:00), what caffeine does to your body (16:48), sleep fragmentation (20:28), the toll sleeplessness takes on your body (23:06), sleep and wake timing (28:47), eating close to bedtime (35:05), and tips to manage insufficient sleep (37:54). 

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Robert Moeller, WHOOP Associate Vice President of Government and a former Navy SEAL, sits down with Coast Guard Commander Scott Austin for a discussion on leadership, performance, and how data can be used to help our servicemen and women. Commander Austin is a helicopter pilot who recently completed a study that evaluated how Coast Guard crew member perceptions of fatigue and alertness compared with WHOOP data on sleep and recovery. He discusses the treacherous conditions he and his crews often encounter during search and rescue missions (2:43), the danger fatigue can cause in aviation (7:54), the culture of sleeplessness in the military (11:00), his thoughts on strong leadership (14:55), the details of the study the Coast Guard conducted with WHOOP (18:43), what the study revealed (26:57), what can be learned from WHOOP (31:34), how fatigue affects your physiology (37:39), and the importance of sleep (41:32). 

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Olympic bobsledder Lauren Gibbs sits down with Mike Lombardi for a discussion on how it’s never too late to chart a new course for your life. Lauren started bobsledding at 30 years old, and less than 4 years later, she was representing the United States at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. She won a silver medal at those games with her teammate, Elana Meyers Taylor, and also won a gold medal at the 2020 World Championships. She discusses how she started bobsledding as "a joke" (2:35), finding your path in life (7:24), understanding your personal power (10:09), going "all in" (14:04), WHOOP and recovery (18:30), promoting parity in women's sports (25:34), body image and weight (31:32), how she found motivation on tough days (37:49), and how making little changes leads to major improvements (43:45).

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The CrossFit Open begins this week, and we’re excited to have one of the best CrossFitters on the planet join us on the podcast – Noah Ohlsen. Noah won the Open in 2016 and has been a perennial contender in the CrossFit Games for years, finishing 2nd at the Games in 2019. He sits down with our resident CrossFit expert Mike Lombardi for a discussion that covers everything from overcoming disappointment, the power of a positive mindset, and understanding what’s really important as you pursue your goals in sport and in life. Noah details his goals in sport (2:17), his journey to CrossFit (6:43), getting to the CrossFit Games (9:24), pursuing his dream of a championship (11:29), why it's important to enjoy the process (13:49), reframing your training mindset (18:50), overcoming injury and disappointment (27:38), how the WHOOP Podcast inspired him to rethink his mental performance (29:25), and how he uses WHOOP in his day-to-day life (35:14).

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This week’s episode is all about sex. Our VP or Performance, Kristen Holmes, sits down with Dr. Michele Lastella, a researcher in sleep, sexual activity, and athletic performance, for an in-depth discussion on how sexual activity plays a role in your sleep quality, your physiology, and your emotional wellbeing. Plus, we also reveal the latest WHOOP insights on sexual activity and masturbation. Kristen and Dr. Lastella discuss how sex helps you be present (5:01), the hormonal response triggered in our bodies (6:26), how sex can reduce sleep latency (8:48), sleep and libido (13:01), sex as a health promoting behavior (16:50), new WHOOP sex and masturbation data (21:53), how sex habits change as we age (23:02), what the research says about sex with your regular partner (24:45), the role sex plays in purpose (27:52), which U.S. states report the most sex on WHOOP (30:46), and how events like Valentine's Day and the Super Bowl change sex behaviors (35:44). 

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Steve Weatherford, who won Super Bowl XLVI with the Giants in 2012, returns to the WHOOP Podcast for a discussion on mindset, fitness, and Super Bowl LVI. Steve spent 10 years as a punter in the NFL, and was twice voted the fittest man in the league. He had one of the best performances of his career in the Super Bowl, but explains why that didn’t fulfill him at the time and what he’s learned about mental health since that moment. Steve discusses his road to athletics and why he had an unhealthy relationship with sports (6:33), searching for meaning (8:52), winning the Super Bowl (10:32), finding purpose (12:40), having a health and wellness mindset (17:25), focusing on the important things (20:45), picking the Bengals (26:18), and the importance of rest (30:02).

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Dr. Andy Walshe sits down with Kristen Holmes for an in-depth discussion on stress and strain and how it affects your body. Dr. Walshe has spent his career at the cutting edge of human performance. He is the co-founder of The Liminal Collective, a global community united by passion for human performance, and is the former Director of High Performance for Red Bull, where he helped Felix Baumgartner jump to earth from a helium balloon in the stratosphere. He discusses individual response to strain (5:55), hidden stress (8:05), the benefits of stress (11:34), how our mindset is based on a survival mechanism (15:50), how strain fuels improvement (21:38), cognitive strain (24:31), the importance of creativity (33:07), and how creativity equals courage (36:10). 

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Dr. Hazel Wallace, also known as The Food Medic, sits down with Kristen Holmes for an in-depth discussion on nutrition, exercise, and the keys to strong habit formation. Hazel explains her inspiration for going into medicine (2:20), why small improvements are critical to long-term success (6:30), the role sleep plays in metabolism (8:42), meal timing and sleep (10:52), why diet results are highly personal (13:53), gender differences in nutrition (17:00), training while fasting (20:10), behavior change and habit formation (28:50), and the importance of simplifying your processes (31:16).

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Since the beginning of the pandemic, WHOOP has been conducting research to better understand how COVID can affect sleep and recovery, what physiological response vaccines produce, and perhaps most importantly, how COVID affects respiratory rate. Our latest WHOOP research shows that with the Omicron variant, like previous strains of the virus, COVID-19 infections often coincide with an increase in respiratory rate. WHOOP VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo returns to the podcast to detail our findings (3:34), why respiratory rate is so important to track (5:31), how men and women may see different data with Omicron (8:30), why you could see a respiratory rate dip after a spike (9:13), Omicron and the vaccines (14:23), factors that can increase your respiratory rate (18:34), the latest information on testing (20:07), and an update on WHOOP vaccine research (24:35). 

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CrossFit great Rich Froning talks about the mindset that has propelled him to greatness, and explains why his drive to win and his disdain of losing has fueled him for the last decade. He joins Mike Lombardi to detail how he found CrossFit (5:29), dealing with failure and disappointment (9:21), how he hates to lose (11:01), addressing weaknesses as an athlete (16:09), why having training partners is critical (21:00), performing with red recoveries (22:24), why he values team success over individual success (29:47), and what he's learned over the last 10 years about training (34:10). 

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World-class athletic performance trainer and coach Bobby Stroupe, best known for his work with Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes, shares his philosophies on coaching, athletic training, and high performance. He sits down with Mike Lombardi to discuss how he became a trainer (2:50), his work with Mahomes (8:42), why the mental component of high performance is just as critical as the physical aspects (14:18), gamifying recovery with WHOOP (17:43), how to react to red recoveries (19:16), understanding stress (25:08), his advice to coaches (28:37), and learning to accept different philosophies (32:27). 

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It’s hard to believe, 2021 is almost over. It’s been a huge year – for WHOOP and for the WHOOP community.  It goes without saying that so many of our guests have inspired us, have made us think, and have challenged us to be the best version of ourselves. This episode looks back at some of the standout moments from the podcast in 2021, including from Alex Honnold (2:04), Rich Roll (8:04), Steve-O (12:29), Dr. Jim Loehr on the performance mindset (15:13), Dr. Meeta Singh on the science of sleep (19:35), Patrick Mahomes (23:18), Eli Manning and Larry Fitzgerald (26:41), Tom Daley (28:32), Gabby Thomas (30:23), Emily Capodilupo on COVID vaccine research (32:08), and Dr. Stacy Sims on women's physiology and performance (34:26). 

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WHOOP members were busy in 2021--not only trying new things and getting out there, but also prioritizing their recoveries and sleep. Emily Capodilupo, our VP of Data Science and Research, returns to the podcast for an in-depth discussion on what data from 2021 tells us about the WHOOP community and the world as a whole. We saw our members had a “summer of fun,” with a significant increase in their recoveries and the number of times they reported having sex, as well as noticeable decreases in sleep, stress, and working late.  Our community-wide data also showed us which behaviors most positively and negatively affected both recovery and sleep efficiency. In addition, we saw a direct correlation between mental well-being and sleep across the WHOOP population. Emily and Will Ahmed discuss the uptick in people trying new activities and why that's important for our health (2:27), the summer of fun (6:30), understanding optimal sleep/wake time (10:17), the lowest recovery days of 2021 (11:50), the boost menstruation gives to recovery (13:44), how diet plays a role in recovery (15:36), how alcohol affects the body (18:48), why eating close to bedtime is a bad idea (21:03), and the role mental health plays with good sleep (24:50). 

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Larry Fitzgerald is one of the greatest football players of all-time – and his journey truly started at the bottom. He was a ballboy for the Minnesota Vikings when he was a teenager before spending 17 seasons in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, where he finished second all-time in league history in catches and receiving yards. Larry explains why his drive to be great in football extends to every other aspect of his life. He discusses what it was like to learn from the pros as a kid (4:05), how military academy gave him the structure to succeed (7:34), overcoming doubt in college (13:24), his relationship with his father and how he thinks about parenting his kids (16:30), the high performance mindset (19:51), advice to live by from his grandmother (23:59), losing his mom to breast cancer and how he goes about honoring her (28:48), taking care of your body (31:26), success over the long haul (32:23), discovering WHOOP (35:49), how WHOOP helped him with sleep apnea (36:20), the importance of sleep and health in every day life (41:23), and how an internship he did in the height of his football career changed his life (45:32).

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On this week’s podcast, we’re talking about how hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle produce highly individual physiological responses that affect training and sleep needs. We have launched a new feature in the WHOOP app – menstrual cycle coaching – which provides personalized sleep and strain recommendations to those who menstruate based on where they are in their monthly cycle. That feature – and this conversation – are based on groundbreaking research conducted by WHOOP and leading female physiology expert Dr. Stacy Sims, who returns to the podcast for an in-depth discussion on this topic with WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes and WHOOP VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo. They talk about why women and coaches need to have more information about the menstrual cycle (3:23), what WHOOP has learned through research of the cycle (8:08), how the pill affects your training (10:49), understanding the phases of the cycle (15:23), training periodization (20:25), alleviating PMS symptoms (24:19), how ibuprofen affects the body (29:29), why periods are a sign of good overall health (32:09), debunking the myths of the menstrual cycle, and why tracking your cycle is critical to high performance (40:30).

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Professional tennis player Shelby Rogers joins the WHOOP Podcast for an in-depth discussion on cultivating a winning mindset, persevering through injury and setbacks, and the inevitability of stress and how we can use it to our advantage. She talks about getting started in tennis at a young age (3:06), the importance of trusting your gut (6:02), overcoming injury (7:55), the role gratitude plays in success (11:18), her remarkable ability to stay out of the red (15:38), focusing on the right things (19:11), why stress should be viewed as a positive (21:12), how she puts herself in a winning mindset (24:25), using nerves to your advantage (33:36), and what she's learned from other players in her sport (39:21). 

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Dr. Robin Thorpe sits down with WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes for an episode on The Science of Recovery – the second of a three-episode series which also includes The Science of Sleep with Dr. Meeta Singh and The Science of Strain (coming soon). Dr. Thorpe is one of the leading experts in the recovery space, and is perhaps best known for his work with Manchester United for nearly a decade, where he served as Senior Performance Scientist and Conditioning coach. He explains the two subcomponents of muscle fatigue (8:45), if soreness is always a good sign for muscle building (12:59), the mental side of recovery and how HRV is an indication of where you are psychologically (19:23), understanding your HRV range (25:22), cold therapy (27:55), which recovery modalities are effective in which scenarios (33:40), the placebo effect in recovery (39:16), the fundamentals of recovery (45:59), and training your autonomic nervous system (48:27). 

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Only 1 in 8 of Americans are considered metabolically healthy – a measure of your blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, waist circumference and triglycerides – which is alarming considering metabolic dysfunction is the root cause of many chronic illnesses. WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with Dr. Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician and Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder of the metabolic health company Levels, for an in-depth discussion on metabolic health. They discuss the prevalence of chronic disease (2:37), inflammation (4:14), chronic illness and lifestyle (6:13), glucose spikes (7:56), metabolic health warning signs (12:55), sleep (17:33), exercise and glucose (25:21), a WHOOP-Levels metabolic health study (28:53), the importance of sleep consistency (39:43), walking after meals (46:33), and why we need to change our lifestyles (50:39). 

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Podcaster and author Rich Roll joins the WHOOP Podcast for an in-depth discussion on the power of change, leaps of faith, and finding your path in life. Rich shares how he battled alcoholism and health challenges in his 20s and 30s, before transforming his life after turning 40. Through this transformation he has become an elite endurance athlete and a leading name in veganism. He discusses his battle with alcoholism (5:32), why it's critical to become teachable (9:15), how mood follows action (15:09), starting his health journey (18:36), practicing patience (21:27), the importance of diet (22:28), taking leaps of faith (27:34), learning honesty and vulnerability (29:40), training, intuition, and technology (37:12), sleep and recovery (40:37), diet and recovery (44:37), being present (46:33), and finding gratitude (48:07). 

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Renowned sleep expert Dr. Meeta Singh joins the WHOOP Podcast for an in-depth discussion on the science behind sleep. Dr. Singh is a board-certified physician and psychiatrist with deep expertise in sleep, sleep disorder diagnosis, and treatment. She has worked as a consultant for multiple NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, Olympic, and college sports teams, as well as for large organizations. The Washington Nationals considered her work so vital to their championship in 2019 that they gave Meeta a World Series ring. She sits down with WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to discuss society's disregard of sleep (5:01), the stages of sleep and how it progresses throughout the night (12:16), sleep need (15:10), why poor sleep leads to poor decision-making (23:16), understanding caffeine (27:02), sleep consistency and metabolic health (33:43), why meal timing is important (39:38), sleep's role in mental health (50:06), major factors that lead to poor sleep (1:02:10), and why sleep is the ultimate life hack (1:04:38). 

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Yale coronavirus expert Dr. Nicholas Christakis returns for a discussion on the COVID vaccines, booster shots, and where we are headed as a society with COVID now that we are a year and a half into the pandemic. He explains why we are at "the end of the beginning" of the pandemic (2:58), how many deaths we are likely to experience in America (5:30), why it's likely that the vast majority of unvaccinated people will be infected eventually (8:04), the spread of misinformation (12:20), booster shots (17:26), vaccine induced immunity vs. natural immunity (22:12), the "Swiss Cheese" model for pandemic defense (31:43), denial during plagues (40:08), the origin of the outbreak (54:28), and the concern about new variants (56:55). 

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Chris Hinshaw is one of the world's leading experts on endurance and aerobic capacity. He has trained 30 CrossFit Games champions, along with a series of Olympians, professional surfers, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champions. Chris sits down with Mike Lombardi to detail everything you need to know about increasing your own aerobic capacity and what training missteps you should avoid along the way. They discuss Chris' coaching style (2:36), the role coaches should play in working with athletes (5:04), strength training for endurance athletes (11:00), Chris' career as a world-class triathlete (15:38), improving recovery (28:52), intensity and recovery (30:36), the importance of feel (44:52), and understanding recovery and HRV with WHOOP (48:59).

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World-class diver Tom Daley details his journey from child prodigy to Olympic champion, and explains what he’s learned along the way about mindset, visualization, and being the true version of yourself. Tom discusses how he found diving (2:57), becoming world champion at 15 (6:16), coming out (10:01), being your true self (14:01), visualization (15:02), how he uses WHOOP (17:48), mindfulness and meditation (21:29), peaking for the Olympic final (25:18), managing fear (30:03), winning gold (39:53), accomplishing your dreams (42:39), and making sacrifices to succeed (44:42). 

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Gabby Thomas is one of the fastest women on earth and is a two-time Olympic medalist, but she’s so much more than just an athlete. Gabby graduated from Harvard, where she studied neurobiology and global health, and is currently studying for her Master’s degree in epidemiology at the University of Texas at Austin, all while maintaining her elite training schedule. Gabby joins the WHOOP Podcast to discuss her journey to running (2:12), how the difference between peak performance and poor performance is the matter of hundredths of a second (8:46), her academic pursuits (10:15), using WHOOP (13:24), recovery behaviors (15:10), the mental side of running (21:35), the importance of sleep (32:00), muscle recovery (36:06), nutrition (39:16), being thankful for good health (43:26), and her goals beyond running (46:51).

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Eli Manning is one of the most durable players in NFL history. He started 210 straight games over a 13 year span, and led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories along the way. He details how visualization, mindset, and belief played a key role in his career.  Eli sits down with Will Ahmed to discuss growing up in a football family (2:54), learning from his older brother Peyton (5:43), the 2004 draft (8:54), the importance of teamwork (12:19), his keys to durability (14:30), the 2007 Giants (21:51), the David Tyree catch (24:38), mental performance (30:49), training the mind (34:00), using WHOOP (36:30), performing with low recoveries (41:15), why Peyton Manning is obsessed with HRV (43:33), and joining the Monday Night Football broadcast (44:08). 

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WHOOP 4.0 is here. Will Ahmed and WHOOP Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer John Capodilupo talk about everything you need to know about WHOOP 4.0, how it was made, and how it will help improve your performance. They dive deep on all the new features with the 4.0, including WHOOP Body featuring Any-Wear Technology, SpO2 and skin temperature measuring, the new Health Monitor, and the updated Sleep Coach with haptic alerts. Will and John discuss the new era of WHOOP (0:26), WHOOP Body (2:54), Sp02 (6:21), skin temperature (8:52), Health Monitor (10:46), the new Smart Alarm (13:02), making WHOOP 33 percent smaller (15:57), waterproofing the battery pack (20:45), improving signal quality (25:55), and when to expect your 4.0 (31:19).

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Hot cars, high speeds, and hours of deep focus are required to excel in racecar driving. NASCAR driver Aric Almirola shares firsthand what it’s like to be in the driver’s seat and manage the physical and mental strains that come with being a professional driver. Aric discusses how his grandfather inspired him to start racing (3:08), the injuries he's dealt with and the toll racing takes on your body (5:12), driving a car in a 140 degree cockpit (9:45), the G-Load of racing (11:11), how he focuses while driving at 200 miles per hour (20:01), finding the flow state (21:18), the importance of hydration (22:28), overcoming adrenal fatigue (28:15), sleep and sleep consistency (33:42), his keys to success (35:19), and the NASCAR-WHOOP Live integration (41:41). 

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Dr. Jim Loehr, one of the world’s leading experts on sports psychology, joins the WHOOP Podcast for an in-depth discussion on mental performance. Dr. Loehr joins VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to share what he’s learned in over 30 years of research. He dives deep on mental toughness, the connection between physical and mental strength, how to manage your energy levels and overcome stress, and the importance of finding your purpose in life. Dr. Loehr discusses mental toughness (2:38), performing in the moment (7:56), preparation and good habits (11:30), the connection between body and mind (17:23), energy (19:54), navigating life (27:08), purpose (31:24), training the brain (34:20), life's choices (42:29),  motivation (52:35), and dealing with adversity (56:20).

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Colleen Quigley says she never dreamed of being an Olympian, but when she started running in high school, she found herself on a path that would make her one of America’s top track and field athletes. Colleen joins the WHOOP Podcast to share her journey to the top of her sport, and what she’s learned about herself along the way. She also details her struggles with injuries and how mindset is an important tool in overcoming physical setbacks. She discusses getting into running late (2:50), overtraining (9:39), how her parents set her on a path to success (13:48), dealing with setbacks (17:43), injuries (20:20), meditation (25:33), tracking habits (34:17), using WHOOP (36:18), sleep consistency (39:09), body image in running (44:37), weight and nutrition (46:14), who inspires her (48:25).

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Dr. Kelly Starrett, a world-renowned performance and mobility expert, explains how mobility is so much more than just technique for injury prevention – it’s one of the fundamental keys to unlocking your best performance. Kelly sits down with Mike Lombardi for a wide-ranging discussion on how to improve your range of motion and what he believes are the benchmarks to good human functioning. He details why he uses WHOOP (2:20), the importance of movement (6:30), avoiding the "training until you break" mentality (12:35), dealing with injuries (13:45), different types of movement (19:11), how the pandemic affected our bodies (23:55), sleep and long-term health (28:31), movement minimums (30:18), defining mobility (34:53), Becoming a Supple Leopard (36:31), fitness and quality of life(48:46), and why you should raise your own performance expectations (49:38). 

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Christian Harris, one of the most recognizable names in CrossFit, shares how sport is so much more than just your individual performance--it comes down to the team you build. Christian sat down with Mike Lombardi at the CrossFit Games for a deep dive on coaching, culture building, and leadership. Christian talks candidly about his team’s disqualification from the Games this year after one member tested positive for a banned substance, and says his squad, Move Fast Lift Heavy, will come back stronger for next year’s Games. Christian discusses getting into CrossFit (3:53), balancing business, performance, and family (7:00), sticking to schedules (8:27), managing strain (9:23), CrossFit Games disqualification (11:18),  building a winning culture (15:53), his coaching philosophy (17:09), power vs. endurance (23:20), sleep and heart rate variability (23:53), and the role fitness plays in mental well being (26:40). 

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One of the best metrics to determine your physical fitness and your body’s readiness to perform is heart rate variability.  We’re bringing you some of our top WHOOP Podcast conversations on HRV to date, detailing everything you need to know about HRV, what it signals about your body, and what you can do to optimize it. Kristen Holmes and Emily Capodilupo explain the basics about HRV (2:17), the factors that increase or decrease your HRV (5:42), and why HRV is a highly personalized metric (9:34). Dr. Bob Arnot shares how monitoring his age is helping him turn back the clock (12:54). World-renowned HRV research Dr. Daniel Plews details what you need to know about HRV patterns and why training based on your HRV is an effective strategy (16:16). Golf great Rory McIlroy and world champion surfer John John Florence talk about how tracking their HRV helps give them an edge (22:37). Jackass star Steve-O explains how mindfulness and meditation keeps his HRV higher than most (29:38), and Kernel CEO Bryan Johnson has a simple and unexpected technique that consistently increases his HRV (32:23).

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Dr. Stacy Sims – a leading researcher and author who specializes in female physiology – joins the WHOOP Podcast to discuss the role food has in performance and how women should think about nutrition differently than men.  Dr. Sims sits down with WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes and VP of Data Science Emily Capodilupo to discuss why women are not small men (4:32), fueling for the stress (7:25), the underfueled female athlete (9:17), signs your missing the mark with your nutrition (10:41), intermittent fasting and meal timing (12:20), why men and women need to eat differently (16:54), managing sugar (20:33), sports drinks and gels (25:12), gaining a better understanding of female performance (28:11). 

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This week we’re sharing some groundbreaking WHOOP research about the importance of stress, rest, and recovery — and how they are key ingredients to improving performance and giving you a competitive advantage. One of the best ways you can improve your performance is being more aware of the mental and physical factors at play. This research showed that, for every 45 minutes of sleep debt a person accrued, they had a 5 to 10 percent decrease in mental control the following day — and for every 30 minutes of slow wave sleep gained, that person saw a 5 to 10 percent increase in mental control the next day. Vice President of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with the researchers, Dr. Jemma King and Nadia Fox, to discuss the goal of the study (3:33), why WHOOP was chosen to measure stress (5:15), the study findings (14:18), major takeaways (16:46), sleep and performance (22:49), light exposure at night (26:55), stress and sleep (30:56), phone light before bed (37:06), proper breathing (38:40), and nutrition's impact on performance (43:56). 

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Fewer than a dozen people have broken 5:40 in rowing. Olympian Tom George is one of them. Tom accomplished the feat during lockdown, while training on a rowing machine in his parents shed. A year later, he has his sights firmly set on winning gold for Great Britain in Tokyo. He joins Mike Lombardi to discuss making rowing history (2:36), staying calm in the moment (9:59), being accountable to teammates (14:50), strain and sleep (19:50), nutrition (25:56), managing red recoveries (31:49), how he increases recovery (36:33), the upcoming Olympics (43:53), and training for Tokyo (48:06).

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Last year, WHOOP collaborated with leading scientists at Harvard, Austin Health, and Australia’s Monash University on a major research effort to learn how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our members’ physical and mental health. That study, known as the COVID Resilience Project, has now revealed an eye-opening connection between sleep duration, sleep consistency, and mental health resilience. WHOOP VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo sits down with researcher Mark Czeisler to discuss these findings, including the background of the COVID Resilience Project (4:07), COVID-19 and mental health (5:35), why researchers chose WHOOP for the study (7:44), changing behaviors during the pandemic (8:10), evaluating sleep and resilience (10:00), getting more sleep during lockdown (11:01), shifting bedtimes in the early days of COVID (14:09), why sleep consistency means better sleep quality (17:15), mental health and sleep (18:16), the prevalence of mental health conditions (20:39), and what The COPE Initiative is and their mission to understand emotional health during COVID-19 (24:25).

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Marston Sawyers and Heber Cannon, better known as The Buttery Bros, are some of the kings of content in the CrossFit space. They are documentary filmmakers who travel the world to capture the fittest people on the planet in action. That work has resulted in a massive social media following and has made them two of the most recognizable people in CrossFit. They sit down with our resident CrossFit expert Mike Lombardi to discuss how they use WHOOP in their lives (2:26), the next generation of CrossFit (5:34), tracking respiratory rate while traveling during the pandemic (7:25), their favorite destinations on the CrossFit map (14:35), becoming the Buttery Bros (19:00), nutrition (20:55), workout philosophies (23:26), Mat Fraser and Rich Froning (27:40), studying elite athletes (31:10), the new era of CrossFit (32:42), finding creative inspiration (36:34). 

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Actress Lina Esco, the co-star of the CBS drama SWAT, joins the WHOOP Podcast to talk about mindfulness, meditation, and finding success in Hollywood. Lina shares why learning those skills have made a tremendous difference in her life, and also explains why connecting with your subconscious is critical for everyone. She candidly details how she overcame a tough childhood and drug addiction to get where she is today. Lina discusses becoming an actress (2:15), her early struggles (3:26), dealing with rejection (5:54), meditation (11:31), breathing techniques and HRV (15:36), using WHOOP (23:56), exercise and memorization (28:17), channeling nerves (35:41), doing her own stunts (37:52), Netflix's impact on entertainment (45:23). 

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Global fitness icon and golf legend Gary Player joins the WHOOP Podcast for a wide-ranging discussion about health, life, and happiness. At 85 years old, Gary still works out harder than most people half his age. He shares his philosophies on exercise, nutrition, sleep, and the four factors he believes are key to a long and healthy life. Gary discusses how he got into fitness (3:01), his diet (6:09), sleep and training (10:50), the importance of breathwork (12:58), Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer (17:21), his 4 keys to a long and healthy life (18:10), enjoying adversity (20:05), visualization (22:32), Phil Mickelson's win at the PGA Championship (27:19), mindset (32:05), traveling more than any other athlete in history (37:13), and breaking his age on the golf course (41:21). 

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Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle sits down with WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes for a wide ranging discussion about his journey to the NHL, the importance of work ethic, and the connection between recovery and performance on the ice. They discuss why he always dreamed of playing pro hockey (2:37), putting in the work (5:36), making sacrifices for hockey (8:38), sleep consistency and naps (14:20), how sleep debt affects performance (17:07), why elevated WHOOP recovery means better play on the ice (18:58), psychological factors and recovery (24:28), playing for his hometown team (27:54), learning from failure (37:19), giving 100% (41:58).

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NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes sits down for a wide ranging discussion on strain, recovery, and peak performance.  Patrick shares his WHOOP data with Will Ahmed and they examine just what kind of toll the NFL season takes on the human body.  Patrick also shares how his father's baseball career inspired him to become a professional athlete (3:01), why he almost picked other sports over football (5:21), how visualization and mindset play a key role in his success (10:04), the advice Tom Brady gave him (12:39), his WHOOP data (17:23), building strain throughout the season (21:47), overcoming red recoveries (23:11), and his Super Bowl data (24:48). Plus, Will and Patrick hit on a variety of topics and discuss if they're good for football or bad for football (26:50).

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Haley Adams won CrossFit’s teen division in 2018, and said then that she would win the CrossFit Games within 5 years. Since moving up to the adult division two years ago, she has turned in 6th and 4th place finishes at the Games and is looking for an even stronger performance this year. She joins the WHOOP Podcast to detail her journey to the top of the sport, how she thinks about performance, and why she tries to help girls who are getting into CrossFit. Haley sits down with Mike Lombardi to talk about finding success in CrossFit at a young age (2:05), switching from gymnastics to CrossFit (3:12), how different workouts affect your recovery (6:17), being a role model for the next generation of athletes (10:16), overcoming low recoveries (14:52), eating before bed (16:33), training and sleep (19:02), where she finds her inspiration (20:25), competing against her idols (21:37), and the new era of CrossFit (24:25).

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Steve Cook is one of the most recognizable people in the fitness space. He took a lifelong interest in working out and staying active and turned it into a successful bodybuilding career on stage and creating content online. This episode is about following your passions and finding your identity. Steve explains how he found solace in the gym after his football career stopped and his marriage ended. He says those trying times resulted in a change of direction in his life that allowed him to get to where he is today. Steve discusses charting a new path in life (2:47), pursuing your goals (6:56), getting into fitness at a young age (10:32), his bodybuilding career (11:57), how WHOOP warned him of COVID (20:27), recovery (22:37), HRV (24:44), the dark side of bodybuilding (33:00), practical vs. optimal in fitness (41:20), accountability (42:40), enjoying the journey (51:22).

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Emily Capodilupo, WHOOP VP of Data Science and Research, returns to the WHOOP Podcast to detail our latest COVID-19 vaccine research. We've found that younger people are more likely to be affected by the vaccine than older people. Additionally,  you should expect to feel more rundown by the second dose than the first, but any vaccine aftereffects are short lived and only last a day or two. Emily and Will Ahmed detail our research (0:55), the difference between mRNA and viral vector vaccines (4:19),  key takeaways (6:30), the second Pfizer and Moderna doses (8:30),  the most common reported symptom (12:10), how the vaccines affect sleep (12:40), why the vaccines are hitting young people harder (13:41), how quickly people bounce back from symptoms (17:37),  why we might need additional COVID immunizations (20:54), and how to best prepare for your shot (24:30).

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PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan joins the WHOOP Podcast for a wide-ranging discussion about navigating the pandemic, optimal performance, and the PGA’s groundbreaking new partnership with WHOOP. Under Jay’s steady leadership, golf was the first pro sport to return from the coronavirus shutdown and paved the way for other sports leagues to get back to play. He details the bumps in the road, how WHOOP data helped keep golfers and staff safe as play resumed, and why he believes the last year has been a renaissance for the sport. Jay discusses Hideki Matsuyama’s Masters win (3:10), why he loves the values of golf and what the sport stands for (5:49), golf at the height of the pandemic (10:47), Nick Watney and respiratory rate as a COVID warning sign (13:22), health and performance in golf (18:58), data for athletes (22:45), how WHOOP Live data is coming to golf (27:11), the Tour’s commitment to charity (29:10), and sleep consistency (31:29)

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John John Florence, two-time world champion surfer, joins the WHOOP Podcast for a discussion on mindfulness, visualization, and the mental skills needed to be successful in sports and in life.  He explains how his mindset helped him recover from a torn ACL in 5 months in order to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.  John John also discusses how the best surfers in the world inspired him (5:20), the mental side of surfing (7:57), controlling the controllables (10:09), mindfulness in sports and life (15:50), overcoming his ACL injury (22:31), qualifying for the Olympics (25:55), surfing strain on WHOOP (29:12), understanding HRV (32:15), managing red recoveries (44:25), sleep need (50:34), and where he finds inspiration (55:04).

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Willy Walker turned his company, Walker & Dunlop, into a force in the commercial real estate world. When he took the family business over in 2003, it was valued at $25 million. Now, Walker & Dunlop is worth well over $3 billion and has been public for over a decade. He joins the WHOOP Podcast to share his thoughts on balance, gratitude, and mental well-being. Willy is candid about his experiences and what he’s learned along the way to become the best version of himself. Willy discusses, growing his business (2:44), separating your personal life from your professional life (7:34), using WHOOP (15:20), running marathons (17:21), injuries and the toll they take on your body (22:38), measuring the impact of alcohol (27:30), the importance of family (38:33), understanding anger (40:30), accountability (43:03).

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Bryan Johnson is on a mission to unlock the secrets of the human brain. Using the money he made from the sale of Venmo in 2013, Bryan launched a groundbreaking company, Kernel, that builds hardware measuring the activity of your brain. The team at Kernel recently did a study with WHOOP that showed a direct correlation between sleep quality and impulse control. Bryan joins Will Ahmed to discuss his mission (2:47), finding your purpose (5:08), the success of Venmo (9:56), making his dream a reality (11:19), building a WHOOP for the brain (13:33), Kernel’s study with WHOOP (20:00), what we can learn from neural data (25:50), the future of brain measuring technology (29:43), fasting 13 hours before bed to optimize deep sleep (37:23), why singing is his secret to high HRV (37:53).

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Alex Honnold is one of the greatest rock climbers on the planet and is most famous for his daring ascent of Yosemite’s 3,000-foot El Capitan without a rope. The climb was chronicled in the Oscar award-winning National Geographic documentary Free Solo. Few athletes in the world have reached the level of mastery in their field the way Alex has. He details how visualization has prepared him for some of his most dangerous and awe-inspiring accomplishments. Alex shares how he has trained himself to control and almost eliminate fear while he makes life or death solo climbs. He discusses his beginnings in rock climbing (3:40), risk vs. consequence (9:25), judging success based on the journey, not the outcome (11:46), playing to your strengths (18:10), training for El Capitan (24:50), Free Solo (28:00), visualization (32:41), overcoming fear (37:24), REM Sleep (43:16), what’s next (55:44), staying safe while free soloing (1:02:18), his public perception as a risk taker (1:04:33), and avoiding risks in everyday life (1:05:44).

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Rich Diviney spent 20 years in the Navy SEALs, including time as a commanding officer of the famed SEAL Team Six, the unit that killed Osama Bin Laden. He did 13 overseas deployments, 11 of those to Afghanistan and Iraq. Rich details how the right mental framework can prime you for success, no matter what challenges you might be facing in your life. He discusses becoming a Navy SEAL (2:43), SEAL training (5:13), leadership (9:07), confidence and perseverance (12:54), adaptability and resilience (14:43), controlling the controllables (15:58), antifragility and how to come back stronger after being pushed below your baseline (20:31), neuroplasticity (28:08), utilizing microrecoveries (29:45), peak performance vs. optimal performance (39:24), taking care of your body (42:49), the human engine and attributes (49:12), discovering which attributes you have (51:15). 

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WHOOP is the now official wearable of CrossFit, and we’re celebrating our new partnership by welcoming CrossFit owner and CEO Eric Roza to the WHOOP Podcast. Eric shares his story and why he believes owning CrossFit is his calling in life. He explains how he’s changing the culture at CrossFit, his vision for the brand and the sport moving forward, and why surrounding yourself with good people is one of the keys to success in business and in life. He discusses making his dream to own CrossFit a reality (2:34), taking over a brand in crisis (6:36), the CrossFit economy (10:36), the WHOOP-CrossFit partnership (12:56), his vision for the sport (15:10), CrossFit’s worldwide reach (19:29), what sets CrossFit apart (31:41), elite drive and determination (39:13), improving sleep (41:50), keys to succeeding in CrossFit (46:36), and cultivating good relationships (50:58).

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Will Ahmed sits down with Joe Bullmore of the Gentleman's Journal podcast to discuss everything about WHOOP and our journey over the last decade. This conversation is a deep dive on entrepreneurship, the future of wearable technology, and exactly how WHOOP is trying to unlock human performance. Will and Joe discuss the origin of WHOOP (4:16), believing in your vision (8:58), how WHOOP leads to positive health changes (12:33), being told you will fail (13:20), building prototypes and tracking HRV (20:57), WHOOP as a coaching tool (28:37), sleep: the last frontier of health (33:24), COVID-19 and respiratory rate (35:58), how WHOOP got its name (42:16), the future of wearable technology (45:00), learning on the job (49:03), how to hire the right people (51:14), and defining success (1:01:30). 

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WHOOP is unveiling a major research effort with the U.S. Army in Alaska to better understand how soldiers are adapting to the harsh winter conditions in the Arctic. This study examines how circadian alignment impacts physiological metrics, heart rate variability, and self-reported measures of resilience. WHOOP Director of Military Teams Robert Moeller sits down with WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes and Army Chief Warrant Officer Phil Ranck to discuss helping those who serve (2:59), measuring stress in soldiers (5:45), sleep deprivation (13:06), the goals of the study (17:24), HRV and sleep quality (18:38), understanding stress (19:39), extreme Alaskan conditions (21:47), darkness and the human body (23:28), optimizing for shift work (29:12), the design of the study (35:33), keeping soldiers safe (37:55), rest and preparedness (41:21), the core principle of HRV (49:13), and the purpose of this partnership (55:31).

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This week’s episode is a deep dive on nutrition and how eating disorders can negatively affect your body and your performance. Allison Lynch, our Senior Marketing Manager of Running and Women’s Performance, details her powerful personal battle with anorexia and bulimia and shares how she overcame her eating disorders. Allison sits down with WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to talk about her journey and just how important proper nutrition is for all athletes. They discuss the serious consequences of eating disorders (5:25), how many suffer in silence (6:43), anorexia and bulimia (7:47), the prevalence of eating disorders in track and field (11:55), addiction (16:02), the root cause of eating disorders (19:07), getting healthy (30:57), thinking about food positively (32:55), intuitive eating (36:19), increasing education on nutrition and well-being (45:43).

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Chef, businessman, and athlete Michael Chernow discusses his journey to sobriety, the importance of gratitude, and what drives him to perform in life. Michael talks about overcoming adversity and what he’s learned along the way. He also shares how he’s learned to balance being a father, a husband, a fitness freak, and a successful businessman all at the same time. Michael discusses finding his passion at a young age (2:09), getting sober (5:14), the role fitness plays in sobriety (8:24), using WHOOP (11:47), skipping workouts on red recovery days (15:12), learning patience (21:31), becoming a bodybuilder (22:21), how kickboxing helped on his road to recovery (28:47), finding work-life balance (34:34), gratitude (37:39), and learning from failure (40:41).

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WHOOP is researching how COVID-19 vaccines could affect your body. VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo breaks down our latest study, which found that the majority of 1,200 vaccinated WHOOP members did not show a significant difference in recovery, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability after getting the first shot. This study also found that those who did see a change in physiological metrics did not experience a diminished recovery for more than a day or two. Emily and Will Ahmed discuss how this research began (2:39), how vaccines work (4:18), why two shots are needed (7:07), WHOOP data post-vaccine (9:43), the quick data rebound for those who do feel the effects of the shot (11:06), why feeling sick after being vaccinated isn't a bad sign (11:56), studying the differences between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines (13:26), how sleep can help your body build antibodies (14:41), our next research steps (16:34), and how WHOOP protects your privacy (18:00).

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Dr. Daniel Plews has been at the forefront of some of the most groundbreaking heart rate variability research over the last 10-plus years. He sits down with WHOOP VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo and VP of Performance Kristen Holmes to discuss how you can apply your HRV data to your training. They dive deep on how HRV can guide your training (4:08), why HRV is foundational to the WHOOP recovery metric (6:19), keys to excellent recovery (13:57), avoiding overtraining (14:56), looking at HRV over multiple days instead of one day (16:51), adapting to a training stimulus (20:11), working out based on recovery (25:33), understanding nutrition and eating for your performance goals (33:22), and why fasting and training don't always go hand-in-hand (39:22).

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On this week’s episode, we cover the results of Project PR, a study in the value of using the WHOOP recovery metric to guide your training. This study showed that runners who used the recovery score to help determine their daily training load over an 8-week period improved their times significantly and sustained fewer injuries than those who used a static training program. WHOOP VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo and WHOOP Marketing Manager of Women’s Performance and Running Allison Lynch talk with Mary Cain, who served as one of the coaches for the program. Mary is a world-class runner in her own right and was the youngest person to ever represent the United States at the World Championships. They discuss Mary’s New York Times op-ed on culture issues in the running world (3:38), body image in sports (7:05), optimizing performance for women (9:57), avoiding overtraining with WHOOP (12:27) , balancing green, yellow, and red recoveries (15:18), Project PR (16:28), structuring the study (18:52), key takeaways (24:04), training to HRV (30:40), becoming an elite athlete (33:50),  and sleep and performance (37:52).

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Our guest this week is legendary stuntman and star of MTV’s Jackass, Steve-O. This is a story about self reflection, change, and growth. Steve-O talks about his remarkable transformation from a drug and alcohol addict to a man who has been sober for over a decade and practices mindfulness and meditation on a daily basis.  He discusses surviving his younger years (3:42), getting in to drugs and alcohol (11:37), getting injured (13:40), dropping out of college (18:39), becoming a stuntman (24:18), dealing with criticism (28:05), his sobriety journey (31:39), the instant success of Jackass (32:39), being homeless when he became a star (34:22), why fame and celebrity is unhealthy (40:35), finding recovery (43:39), WHOOP insights (45:58), meditation (47:29), and gratitude and serotonin (50:25). 

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Tampa Bay Lightning forward and Stanley Cup champion Alex Killorn discusses why patience was a virtue on his way to the NHL, how meditation is one of his keys to success on the ice, and what he’s learned about nerves and how to channel them in a positive way. He also shares how he and his teammates overcame the adversity of the COVID-19 playoff bubble on the way to their Stanley Cup victory. Alex dives deep on becoming a hockey player (2:28), finding confidence in sports (6:04), his NHL call-up (11:21), recovery in hockey and his WHOOP insights (14:49), the COVID shutdown (18:43), being upset by Columbus in the 2019 playoffs (22:46), the 5-overtime game (24:49), meditation (28:57), staying calm when the pressure is on (30:56), the challenges of the bubble (36:19), dealing with nerves, (40:48), winning the Cup (42:03), and how he's been such a durable player (46:01).

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Kristen Holmes discusses our groundbreaking research with Barbells for Boobs, a non-profit working to improve the quality of life and overall outcomes associated with breast cancer. We are examining what WHOOP data looks like in women battling breast cancer. The goal of this study is to gain additional insights into how breast cancer impacts things like strain, sleep, recovery, heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and more. Dr. Oliver Glass, the Director of Research for Duke University Health and Well Being and Zionna Hanson, the founder of Barbells for Boobs, join Kristen for this episode. They discuss supporting women going through breast cancer (2:31), improving quality of life (5:26), early detection (6:52), optimizing exercise during breast cancer (10:02), dealing with trauma (14:43), initial study impressions (19:16), sleep and stress (24:02), listening to your body (27:00), being proactive about your health (28:08).

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Drew Manning, the founder of Fit2Fat2Fit,  garnered international attention 10 years ago when he deliberately gained 75 pounds just to lose it in a few short months. Now, he's doing it again, gaining 60 pounds in four months before starting a massive weight loss effort in January. His goal, he says, is to better understand the struggles many go through trying when to lose weight. Drew discusses how the idea came to him (3:25), how he's going about his weight gain (8:30), the shock to his system as he doubled his food intake (10:08), seeing his HRV tank (16:22), gaining weight, losing sleep (17:34), respiratory rate and body changes (21:04), finding empathy for those who struggle with weight (22:19), the emotional toll the process has taken on him (29:20), staying in shape as you age (30:47), how his mental state has changed (35:08), finding your willpower (40:15), and using data to better understand your body (46:19).

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We are continuing our groundbreaking research looking at the connection between an increase in respiratory rate and COVID-19 infections. This episode is a deep dive on everything you need to know about respiratory rate and how to monitor your WHOOP data during the pandemic. VP of Data Science Emily Capodilupo shares our latest research updates, and pro golfer Scott Stallings returns to the podcast to detail how his data indicated that he had come down with coronavirus. We cover our respiratory rate findings (4:00), detecting the incubation period (8:42), putting WHOOP data to work (10:19), when to be concerned about your respiratory rate (12:30), non-COVID factors that can cause a respiratory rate spike (13:48), how accurate our respiratory rate algorithm is (18:16), Scott’s data tanking (23:07), how WHOOP alerted Scott to a possible illness (24:52), difficulty in diagnosing COVID symptoms (27:47), recovering from coronavirus (31:09), and gratitude during COVID (34:12).

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World-renowned COVID-19 expert Dr. Nicholas Christakis returns to the WHOOP Podcast to share everything you need to know about the second wave, vaccines, and how long it will take until things return to normal. Nicholas has dedicated his life’s work to understanding public health, disease, and how pandemics shape our world. He is the author of the new book Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live. Dr. Christakis discusses his sobering fatality forecast for the United States (3:45), how COVID-19 compares to other pathogens (6:14), the wide range of coronavirus outcomes (12:02), how deadly COVID-19 is (15:46), the March New York outbreak (23:24), testing issues and government missteps (26:44), economic impacts (32:16), misinformation during times of plague (36:05), how death impacts the economy (42:41), COVID fatigue (48:43), the herd immunity threshold (49:50), how close we are to the end (52:00), a post-pandemic world and a new Roaring 20’s (52:59), and the vaccine (56:48).

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We’re celebrating 100 episodes of the WHOOP Podcast!  We've compiled some highlights from our first 100 episodes and it's our hope that you have found our amazing guests as insightful, informative, and inspiring as we have. We look back on conversations featuring former NBA Commissioner David Stern (1:24), golf greats Rory McIlroy (4:41) and Justin Thomas (7:53), basketball legend Sue Bird (9:59), Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman (11:41), former Navy SEAL Mark Divine (16:00), bestselling author Ryan Holiday (18:33), WHOOP VPs Kristen Holmes and Emily Capodilupo discussing heart rate variability (20:37), alcohol (23:23), and sleep performance (25:04), Yale coronavirus expert Nicholas Christakis (26:23), respiratory rate and its connection to COVID-19 (27:47), pro golfer Nick Watney on how WHOOP alerted him to his coronavirus case (29:10), former NBA player and addiction and recovery advocate Chris Herren (30:25), and Green Beret Kevin Flike (31:44). Plus, we reflect on the story of WHOOP (33:05).

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Erika Nardini is one of the most influential women in sports. As the CEO of Barstool Sports, she has overseen the company's growth from 12 employees to hundreds and has helped establish the brand as one of the most recognizable in sports and beyond. Erika discusses her journey to Barstool (2:11), landing her dream job (5:12), working with Barstool founder Dave Portnoy (6:46), growing the brand authentically (10:13), creating a playground for personalities (15:59), cancel culture (22:19), political correctness (25:20), pushing back against naysayers (29:19), trusting her WHOOP (34:46), and how she identifies talent (36:47).

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WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with Arena Labs founder and CEO Brian Ferguson to discuss the future of healthcare and how hospitals and medical organizations can optimize performance in the operating room, the ICU, and beyond. Brian dives deep on his transition from the military to healthcare (3:05), the complexity of modern healthcare (6:41), teamwork in medicine (7:12), burnout in the healthcare field (11:06), how to measure the strain placed on doctors and nurses (13:20), studying stress during the pandemic (17:39), the toll taken on frontline staff (19:40), the motivations of healthcare workers (23:26), avoiding information overload (27:39), and capturing the spirit of service (28:29).

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WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes and VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo return for an in-depth look at how the end of Daylight Savings Time messes with your circadian rhythm. This is everything you need to know about how your body’s internal clock can be altered by even just the change of one hour. Emily and Kristen discuss studying the differences between daylight time and standard time (4:37), the rise in heart attacks after the clocks change (5:20), understanding your circadian rhythm (6:41), mental health challenges associated with the time change (8:22), sleep consistency (11:39), preparing your body for restorative sleep (16:01), light exposure (18:39), food and your circadian rhythm (22:23), vitamin D boosting foods (26:19), timing your workouts (36:09), and their key takeaways (39:22).

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Chef Dan Churchill joins the WHOOP Podcast to break down everything you need to know about nutrition. Dan is an expert on physiology, fitness, and the science of nutrition. He sits down with Will Ahmed to explain why eating late can negatively impact your sleep and how mindset can completely alter digestion and prevent you from reaching your weight-loss goals. Dan discusses food’s role in recovery (2:16), getting hooked on cooking (3:19), the science of nutrition (4:38), cooking and performance (7:04), his secret to cooking the perfect steak (15:26), finding the right nutrition plan (19:54), prepping athletes to perform (25:37), his freakishly low resting heart rate (29:23), the keys to losing weight (35:30), the science behind mindset and digestion (37:21), and why late meals are bad for you (42:27).

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Chris Herren was a high school and college basketball star who eventually made his way to the NBA, but also saw his career and life derailed by drug and alcohol abuse. Now 12 years sober, Chris is one of the leading addiction prevention and recovery advocates in the country and uses WHOOP at his treatment centers to help people find their path to recovery. He discusses his pathway to addiction (4:46), going from top recruit to getting kicked out of college (8:49), his addiction to painkillers (14:45), a downward spiral (16:50), buying drugs before games (19:16), getting addicted to heroin (24:34), letting his loved ones down (27:53), using his platform to help others (31:26), the role of WHOOP in addiction treatment (33:42), why self confidence and drug use often go hand-in-hand (42:50), the turning point in his life (44:00), and making a difference in the lives of others (46:29).

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WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with media superstar Nigel Barker, one of the top photographers on the planet. Nigel was a long-time judge on America's Next Top Model and has shot photos for some of the biggest stars in the world, including Taylor Swift. Nigel discusses finding confidence and overcoming nerves (3:30), competing with Olympic rowers on his WHOOP team (8:01), drinking in moderation (11:58), what he’s learned from WHOOP (13:39), overcoming hangovers (15:47), becoming a TV star despite having no experience (20:36), following your dreams (24:08), taking risks (31:50), dealing with criticism (36:07), turning disappointment into success (39:35), the true meaning of beauty (41:59), and believing in yourself (45:49).

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On this week’s episode of the WHOOP Podcast, Kristen Holmes sits down with Chris Mosier, the first trans man to represent the United States in international athletic competition. Chris is a trailblazer in the world of sports. He successfully challenged the International Olympic Committee’s policy on trans athletes and has made Team USA 6 times in duathlon and triathlon. Chris discusses advocating for trans athletes (4:10), his fear of losing sports after transition (7:01), finding yourself (11:44), supporting trans youth (14:47), sports and life lessons (21:32), recovering from two mini-strokes (24:31), finding running (26:14), painkiller abuse (31:08), using WHOOP (33:50), learning from the WHOOP Journal (39:03), and his motto to live by (43:05).

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Jason Hehir directed the Emmy award-winning series The Last Dance, chronicling Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. It was the most-watched documentary in ESPN history and is already regarded by many as one of the best sports docs ever made. He sits down with Will Ahmed to talk about his never-ending quest to find out what makes the greatest athletes on earth human, the obstacles his team had to overcome to finish all 10 episodes on-time, and what it was truly like interviewing Jordan. Jason discusses following his dream (2:22), what it's like interviewing elite athletes (5:17), how The Last Dance became a reality (12:37), working at light speed to get the series finished (16:00), finding the humanity in world-class athletes (21:41), dealing with criticism (23:41), the breakthrough moment interviewing Jordan (30:29), betting with Mike (34:31), the iPad (39:49), the flu game (43:50), Scottie Pippen (50:09), Jerry Krause (52:23), Phil Jackson (56:49), the memorable ending to Episode 7 (1:04:05), and Jordan's unmatched desire to win (1:07:14).

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Rory McKernan, the face and voice of the CrossFit Games and the CrossFit Open for the past decade, sits down with WHOOP Performance Manager and resident CrossFit expert Mike Lombardi to talk about the evolution of the sport over the years. Rory discusses what the future of the sport might look like (5:05), his experiences covering elite CrossFitters (10:55), writing a book with Katrin Davidsdottir (12:16), growing into his job as a writer and broadcaster (13:02), the role of data in CrossFit (16:14), learning about strain (18:10), how to define fitness gains (20:28), the next stars of CrossFit (21:55), why focusing on one sport isn't a good idea (26:17), winning a football state championship with a young Drew Brees (26:39), and overcoming injuries sustained during pickup games at CrossFit HQ (28:47).

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Dr. Kevin Sprouse is one of the leading sports medicine and exercise physiology experts in the country. He works with some of the best athletes on the planet, including baseball and football players, Olympians, and some of the top golfers on the PGA Tour. Kevin is also the medical director for EF Pro Cycling, one of the top 10 cycling teams in the world. WHOOP is the official wearable of EF and Dr. Sprouse shares how his team is using WHOOP data science to monitor rider well-being and to help optimize their performance during the Tour de France. Kevin discusses why he got into the field (2:29), why cycling and sports science go hand-in-hand (5:17), how recovery leads to success during the Tour De France (9:36), what his team does to improve recovery (15:25), learning how you best recover (17:38), antioxidants and free radicals (21:13), glucose monitoring (23:48), absurdly high strain data from the Tour de France (27:34), why 24/7 health monitoring is critical (31:12), understanding how alcohol affects your body (39:27), avoiding over-reliance on medication (42:57), and why the top cyclists in the world are, in his opinion, the fittest aerobic athletes on earth (45:42).

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There probably aren't too many professional video game players who are also professional bodybuilders, but Jackson Bliton is one of them. Jackson is one of the most popular video game streamers on the planet and is better known as "Bajheera" in the gaming world. Each day, thousands of people watch Jackson play World of Warcraft, while thousands more tune in to watch him broadcast his workouts. He joins WHOOP CTO and Co-Founder John Capodilupo to discuss why World of Warcraft is his chosen game (2:20), having a dream job (8:01), dropping out of school to pursue his dream (10:24), why convincing his parents that gaming could be a career wasn't easy (11:00), getting into training, weightlifting, and bodybuilding (14:53), finding success as a pro bodybuilder (20:11), why workouts are good for the body and soul (21:29), using gaming as a recovery tool (24:00), how fitness helps him perform as an elite gamer (24:33), learning from WHOOP (29:27), his training philosophy (32:53), taking the first step toward self-improvement (35:48), and how to overcome poor recoveries (39:48). 

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Sam Dancer, one of the top CrossFitters in the world, joins the WHOOP Podcast to discuss the keys to recovery and healing. Sam was one of the first athletes on WHOOP and describes the profound impact it has had on his life, helping him cut out prescription drugs, coffee, and tobacco. He also explains how WHOOP has improved his relationships with others and his relationship with himself. Sam discusses how he found CrossFit during a self-described identity crisis (2:58), competing with a broken leg at the CrossFit games (7:20), discovering WHOOP (8:09), how he stopping taking prescription drugs (10:36), the impact stress has on recovery (15:57), why WHOOP has improved his spiritual life (18:08), love's affect on recovery (21:05), listening, observing, and reacting (21:57), staying present (25:01), the keys to success (27:24), and finding peace and happiness with WHOOP (36:38).

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Dr. Bob Arnot returns to the WHOOP Podcast to share his tips and tricks for defying aging and talk about his new book, Flip the Youth Switch. Dr. Bob dives deep on why age is just a number and details how you can lower your “biological age” by improving your heart rate variability with WHOOP. Dr. Bob discusses how he competes athletically with 25-year-olds at the age of 72 (3:15), how WHOOP taught him to recover (5:28), why wearables are changing medicine (15:05), optimizing workouts and recoveries (19:54), advice for millennials (22:46), how to tackle your 30s (29:04), the importance of finding a lifelong sport (35:14), what we learn from athletics (41:12), appreciating the advances of modern medicine (46:19), and his best tips for people as they grow older (46:52).

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Arizona Cardinals left tackle Kelvin Beachum joins the WHOOP Podcast to detail his journey from 7th-round draft pick to established NFL starter. Kelvin is one of the most thoughtful athletes in sports. He discusses his use of visualization to help achieve his goals, what he’s learned about how to succeed in his career and in life, and why he’s always thinking about what comes next after football. Kelvin dives deep on how he transformed his body to become an offensive lineman (4:03), why he’s doing more mobility work than ever before (6:45), the rigors of the NFL season (9:00), how he uses WHOOP (10:05), why he views sex as a primer for workouts (11:50), prescription drug use in the NFL (13:23), concussions (18:10), a day in the life of an NFL player (19:51), taking care of his body (26:27), why visualization is one of the keys to his success (28:33), performing on the big stage (30:49), and the importance of embracing the present (35:15).

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Professional golfers Jessica and Nelly Korda, both ranked in the top 20 in the world, talk about growing up with pro-athlete parents (3:45), why they make great teammates (8:30), what got them on WHOOP (15:38), exceptional HRV and resting heart rates (17:42), WHOOP teams they are on with other pros (19:02), measuring what you can't feel (20:25), the stress of the Tour and the strain it causes (23:08), being child phenoms (27:24), strength training and how their workout plans differ (36:40), how they recover (42:01), why today's athletes may or may not have longer careers than the previous generation (44:11), what keeps them focused (46:10), and playing in the time of COVID-19 (56:54). 

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Kristen Holmes and Emily Capodilupo are back to detail a critical update to the WHOOP recovery algorithm. We have long calculated recovery by tracking heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and sleep performance. Now, we are excited to add respiratory rate as the fourth pillar of our recovery score. This powerful update reflects the latest research in health monitoring and provides members with an even deeper understanding of their bodies. Kristen and Emily discuss our COVID-19 research (2:17), the origins of the WHOOP recovery score (3:48), the science behind heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and sleep performance (7:57), adding respiratory rate to recovery (12:05), the factors that can alter respiratory rate (16:59), why an increased respiratory can predict a decrease in performance (21:39), how COVID-19 can change WHOOP data (25:32), tracking your baselines (28:17), and the importance of third-party validation (30:46).

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WHOOP is ready to help you get back to work. Our Chief Business Officer, Deborah Poole, makes her WHOOP Podcast debut to talk about how we’re helping businesses, sports leagues, and organizations around the globe keep their employees as safe as possible by providing them with 24/7 health monitoring. Deborah and Will discuss the origins of WHOOP Back to Work and our partnership with the PGA (4:14), why temperature checks don’t keep employees safe (7:08), tracking respiratory rate (8:33), rethinking employee benefits (11:50), a groundbreaking partnership helping the University of Tennessee get back to campus (13:26), why WHOOP is being worn at the world’s largest construction site (15:07), how smokejumpers are fighting forest fires with WHOOP (17:47), the importance of 24/7 health monitoring (21:34), how privacy is core to our mission (24:19), why WHOOP pays employees to sleep (27:00), and the documented health benefits of wearing WHOOP (30:12).

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Crosslifter Obi Vincent talks about his remarkable transformation from an overweight teenager to one of the most recognizable fitness figures in the world today. Obi candidly details his struggles with anxiety and an eating disorder, and shares what he’s learned from those experiences. He discusses what got him into fitness (4:37), his eating disorder (6:28), how his bad relationship with food began (7:37), overcoming his struggles (8:28), the negative side of bodybuilding culture (11:48), how he’s learned to express vulnerability (15:21), adjusting to the COVID-19 lockdown (17:28), why people should try as many workouts as possible (23:47), how WHOOP has helped him (25:00), his recovery techniques (28:08), an unhealthy obsession with counting macros (32:16), patience and fitness goals (38:45), learning to listen to your body (43:17), and how WHOOP changed his approach to sleep (47:23).

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Our research team has been working around the clock to uncover insights about COVID-19, and a few weeks ago we announced a major finding that showed tracking respiratory rate with WHOOP can help detect coronavirus before you feel any symptoms. VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo dives deep into our respiratory rate findings, along with a separate study that showed WHOOP members have seen improvements in sleep and cardiovascular health during the physical distancing period. Emily and Will Ahmed discuss how WHOOP discovered the importance of respiratory rate (3:51), the COVID-19 detection study (5:59), unlocking your body's secrets (11:57), HRV and resting heart rate during coronavirus (16:35), exercise intolerance as a potential COVID warning sign (18:55), what you should look out for with your respiratory rate (22:42), the COVID-19 Resilience Project (23:53), how physical distancing changed WHOOP data (30:31), how small changes in sleep patterns can have meaningful health impacts, and what's next for our research (37:37).

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Pro golfer Nick Watney, the first player on the PGA Tour to be diagnosed with COVID-19, details how his WHOOP data led him to getting tested for the virus. Watney shares how he became alarmed by a sudden rise in his respiratory rate and how he experienced no other symptoms that would have alerted him to the presence of the virus. Nick discusses his current health (3:28), his significant respiratory rate spike (6:05), why he was immediately concerned (7:21), testing positive (9:59), his quick action to protect those around him (11:00), the impact of WHOOP (12:15), the PGA's procurement of 1,000 WHOOP straps for players, caddies, and tournament staff (13:30), sharing his story to help others (15:52), what he has learned from WHOOP (21:31), and a detailed rundown of the hours and days leading up to his positive test (22:25).

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World-renowned sleep expert Dr. Chuck Czeisler joins Will Ahmed and Emily Capodilupo to discuss everything you need to know about sleep, and to announce the launch of the COVID Resilience Project. WHOOP is collaborating with Dr. Czeisler’s team, along with researchers from Harvard’s Brigham Health, Harvard Medical School, the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University, the Institute for Breathing and Sleep at Austin Health, and ARCHANGELS, to learn how the COVID-19 pandemic and its mitigation have impacted our members’ physical and mental health using a comprehensive survey. Dr. Czeisler details the connection between stress and sleep (7:07), how insufficient sleep significantly lowers testosterone levels (9:01), the dangers of not getting enough sleep (11:43), the most exciting research in sleep today (14:26), his Harvard course on creating time for sleep (17:50), why we need to sleep (21:50), the COVID Resilience Project (24:52), why researchers need your help (27:32), how you can help (29:44), the role of WHOOP in the study (36:13), and how this study will affect public policy (36:47).

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World No. 4 golfer Justin Thomas joins the WHOOP Podcast to talk about the highs and lows of his career, and how WHOOP helps him train, sleep and perform better. Justin discusses his upbringing and how his dad and grandfather inspired him to be a golfer (3:09), his friendly rivalry with Jordan Spieth and battling it out for the 2012 NCAA National Championship (10:50), seeking advice from Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Brady (14:42), taking lessons from disappointment (18:15), his friendship with Tiger and teaming up with him at the Presidents Cup (20:42), what qualifying for the PGA Tour was like (27:22), his disappointing finish at the 2017 U.S. Open and how that helped him win his first major two months later (31:47), discovering WHOOP through Rory McIlroy (37:48), what he's learned from WHOOP (40:22), his "world-class" sleep data (42:14), how he analyzes sleep and recovery (50:13), measuring WHOOP data on the course (58:47), dealing with nerves in big moments (1:00:54), what he thinks is good for golf and bad for golf (1:04:18), plus which big-name golfers he's on a WHOOP team with (1:14:15).

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Jennifer Jacobs is one of the world's most recognizable personal trainers. She is the founder of J Method Fitness, spent 3 years as an instructor for Peloton, and has been training people virtually for more than a decade. She discusses how she got into the digital space (2:09), the keys to leading a successful workout (5:06), her training philosophy (6:37), why home is the optimal place to workout (11:22), how boxing is a great workout (14:26), her approach to nutrition (16:54), why she's against counting macronutrients (19:51), the buy-in needed to reach your fitness goals (21:50), how COVID-19 has changed her motherhood experience and how she gets her kids to get moving indoors (27:33), the importance of mental health (29:26), and her recovery tips and tricks (31:50). 

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Ryan Holiday is one of the most popular writers in the world and has authored bestsellers such as The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, and Stillness Is the Key. His books have become wildly successful among high-performing people and teams, including Rory McIlroy and the New England Patriots. Ryan discusses finding his calling as an author (3:15), dropping out of college to pursue writing (4:22), writing his first book (9:33), managing ego (12:34), the difference between confidence and arrogance (13:33), The Last Dance (15:00), defining stillness (21:35), trusting WHOOP to tell him to rest (26:23), practicing patience (30:03), weighing different points of view (37:18), using autonomy to measure success (41:48), his goals (43:39), why greatness shouldn’t be determined by external factors (46:38), and how WHOOP helps him optimize his life (48:32). Plus, Will answers your questions in this week's mailbag (50:40). 

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The tables have been turned for this week’s podcast. Will Ahmed changes roles from host to guest as we share his discussion with NOBULL founders Michael Schaeffer and Marcus Wilson on their podcast, Behind the Horns. Will dives deep on the founding of WHOOP and our mission to unlock human performance. He shares what WHOOP is all about (2:13), why Lebron James and Michael Phelps were among the first WHOOP users (3:09), the inspiration for creating WHOOP (4:08), trying to unlock the secrets of the human body (5:05), how WHOOP tracks strain and recovery (11:04), understanding HRV and why it plays a huge role in recovery (12:07), how WHOOP measures sleep (15:16), the importance of slow-wave and REM sleep (16:11), how WHOOP can indicate you might be getting sick (19:28), the guiding philosophy in designing WHOOP (24:17), why high-performing people focus on sleep and recovery (28:20), how WHOOP helps parents (33:02), and ways to better optimize your travel (39:51). Plus, Will answers your questions in this week's listener mailbag (44:16),

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Dylan Frittelli is one of the top golfers in the world and is coming off a strong rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2019. He joins Will Ahmed to share his story, what drives him, and how he uses WHOOP as part of his scientific and methodical approach to training. Dylan discusses being a 6-sport star in South Africa and his lifelong dream to play sports professionally (3:17), coming to America and being a 3-time Academic All-American at Texas (8:19), teaming up with Jordan Spieth in college and winning a national championship (9:00), how he knew Spieth was destined for success (11:12), how there's little to separate the best golfers in the world (12:04), watching Tiger Woods growing up and now competing against him (14:00), developing mental skills to succeed on the course (18:38), how golf is a humbling game (24:17), tips he's learned to optimize traveling (26:37), what his workouts look like (31:14), winning his first PGA Tour event (32:14), why he doesn't look at the leaderboard (33:44), how WHOOP has helped him improve his life and career (36:10), prioritizing short-term goals over long-term goals (44:15), and why he went 5 weeks without picking up a club when the PGA shut down (49:15). Plus, Will answers your questions in this week's mailbag (52:17). 

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WHOOP data continues to be used by doctors and researchers as they try and learn more about coronavirus. The Duke University COVID-19 Research Taskforce is putting WHOOP straps on coronavirus patients to track how they are recovering from the disease, both in the hospital and after they are discharged.  Lead Clinical Medical Physiologist Dr. Jeroen Molinger discusses his coronavirus research (3:27), the ICU experience (5:10), creating survivors and not victims (8:14), buying time with ventilators (8:56), what researchers are hoping to learn about BMI’s role in coronavirus outcomes (9:19), why heart rate variability could be a good predictor of post-COVID immune response (10:42), study goals (14:53), why we still don’t know enough about asymptomatic cases (19:57), the importance of tracking HRV (23:10), COVID’s effect on sleep (24:29), and what he’s learned from his WHOOP data while working during the pandemic (25:51).

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This week, we’re highlighting how WHOOP members are fighting the coronavirus pandemic. We’ve put together a compilation of interviews with people from across the country who’ve either been inflicted with COVID-19, or are working on the front lines to keep everyone safe. 

Navy SEAL and combat medic Steve Viola discusses working at a field hospital in New York City (3:40), why this pandemic reminds him of his time at war (4:08), how workers converted a 92,000 square-foot facility into a hospital in less than a week (6:57), and how WHOOP is helping medical personnel stay safe while treating patients (9:48). 

Grocery store worker and dietitian Scott Brown has seen a major shift in his data working on the front lines. He has reported a significant spike in day strain (15:55), calories (18:42), and his recovery (19:34). 

Brian Eisenberg was the first known WHOOP member with coronavirus. He discusses his illness (23:03), how his recovery and HRV plummeted (25:47), and his spike in respiratory rate before symptoms materialized (28:50). 

David Frankel came down with COVID-19 in early-March. He shares how widespread his exposure was (31:27), what his crash looked like on WHOOP (36:21), and how the first day of symptoms marked his worst WHOOP data ever (37:36). 

New York City law student Peter Machtiger lost his sense of smell and taste due to coronavirus (42:32). He also reported a significant jump in resting heart rate (43:33) and respiratory rate (44:00).

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Tom Segura is one of the biggest acts in comedy right now and recently released his latest Netflix special, Ball Hog. He joins the WHOOP Podcast to talk about his career and how to best optimize his WHOOP data. Tom discusses why he wanted to be a comic and how he broke into the business (2:25), discovering stand-up (6:25), what it was like the first time he took the stage (10:21), the rush of performing (13:33), how he develops new material (16:35), why this age of political correctness gives him an advantage (19:48), finding WHOOP and participating in the Sober October campaign (21:38), how WHOOP has helped him sleep better (23:15), discovering he has an Olympian-like resting heart rate (25:19), breaking down heart rate variability (26:33), using the WHOOP Journal to track THC and other supplements and behaviors (31:29), working on material while high (35:28), performing in English and Spanish (38:10), and tips for aspiring comics (39:10). Plus, Will Ahmed answers your questions in this week's mailbag (44:20).

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In what would have been Masters week, we are excited to share our sit down with the world’s top golfer, Rory McIlroy. He joins Will Ahmed for a wide-ranging conversation about his career, what drives him, and how he believes WHOOP has improved his performance both on and off the course. Rory and Will discuss how it was Rory's lifelong dream to become a professional golfer (4:43), how he idolized Tiger Woods growing up (6:53), how his parents supported him unconditionally (8:55), golfing from sunrise to sunset (12:45), why his 2011 collapse at The Masters made him a better golfer (15:38), winning his first major just two months later (24:00), searching for an edge and discovering WHOOP (30:32), how WHOOP has altered his training methods (34:06), why a green recovery often means success on the course (37:20), his win at the 2019 FedEx Cup (38:13), how he views alcohol consumption differently because of WHOOP (45:17), how he mentally prepares for tournaments (53:08), why he admires Justin Thomas (1:00:54), why he's inspired by Tom Brady (1:02:17), and how WHOOP is improving his career and helping him lead a healthier life (1:04:34).

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