331‒ Optimizing endurance performance: metrics, nutrition, lactate, & insights from elite performers

Olav Aleksander Bu is an internationally renowned sports scientist acclaimed for his coaching prowess with elite athletes spanning a diverse range of sports disciplines. Olav returns to dive deeper into his groundbreaking work as an endurance coach, exercise scientist, engineer, & physiologist. The discussion explores his data-driven approach to coaching, unpacking key performance metrics like functional threshold power, VO2 max, & lactate threshold, while emphasizing the importance of consistent testing protocols. He shares insights on how training methodologies differ across sports, the impact of nutrition on endurance performance, & the evolving strategies for carbohydrate metabolism in fueling athletes for races. Olav concludes with a discussion on the use of artificial intelligence for optimizing training insights & performance.

View show notes here: bit.ly/4fQz2EV
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We discuss:
0:00:00-Intro
0:00:40-Olav’s unique approach to endurance coaching
0:03:24-Definitions of performance metrics: FTP, power, anaerobic threshold, & lactate threshold
0:14:58-Lactate threshold: factors affecting it, testing protocols, & how efficiency affects performance & lactate profiles
0:24:35-VO2 max: definition, testing, factors affecting its accuracy, & methods for optimizing oxygen utilization
0:38:47-Testing VO2 max: common mistakes & key factors to consider—preparation, warm-up, timing
0:47:45-VO2 max measuring instruments, testing protocols, & advanced insights gained from elite athletes
0:57:33-The impact of beetroot concentrate & adaptogens on VO2 max & performance
1:02:32-How respiratory quotient (RQ) reflects metabolic shifts during exercise, the challenges in measuring & interpreting RQ in elite athletes, & the physiological adaptations needed for prolonged endurance events
1:13:48-Triathlon training: maintaining elite performance across triathlon distances
1:18:15-How reducing drag in swimming could revolutionize performance & the role of biofeedback tools across various endurance sports
1:33:33-Effort regulation using RPE, heart rate, & power output, & the role of lactate in cardiac & athletic efficiency
1:40:48-Lactate’s role as a fuel, buffering methods, & the variability in athlete response to bicarbonate supplementation
1:50:24-Mechanisms behind differences in performance between two elite athletes: lactate transport, cardiovascular efficiency, & compensatory systems
1:55:34-Comparing interventions like acetaminophen to enhance performance in high-heat conditions versus natural adaptations to heat
1:58:35-Advancements in nutrition science, changes in cyclist body composition, & fueling strategies for athletic performance & growth
2:08:26-Optimizing endurance performance with utilization of carbohydrates & ketones
2:21:23-Insights gained from elite Olympians
2:31:10-Use of AI to optimize training & performance
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About:

The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, & all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 90 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, & much more.

Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan & simultaneously improving their healthspan.

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