Best Cadence Of Thought Podcasts (2025)

1
The Economics of Health with Professor David Cutler 1:21:53

2h ago1:21:53

1:21:53

Why are there more MRI machines in Massachusetts than in all of Canada? Why is healthy food getting more expensive faster than processed food? Why does our medical system prioritize providing treatments over improving health outcomes? Our guest this week answers all of these and more, and he's among the most qualified people in the world to take on…

1
245. Why No Record is Safe, Strength Training Science, Plus Q+A on Electrolytes, Realism v. Optimism, Mental Toughness, and More! 1:39:45

6d ago1:39:45

1:39:45

Our minds were blown this weekend as more records were annihilated on the trails (at the Black Canyon 100k) and the track (at the Millrose Games)! We talk about The Performance Revolution: what's causing it, what we all can learn, and what comes next. The future is here. And the future is wildly fast! Next up was a new study on strength training fo…

1
Part-Time Hitters (Crossover Episode) 1:30:56

7d ago1:30:56

1:30:56

This week we're bringing you an episode from Part-Time Hitters, where Eric Evans interviewed us about all things military human performance. We discussed H2F, MOPs & MOEs, Leg Tuck Nation, and how to improve performance in the part-time military. Go check out more from Part-Time Hitters and their supporters! Part-Time Hitters Website (a podcast abo…

1
244. Why Pressure is Good, The Strange Science of Downhills, Plus Q+A on Ketones, Strides, Weekly Mileage, Anxiety, Going All-In, and More! 1:37:39

14d ago1:37:39

1:37:39

We embraced the pressure for 2025 before recording this great episode! A concept we disagree with is that "pressure will break down the mind," referring to saying big, scary goals out loud. Our main idea: pressure is a joyful part of sports. We talk about our long journey to get to this point, and why you should want the ball with time running out,…

1
Quantum Technologies to Reinforce Position, Navigation and Timing Capability 38:50

13d ago38:50

38:50

China’s advancements in quantum technology have triggered a call-to-action for the United States to accelerate their own investments in quantum research and development. According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Critical Technology Tracker, China surpassed the United States in published quantum research in 2021. In response, the Quan…

1
Injury FAQ Part 2: Lower Back Pain, Tendonitis, and Why Foam Rolling Doesn't Work 1:17:22

14d ago1:17:22

1:17:22

Welcome back to part 2 of our injury conversation. From prevention to treatment, in this episode we're answering all of your questions about anything to do with injuries. We collected these questions from you the listeners (and Instagram followers) and our Physical Therapist John is back to answer everything we didn't get to in part 1. Topics discu…

1
243. “No Secrets” Q+A on VO2 Max, Very Hard Workouts, Fueling Easy Days, Iron Levels, Confidence, Genetics, and More! 1:37:03

20d ago1:37:03

1:37:03

This episode is one of our all-time favorites, diving into tons of the most important (and most frivolous) topics! As always, it’s in the “no secrets” style, where we lift the curtain and show you what people are thinking at the top end of endurance sports, but might not want to say publicly. Plus, there were so many laughs mixed with serious momen…

1
Injury FAQ Part 1: Running Cadence, Shoulder Impingement, and Why You Should Stop Icing 1:05:12

22d ago1:05:12

1:05:12

From prevention to treatment, in this episode we're answering all of your questions about anything to do with injuries. And of course to do that we needed an expert, so our Physical Therapist John is back on pod. He has a background working with human performance teams and currently serves in Special Operations. The primary topics we discuss in thi…

1
242. Why Low Carb Doesn’t Work, Plus Q+A on Active Heat Training, Bone Density, Fear Before Big Events, The Trial of Miles, and More! 1:37:13

27d ago1:37:13

1:37:13

This episode was so fun, and it wasn’t just the cinnamon rolls we used for carb research. The main topic was a new study that took a cool design and extended the conclusions beyond their reach, theorizing that athletes should reconsider high-carb approaches for peak performance. We outline where we think the conclusions missed the mark. It makes us…

1
Make America Healthy Again: Our Thoughts (Part 2) 1:07:03

30d ago1:07:03

1:07:03

Welcome back to part two of our Make America Healthy again breakdown. In this part of the conversation, after wrapping up the last of the key elements of the MAHA platform, we dive into the key personalities. Specifically, we went through many of the participants from "American Health and Nutrition: A Second Opinion," a roundtable discussion hosted…

1
241. Trail Performance OF THE YEAR?! Plus Q+A on Training Volume, Heat Training, Recovery Days, Bicarb Dose, Fitness Apps, and More! 1:32:56

1M ago1:32:56

1:32:56

We brought so much gratitude to this amazing episode! The main topic was the news announced this weekend: David's Leadville 100 performance won the International Trail Performance of the Year. Yes, tears were shed. To everyone who listens, THANK YOU. In ways that go deeper than words...thank you. We reflect on the training, the journey, how our liv…

1
Make America Healthy Again: Our Thoughts (Part 1) 56:26

1M ago56:26

56:26

We're starting the new year by diving straight into a politically sensitive topic. According to their platform, Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) seeks to drive a transformative agenda by aligning health-conscious, independent-minded voters with candidates who have the ability to disrupt the status quo. This includes prioritizing regenerative agric…

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240. Why High Carb is for Almost Everyone, Improving Zone 2, Wild Study on Easy Training, Honest Western States 100 Thoughts, and a Wahoo Run Treadmill Review! 1:35:36

1M ago1:35:36

1:35:36

The best moment of our lives happened last week. It's not the baby. It's a social media mention from the GOAT Kilian Jornet. And we brought that celebration energy to this awesome episode! The main study was on the types of training that leads to faster marathon times, looking at 150,000 datapoints. With findings that overlap with other studies, we…

1
Nutrition in America: How We Got Here with Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian 1:19:31

1M ago1:19:31

1:19:31

This is a rerun of an episode we did a year ago. As our last holiday rerun before we get into fresh content, this one helps to set the stage for our first couple episodes for 2025 which will discuss the "Make America Healthy Again" movement, aka MAHA. You might be surprised that many of our biggest problems today are the results of solutions to the…

1
Defense Civilian Training Corps, Certificate Programs Emerge to Develop Space Workforce 37:25

2M ago37:25

37:25

Ms. Katharine Kelley, the Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Human Capital with the United States Space Force, recently announced the military’s newest service was engaged in a pilot program called the Defense Civilian Training Corps (DCTC). While similar to the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), the DCTC is a congressionally mandated initiat…

1
239. Q+A on Hydration, Ultra Pacing, Protein Intake, Daily Nutrition, Progressive Overload, 2025 Predictions, and More! 1:19:40

2M ago1:19:40

1:19:40

We got some very surprising news before recording this celebration episode! This one has it all: complicated training questions, predictions for the future, and a stunning twist to start the episode (and we were in for a lot more stunning twists after we recorded). The questions from podcast listeners were on tons of amazing topics: heart rate drif…

1
How To Build Your PT Plan 1:27:03

2M ago1:27:03

1:27:03

This is a rerun of an episode from 2022, if you joined us recently it's a great introduction to building smarter physical training plans to improve performance and reduce injuries. We'll be back in a couple weeks with fresh content. Until then, happy holidays! No guest this time, just Alex and Drew trying to answer one of the most commonly asked qu…

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238. Q+A on Speed Workouts, Zone 2, Running Cadence, GI Training, Western States 100 Goals, and More! 1:29:37

2M ago1:29:37

1:29:37

We celebrated a wild year with a "No Secrets" Q+A episode! This one is full of fascinating topics, mixing science, theory, and hot takes into the perfect holiday stew. The questions all came from podcast listeners on the following topics: how to think about gut training, Zone 2 heart rate and how terrible some online calculators are for athletes of…

1
What You Need To Know About Cognitive Training with Job Fransen 1:11:08

2M ago1:11:08

1:11:08

Happy holidays! This is a rerun of an episode we published back in March 2023, but this topic has been getting a lot of discussion again recently so we wanted to revisit it! MOPs & MOEs merch is now for sale on our website! Check out the shop for tees, hoodies, stickers, and more. Job Fransen is a skill acquisition specialist working at the Univers…

1
237. The Wild Connection of Top Speed and Endurance, Plus "No Secrets" on Supplements, Mental Toughness, AI in Sport, and Cold Plunges! 1:39:11

2M ago1:39:11

1:39:11

We bowed down to the power of hot mugwort before this amazing episode! The main topic was on a study that may be the long-lost "missing link" in our training theory. It took 12 elite endurance runners and had them do sprints of 100 meters and 400 meters, along with a VO2 max test. Their findings (and one striking non-finding) may connect studies on…

1
Return to Flight After a Broken Back with Lt Michaela Long 1:31:44

2M ago1:31:44

1:31:44

We stumbled onto Michaela's story because of this hilarious video explaining her pretty traumatic experience. We love a good comeback story after injury, especially when it includes a life being saved by strength training. We won't ruin the whole story, you'll just have to listen to the episode to find out, but there are several valuable lessons in…

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236. "No Secrets" Q+A! Hill Strides, Cramps, Speed v. Volume, Year-Round Heat, and Lots More! 1:37:59

2M ago1:37:59

1:37:59

We collected some wonderful questions before this great episode! It's our classic "no secrets" style, where we take you behind the scenes to combine research and theory with what athletes are actually doing, but maybe not talking about. We started with a new study on maintaining heat acclimation, which helps answer questions on how to improve blood…

1
Mop Up: Politics of Health, Nutrition Rules that Work, and Fitness over the Holidays 52:50

2M ago52:50

52:50

The year is coming to an end and there are a few topics that we didn't make full episodes out of that we thought were worth discussing. In this episode we hash out: A grab bag of nutrition topics including eating local, raw milk, processed food, and other hot topics in the nutrition space. Fitness during the holidays (or during travel in general). …

1
235. Rich Roll Takeaways, Protein and Adaptation, How Heart Rate Zones Vary, and Ketones in Cycling! 1:29:56

2M ago1:29:56

1:29:56

We got our Rich Roll on before this amazing episode! David's appearance on the Rich Roll Podcast came out this week, and we started with some takeaways from a surreal experience. We then pivot into some talk on protein in adaptation and recovery. When in doubt, the answer for us is often to throw some protein on it. Next was a truly wild study that…

1
Defense Science Board Offers Commercial Pathway to Integrated Deterrence 33:01

3M ago33:01

33:01

In November 2022, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering commissioned the Defense Science Board (DSB) to study the commercial space market and how their systems can be leveraged to support Department of Defense (DOD) objectives. The study came in direct response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier that year, when commercial…

1
From Overweight to Special Operations with SGM Jaime Espinoza 1:14:22

3M ago1:14:22

1:14:22

This episode continues a theme of bringing on guest's who crossed paths with Alex in the Army and helped shape his perspective on human performance. SGM Jaime Espinoza's career started with troubles involving weight gain, mental health, alcohol abuse, and more. But thanks to help from several people along the way (some human performance professiona…

1
234. Ultra Records Getting Demolished, What it Means for The Future of Performance, Energy Availability Study at the Boston Marathon, and Shooting Big Shots! 1:07:58

3M ago1:07:58

1:07:58

We brought some joyful and fluid-tastic vibes to this great episode! The main topic involved us picking our jaws off the floor as records were absolutely annihilated at the JFK 50 Mile, America's oldest ultramarathon. We have some inside info on how David Sinclair set the record, which we think could be Ultra Performance of the Year. Plus we worshi…

1
H2F in the Army Reserve with LTG Bob Harter 1:15:26

3M ago1:15:26

1:15:26

One of the toughest challenges in military human performance is how to implement programs that work for reserve service members. With only a couple days a month of direct interaction, how do you improve their health and fitness behaviors the rest of the month? Who better to workshop solutions to this issue with than the Chief of the Army Reserve? L…

1
233. Game-Changing Theories on Fatigue Resistance, Supertrainer Shoe Reviews, Plans for Athletic Breakthroughs, How Carbs are Reshaping Endurance, and NSAIDs in Ultras! 1:33:34

3M ago1:33:34

1:33:34

You can smell the excitement on this amazing episode! The main training topic was on David's favorite study of 2024, which caused major changes in his training approach. The study found some potential mechanisms for improved fatigue resistance, but we take it a step further into theories about solving for a puzzle that has flummoxed coaches and res…

1
Training for the Long Run with Alyssa Clark 1:35:58

3M ago1:35:58

1:35:58

In this episode we're discussing endurance training with an extremely qualified guest with a world class competitive ultra marathon resume. Alyssa Clark is a professional mountain runner, coach, podcast host and training plans director for Uphill Athlete. As a military spouse, running and coaching have been the constants she can bring with her no m…

1
232. 10 Ways We Changed Training for Leadville and Javelina, Love Raging, Ultra Performance Study, Feel v. Heart Rate, and Motivation! 1:22:03

3M ago1:22:03

1:22:03

We celebrated huge beating genius machines before this awesome episode! The main training topic was on 10 ways our training approaches changed for Leadville and Javelina. Throughout the process of preparing for 100 miles, we made itty bitty alterations that sometimes became big shifts in how our plans usually look. We break down each of them and ho…

1
Leading High Performance Organizations with Shawn Robertson 1:26:55

3M ago1:26:55

1:26:55

In our episode with LTG Gilland we mentioned Shawn "Big Tires Rollin" Robertson as a future guest, and now he's here! Shawn is a paragon of fitness (consistent ACFT 600s, 2nd place in the European bodybuilding championship) who is also passionate about organizational psychology. He joined us for this conversation about the role of fitness in leader…

1
231. New "No Secrets" Q+A on Western States 100, Javelina, High-Carb Fueling, Heart Rate, Heat Training, Improving Speed, Shoes, and More! 2:02:03

3M ago2:02:03

2:02:03

We answered tons of amazing listener questions on this great episode! We approached Leadville and Javelina like science experiments, and like all good science experiments, we want to share everything before starting a new experiment for the Western States 100. This one is full of sexy science, theory, psychology, nutrition, and so much more! Our ph…

1
Barbell Basics with Andy Baker 1:56:47

4M ago1:56:47

1:56:47

In this episode we're diving into the fundamentals of how to get strong, and our guest is one of the best in the game at taking novices to pretty serious levels of strength. Andy Baker began his career in the strength & conditioning industry in 2001, as an intern while attending Texas A&M University. Like many people in the early 2000s he witnessed…

1
2024 Election Presents Promise and Peril for PPBE Reform to Deliver Space Superiority 39:24

4M ago39:24

39:24

Over the past decade, China’s rapid rise in adopting and deploying innovative technologies has sparked a new “Great Power Competition,” particularly in the space domain. According to Major General Gregory J Gagnon, the chief intelligence officer for the United States Space Force, China’s “strategic breakout” in space is evident by the country’s mor…

1
230. Javelina 100 Mile Win and Golden Ticket! Science, Dreams, and Belief at One of the Hottest Races Ever 2:05:33

4M ago2:05:33

2:05:33

We ventured into the unknown at the Javelina 100 Mile, and we're coming back with a celebration to share! This episode is all about processing a life-changing weekend where David won Javelina in 12 hours, 45 minutes to earn a Golden Ticket to the Western States 100. There was one defining feature of the day: HEAT. Race day featured record temperatu…

1
The Best Military Fitness Tests from Around the World 1:02:44

4M ago1:02:44

1:02:44

To prepare for this episode we challenged each other to bring our top three fitness tests from any military around the world. Globally there are a wide variety of approaches, from extremely simple to extremely complex. A few of the ones we chose have been previously mentioned on the podcast (or on our social media) but others we've never discussed …

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229. Javelina 100 Pre-Race, Norwegian Heat Training, Parker Valby's Game-Changing Contract, New Mitochondria Study, and Improving Bone Density! 1:29:16

4M ago1:29:16

1:29:16

We reached deep into the BELIEVE BAG before this great episode! It started out with all of our thoughts ahead of the Javelina 100 Miler this weekend. This journey into the unknown has it all: fears, dread, and doubt right alongside excitement, celebration, and DMX. We hope this exploration gives you a tailwind that pushes you to chase scary dreams.…

1
ExPOSEd: Running Technique Doctrine or Ethics Violation? 1:23:18

4M ago1:23:18

1:23:18

After two years of waiting, the Pose Method episode is finally here! You've asked what we think of it, here are our answers. Pose Method® is a proprietary method for coaching running technique developed by Dr. Nichloas Romanov in 1977 in the former Soviet Union. Pose clinics have been taught around the Army since 2009 and the newest version of FM 7…

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228. Heat Suit Training and Limits of Physiology, Heart Rate Guidelines, Why Stomach Training Matters, A Mind-Blowing Marathon World Record, and Wikipedia Rejection! 1:40:38

4M ago1:40:38

1:40:38

We put on all of our pants and jackets to record this HOT episode! The main training topic is on the wild science of heat suit training. In 2021, a case study revealed that simply wearing a couple layers while doing easy biking could rapidly expand hemoglobin mass, which could improve performance in all conditions. Numerous other studies support th…

1
An Infantry Marine's Perspective on Army Human Performance with Ray Cossio 1:21:12

4M ago1:21:12

1:21:12

We've been talking about having Ray on the podcast for over a year now. He brings a unique perspective as a former infantry Marine NCO turned strength and conditioning coach. And more importantly, he always focuses his insight on the real issues. The military human performance space is more about building the right culture than dialing in the Xs an…

1
227. Javelina 100 Training, Science Debate on REDs, Long Zone 2 Efforts, Tadej Pogacar's World-Domination Strategy, and Strava AI! 1:28:33

4M ago1:28:33

1:28:33

We made loud grunting noises to celebrate recording this great episode! A primary training discussion was on putting the finishing touches on the quick build for the Javelina 100 Miler. It's getting very, very real. Confidence is rising, and falling, and falling some more, then rising again. We bring you into the process to feel just how hard it al…

1
Building a Hybrid Training Week 101 1:07:52

4M ago1:07:52

1:07:52

It has been a long time, but we're back with another "101" episode. This time we're breaking down the considerations involved in assembling a week of hybrid training. If you're in the military, you're already doing hybrid training whether you call it that or not. Frankly, just meeting global health guidelines for physical activity amounts to hybrid…

1
Space Force, DOD Initiate New Partnerships to Enhance Mission Readiness 35:10

5M ago35:10

35:10

It's been one year since Chief of Space Operations, General B. Chance Saltzman, announced the United States Space Force was creating “Integrated Mission Deltas,” or IMDs, as part of the service's Line of Effort #3 – Partner to Win edict. The new IMD model serves as a primary example of how the Space Force is leveraging partnerships internally to en…

1
226. "No Secrets" Q+A! The Wikipedia Controversy, Strides, Singles v. Doubles, Breakthroughs After Layoffs, Ketones, Polarized Training, and Lots More! 1:45:16

5M ago1:45:16

1:45:16

We loaded up on some "awake" tea to feel extra caffeinated for this spicy episode! Listeners send in such great questions, and it was so fun to get down and dirty with some fascinating topics. It's called a "no secrets" Q+A because we often see conversations with elite athletes and coaches where it's clear that we aren't getting the full picture. O…

1
Setting the Record Straight on Contracting with Chris Larkin 1:33:50

5M ago1:33:50

1:33:50

We did a contracting episode a few weeks ago where we aired out a few grievances mostly focused on how strength and conditioning coaches in contracted roles with the military are treated. In that conversation we acknowledged that we have limited experience with contracting, and we were open to having an expert come on and set the record straight. A…

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225. Kilian's Wild Physiology Data, Tara Dower Sets the Overall AT Record, The Next Race After Leadville, 7 Ultra Logistics Tips, and How Elite Athletes Eat! 1:36:12

5M ago1:36:12

1:36:12

We marveled at the athletic performance of the year to prepare for this great episode! It kicked off with us picking our jaws up off the floor, in awe of Tara Dower's overall record on the Appalachian Trail. Coach Megan delves into what made it possible (strides and speed) and what sets Tara apart (being a superhero). This achievement will take dec…

1
Operator Syndrome with Dr. Chris Frueh 1:33:16

5M ago1:33:16

1:33:16

Dr. Chris Frueh is back for his second appearance on the pod! If you missed our previous conversation with him we dove into the dysfunction at the VA, with particular emphasis on the disability system. Dr. Chris Frueh, PhD is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Psychology at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. He has over thirty years of profession…

1
224. Post-Run Carbs Science, Vincent's Training to Win UTMB, Supershoes Power Ranking, Biking for Runners, and The Fastest US Race Ever! 1:36:19

5M ago1:36:19

1:36:19

We slurped down a truly inspiring amount of carbohydrates before recording this great episode! The main topic was a new study with a fascinating design, equalizing carb intake across a day, but modulating the quantity consumed in the post-exercise window. There were major changes in next-day performance! Training can often be an adaptation contest,…

1
Creatine for Tactical Athletes with Dr. Scott Forbes 1:16:54

5M ago1:16:54

1:16:54

A few weeks ago we got the news that Congress was considering directing the military to investigate the potential for adding creatine to MREs. This spurred a lot of discussion on creatine's effectiveness and dosing strategies, and to really get to the bottom of that we needed an expert. Our guest this week is so much of an expert that he is often r…

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