Endurance: Dr. Craig Marker of Strength.University

The Primal Kitchen Podcast

Host Brad Kearns talks to Dr. Craig Marker about his transformative article that is destined to make us all rethink how we approach high-intensity training. Titled "HIIT vs HIRT", Dr. Marker explains that the cellular breakdown, inflammation and oxidative stress generated by a typical interval session is not worth the recovery cost. Instead, we should focus on delivering brief, explosive efforts of a similarly high quality throughout the workout. This means keeping your efforts generally 20 seconds or less, and taking what Dr. Marker calls "luxurious" rest intervals. The conversation transitions into Dr. Marker's area of professional expertise: Anxiety. Instead of trying to avoid anxiety-producing situations, lean into them until you become more comfortable and achieve a growth experience. This can include high-intensity workouts, cold or heat exposure, and fasting. Dr. Marker likes to drive around Atlanta in the summer with no A/C in the car. This helps him appreciate air conditioning that much more! Brad describes how his approach to sprinting was transformed by this single article, and how he has become more explosive, less stressed, and recovers faster thanks to shortening the duration of his sprints and increasing the rest interval. Fitness enthusiasts of all levels will benefit greatly from backing away from the pain and suffering mentality and focusing on being explosive. Bottom line, Dr. Marker says a typical sprint workout in any activity might entail 15-20 seconds of max effort, followed by 40-60 seconds of rest, and perhaps 4-10 reps. Enjoy the show!