Welcome to the Critical Oxygen Podcast! In this episode Dr. Robby Jacobs and I talk about the importance of skeletal muscle in predicting endurance performance. We focus on the significance of capillaries, myoglobin, and mitochondria in endurance performance, along with research comparing predictors of performance.

Here is a link to my master's publication discussing predictors of performance - https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.14814/phy2.14342

If you have a question or topic you want us to address, leave a comment!

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Interested in testing, courses, or other long form content check out the critical oxygen website - https://www.ctiricaloxygen.com

OUTLINE:
0:00 – Introduction
1:04 – Remote Physiology Assessment in Kona
6:12 – Training Zone Adjustments
7:01 – Monitoring and Adapting Training Zones
8:05 – Expanding Testing to Running and Rowing
9:29 – Challenges in Implementing Treadmill Assessments
10:00 – Availability of Remote Testing
11:35 – Ultra Marathon Nutrition Strategy
15:04 – Despair in Training vs. Ultra Marathon
16:52 – Gut Training Experiment with Milk
20:05 – Carbohydrate Intake and Fuel Oxidation
24:59 – Shifting Focus Back to Predictors of Performance
25:24 - Importance of Capillaries, Myoglobin, and Mitochondria
25:58 - Mitochondrial Function as a Key Predictor of Performance
26:15 - The Skeletal Muscle and Capillary Myoglobin Mitochondria Axis
26:33 - Research on Traditional Predictors of Performance
27:11 - Comparison to a 40-Kilometer Time Trial
28:13 - Diverse Study Participants
29:00 - V02 Max Test Methodology
30:24 - V02 Max Verification at 110%
32:02 - Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Calibration
33:02 - Arterial Occlusion and Cuffing Protocol
36:01 - Validation of Cuffing Protocol
39:11 - Personal Experiences as a Participant
43:05 - Regenerative Medicine and Mesenchymal Cell Injections
48:16 - The Benefits of Regenerative Medicine?
49:01 - Back to the Predictors of Performance
49:32 - The 25-Kilometer Time Trial
50:25 - The Role of Oxygen in Muscles
51:53 - Traditional Predictors of Performance
53:04 - Near-Infrared Derived Predictors of Performance
54:09 - The Implications of the Study
57:00 - Oxygen Delivery and Utilization
58:02 - The Significance of NIRS Measurements
1:00:03 - Shifting Oxygen Balance in Muscle
1:00:28 - The Importance of Robust Mitochondria
1:02:07 - Summary: Oxygenation in Working Muscle
1:03:36 - The Role of Mitochondria in Complex Life