Andy Galpin, PhD
@DrAndyGalpin • 145,193 subscribers
Professor & Scientist of Human Performance PhD Human Bioenergetics & Muscle Phys Perform w/ Dr. Andy Galpin Co-Founder @BioMoAthlete @Absolute_Rest @Vitality_BP
Videos
Joel Jamieson did everything right and was still walking around with a 50% blockage in his widowmaker artery. He’s a world-renowned cardiovascular expert who doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, sleeps well, manages stress, trains consistently, and has a VO2 max probably north of 55. He got screened at 40 and found it. He had zero symptoms the entire time. This is the core problem with cardiovascular disease in well-trained individuals — it doesn't announce itself the way we expect it to. The markers we typically use to flag risk don't apply. No excess body weight, no poor lifestyle habits, no reason to think anything is wrong. What actually predicted Joel's risk was his family history. His mom had a stroke at 60. His dad and uncle died early. His brother had a triple bypass before 50. Every signal was there, just not one he could feel. If that kind of history exists in your family, get screened. The CT angiogram runs around $1,200 out of pocket — not cheap, and hopefully that comes down over time. But if you can justify it, it's worth it.
Andy Galpin, PhD1,068,469 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin is back. New episode: How to Build a Strong Core & Abs 0:00 Core Training Myths 4:22 Why We Train Abs Wrong 7:27 Abs vs Core Explained 11:17 Look Feel Perform Goals 15:04 How Core Muscles Work 20:26 Stability and Anti Movement 24:00 Do Abs Need Daily Training 29:12 Spinal Safety and Crunches 31:37 Sponsor Eight Sleep 33:08 Testing Core Strength 41:42 Interpreting Test Results 47:02 Choosing Core Exercises 50:18 Isolation vs Compound Core 52:31 Contraction Intensity Rules 53:23 Size Principle Explained 56:16 Loading the Core Safely 1:00:14 Core Moves by Pattern 1:06:35 Program by Muscle Groups 1:08:01 Abs for Aesthetics 1:15:47 Aesthetic Programming Split 1:18:49 Core for Performance 1:21:15 Core for Back Health 1:24:17 Sample Week Template 1:29:22 Five Step Progression 1:35:54 Exercise Order Priorities 1:36:56 Rapid Fire Q and Belts 1:42:35 Final Wrap and Support Includes paid partnerships.
Andy Galpin, PhD1,714,254 görüntüleme • 3 ay önce
New Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin episode: Identify & Fix Muscle Imbalances & Injury Risks 0:00 Introduction 2:30 The Three Types: Morphology, Quality, Function 9:09 Laterality: Skill vs. Force Dominance 13:21 Why Asymmetries Develop 19:47 The Bilateral Force Deficit 24:43 Investigate: How to Measure Asymmetries 29:27 Morphology: Tape Measures to MRI 30:41 Tissue Quality & Fat Infiltration 36:21 Functionality: The Unlimited Field of Tests 42:30 Interpret: When Do Asymmetries Matter? 43:25 Muscle Size: Is the Asymmetry Even Real? 51:02 Push vs. Pull & the Limb-Length Myth 58:44 Movement Screens & the FMS 1:01:30 Strength, Power & Injury Risk 1:04:25 Grip Strength Asymmetry & Aging 1:09:46 Symmetrical Sports & the Energy Leak 1:15:53 Red, Yellow, Green: The Real Thresholds 1:19:35 Intervene: Correcting Asymmetries 1:20:46 Why Plyometrics Work Best 1:23:50 The Five-Step Correction Program 1:31:59 The Volume Game 1:33:50 Resources & Final Takeaways Includes paid partnerships.
Andy Galpin, PhD59,483 görüntüleme • 9 gün önce
New Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin episode: How to Think Clearly in an Age of Distraction | Sam Harris 0:00 Introduction & Sam Harris 2:30 Intelligence, Smartness & Wisdom 16:13 Outsourcing Cognition: AI as Tool vs. Competitor 21:19 The Death of Boredom & the Inner Voice 30:07 Mindfulness & Three Paths to Mental Freedom 42:20 Overcoming Resistance to Meditation 1:01:25 Psychedelics vs. Meditation 1:09:01 Emotion, Reason & Handling Criticism 1:28:06 Process, Expertise & the Scientific Crisis 1:50:44 Restoring Trust in Institutions 2:02:29 Consciousness, AI & the Hard Problem 2:16:18 Uploading, Teleportation & the Revenge of the Humanities 2:25:14 Closing Includes paid partnerships.
Andy Galpin, PhD222,117 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
Your abs recover faster, so you should train them every day. That's the logic. It sounds reasonable until you actually check whether the premise is true. The "train abs daily" belief rests on two assumptions: that core muscles are predominantly slow-twitch, and that slow-twitch fibers recover faster and therefore need higher frequency. There's something right about the second part. But the first part is where the reasoning starts to fall apart. So here's the question to ask: if you don't actually train your quads every day, why would you assume your abs need it? Autopsy data going back to the early 1990s shows that most core muscles are roughly 50/50 fast- and slow-twitch — almost identical to something like your vastus lateralis (your quads). The muscle you'd never dream of hammering seven days a week. And when you look at the actual literature, there's no evidence that the training principles for your abs should differ from those for your quads.
Andy Galpin, PhD462,808 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
Sam Harris makes a point here that's hard to dismiss: most people can't stay undistracted for 30 seconds. Not because they're lazy — because they've never built the capacity. And that's not a trivial problem. If your emotional state is just a byproduct of whatever thought randomly surfaces next, you're not really steering anything. The fix, according to Sam, is learning to notice thoughts as appearances in awareness rather than being identical to them — and mindfulness meditation is the most direct way to start building that skill.
Andy Galpin, PhD103,827 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
Nice abs and a strong core are pretty high on most people's wish list. But when it comes to training the core, we somehow throw out the fundamental, science-based exercise principles that govern skeletal muscle exercise adaptations. Think about it. If you wanted bigger quads and I told you we were only doing wall squats, you'd look at me like I was crazy. That's exactly what’s happening with your core when all you’re doing is planks and 3 sets of crunches. The size principle matters here. If you're never generating high levels of force, large portions of your motor units never get recruited — and what doesn't get recruited doesn't get stronger. Fatigue and burning are not the same as force production.
Andy Galpin, PhD254,646 görüntüleme • 3 ay önce
New Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin episode: Female Training, Hormones & Nutrition: Fact vs. Fiction | Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple (Lauren Colenso-Semple, PhD) 0:00 Lauren Colenso-Semple 1:51 The Lit Review That Never Was 7:01 Why Women Got Bad Training Advice 11:23 Individualization & Where Sex Actually Ranks 21:09 Estrogen, Rodent Models & the Anabolic Myth 34:52 Hormones Across the Menstrual Cycle 45:18 The Myth of the Textbook 28-Day Cycle 51:41 Why Female Research Is So Hard 57:55 Inside Lauren's Dissertation: Tracers & Biopsies 1:06:10 Strength, Power & Hypertrophy: No Phase Effect 1:14:13 The Real Role of Testosterone & Menopause 1:23:36 Becoming a Better Consumer of Science 1:50:10 Low Energy Availability & RED-S 1:57:30 Advice for the Average Woman Includes paid partnerships.
Andy Galpin, PhD49,969 görüntüleme • 23 gün önce
New Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin episode: Hardship, Resilience & Competing at the Highest Level My guest is Ken Rideout, a former Wall Street trader turned elite masters marathoner who battled opioid addiction for 10 years before becoming the Masters (50+) Marathon World Champion and winning the Gobi March, a 155-mile self-supported stage race across the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. We discuss how running became his path to sobriety, why suffering is his source of peace rather than a cost to endure, the "clean vs. dirty fuel" framework for motivation, and the mental tactics he uses mid-race to keep going when his mind has already quit. Ken is proof that it's never too late to become someone you're proud of. 0:00 Ken Rideout 2:15 Book Tease and Tears 3:27 Gobi March Race 38:23 Relief After Winning 40:29 Why Choose Suffering 47:30 Drugs Versus Discipline 1:01:10 Quitting And Redemption 1:05:00 Malibu Half Turnaround 1:09:29 Racing Tactics Mindset 1:16:03 Train Fear Compete Fire 1:17:58 Clean Versus Dirty Fuel 1:24:00 Health First Baby Steps 1:27:09 Morning Routine And Discipline 1:32:48 From Sports To Running 1:35:31 Triathlon Lessons And Kona 1:38:16 The Mental Grind Of Suffering 1:40:31 Try Harder Mindset 1:49:06 Comfort With Discomfort 1:52:48 Parenting Toughness And Losing 1:56:41 Setbacks Into Strength 1:58:20 Money Doesn't Fix You 2:00:09 Family Pride And Purpose 2:00:47 Coaching With Edge 2:06:57 Ask For Help 2:09:52 Romanticizing The Suffering 2:15:55 Grit Beats Talent 2:19:38 No Roadmap Just Effort 2:23:54 Marathon Progress And Coaching 2:28:01 First Marathon Fueling Plan 2:31:28 Service First Content 2:32:25 Wrap Up Includes paid partnerships.
Andy Galpin, PhD73,378 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
Exercise snacks — short bursts of bodyweight movement scattered through the day — do improve VO2 max. But before you use that as a pass on structured training, note the details: the effect is modest, it's most pronounced in untrained individuals, and functional improvement is not the same thing as structural change. Remodeling the heart itself — actual morphological adaptation — takes sustained training over time and more of it the older you are. The good news, especially if you've been inconsistent for a while: that structural adaptation still happens. It just takes longer.
Andy Galpin, PhD49,695 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
Most people treat self-talk like a pep talk — you tell yourself you've got this, you stay positive, you push through. That advice isn't wrong. It's just incomplete in a way that matters more than most people realize. The research on positive self-talk is real. Encouraging internal dialogue does improve performance. But the field has largely moved away from framing this as "positive vs. negative" because that's not actually the right question. The right question is whether what you're saying to yourself is *effective*. And negative self-talk can be effective. Positive self-talk can be useless. The valence isn't the variable. What actually drives effectiveness is something most self-talk advice never mentions: psychological distance. Here's the thing: you're probably already an expert at this, just not for yourself. Think about a scenario you find stressful — an exam, a tough conversation, a high-pressure week. Now picture a friend in that same situation texting you about it. You know exactly what to say back. You're not scrambling. You're not spiraling. Because you're not inside the emotion of it. That clarity you have for them? That's the same clarity psychological distance gives you for yourself. Your inner voice isn't your best coach. It's your most reactive one.
Andy Galpin, PhD70,534 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
Most people think confidence is something you build over time. Stack enough reps, enough wins, enough evidence, and eventually you just... have it. That's not wrong. But it's incomplete. There's good evidence that what you're thinking *in the moment* is a bigger predictor of how you feel and perform than almost any external factor. More than your preparation, your environment, even who's standing next to you. So yes, the reps matter. The experience matters. But if the voice in your head is running a different script during the actual performance, none of that preparation has anywhere to land. Most people evaluate their self-talk as "positive" or "negative." That's the wrong filter. The better question is, does this thought *help me right now*, or does it hurt me? Because sometimes a "negative" thought is actually useful. And sometimes a "positive" thought is just noise dressed up as encouragement. You wouldn't judge a coach by whether they were nice to you. You'd judge them by whether what they said made you better in that moment. So why are you grading your own internal voice on tone instead of function? Your mindset isn't the background music. It's the operating system.
Andy Galpin, PhD75,043 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
Boredom isn't a property of the room you're sitting in. It's what happens when attention fails to meet the moment. Sam Harris makes this point in a way that's hard to argue with: if you can train yourself to find your own breath genuinely interesting — which he says is actually possible — then nothing has to be boring. The problem isn't the environment. It's that most of us have never learned to pay attention. Here's a test he offers in this episode. Try to focus on anything — a sound, a sensation, your breath — for 30 uninterrupted seconds without a single thought pulling you away. Most people can't do it. Not because they're uniquely distracted, but because this is the default human condition before training. Sam says that same attentional gap is the engine of most psychological suffering — being at the mercy of whatever the next unexamined thought suggests you should feel.
Andy Galpin, PhD26,401 görüntüleme • 24 gün önce
Most people think the best athletes are exceptionally good at controlling their emotions under pressure. And there's something to that, but "control" turns out to be the wrong word, and the difference isn't just semantic. Emotional control and emotional regulation aren't the same thing. Control implies suppression: push the feeling down, stay locked in. Regulation is something more precise: knowing what the emotion is doing, where it's pointing, and whether to move with it or redirect it. One of those is trainable. The other mostly just creates a pressure cooker. Think about what Joe Montana actually did in that huddle before the 92-yard drive. He didn't tell his linemen to calm down or focus up. He pointed to the stands and said, "Hey, there's John Candy." That's not emotional suppression, that's redirection executed at a level most coaches never even think to teach. And the reason it worked is because Montana was regulated enough to read the room, then do something completely unexpected with it. Composure isn't the absence of pressure. It's knowing which direction to move it.
Andy Galpin, PhD50,461 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
It’s becoming increasingly clear that more than 50% of dementia and late-onset Alzheimer’s cases are preventable. One of the best ways to reduce your risk is to keep your senses strong. In this clip, Dr. Tommy Wood (Tommy Wood MD, PhD) and I dive into how sensory loss—whether it’s vision, hearing, or smell—can increase your risk of dementia. But here’s the good news: Getting treatment for sensory issues like cataracts or hearing loss can reverse that risk. If you’re starting to notice any decline in your senses, don’t wait—address it immediately. Hearing aids, cataract surgery, and other treatments can help maintain crucial brain connections and protect against cognitive decline. Beyond that, train your balance and other sensory systems. Run outside (trail run!), ride a bike, play ball sports, and find other ways to challenge your senses. These activities offer benefits in a way the gym simply cannot. Take action to keep your senses sharp now, and your brain will thank you later.
Andy Galpin, PhD172,035 görüntüleme • 1 yıl önce
I partnered w/ Waking Up & Absolute Rest on a zero-cost ($0) challenge combining sleep science w/ concrete tools for nervous system regulation—all supporting better rest long-term. Over 14 days, you’ll learn the fundamentals of recovery, practice skills for downregulation, and take away tools that directly translate to improved sleep. Register today! The Deep Rest Reset kicks off on June 8.
Andy Galpin, PhD15,188 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
![Fish oil is often discussed for its brain and mood benefits, but research shows it may also improve resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition. A 2015 study looked at 24 older women (66 years old), with half taking 3 grams per day of fish oil (2 g EPA, 1 g DHA) and the other half receiving olive oil as a placebo. Both groups were matched for calories. [PMCID: PMC4682991 | PMID: 26679702] After 12 weeks, the fish oil group saw: - 14% increase in resting metabolic rate - ~10% increase in energy expenditure during exercise - 19% higher fat oxidation at rest, 27% higher when active - 4% increase in lean mass (from 40.3 kg to 41.9 kg, a 1.6 kg absolute increase) Additionally: - VO2 max improved in the fish oil group (no change in placebo) - Resting heart rate dropped by ~3 bpm in the fish oil group (no change in placebo) - Metabolic rate increases held even when adjusting for body mass and lean mass This is just one of the many evidence-based strategies we discussed for improving metabolic performance.](https://image.24vids.com/tw-1889434201570820404/amplify_video_thumb/1889433746149089281/img/a4IVzCRg0Uq-cXG_.jpg)
Fish oil is often discussed for its brain and mood benefits, but research shows it may also improve resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition. A 2015 study looked at 24 older women (66 years old), with half taking 3 grams per day of fish oil (2 g EPA, 1 g DHA) and the other half receiving olive oil as a placebo. Both groups were matched for calories. [PMCID: PMC4682991 | PMID: 26679702] After 12 weeks, the fish oil group saw: - 14% increase in resting metabolic rate - ~10% increase in energy expenditure during exercise - 19% higher fat oxidation at rest, 27% higher when active - 4% increase in lean mass (from 40.3 kg to 41.9 kg, a 1.6 kg absolute increase) Additionally: - VO2 max improved in the fish oil group (no change in placebo) - Resting heart rate dropped by ~3 bpm in the fish oil group (no change in placebo) - Metabolic rate increases held even when adjusting for body mass and lean mass This is just one of the many evidence-based strategies we discussed for improving metabolic performance.
Andy Galpin, PhD120,241 görüntüleme • 1 yıl önce
Use creatine to protect your brain from head injuries: Repeated head injuries can lead to second-impact syndrome, where a subsequent injury before full recovery causes rapid and potentially permanent brain damage. This is a significant risk for athletes, military, or anyone prone to traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussions. But here's the good news: research has shown that creatine supplementation can help mitigate the damage caused by second-impact syndrome. In fact, studies have found that creatine depletion prior to additional impacts can worsen the damage to your brain. So, what should you do? If you do experience a head injury, it's essential to replenish your creatine stores as quickly as possible. Creatine monohydrate is a good option, as it's the most researched and widely used form in studies, and it's also one of the most affordable and available options. Creating a regular creatine supplementation routine can be beneficial for overall health and wellness, regardless of your risk level for head injuries. You can obtain creatine through both food sources and supplements. While it is possible to get creatine from food, particularly from meat sources (which contain around 400-600mg of creatine per 100g or 3.5oz serving), it can be challenging to achieve the high dosages needed through diet alone. Most studies on creatine monohydrate for brain injuries have used high dosages of around 20g per day, which is significantly higher than the typical dosages used for performance benefits. As a preventative measure, a daily dose of 5-10g may be sufficient for most people. However, if you know you'll be at risk of exposure to head impacts, you may want to increase your dosage to 20-30g per day for a week, split into multiple doses. Remember, the primary goal should always be to minimize the number of head impacts and injuries in the first place.
Andy Galpin, PhD137,446 görüntüleme • 1 yıl önce
The new episode of Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin is out now: Dr. Herman Pontzer: How We Really Burn Calories & Lose Weight (Herman Pontzer) This episode is available in full on 𝕏, YouTube, and all podcast platforms. (0:00) Dr. Herman Pontzer (1:18) Energy Expenditure & Metabolism (3:59) Hunter-Gatherers, Energy Expenditure vs Sedentary Cultures (7:19) What is Energy Expenditure?; Maintaining Energy Budget (13:42) Sponsors: David Protein & LMNT (16:23) Weight Gain; Calories In, Calories Out (22:18) Exercise & Calories Burned, Energy Expenditure Changes? (29:56) Movement Efficiency, Exercise & Metabolism Research (37:55) Metabolic Recalibration & Exercise Threshold (43:33) Hunter-Gatherer Groups, Energy Expenditure, Fertility (47:23) Sponsors: AG1 & Renaissance Periodization (49:53) Pregnancy & Energy; Overtraining, Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome (REDs) (57:37) Metabolism “Slowing Down”, Age or Sex Differences? (1:04:22) Metabolism & Age, Puberty, Older Adults (1:11:51) Body Composition, Individual Food Intake (1:16:49) Sponsor: Eight Sleep (1:18:12) Anthropology, Natural Fallacy, Diversity & Adaptations, Physical Activity (1:27:59) Population, Individual Variation, Diversity, Race (1:34:33) Kidney, eGFR Calculation; Clinical Equations & Race (1:40:51) Genetics, Diversity, Populations; Genetic Testing (1:49:29) One-to-One Gene Fallacy, Height, Environment, Diversity (1:51:20) Height & Weight, Genetics & Environment Interplay (1:56:31) Science Literacy & Research; Diabetes, Heart Disease & Race (2:02:33) Diversity, Physiology & Medicine, EMT (2:07:08) Upcoming Projects, Metabolic Ceilings (2:09:39) Metabolism, Diet & Exercise, Individual Approach (2:14:57) Crash Metabolism?, Herman’s Links (2:17:30) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Subscribe & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Social Media, Perform Newsletter Includes paid partnerships.
Andy Galpin, PhD93,439 görüntüleme • 1 yıl önce