Shows / The Athlete's Compass
The Athlete's Compass
The Athlete’s Compass Podcast is your compass for navigating endurance training and health. In this show, we explore the cardinal directions of training, nutrition, recovery, and mindset, delving into the dynamic relationship that drives athletic success. Athletes are more than numbers; they're individuals with unique lifestyles and mindset challenges. Coaches who understand these personal nuances play a vital role in their athletes' journey. While training details and data are important, tools…
Episodes
- The Athlete's Compass
A Beginner-to-Pro Guide for Faster Triathlon Transitions
What if you could improve your triathlon time without getting fitter, buying expensive equipment, or adding another workout? In this episode of The Athletes…
- The Athlete's Compass
What It Actually Takes to Go Sub-9 at Kona with Luke Evans
What does it really take to race an 8:58 Ironman at the World Championship in Kona? In this episode, sports scientist and coach Paul Laursen catches up with…
- The Athlete's Compass
The Half of Endurance Training Most Athletes Ignore
Physical fitness gets you to the starting line, but what helps you perform when pressure, doubt, and discomfort take over? In episode 150 of The Athletes…
- The Athlete's Compass
The Biggest Nutrition Mistake Aging Athletes Make
Are you fueling your training for the athlete you are today—or following the nutrition advice that worked 20 years ago? In this episode of The Athletes…
- The Athlete's Compass
The Hidden Endurance Secret of Hill Repeats
Hill repeats can provide endurance athletes with a powerful mix of strength, speed, neuromuscular, and cardiovascular benefits without requiring frequent…
- The Athlete's Compass
Run Faster Without Running More
Episode Summary Want to run faster but don’t have time—or the recovery capacity—to add more mileage? Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen explain how runners can…
- The Athlete's Compass
How to Improve Your Running Economy
Two runners can have similar fitness and VO₂ max numbers yet perform very differently. One reason is running economy—the metabolic cost of maintaining a given…
- The Athlete's Compass
Why Your VO₂ Max Isn’t Rising
VO₂ max is one of endurance sport’s most closely watched metrics, but what does it mean when the number refuses to rise? Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen…
- The Athlete's Compass
Why Stopping Was My Best Decision: 1,000km Across France with Jens Wachter
Endurance athlete and Athletica user Jens joins Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen to share the story behind Project Trans France, his ambitious attempt to run…
- The Athlete's Compass
Norwegian Method vs Polarized: What’s Better?
The Norwegian method has become one of endurance sport’s hottest training topics, thanks largely to elite performances, double-threshold sessions, and…
- The Athlete's Compass
How to Find Your Zone 2 Without a Lab Test
Episode Summary Zone 2 gets talked about constantly in endurance training, but most everyday athletes don’t have access to lactate testing or a metabolic lab…
- The Athlete's Compass
Do Hills and Sprints Cancel Your Zone 2 Benefits?
Does a short climb, town-line sprint, or brief surge above Zone 2 undo the benefits of an endurance workout? Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen explain why the…
- The Athlete's Compass
When to Perform High-Intensity Intervals
Should endurance athletes complete high-intensity intervals while fresh, or place them later in a workout after accumulating fatigue? Paul Warloski and Dr…
- The Athlete's Compass
How Much HIIT Do You Actually Need?
High-intensity interval training can produce rapid improvements, but repeatedly pushing to maximal effort may undermine recovery, consistency, and long-term…
- The Athlete's Compass
Supplements That Actually Work for Endurance Athletes with Dr Jose Antonio
Dr. Jose Antonio, co-founder and CEO of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, joins Paul Warloski and Paul Laursen to separate effective sports…
- The Athlete's Compass
Why You Get Sore 48 Hours After Exercise and How to Fix It
Why can a hard workout feel manageable at first, only to leave you struggling with stairs two days later? In this episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast, Paul…
- The Athlete's Compass
Why 50% of Girls Quit Sport (and How to Stop It)
In part two of the conversation with Dr. Julia Casadio, the team explores why so many adolescent girls leave sport during their teenage years and how coaches…
- The Athlete's Compass
Heat Training for Female Athletes: How to Adapt and Perform
In this episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast, Dr. Julia Casadio explains how athletes can use heat training as a powerful performance tool, especially when…
- The Athlete's Compass
How Sleep Timing Impacts Recovery, HRV, and Endurance Performance
In this episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast, Dr. Kristen Holmes, Global Head of Human Performance at Whoop, explains why sleep-wake consistency may be one…
- The Athlete's Compass
System Engagement Explained: How Much Is Left in the Tank?
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai explain Athletica’s Workout Reserve and the new Systems Engagement…
- The Athlete's Compass
Can You Be a Mom, Work Full-Time, and Train for an Ironman? with Dr. Iris Nafshi
In this episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast, Dr. Iris Nafshi joins the team to discuss her research on “Iron Moms,” endurance athletes who train for…
- The Athlete's Compass
A Stoic Philosopher's Guide to Endurance Training with Dr William Irvine
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Dr. William B. Irvine joins Paul Warloski, Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai to explore how Stoic philosophy can help…
- The Athlete's Compass
Power & Pace Profiles: What Every Endurance Athlete Should Know
In this episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast, Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai break down the concept of power and pace profiles — the…
- The Athlete's Compass
How to Train With Limited Time
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai discuss how everyday endurance athletes can make meaningful…
- The Athlete's Compass
The Best Recovery Tools for Everyday Endurance Athletes
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai explore recovery strategies for everyday endurance athletes…
- The Athlete's Compass
Carbs for Endurance: How Much Do You Actually Need?
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen unpack the current high-carb fueling trend in elite endurance sport, sparked by…
- The Athlete's Compass
Athlete Burnout: Warning Signs, Recovery, and How to Find Joy Again
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Dr. Allie Wagener, a licensed psychologist specializing in sport and performance psychology, joins Paul Warloski…
- The Athlete's Compass
How to Train for Endurance After 50 with Dr. Reaburn
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, Dr. Peter Reaburn shares practical and science-backed guidance for endurance athletes who want to stay…
- The Athlete's Compass
The Science of Aerobic Efficiency And How to Train It
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, the team breaks down aerobic efficiency—what it is, why it matters, and how it may be more important than VO2…
- The Athlete's Compass
Menopause & Performance: What You Need to Know with Dr. Rebecca Robinson |
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Dr. Rebecca Robinson breaks down one of the most overlooked areas in endurance sports: women’s health across the…
- The Athlete's Compass
Move Better, Perform Better: Erin Carson’s Training Approach
In this episode, Erin Carson, one of the most respected strength coaches in endurance sports, breaks down why movement quality is the foundation of…
- The Athlete's Compass
Rest Day vs. Recovery Day: What Actually Works?
This episode explores one of the most debated topics in endurance training: whether athletes should take full rest days or train every day. Drawing from elite…
- The Athlete's Compass
HRV Training Explained: How to Know When to Push or Rest
Heart rate variability (HRV) is transforming how endurance athletes approach training by providing real-time insight into recovery and readiness. Instead of…
- The Athlete's Compass
Solo vs Group Training: Which One Is Better for You?
In this episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast, the hosts explore the pros and cons of training alone versus training in a group. Recent research suggests…
- The Athlete's Compass
Meet Athletica AI Coach: The Future of Training
In this episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast, the hosts explore Athletica’s new AI Coach, a tool designed to provide personalized training feedback and…
- The Athlete's Compass
How to Train for Hyrox with Siren Seiler-Viken
Episode Summary In this episode of The Athletes Compass, the team sits down with Siren Seiler-Viken—researcher, coach, and emerging voice in Hyrox performance…
- The Athlete's Compass
From First 10K at 48 to Ironman: Jeff Weiss’ Endurance Journey
In this powerful and deeply relatable episode, Jeff Weiss shares how he went from starting his first 10K at age 48 to completing Ironmans, ultra marathons, and…
- The Athlete's Compass
The Second Threshold Explained: LT2, FTP & Critical Power Demystified
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Dr. Paul Laursen and the team break down the science and practical application of the second threshold — also known as…
- The Athlete's Compass
Why More Exercise Doesn’t Always Burn More Calories with Dr. Mikki Williden
In this episode, Dr. Mikki Williden returns to The Athletes Compass to explore the Constrained Energy Model, a concept reshaping how athletes and coaches think…
- The Athlete's Compass
The Athlete’s Guide to Smarter Warmups
In this episode of Athlete’s Compass, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai explore the overlooked yet critical elements of pre-race…
- The Athlete's Compass
How a Late Start Led to World Championships: Jerome’s Triathlon Story
In this episode, triathlete Jerome Guionnet shares his inspiring transformation from a non-competitive French parent to a world-class age-group triathlete…
- The Athlete's Compass
HIIT: The Secret Weapon for Endurance Athletes
In this episode, the Athletes Compass team dives into the physiology and performance science behind 30/30 HIIT intervals—30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. Dr…
- The Athlete's Compass
Why You Need Cross-Training in Your Plan
In Episode 110, the hosts of The Athletes Compass dive into the overlooked powerhouse of endurance training: cross-training. Dr. Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai…
- The Athlete's Compass
ChatGPT meets HIIT Science: Athletica’s New AI Coach
In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, the team introduces Athletica’s newly launched AI coach—an intelligent training assistant that combines large…
- The Athlete's Compass
When Data Stops Helping: Escaping the Trap of Training Metrics
In this episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast, Mollie Brewer—sports scientist and PhD researcher—explores the fine line between using training technology as…
- The Athlete's Compass
Pause, Rest, Reset: A Holiday Guide for Everyday Athletes
In this holiday-themed episode, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai shift the focus away from hustle and mileage to explore the…
- The Athlete's Compass
Your Brain on Race Day: Understanding Pre-Race Anxiety
In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, co-hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai unpack the often-overlooked reality of race day anxiety…
- The Athlete's Compass
Train Your Mind Like You Train Your Body with Ashley Eckermann
In this episode, the Athletes Compass team talks with Ashley Eckermann, a seasoned sports psychologist and Ironman athlete, about how athletes can shift from…
- The Athlete's Compass
The Power of Listening to Your Heart Rate
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, the team—Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai—dives into the world of heart rate. They break down what…
- The Athlete's Compass
Why Slow and Steady Actually Wins: The Power of Zone 2
In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, the hosts explore the often-underestimated power of Zone 2 training—effort levels that allow for relaxed…
- The Athlete's Compass
Why You’re Not Getting Fitter: The Truth About Plateaus
Every athlete—beginner, elite, or aging—eventually hits a frustrating plateau where progress stalls despite hard work. In this insightful episode, the team…
- The Athlete's Compass
Why Endurance Athletes Need More Than a Training Plan with Jared Markiewicz
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, performance coach and speaker Jared Markiewicz shares how the disciplines of motivation, consistency, and…
- The Athlete's Compass
Human Coach vs. AI: What Endurance Athletes Really Need To Know
In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai explore the evolving role of the coach in an age where AI…
- The Athlete's Compass
Insulin 101: What Every Endurance Athlete Needs to Know
In this insightful episode, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai break down the crucial topic of insulin sensitivity and resistance—a…
- The Athlete's Compass
How Periodization Builds Performance Without Burnout
In this episode of The Athlete's Compass, Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski break down the concept of periodization — the practice of structuring…
- The Athlete's Compass
From Comments to Coaching: Unlocking Athletica’s Emotional Data with Dr. Andrea Zignoli
In this episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast, the team is joined by Andrea Zignoli to explore a unique research study conducted within the Athletica…
- The Athlete's Compass
What Actually Works? Dr. Jeff Sankoff Breaks Down Endurance Performance Science
In this episode of Athletes Compass, hosts Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen welcome Dr. Jeff Sankoff—emergency physician, triathlon coach, and host of the…
- The Athlete's Compass
Setting Smarter Goals for Endurance Success
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and coach Marjaana Rakai unpack the difference between outcome goals and…
- The Athlete's Compass
Menopause, Muscle & Myths: What the Science Really Says with Dr. Tony Boutagy
In this powerful episode of The Athletes’ Compass, Dr. Tony Boutagy, a seasoned strength and conditioning coach, brings clarity to the often-confusing world of…
- The Athlete's Compass
Post-Race Blues: What Happens After the Finish Line?
In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen tackle a topic many endurance athletes experience but…