Simon Ward, Be Battle Ready - The podcast for strength, resilience, and longevity

Blood Flow Restriction, Vo2 Max, Longevity & the Science of Smart Training – with Martin Whitaker


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In this episode, Simon chats with Martin Whitaker — a performance coach and PhD researcher specialising in blood flow restriction (BFR) training — about powerful tools for boosting performance, enhancing recovery, and staying fit for life.

Topics Discussed:

  • What is blood flow restriction training and how does it work?
  • Strength and hypertrophy gains with lower loads
  • Case studies from ACL rehab and elite football clubs
  • VO₂ Max development using low-intensity interval training with BFR
  • Using BFR for recovery, tapering, and mid-competition maintenance
  • Who should not use BFR (health contraindications like DVT or AFib)
  • Why VO₂ Max matters for longevity (Peter Attia’s “Centenarian Decathlon” idea)
  • How to structure high-intensity VO₂ Max intervals for over-50s
  • The importance of fat max, fractional utilisation, and fuelling strategy
  • Quotes:

    “VO₂ Max is a bit of a vanity number for athletes… but it’s also one of the strongest predictors of longevity.” — Martin Whitaker

    “BFR lets you get the same strength gains at 20–40% of 1RM that you'd usually need 70% for.”
    “High-intensity work gets harder with age — but it also gets more important.”

    Call to Action:

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    • Resources & Links:

      • Saga Fitness BFR cuffs
      • Research paper on BFR safety - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6530612/
      • VO₂ Max tables and fat oxidation graphs (shared by Martin)
      • Join Simon’s SWAT Inner Circle: [Insert link]
      • Learn more about Martin

        Website - https://onetakefitness.com/

        Facebook - OneTakeFitness

        Instagram: Personal - MartinWhitaker

                            Business - OneTakeFit

         

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          Simon Ward, Be Battle Ready - The podcast for strength, resilience, and longevityBy Simon Ward

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