If you’ve been following me or listening to this podcast for a while you probably know that I’m a huge fan of sleep. 4 years ago I purchased one of the first generation Whoop sleep & fitness trackers. I can tell you that it has changed my whole approach to training and recovery. That's why I’m delighted to be joined on this week's podcast by Mike Lombardi, Strategic Partnerships and Performance Manager at Whoop.

Mike has been at WHOOP since 2018, and he works with elite athletes, teams, and brands. He spent the last decade in high performance working with athletes from Princeton University and coaching rowers to the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. He has also worked with several CrossFit Teams and athletes who have made it to the CrossFit Games.

This is another really insightful conversation and I hope that we can share some of the enthusiasm that we both have for Whoop and why it would be a good addition to your sleep and recovery tracking.

We chatted about lots of topics including….

5:16 - Whoop data, sticking to the 70mph speed limit and why mindfulness is the key

14:15 - Three Pillars of Whoop data measurement

17:30 - Why you should use a smartwatch like a Garmin/Suunto and a Whoop

32:55 - Who are the typical Whoop users

34:15 - Why Whoop is a behaviour modification tool

37:00 - Respiratory rate and how it became a key indicator for COVID sufferers

42:00 - Why adjusting training in response to Whoop data can help you to be more consistent with your training in the long term

53:15 - Why regular movement practice can reduce pain and increase HRV and sleep

56:40 - Breathing practice and how it can lead to better sleep and recovery

65:00 - 3 benefits you will get from using Whoop

 

 

If you would like to follow Mike you can find him on Instagram @lombardimichael

 

To find out more about Whoop, please visit their website, https://www.whoop.com/

 

If you would like to sign up for a Whoop subscription and receive $30 off your first payment then please use this code join.whoop.com/simonward

 

Below are additional links from the Whoop website for content you might find interesting!

The ultimate guide to heart rate variability: https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/heart-rate-variability-hrv/

How alcohol impacts recovery, sleep, and more: https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/podcast-43-alcohol-affects-sleep-recovery-performance/

Why is sleep so important: https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/podcast-55-sleep-impacts-performance/

An interesting one on a few veterans using WHOOP and psychedelics for mental health / ptsd recovery: https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/psychedelics-veterans-ptsd-impact-whoop-data/

A member who used his own WHOOP data to identify a heart attack: https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/data-saved-my-life-heart-attack/

Validation on our sleep measurement: https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/how-well-whoop-measures-sleep/

Looking at COVID-19 and how knowing your baseline can change your understanding of health: http://www.whoop.com/thelocker/case-studies-respiratory-rate-covid-19/

How different COVID vaccines impact recovery based on member data: https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/podcast-121-covid-vaccines-doses-heart-rate-sleep/ 

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