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Find Tactical Alpinism on Instagram here

You can find Mauri's podcast on Spotify or on Apple Podcasts

You can download a copy of Mauri’s thesis, “Relationship Between the Lactate Thresholds and Endurance Performance in Trained Runners” here

In this episode we're returning to the topic of how mountain athletes and tactical athletes have similar fitness demands. Mauri is particularly qualified to discuss this topic since he is a bit of both. His perspectives include being an infantry officer, alpinist, coach to endurance athletes, certified mountain guide, and more.

Mauri served in a multitude of leadership roles as an infantry officer in the US Army. During that service he applied many advanced planning and navigation techniques to make mountain missions successful. He adapted the military's operational planning process for use in the mountains by combining military planning and navigation techniques with mountain objectives.

He now leads Tactical Alpinism, where he provides training and education for both tactical professionals and civilians pursuing high levels of performance in the mountains. This includes both physical training and technical mountain navigation.

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A few weeks ago we mentioned that the Navy provides pilots with human performance resources, but it turns out we were wrong! A common complaint in that community is "I've been told my entire career that I'm an athlete, but I haven't been treated like one." Our guest this week is a Sports Medicine MD who is working on several initiatives to bring human performance resources to the fleet.

We'll forgive him for his past affiliation with Navy football.

Commander Kevin Bernstein, MD, MMS, CAQSM, FAAFP is currently Director of Sports and Performance Medicine for Naval Special Warfare Group TWO in Virginia Beach, VA. He is also Chairman of the Human Performance Sub-Community for Navy Medicine’s Neuro-Musculoskeletal Readiness Community and Specialty Leader for Navy Primary Care Sports Medicine. He is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

He received his Bachelor of Science in pre-medicine with minors in biology and Jewish studies from the Pennsylvania State University, and his Master of Medical Science and Medical Degree from Drexel University College of Medicine. He completed residency training at Naval Hospital Pensacola where he served as Chief Resident, and fellowship training in Sports Medicine at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton.

After residency, he reported to Fleet Surgical Team SEVEN forward-deployed 24 months as staff Family Physician on 5 patrols augmenting medical support aboard 3 large deck amphibious platforms (LHA 5, LHD 6, LCC-19) in support of amphibious and expeditionary exercises in 7th Fleet.

He then reported to Naval Health Clinic Annapolis, serving as Team Physician for 10 NCAA D1 teams including Navy football, Director for Public Health, Chair of the Medical Executive Committee, and Sports Medicine faculty for 5 GME residency programs and USUHS medical students.

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This week's episode is just the two of us, and we're discussing a topic that we've referenced a few times on social media: Nazareth Syndrome. One of the simplest ways to explain this phenomenon is "nobody trusts the hometown kid." The origins of this idea are biblical (Jesus was rejected by his own community because to them he was just the carpenter they knew), but the applications are very practical.

Have you ever seen a leader latch onto an idea from a guest speaker or outside consultant that their subordinates have been trying to explain for ages? That's because human nature makes us more receptive to these messages from outsides than from people we're too familiar.

In this conversation we break down how this affects the military, and specifically how it plays out in human performance settings (both within teams, and between the teams and the units they support).

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In the final part of this series we cover several topics we didn't get enough clarity on in the first two segments: an update on MAHA, Lifestyle Medicine, and how research could be better communicated.

Rachele Pojednic, PhD, EdM, FACSM, is the Director of Scientific Research & Education at Restore Hyper Wellness, an Adjunct Lecturer at Stanford University and the Director of Education at Stanford Lifestyle Medicine. In addition, she serves as a Research Associate at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School and is an award-winning Instructor at the Harvard Extension School. Previously, she was a tenure-track faculty member at Norwich University and Simmons University.

For the past decade, Dr Pojednic’s work has examined nutrition, supplementation and physical activity interventions on muscle physiology, performance and recovery, as well as muscle related chronic disease. She has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Vermont Biomedical Research Network (VBRN) an NIH IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program. She has published extensively on vitamin D and cannabidiol (CBD) supplementation and their effects on skeletal muscle in health and disease, muscle physiology and aging with a focus on sarcopenia, physiologic metrics of muscle recovery in warfighters, the effects of nutrition and exercise interventions on diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, and educational models for healthcare professionals focused on nutrition and exercise.

Dr. Pojednic received her PhD in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition & Exercise Physiology from Tufts University. She also holds a Masters in Education in Physical Education and Coaching from Boston University and a BS in Cardiopulmonary and Exercise Science from Northeastern University. 

She holds a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification from National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and is board certified Health Coach from the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC).

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In part 2 of this 3 part series we finally get to the primary topic we invited Rachele onto the podcast to talk about: the gap between human performance research and the practitioners who work to implement it every day.

Some specific topics include the the state of human performance research, consumer trends, recovery modalities, supplements, and how all these things get funded.

Rachele Pojednic, PhD, EdM, FACSM, is the Director of Scientific Research & Education at Restore Hyper Wellness, an Adjunct Lecturer at Stanford University and the Director of Education at Stanford Lifestyle Medicine. In addition, she serves as a Research Associate at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School and is an award-winning Instructor at the Harvard Extension School. Previously, she was a tenure-track faculty member at Norwich University and Simmons University.

For the past decade, Dr Pojednic’s work has examined nutrition, supplementation and physical activity interventions on muscle physiology, performance and recovery, as well as muscle related chronic disease. She has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Vermont Biomedical Research Network (VBRN) an NIH IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program. She has published extensively on vitamin D and cannabidiol (CBD) supplementation and their effects on skeletal muscle in health and disease, muscle physiology and aging with a focus on sarcopenia, physiologic metrics of muscle recovery in warfighters, the effects of nutrition and exercise interventions on diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, and educational models for healthcare professionals focused on nutrition and exercise.

Dr. Pojednic received her PhD in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition & Exercise Physiology from Tufts University. She also holds a Masters in Education in Physical Education and Coaching from Boston University and a BS in Cardiopulmonary and Exercise Science from Northeastern University. 

She holds a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification from National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and is board certified Health Coach from the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC).

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When we hit record on this conversation, we thought it would be a single episode focused on bridging the gap between academia and practice, but we quickly realized that Rachele had a wealth of information to share. This will be part 1 of a 3 part series, and it all revolves around science communication.

Some specific topics include the roles of different professions within human performance, lifestyle medicine, supplements, and the challenges of making sure research is relevant and useful.

Rachele Pojednic, PhD, EdM, FACSM, is the Director of Scientific Research & Education at Restore Hyper Wellness, an Adjunct Lecturer at Stanford University and the Director of Education at Stanford Lifestyle Medicine. In addition, she serves as a Research Associate at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School and is an award-winning Instructor at the Harvard Extension School. Previously, she was a tenure-track faculty member at Norwich University and Simmons University.

For the past decade, Dr Pojednic’s work has examined nutrition, supplementation and physical activity interventions on muscle physiology, performance and recovery, as well as muscle related chronic disease. She has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Vermont Biomedical Research Network (VBRN) an NIH IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program. She has published extensively on vitamin D and cannabidiol (CBD) supplementation and their effects on skeletal muscle in health and disease, muscle physiology and aging with a focus on sarcopenia, physiologic metrics of muscle recovery in warfighters, the effects of nutrition and exercise interventions on diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, and educational models for healthcare professionals focused on nutrition and exercise.

Dr. Pojednic received her PhD in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition & Exercise Physiology from Tufts University. She also holds a Masters in Education in Physical Education and Coaching from Boston University and a BS in Cardiopulmonary and Exercise Science from Northeastern University. 

She holds a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification from National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and is board certified Health Coach from the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC).

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This is a quick hits episode! Instead of spending an hour on a specific topic, we hustle through a series of hot topics that either address current events, add to previous episodes we've done, or just don't quite make the cut for a full episode of their own.

These topics include:

- Athletic Trainers in the military

- The nomination of Casey Means for Surgeon General

- The validity of the Standing Power Throw

- Some concerns with the new combat standards

- Are frequent changes to fitness standards a problem?

- How the side shuffle got added to the sprint drag carry

- Do alternate cardio events need full scoring scales?

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One of the classic problems with tactical strength and conditioning is that, unlike many athletic settings, you can't assume a common baseline level of fitness. Even in combat arms units, it's normal to have extremely wide ranges of fitness levels in the same unit. The same platoon might have powerlifters, distance runners, and gamers who would rather not exercise at all.

In this episode Nate Palin joins us to share some lessons learned about navigating this challenge. He has coached diverse populations ranging from civilians to special operators, all of whom have influenced his current perspective. We touch on a number of important topics:

• Novelty in training can significantly impact engagement

• Barbells are not always the primary tool in tactical training
• Engagement and enjoyment are crucial for participation in training
• Coaching relationships are essential for effective training outcomes
• Lifestyle conversations often take precedence over strict programming
• Real-time monitoring can enhance training effectiveness and safety

• Performance programs focus on pushing limits, while wellness programs aim to elevate the baseline
• Wellness and high performance are interconnected

• Tactical professionals have diverse roles beyond physicality

• Knowledge sharing is vital for effective coaching
• Motivation is a leader's responsibility, not just a coach's
• Hard work remains the foundation of success in training

On the week's episode we're getting "clickbaity with integrity" in the words of our guest, Dr. Alyssa "Lyss" Olenick. Between her social media presence as @doclyssfitness and her powerhouse training business The Lyss Method she's a big deal as both a coach and a science communicator.

We've been working on getting her on the podcast for over a year, and she definitely delivered. You'll hear about everything from her husband's hair journey to training for Hyrox to running ultramarathons.

As far as credentials, Lyss has a bachelors in health science from Lockhaven University, a masters in exercise physiology from Western Kentucky University and a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Georgia where she looked specifically at sex differences and female metabolism. She also holds a CrossFit level 2 certification and she's a Certified Sports Nutritionist through ISSN.

If you like what you hear, she offers a ton of great content including both free and paid resources. Training programs, a newsletter, blog articles, ebooks, and more.

We first became aware of the story at the heart of this episode over three years ago. Details were scarce at the time, but we knew that heat casualties had been a major issue for units at Defener Pacific... except for one company that was completely unaffected. And as it turned out, that company had been doing afternoon physical training to deliberately prepare for the heat (plus leveraging H2F experts to optimize the training).

Our guest for this episode was the commander of that company at the time, and he provides a ton of insight into how good training management left his company with zero heat casualties while the battalion experienced 45.

MAJ Christian Wardynski is an Instructor of Economics in the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point, which he also graduated from in 2014. After graduating Engineer BOLC, Chris served in the 54th BEB, 173rd IBCT in Vicenza, Italy as a Light Equipment PL, Sapper PL, and BN Air Officer. Most recently, he served as the Company Commander for Bravo Company, 37th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from West Point, a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago where he also served as a fellow at the Pearson Institute. Chris and his wife, Jackie, have four daughters.
He also provided a bunch of clarifying notes that we'll share here:
He said the DoD vs. VA alignment is a Principal-Agent Problem, but as he described it, it would probably fit the definition of a negative externality better - the DoD's decisions to "overuse"/ or under-rehabilitate soldiers impose uncompensated long-term healthcare costs on the VA (and thus the taxpayer); same for the current commander not considering the cost savings of proper rehabilitation/physical resiliency of soldiers for the next commander. Regardless, both principal-agent issue and externality issue apply. You can tell by this correction that he's a true econ instructor...
For additional context on the heat acclimation they started in May 2021, they had Company STX the second week of June and he initially started reverse cycle PT to see if it'd help soldiers with performance during the STX event. They executed 9x ESB-style lanes focused on individual soldier and engineer tasks, and covered over 30 miles under load in 24 hours. As a bit of risk management for the event, he mandated that all soldiers had to eat at least the main meal of the MRE and a side, or three sides total if not eating the main meal, as well as the entire salt/electrolyte packet every four hours during the event. If they found any soldier who ate less than the required amount, it would result in a summarized article 15 (if there were no extenuating circumstances). It was on the TLs to decide if they needed to eat more frequently and if they wanted to eat on the move or not. Team leaders led their own teams movement through all the lanes and to each station. This provided a great opportunity for them to exercise some initiative and leadership. Surprisingly, zero heat casualties during this crucible event for the ~80 soldiers that completed it, despite a peak ~95 degree heat index in that timeframe.
Regarding Defender Pacific, when he arrived to his company assembly area after the jump, his soldiers looked utterly unphased and appeared completely fresh. The BN TF, however, had about 45 heat casualties by that time. After the BN TF mission was complete, they had a 7 mi ruck to the training area where they'd rest overnight, and his soldiers handled the movement without any issue whatsoever. He did note that they did not have a very hard follow on mission, whereas most other companies in the BN TF had some pretty physically arduous movements/follow-on missions.