Join us as Dylan McKay shares insights from his unique background in military bomb disposal to challenge myths around breathing techniques. This episode explores how individualised breathing behaviours influence performance, safety, and recovery in high-stakes environments.

• The influence of breathing behaviour under pressure and in high-stakes decision-making
• The importance of understanding individual differences in breathing responses to stress
• The myth versus reality of common breathing techniques like box breathing, physiological sighs, and nasal breathing
• The physiological complexity behind breath-hold skills like in freediving, and their relevance to performance
• The critical role of psychological beliefs and behavioural lenses in breathing interventions
• Risks and limitations of popular tools like capnography, Bolt score, and wearable sleep devices in performance contexts
• The need for self-awareness and personalised training over generic techniques
• How to approach breathing as a self-exploration process for better resilience and performance

Dylan McKay is a human performance specialist and faculty member of the Professional School of Behavioural Health Sciences. He is the founder of the Performance Breathing System®, an evidence-based approach to optimising health and operational performance through applied breathing science. 

Dylan previously served as an EOD Commander in the New Zealand Special Forces and led the unit’s Human Performance Programme, with a focus on helping people operate effectively under pressure and recover from the operational demands. Today, he specialises in breathing science (not trend-led “breathwork”), using assessment-led education and breathing behavioural analysis to support practical, individualised change, particularly for people working in high-stress, high-reliability roles.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-mckay1/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/rendersafe/about/ 

https://www.rendersafe.co.uk/ 

01:14 Stress Breathing Is Individual

03:15 Dylan’s EOD Background

05:49 Why Box Breathing Took Off

08:58 Looking at Breathing Through Behavioral Lens 

10:38 Defining Dysfunctional Breathing

12:47 Physiological Sigh Mythbusting

15:07 Capnography and CO2 Reality

19:49 Nasal Breathing and Mouth Taping

21:53 Airway Structure vs Behavior

25:57 Mouth Taping Risks at Night

27:29 Belief Versus Hype

28:38 Tummo Breathing

32:35 States Versus Traits

34:21 Capnography Vs Bolt Scores

37:44 Free Diving And Evidence

40:01 Breathing Bumper Stickers

41:14 Self Awareness Practice

45:33 Wearables And HRV

49:59 Box Breathing Reality

52:22 Closing Thanks And Wrap

This episode emphasises the complexity, individuality, and psychological dimensions of breathing in high-performance settings. Dylan McKay advocates for a scientific, personalised approach grounded in self-awareness rather than relying on popular myths or quick fixes. Tune in to rethink how breathing fits into your performance puzzle.

For more expert-led conversations delivering evidence-based strategies to help you perform, recover, and adapt in high-pressure environments, check out our website https://www.ophp.co.uk/

If you found this podcast valuable, please take a moment to rate, share & review.  If you have feedback, guest suggestions or topics that you'd love us to cover, then do email us at [email protected] or connect with us on LinkedIn. 

Edited and produced by Bess Manley

Thanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.

This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.

For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:

www.ophp.co.uk

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/

Instagram: @ophumanperformance

If you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the very qualities that make you exceptional are also putting your long-term health and career at risk?

In this episode of the Optimising Human Performance Podcast, Martin Jones sits down with strength and conditioning coach Rob Wilson, whose clients include elite athletes, firefighters and the US Special Operations community. They explore why high performers are so good at pushing through fatigue, pain and stress—and why that's often exactly what leads to burnout, injury and declining performance later on.

Rob shares his powerful "Check Engine Light" framework for recognising early warning signs before they become career-ending problems, discusses the hidden costs of constantly ignoring your body's signals, and offers practical ways to build performance longevity without sacrificing excellence.

For people working in defence, emergency services, elite sport, healthcare, leadership or any high-performance profession, this conversation will change how you think about resilience, recovery and sustainable performance. 

• Why high performers often become experts at ignoring the very signals that matter most. 
• The difference between performing well today and performing well for decades. 
• Why burnout, injury and breakdown rarely happen overnight. 
• How Rob's "Check Engine Light" analogy helps identify early warning signs. 
• Why "self-care" often fails with high-performing professionals and the language that works instead. 
• How to think about recovery as performance longevity rather than weakness. 
• The hidden costs of relying on caffeine, nicotine and other performance aids. 
• Where wearable technology can genuinely help and where it can mislead. 

Rob Wilson is a Human Performance Specialist with over twenty years of experience in manual therapy, coaching, and education. His work spans multiple avenues within health and human performance, including the creation of global seminars and curricula, the development of best practices, and the registration of several trademarks.

Over the last decade, Rob has been a pioneer in researching and applying breath control practices for both health and high-level performance. He has shared his work with organisations such as the UFC Performance Institute, ALTIS, and U.S. and Allied Special Forces.

For the past two years, Rob has worked closely with the Navy SEAL Foundation as a regular consultant, with his Check Engine Light classes serving as a component of the Continue Mission/Warrior Fitness Program. Beyond his professional work, Rob is a lifelong martial artist and surfer, as well as a devoted husband and father. When he’s not buried in research, you can usually find him on the mats, in the water, or at home with his wife and their many animals.

https://www.instagram.com/thecheckenginelight/?hl=en

https://www.thecheckenginelightbook.com/

https://www.wilsonhealthandperformance.com/ 

02:08 Effort Vs Rest

03:50 Debt Collector Moment

05:05 Managing Performance Costs

06:48 Nicotine as Compensation

09:14 Rituals and Reset Systems

11:17 Rob Wilson Background

13:36 Self Care Reframed

16:14 Sleep and Longevity Costs

19:34 Cost Less to Be You

20:39 Check Engine Light Concept

22:59 Dashboard Signals and Maintenance

26:43 Toughness and Dissociation

30:08 Finding Better Indicators

31:41 M3 Mind Movement Matter

33:53 Building Awareness Habits

35:24 Wearables and Calibration

41:15 HRV Scores and Context

44:56 Wrap Up and Next Steps

45:52 Love the Long Game

For more expert-led conversations delivering evidence-based strategies to help you perform, recover, and adapt in high-pressure environments, check out our website https://www.ophp.co.uk/

If you found this podcast valuable, please take a moment to rate, share & review.  If you have feedback, guest suggestions or topics that you'd love us to cover, then do email us at [email protected] or connect with us on LinkedIn. 

Edited and produced by Bess Manley

Thanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.

This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.

For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:

www.ophp.co.uk

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/

Instagram: @ophumanperformance

If you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Optimising Human Performance Podcast, Martin sits down with Air Commodore Robin Caine, Head of UK Military Flying Training, to explore the psychology of decision-making under pressure.

Robin explains how RAF pilots are trained to remain calm in extreme situations, trust their training over emotion, and make effective decisions when time is short.

The conversation explores how these same principles can help leaders, athletes, business professionals, and anyone working in high-pressure environments make better decisions, communicate more effectively, and improve performance.

You'll also hear about Combat Edge, the RAF's pioneering human performance programme that combines psychology, coaching, data, and leadership development to build more capable and resilient aviators.

Rob Caine is an Air Commodore and 1* Head of UK Military Flying Training and a former fast-jet pilot and Qualified Weapons Instructor with over thirty years’ experience operating and leading in complex, high-risk environments. He has commanded at squadron and group level and is responsible for the performance, training, and operational readiness of future Royal Air Force aircrew. He is passionate about making UK flying training an exemplar of holistic high performance through the Combat Edge Programme.

Throughout his 30 year career, Rob has operated at the sharp end of decision-making under pressure — from tactical flying at low level to leading large-scale transformation programmes within UK defence. His work focuses on improving judgement, resilience, and execution in environments where uncertainty, time compression, and consequence are constant.

Rob completed the UK Higher Command and Staff Course (HCSC) in 2024, an advanced programme attended by a select cohort of senior cross-government and NATO leaders preparing for strategic-level command. He holds a Master’s degree and applies contemporary research in decision science, performance psychology, and systems thinking to his leadership and advisory work.

In developing his upcoming book, Decision Advantage, Rob has drawn not only on his operational experience but also on extended interviews with senior military leaders and high-performance practitioners. These contributors provide operational insight at the highest levels of command and performance, strengthening the book’s perspective on leadership and judgement in complex systems.

Alongside his military role, Rob is the founder of Decision Systems Group, an executive advisory practice focused on Decision Quality in Complexity (DQX). Through keynote speaking, executive programmes, podcasts, and advisory partnerships, he works with senior leaders to strengthen clarity, cohesion, and strategic execution under pressure. His long-term aim is to establish Decision Quality as a practical operating system for leaders and coaches navigating modern complexity.

This combination of operational command and cognitive performance expertise enables Rob to translate military-grade clarity into practical tools for corporate and public-sector leaders.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-caine-mbe/ 

https://www.rafnews.co.uk/ 

Email: [email protected]

00:38 Meet Robin Caine

01:38 Night Goggles Scare

03:53 Trust Instruments

07:49 Action Info Control

10:18 Sit On Hands

13:42 Pressure Beyond Cockpit

15:37 Team Sport Aviation

18:11 Training Without Time

21:54 Simple Tools Win

24:27 Talent Trust Training

27:56 Potential Minus Interference

30:05 Weapons Course Struggle

30:41 Failing the Course

32:02 Perfection Myth

33:01 Risk and Learning Culture

36:15 Decision Points

37:30 Good Enough Training

38:35 Live vs Sim Debate

42:24 Combat Edge Explained

45:20 Building the Program

49:41 Future Vision and Innovation

53:57 Coaching Culture Shift

Thanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.

This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.

For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:

www.ophp.co.uk

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/

Instagram: @ophumanperformance

If you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do the best coaches and instructors often find it so difficult to explain exactly what makes them effective? And why do some people keep getting better while others 

In this episode of Optimising Human Performance, Martin sits down with coach developer and researcher Jamie Taylor to explore the science and practice of learning, coaching, skill acquisition and high performance. 

Whether you're leading a team, coaching others, building expertise in your profession, or simply trying to avoid becoming someone who repeats the same year of experience over and over again, this conversation will give you practical ways to think differently about learning and performance.

• The difference between experience and expertise
• Why adaptability sits at the heart of expert performance
• What cognitive task analysis can teach us 
• The role of mistakes and error-based learning
• Coaching and instruction under pressure
• Reflection, critical friends and professional development
• How to develop better coaches, instructors and leaders

• Experience is not expertise
• Learning requires challenge
• Feedback drives improvement
• Expert knowledge is often hidden

Jamie Taylor is an Associate Professor at Dublin City University, where he co-leads CoEx|Lab. His research and applied practice is focused on improving expertise and performance in sport.

As a practitioner, he works with coaches and organisations across Olympic/Paralympic, professional, academy, and international sport, translating research into tools for understanding and developing coaching practice and skill acquisition. 

Jamie’s email: [email protected]

Jamie on LinkedIn

Cognitive Task Analysis 

Critical Decision Making 

Link to Naturalistic Decision Making Association

01:17 Experience vs Expertise

02:53 Helping Experienced People Adapt

06:17 Making Tacit Skills Explicit

07:07 Cognitive Task Analysis

09:10 When Coaching Practice Doesn’t Reflect Reality

10:36 Error Based Learning

12:51 Desirable Difficulty

14:06 Coaching Groups at Scale

15:45 Standards and Superhumans

19:53 Pressure Transfer and Feedback

24:59 Critical Friends and Refraction

27:48 Burnout and Micro Innovations

31:00 Ethics of Experimentation

32:29 DIY Cognitive Task Analysis

35:27 Redesigning Training Big Rocks

37:59 Are Great Coaches Born

39:47 Closing Thoughts and Wrap Up

For more expert-led conversations delivering evidence-based strategies to help you perform, recover, and adapt in high-pressure environments, check out our website https://www.ophp.co.uk/

Hosted by Human Performance specialist, researcher and educator Dr Martin I. Jones.

If you found this podcast valuable, please take a moment to rate, share & review.  If you have feedback, guest suggestions, or topics you'd love us to cover, email us at [email protected] or connect with us on LinkedIn. 

Thanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.

This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.

For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:

www.ophp.co.uk

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/

Instagram: @ophumanperformance

If you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people choose supplements by guesswork.

They walk into a shop, pick something off the shelf, follow the same dosage as everyone else, and hope it works. But if two people have different bodies, diets, training demands, genetics, and recovery needs, why would the same supplement plan work equally well for both?

In this episode, Dr Martin Jones speaks with Theo Wiley, founder of Myoform, about the science of personalised supplementation and why the future of performance, recovery and health may be far more individualised than the current supplement industry suggests.

Theo explains how genetics, biomarkers, wearables, lifestyle data and testing could change the way we approach nutrition. He also breaks down which supplements have the strongest evidence, where people waste money, and why quality control in the supplement industry matters more than most consumers realise.

This conversation is for athletes, coaches, leaders and anyone who wants to make better decisions about supplements, recovery, energy, health and long-term performance.

Why the same supplement can produce different results in different people

How genetics may influence nutrient needs, recovery and performance

Why one-size-fits-all supplement advice is often flawed

Which supplements have the strongest evidence behind them

How biomarkers, wearables and genetic testing could personalise health decisions

Why placebo effects can still influence performance

The risks of contamination and poor quality control in supplements

What personalised health could look like over the next five years

Why creatine, vitamin D, omega-3 and protein remain key evidence-based options

Theo Wiley is a scientist, entrepreneur, and founder building at the intersection of genomics and human performance. With a background in human biosciences, he's spent a decade in biotech and gene therapies, working across neurodegenerative disorders and rare diseases. Now, as the co-founder and CEO of Myoform, he applies the principles of precision medicine to health and performance. Myoform is an AI-driven platform that combines whole-genome sequencing, blood biomarkers, wearable data, and lifestyle inputs to generate personalised supplement formulations that update over time based on an individual's biology. Based in London and operating across the UK and the US, he leads a team that turns cutting-edge science into everyday health decisions. Today, Theo is focused on proving that nutrition built around a person's own biology can optimise how they train, recover, and live.

Connect with Theo:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theo-wiley-877457103/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theo.wiley_/

Myoform: https://myoform.io/

Research resource mentioned: https://examine.com/

00:11 Do Supplements Work?

02:18 Creatine And Genetics

04:15 Four Keys To Results

05:45 Founding Myoform 

07:35 Why Personalization Matters

10:04 The Microbiome 

12:45 How Myoform Works

15:24 Genomics And Risk Scores

19:15 Magnesium And Placebo

21:31 Using Wearables

26:23 Traits And Injury Risk

29:34 Nootropics And Brain Boosts

35:58 Quality Control And Safety

38:34 Budget Personalisation Basics

42:15 Future Of Health Data

45:32 Closing Thoughts And Links

For more expert-led conversations delivering evidence-based strategies to help you perform, recover, and adapt in high-pressure environments, check out our website https://www.ophp.co.uk/

Hosted by Human Performance specialist, researcher, and educator Dr Martin I. Jones.

If you found this podcast valuable, please take a moment to rate, share & review.  If you have feedback, guest suggestions or topics that you'd love us to cover, then do email us at [email protected] or connect with us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/ 

Edited and produced by Bess Manley

Thanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.

This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.

For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:

www.ophp.co.uk

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/

Instagram: @ophumanperformance

If you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’re drinking more coffee. Taking more supplements. Sleeping longer when you can.

Yet your energy still crashes. Your focus disappears. Your recovery feels slower. And your nervous system feels permanently switched on.

In this episode of the Optimising Human Performance Podcast, human performance scientist Phil Learney unpacks why so many ambitious people feel exhausted despite investing heavily in their health, productivity, and performance.

Phil explains how modern lifestyles create chronic nervous system overload, why recovery has become one of the biggest missing links in performance, and how sleep influences everything from cognitive function and metabolism to emotional regulation and resilience.

The conversation also explores caffeine dependence, overstimulation, supplement quality, stress regulation, behavioural habits, and why sustainable performance starts with understanding capacity.

If you want more energy, better recovery, clearer thinking, and performance that lasts, this episode delivers a practical framework for understanding what actually moves the needle.

• Why sleep remains one of the highest leverage performance tools available
• How chronic stress impacts energy, focus, and recovery
• Why many supplements fail to produce meaningful results
• The relationship between caffeine and nervous system capacity
• How overstimulation reduces long-term performance
• Why recovery influences cognitive and physical performance
• The role of routines, habits, and behavioural consistency
• How elite performance principles apply to everyday life
• Why self-awareness changes how effectively you perform

• Recovery determines long-term performance capacity.
• Sleep influences energy, cognition, emotional regulation, metabolism, and resilience.
• Nervous system overload impacts focus, recovery, and decision-making.
• Supplement quality, sourcing, and dosage matter.
• Caffeine affects people differently depending on stress load and recovery state.
• Consistent habits create more sustainable performance than short-term optimisation tactics.
• Self-awareness improves decision-making around stress, recovery, and workload management.

Phil Learney is a globally recognised human performance expert, sports scientist, and educator with nearly three decades of experience across elite sport, corporate performance, and luxury hospitality.

Phil is the co-founder of HMN24, a neuroscience-led human performance company focused on circadian biology and nervous system regulation, and the founder of the Future Wellness Group, an organisation dedicated to developing science-driven wellness solutions across education, performance environments, and global wellbeing initiatives.

Through his work, Phil helps individuals and organisations unlock higher levels of cognitive, physical, and emotional performance using biologically intelligent strategies.

• LinkedIn: Phil Learney
• Future Wellness Group: futurewellness.education
• HMN24: hmn24.com

00:00 Why High Performers Feel Constantly Exhausted

01:20 Phil Learney’s Journey into Human Performance

03:51 The Truth About Supplements

10:15 Why Most Supplements Don’t Work

14:50 Dosage, Transparency & Ingredient Quality

22:04 Caffeine, Stress & Nervous System Capacity

28:04 Why Sleep Is Still Ignored

32:56 Redefining High Performance

37:35 Where to Find Phil

38:53 Phil’s Final Message on Sleep

39:35 Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts

The Optimising Human Performance Podcast explores evidence-based strategies to help people perform, recover, adapt, and thrive in high-pressure environments.

For more episodes and resources: https://www.ophp.co.uk/

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone looking to improve their energy, recovery, and long-term performance.

For guest suggestions, feedback, or partnerships: [email protected]

Edited and produced by Bess Manley

Thanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.

This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.

For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:

www.ophp.co.uk

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/

Instagram: @ophumanperformance

If you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people think burnout is obvious. That you’ll feel it coming. The reality is, you don’t.

In this episode of the Optimising Human Performance Podcast, former police officer-turned burnout-prevention coach Zane McCormack shares the story of collapsing on the way to work after years of chronic stress, emotional overload, and running on fumes without realising it.

Zane explains why high performers are often the most vulnerable to burnout, how the warning signs slowly compound beneath the surface, and why many people only recognise the damage once their body forces them to stop.

This episode is especially valuable for leaders, high performers, emergency responders, parents, business owners and anyone who feels constantly switched on.

• The five stages of burnout 
• Why burnout often affects capable, motivated people 
• Early warning signs most people ignore 
• How stress changes thinking, emotional regulation, and decision-making 
• The link between identity and overwork 
• Why recovery is more than just sleep 
• The importance of rest, relationships, and boundaries 
• How to build resilience before reaching the breaking point 
• 
  

• Burnout rarely happens overnight 
• High performers often push through warning signs for years 
• Chronic stress reduces resilience and problem-solving ability 
• Emotional regulation narrows during burnout 
• Rest is preventative, not just reactive 
• Relationships are a major protective factor 
• Sustainable performance requires recovery, boundaries, and identity outside work 

Zane McCormack is a burnout prevention coach and trainer who previously served for 16 years with Devon and Cornwall Police. After experiencing severe burnout himself, he now works with individuals and organisations to improve resilience, recovery, and sustainable performance.

Learn more at Zane McCormack

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zane-mccormack-burnout-coach-resilience-trainer/ 

https://www.instagram.com/zane___mccormack/ 

01:49 - The Collapse That Started Everything

03:42 - The Early Warning Signs

06:56 - Burnout Often Hides Until Something Unexpected Happens

08:07 - The Boiling Frog Effect of Stress

09:21 - “The People That Don’t Care Don’t Burn Out”

10:49 - Why Life Outside Work Matters More Than People Think

12:20 - What Was Stopping Him From Recovering Properly

14:01 - Ten Days Without Sleeping or Eating

14:47 - The Bridge Moment That Snapped Him Back

16:20 - Understanding That It Was Burnout, Not Just Trauma

17:05 - The Five Stages of Burnout Explained

22:16 - What To Do If You Recognise Yourself in This Episode

22:53 - The Seven Pillars of Recovery and Resilience

24:55 - Boundaries Between Work and Home

25:13 - Relationships as Protection Against Burnout

25:53 - Doomscrolling, Phones, and Hyperconnectivity

30:31 - Helping High Performers Before They Break

32:48 - Final Advice: Focus on Rest and Relationships

33:14 - Martin’s Closing Reflections on Burnout

For more expert-led conversations delivering evidence-based strategies to help you perform, recover, and adapt in high-pressure environments, check out our website https://www.ophp.co.uk/

Hosted by Human Performance specialist, researcher, and educator Dr Martin Jones & former Royal Army Physical Training Corps Instructor-turned-academic Dr Jon Paul Nevin.

If you found this podcast valuable, please take a moment to rate, share & review. If you have feedback, guest suggestions or topics that you'd love us to cover, then do email us at [email protected] or connect with us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/ 

Edited and produced by Bess Manley

Thanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.

This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.

For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:

www.ophp.co.uk

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/

Instagram: @ophumanperformance

If you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most performance problems aren’t obvious. They’re not in your training plan; they’re not in your effort. They’re in the things you consistently ignore.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr Nick Barringer, performance dietitian, former Army Ranger, and expert in human performance, to break down what actually drives performance, recovery, and longevity.

From nutrition fundamentals to injury prevention to the science behind energy, brain function, and long-term health.

This is a deep dive into the unsexy work that keeps you performing at your best when it matters most.

• Why better nutrition impacts more than just performance 
• The “unsexy” work that prevents injuries and keeps you in the game 
• How small gaps in nutrition and recovery compound over time 
• The real role of creatine in energy, brain health, and longevity 
• Why hydration is still one of the most overlooked performance factors 
• How to think about fueling for high-demand environments 

• Performance isn’t just about how hard you train—it’s how well you support it 
• The basics, done consistently, outperform everything else 
• Injury prevention and stability are often ignored until it’s too late 
• Nutrition impacts energy, cognition, recovery, and long-term health 
• What you ignore is often what takes you out

About the Guest

Dr Nick Barringer is a performance dietitian, former Army Ranger, and expert in human performance. With over two decades of experience working in elite military and performance environments, he specialises in nutrition, recovery, and optimising human capability.

Resources

https://drnickbarringer.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/nickbarringer.phd.rdn/

Chapters

01:13 Creatine Basics Benefits

02:18 Creatine Safety Hydration

04:14 Creatine For Sleep Loss

05:35 Nick Background Military Career

06:59 Ranger School Breakdown

11:13 Ranger School Nutrition Hacks

12:11 Fueling In The Field

14:25 Ranger Athlete Warrior Program

16:27 What Works In Uniform

17:41 Winning Ranger Buy In

19:16 Why Nutrition Matters

20:22 Evolving The Assessments

22:02 Nutrition Testing Tools

23:06 Prep For Ranger School

24:30 Big Rocks Nutrition Plan

26:24 Guinness Pasties Myth

28:23 Closing Advice And Wrap

About the Podcast

For more expert-led conversations delivering evidence-based strategies to help you perform, recover, and adapt in high-pressure environments, check out our website https://www.ophp.co.uk/

Hosted by Human Performance specialist, researcher and educator Dr Martin Jones & former Royal Army Physical Training Corps Instructor turned academic Dr Jon Paul Nevin.

If you found this podcast valuable, please take a moment to rate, share & review. If you have feedback, guest suggestions or topics that you'd love us to cover, then do email us at [email protected] or connect with us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/ 

Production

Edited and produced by Bess Manley

Thanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.

This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.

For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:

www.ophp.co.uk

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/

Instagram: @ophumanperformance

If you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fear is easy to talk about in theory. It is harder when the stakes are high, and you still have to think clearly, lead others, and perform.

In this episode of Optimising Human Performance (OpHP), Martin I Jones speaks with Ash Alexander-Cooper OBE about building resilience, courage in the face of fear, and empowering leadership in high-stakes environments.

You will learn how to stay functional under pressure, why fitness reduces cognitive load, how leaders build trust fast in complex environments, and a simple STOP reset technique to interrupt stress spirals.

Ash shares personal stories that begin with childhood instability and the search for belonging through high-performance music and sport, before an “accidental” decision led to a 20+year military career. Ash explains that resilience is not a personality trait but a capability built through realistic training, repeated exposure, and physical readiness, thereby freeing the mind to think clearly under pressure.

Ash Alexander-Cooper OBE is a former soldier, athlete, artist, and award-winning international musician. During a three-decade career, Ash served as a helicopter pilot, an airborne jungle-warfare and counter-terrorism specialist, and spent seven years deployed in some of the world's most challenging environments. Wounded multiple times, Ash proudly supports several veteran charities as a vocal mental health campaigner and advocate. Since retiring from the military, he's focused on leadership and resilience, and he's now a sought-after international keynote speaker and strategic advisor supporting those seeking to overcome adversity, adapt, and win in today's increasingly complex world.

Hosted by Martin I. Jones https://www.ophp.co.uk 

Produced & edited by Bess Manley

• Why resilience is often forged through hardship, not discovered through motivation
• How realistic training and stress exposure build functional calm under pressure
• Why physical fitness can reduce cognitive load and improve decision-making
• A leadership model for complexity: trust, purpose, shared consciousness, empowered execution
• How authentic leaders share context, invite challenge, and empower teams rather than control them
• A practical reset tool: the STOP technique to interrupt stress spirals

Ash’s website: https://www.ashalexcooper.com/ 

Ash’s book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/mindful-soldier/ash-alexander-cooper/9781529450644

Follow Ash on X https://twitter.com/ashalexcooper

Follow Ash on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashalexcooper/

Follow Ash on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ashalexcooper/ 

00:00 Welcome and guest introduction

00:26 Resilience and courage teaser

01:43 Meet Ash Alexander-Cooper

02:01 From music to military

03:04 Why he wrote the book

04:27 Childhood instability and its impact

06:08 Refuge in teams and performance

08:50 An accidental start to a military career

11:36 Why he stayed in

13:36 First ambush, injury, and trauma

16:02 How training builds resilience

19:09 Stress exposure without combat

19:45 Physical fitness frees the mind

21:56 Human performance and adaptation

24:12 Brain sabotage in racing

25:50 Accidental marathon fueling

26:43 Leadership basics that matter

27:14 Team of Teams framework

31:41 Building trust fast

34:15 Complexity and sharing context

36:54 Psychological safety in action

38:35 Resilience toolkit from the book

40:15 STOP breath reset technique

43:47 Where to find the book

45:47 Courage through fear zone

47:07 Final thanks and call to action

If this episode helped you, follow Optimising Human Performance, share it with someone leading under pressure, and leave a quick review. It directly helps more people find the show.

Thanks for tuning in. If you found this podcast valuable, please take a moment to rate, share & review - It directly helps more people find the show. If you have feedback, guest suggestions, or topics you'd love us to cover, email us at [email protected]

Follow OpHP on LinkedIn for clips, frameworks, and episode takeaways

Thanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.

This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.

For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:

www.ophp.co.uk

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/

Instagram: @ophumanperformance

If you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In This Episode

Sleep is probably affecting your performance more than you think. In this episode, Martin I. Jones, performance psychologist and sleep specialist, explains how to spot sleep debt with a quick yes-or-no checklist and why most people underestimate the damage poor sleep does to focus, mood, and recovery. He breaks down the science of REM, non-REM, sleep pressure, and circadian rhythm in a way that is easy to apply, challenges the myth that everyone needs exactly 8 hours, and shares practical tools to improve sleep quality, from caffeine timing and bedroom setup to journaling, mindfulness, and cognitive techniques that actually work.

Guest, Cast and Crew

Martin I. Jones is a performance psychologist and sleep specialist with more than 20 years of experience supporting performers across sport, military, and corporate settings. Martin has postgraduate degrees in sport and exercise psychology (MSc and PhD) from Loughborough University and Sleep Medicine (MSc) from the University of Oxford, and has authored or co-authored more than 50 publications. Following a career in academia, Martin forged a new path in the UK Ministry of Defence as a research psychologist and Principal Advisor on Human Performance and Human Augmentation. Martin also represented the UK and served as the national lead to the NATO Science and Technology Organisation (STO) Human Factors and Medicine (HFM) Research Panel and contributed to several research task groups. Martin actively supports several esteemed specialist defence and security groups and is the Performance Director for Duratus, an executive coaching and performance consultancy that helps senior leaders perform under pressure, improve resilience, and develop effective leadership behaviours.

Resources

Duratus - www.duratusuk.com

Chapters

00:00 Sleep Debt Quiz

01:37 Talk Roadmap

02:26 What Sleep Is

04:21 Sleep Stages Explained

07:36 Two Process Model

09:24 Melatonin And Light

10:54 Why Sleep Matters

13:21 Sleep Worry Trap

14:57 Caffeine And Jet Lag

16:48 Eight Hours Myth

18:48 Protect Your Sleep

21:10 Personalise Your Routine

23:10 Sleep Hygiene Basics

23:24 Caffeine Timing Test

24:26 Nicotine Sleep Disruption

25:35 Alcohol and REM Loss

26:46 Diet Sleep Feedback Loop

28:25 Exercise Timing and Temperature

29:37 Bedroom Setup Basics

30:36 Stimulus Control Habits

31:34 CBT for Insomnia Overview

33:47 Identify Your Sleep Thoughts

34:58 Cognitive Control Journaling

36:28 Paradoxical Intention

38:20 Articulatory Suppression Trick

40:03 Imagery and Mindfulness

42:15 Wearables and Catastrophizing

44:34 Problem Solving for Worry

45:58 Wrap Up and Next Steps

Thanks for listening to Optimising Human Performance.

This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world.

For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit:

www.ophp.co.uk

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/

Instagram: @ophumanperformance

If you found this episode useful, please share it with one colleague, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.