The Progress Theory

Welcome to another inspiring episode of The Progress Theory, where host Dr Phil Price dives into the science behind human performance and achievement. In today’s episode, Phil sits down with Dr Meganne Christian, a UK astronaut and European Space Agency reserve astronaut, whose unconventional journey is as fascinating as it is motivating.

From her roots in the UK and Australia, through her career as a material scientist, to a transformative year spent in Antarctic darkness and isolation, Meganne’s story is a testament to pushing personal and professional boundaries. Together, Phil and Meganne explore the pivotal experiences and mindset that led her to conquer the notoriously challenging ESA astronaut selection process—revealing the surprising mix of technical skills, resilience, teamwork, and honest self-reflection required to thrive.

With tales of Antarctic survival, candid insights into what space agencies really look for, and practical advice for anyone dreaming of venturing into space or tackling life’s most demanding challenges, this episode offers an exclusive glimpse behind the scenes of human exploration at its most extreme. Whether you’re an aspiring astronaut, a science enthusiast, or simply someone seeking a push to go after your own “impossible” goal, there’s something here for you.

So, strap in as we journey from the Antarctic ice to the stars and uncover what it really takes to reach new heights—both on this planet and beyond.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 05:12 Isolation's Psychological Challenge
• 08:50 Embracing the Learning Curve
• 09:55 Self-Reflection in Extreme Environments
• 15:30 Astronauts' Challenging Tasks in Space
• 19:12 Job Application Process Overview
• 22:25 ESA Selection Panel Interview Summary
• 24:19 Testing Fears: Memory Test Challenge
• 28:47 "Building Experience for Selection"
• 31:59 UK Astronauts and Space Station Fitness
• 34:04 Getting Involved in Space Projects
• 38:22 Lunar Peaceful Cooperation Proposal

Embrace Diverse Experience: The ESA values not just academic achievement but a proven ability to thrive in extreme and varied environments. My time in Antarctica challenged me physically and mentally and helped me develop resilience, teamwork, and adaptability—skills crucial for future astronauts.

Pursue What You Love: There’s no single path to becoming an astronaut. Success lies in excelling at what excites you—whether that’s engineering, science, or field research. Loving what you do not only builds expertise but also nurtures the enthusiasm agencies look for.

Seize Opportunities—Big and Small: From responding to unexpected emails offering unique roles to keeping an eye out for space sector projects, sometimes the most unexpected opportunities set you on the path to your goals. Be ready to put yourself forward, even when you’re unsure!

• @theprogresstheory
• @drphilprice
• @astro_meganne

• European Space Agency
• UK Space Agency
• International Space Station
• Concordia Station
• International Antarctic Center

For all our other episodes and to get in touch, please visit www.theprogresstheory.com.

Thanks for listening!

This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

KULT Media 2026

Mentioned in this episode:

Progress Theory Newsletter

The Progress Theory newsletter. If you want the latest information and recommendations on how to optimise your physical and mental performance, then subscribe to the free Progress Theory newsletter on Substack today.

Substack

Podcast Produced By KULT Media

Before we wrap up, I want to give a shout-out and my thanks to my production partner, Kult Media. If you are thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow your audience, head to www.kult.media to get started today.

Kult Media

The Science of Hybrid Training

It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance.

Book

Welcome back to The Progress Theory, where we explain the science and strategies behind human performance. In this episode, Dr Phil Price sits down with one of the UK’s top CrossFit athletes, David Shorunke. Known for his impressive rise through the competitive CrossFit ranks—despite being one of the taller athletes in the sport—David shares invaluable insight into his training philosophy, the unique challenges faced by taller competitors, and the impact of recent changes to the CrossFit qualification system.

Throughout their conversation, David opens up about the disappointments and lessons from the 2024 season, the essential lifestyle changes he’s made for better sleep and overall wellbeing, and the critical role of mindset in managing setbacks. He also discusses how elite athletes differ from the chasing pack—not just in training intensity, but in their comprehensive approach to recovery, discipline, and, crucially, enjoyment of the process.

Whether you’re an aspiring athlete looking to level up or just curious about what it takes to compete at the highest levels, this episode is packed with practical advice and thought-provoking ideas. Stick around as Dr Phil and David explore the realities of elite CrossFit, the importance of adaptation, and why having fun might just be the secret to long-term success.

• 00:00 CrossFit Semifinal Disappointment
• 04:24 Athletic Persistence Despite Unfair Judging
• 06:37 Post-Games Training Strategy Adjustments
• 11:04 Optimising Training for Better Sleep
• 15:42 Prioritising Relaxation for Athletic Recovery
• 20:09 Athletes Neglecting Optimal Lifestyle Choices
• 24:25 Beyond Competition: Measuring Athletic Progress
• 29:15 Tracking Workout Progress through Reflection
• 31:27 Evaluating Overtraining Signs in Training
• 34:19 Gradual Adaptation in Running Training
• 38:57 Finding Your Optimal Squat Stance
• 41:56 Finding Joy in Training Sustainability
• 50:07 Unique Paths in Athletic Careers
• 51:38 "Behind the CrossFit Spotlight"
• 57:03 "Instagram's Influence on Confirmation Bias"
• 59:13 Follow David for Elite Insights

• Individualised Programming is Essential: David highlights that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. He’s learned to focus on principles rather than rigid training styles, adapting movement patterns and volume to suit his unique build and needs. This shift led to fewer injuries, more enjoyment, and consistent improvement.
• Lifestyle Matters as Much as Training: Beyond the gym, David credits improved sleep, better stress management, and genuine downtime for his progress. He’s prioritised true recovery—not just physically, but mentally—emphasising that the best athletes optimise all 24 hours of the day, not just their training blocks.
• Enjoyment and Curiosity Fuel Sustainability: Perhaps most refreshingly, David argues that sustainable success comes from fun and curiosity, not pure discipline. Staying enthusiastic, remaining curious, and letting enjoyment drive daily training make the grind far more manageable and productive—especially when the inevitable setbacks arise.

• @theprogresstheory
• @drphilprice
• @Shorunke
• Apex Athletics

For all our other episodes and to get in touch, please visit www.theprogresstheory.com.

Thanks for listening!

This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

KULT Media 2026

Mentioned in this episode:

Progress Theory Newsletter

The Progress Theory newsletter. If you want the latest information and recommendations on how to optimise your physical and mental performance, then subscribe to the free Progress Theory newsletter on Substack today.

Substack

Podcast Produced By KULT Media

Before we wrap up, I want to give a shout-out and my thanks to my production partner, Kult Media. If you are thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow your audience, head to www.kult.media to get started today.

Kult Media

The Science of Hybrid Training

It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance.

Book

In this episode, we are joined by S&C coach for Arete Performance, Tom Farrow. What does creative play mean to you? Learning is so important because we need to acquire knowledge so that we can implement that and start developing. However, learning is so much more than just memorising information. We need to ask lots of different questions so then we can get our hands dirty by lots of different types of trial and error to not only retain information but also acquire new knowledge that we can apply in our respective fields. In this episode, Tom joins me because creativity is such an important topic for both of us and we talk about how we implement this in education and strength and conditioning.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 03:59 Creative Approaches in Sports
• 06:44 Street Sports Encourage True Creativity
• 12:09 Creativity and Process in Mindsets
• 13:49 Personality Dynamics in Feedback Loops
• 16:17 Connecting with Athletes Through "Why"
• 20:12 "Balancing Chaos in Coaching"
• 25:10 Balancing Chaos and Structure
• 28:42 Structuring a Department for Success
• 31:44 Unified Team on a Shared Journey
• 35:03 Understanding Frameworks and Personality Dynamics
• 39:51 "Solving Sports Problems: Agility Focus"
• 40:49 "Balancing Sports Coaching Perspectives"
• 44:22 Embracing Adaptive Frameworks
• 48:00 "Balancing Coaching Experience and Education"
• 53:58 "Mastery Insights from Bruce Lee"
• 55:20 "Embrace Reality and Openness"

• Balancing Order and Chaos: Tom emphasises the importance of finding the right balance between order and chaos to enhance performance. Whether you're an athlete or a coach, understanding how much structure vs. flexibility you need can significantly impact your growth journey.
• Personalised Coaching Approaches: Recognising different personality types and tailoring coaching methods accordingly can foster stronger athlete-coach relationships. Tom highlights how understanding an athlete's individual needs and thought processes can maximise their potential.
• Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Both Tom and Dr. Phil Price underline the significance of perpetual learning. By constantly questioning and adapting our methods, we can break through limitations and enhance creativity in the realm of sports and beyond.

• @theprogresstheory
• @drphilprice
• Tom Farrow (@tom_areteperform) • Instagram photos and videos
• Arete Performance

• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
• Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford
• Freeplay by Steven Nachmanovich
• Messy by Tim Hartford
• Fighting Spirit by Bruce Thomas
• Krishnamurti’s works (Think on These Things, Freedom from the Known)

For all our other episodes and to get in touch, please visit www.theprogresstheory.com.

Thanks for listening!

This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

KULT Media 2026

Mentioned in this episode:

Podcast Produced By KULT Media

Before we wrap up, I want to give a shout-out and my thanks to my production partner, Kult Media. If you are thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow your audience, head to www.kult.media to get started today.

Kult Media

The Science of Hybrid Training

It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance.

Book

Progress Theory Newsletter

The Progress Theory newsletter. If you want the latest information and recommendations on how to optimise your physical and mental performance, then subscribe to the free Progress Theory newsletter on Substack today.

Substack

In this episode of The Progress Theory, host Dr Phil Price welcomes CrossFit coach and athlete Louise Sondergaard to dive into the world of ergometer training, focusing on the vital yet often overlooked skill development in using ergs, particularly the SkiErg and rower, to enhance athletic performance.

Having first discovered Louise through the Upside Strength podcast with Sean Seale, Dr Phil was intrigued by her passionate discourse on integrating skill learning into erg training within CrossFit and functional fitness, drawing parallels with the detailed technique analysis used in weightlifting. Louise shares insights from her journey as a CrossFit Level 3 coach and her transition from a finance career to coaching full time, with impressive accomplishments like setting world records on the SkiErg during lockdown.

Together, they explore the nuances of erg training, the cultural shift towards recognising its significance in the fitness community, and practical advice for athletes eager to optimise their erg techniques. Whether you're a novice or seasoned athlete, this episode is packed with valuable strategies to elevate your rowing and skiing skill sets and, ultimately, your overall performance.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 03:28 Enhancing Monostructural Conditioning Techniques
• 08:59 CrossFit Skill Development Challenges
• 11:28 Coaching Machines: Overcoming Technique Gaps
• 14:46 Rowing vs. Flashy Gym Techniques
• 19:29 Erg Training: Technique and Intervals
• 20:38 Optimising Aerobic Training Methods
• 25:39 Upper and Lower Body Training Balance
• 27:28 Upper Body Skiing Challenges
• 31:54 Transitioning Athletes Struggle in CrossFit
• 37:03 "Ski Erg Skills and Technique"
• 38:35 Microdosing Technique for Athletes
• 43:13 Polarised Training Routine Explained
• 45:50 Online and Custom Fitness Programmes

• Technique Matters: Just like in weightlifting, enhancing your technique on ERGs can lead to better performance. It's about more than just going hard; it's about mastering the skill.
• Complementary Training: Incorporating ERG workouts with other conditioning work can create a well-rounded fitness regime. Using various machines strategically can help manage fatigue and improve overall efficiency.
• Continuous Learning: Coaches need to expand their knowledge base on ERG techniques to effectively incorporate them into training programs. There’s always room to grow and improve!

• @theprogresstheory
• @drphilprice
• Louise Sondergaard (@louisa_sondergaard) - Instagram

• Upside Strength podcast
• Concept 2 
• CrossFit 
• Hyrox
• SkiErg world records (five kilometers and six kilometers)

For all our other episodes and to get in touch, please visit www.theprogresstheory.com.

Thanks for listening!

This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

KULT Media 2026

Mentioned in this episode:

The Science of Hybrid Training

It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance.

Book

Progress Theory Newsletter

The Progress Theory newsletter. If you want the latest information and recommendations on how to optimise your physical and mental performance, then subscribe to the free Progress Theory newsletter on Substack today.

Substack

Podcast Produced By KULT Media

Before we wrap up, I want to give a shout-out and my thanks to my production partner, Kult Media. If you are thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow your audience, head to www.kult.media to get started today.

Kult Media

Hello, and welcome to the progress theory where we discuss scientific principles for optimising human performance. I am Dr Phil Price and in this episode, we are joined by a roundtable of researchers in forensic psychiatry. We have Jill Colangelo, Dr Alexander Smith, and Professor Michael Liebrenz, all who are researchers in forensic psychiatry from the University of Bern. Now if you take the whole population, we know that a very small subset of them probably have psychopathic traits. 

Now if we took that subset not from the whole population, but from certain environments or professions such as surgeons or CEOs, we start to see that they have a higher prevalence of psychopathic traits. What about elite sport? How prevalent is psychopathy in elite sport? So that's where we brought this roundtable together so we learn a bit more around psychopathy. What are the pros and cons of psychopathy in certain environments, and how can we identify if we have psychopathic traits? 

This is quite a serious discussion. So if you feel that you have been affected by any of these topics in this discussion, please check out our show notes because we have several links there which can help. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• 00:00 Exploring Psychopathy in Elite Sport
• 04:34 Sports Psychiatry Research Journey
• 08:17 Distinguishing Traits from Disorders
• 10:16 Psychopathy: Subset of Antisocial Disorder
• 14:32 "Inevitable Duality of Psychopathic Traits"
• 18:13 Athletes' Traits and Mental Health
• 23:19 Research Limitations on Athlete Privacy
• 24:25 Ethical Issues in Mental Health Diagnosis
• 30:14 Media's Heroic Portrayal Critiqued
• 32:48 Narcissism in Amateur Athletes
• 35:48 Mental Health Awareness vs. Advertising
• 41:00 Increased Accountability in Public Life
• 43:28 Surprising Lack of Psychopathy Awareness
• 45:56 "Charisma and Its Impact"
• 50:32 Charismatic Traits and Social Disruption
• 53:20 "Recognising and Understanding Abusive Traits"

Psychopathic traits aren’t always what you think: While often misunderstood, these traits include charm, manipulativeness, and a lack of empathy. Importantly, possessing traits is not the same as having a clinical diagnosis. The spectrum is wide, and some traits, like fearlessness or dominance, can sometimes benefit performance—but rarely exist without downsides.

The ‘bad boy’ image may have a cost: Media and cultural narratives often glamorise ruthlessness and rule-breaking in sport. While these can lead to short-term wins or headlines, the same traits can spill over into negative behaviours—impacting both personal relationships and the integrity of sport.

Awareness and education are critical: There’s a growing need for coaches, organisations, and athletes themselves to recognise these patterns—not just to improve performance, but to create healthier sporting environments. It’s also vital not to make "armchair diagnoses" but rather understand the complexity and seek professional guidance when needed.

• @theprogresstheory
• @drphilprice
• @jillcolangelo
• Jill Colangelo website

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldman%27s_dilemma
• https://www.designrush.com/news/nike-launches-star-studded-am-i-a-bad-person-spot

For all our other episodes and to get in touch, please visit www.theprogresstheory.com.

Thanks for listening!

This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

KULT Media 2026

Mentioned in this episode:

The Science of Hybrid Training

It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance.

Book

Progress Theory Newsletter

The Progress Theory newsletter. If you want the latest information and recommendations on how to optimise your physical and mental performance, then subscribe to the free Progress Theory newsletter on Substack today.

Substack

Podcast Produced By KULT Media

Before we wrap up, I want to give a shout-out and my thanks to my production partner, Kult Media. If you are thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow your audience, head to www.kult.media to get started today.

Kult Media

Hello, and welcome to the Progress Theory, where we discuss scientific principles for optimising human performance. I am Dr Phil Price. In this episode, we are joined by Ultra Runner and CEO of Beyond the Ultimate, Kris King.

Now, ultra marathons are gaining in popularity. More and more people are looking to push their running performance further than they've ever done before. However, have you ever considered doing an ultra marathon in some of the harshest environments in the world? Well, that's exactly what Beyond the Ultimate offer. Providing ultra marathons in places like the jungle, the desert, and the mountains. And Kris King created these races

So in this episode, Chris and I discuss exactly what you need to do to prepare for some of the harshest races in the world.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 1:30  - Kris King and Beyond the Ultimate
• 5:39 - Different ultra environments
• 13:15 - Ultramarathon personality
• 17:39 - Kris’ race and challenge history
• 24:26- Training specificity
• 28:07 - The mindset and physical qualities of successful Ultramarathon runners
• 34:20 - How to prepare for an extreme ultra
• 40:30 - Kris’ next challenge
• 43:50 - racing strategies
• 49:46 - Tips for those wanting to do Beyond the Ultimate

Key topics

Ultrarunning and Mental Health: "I think it's partly to do with that, and I don't think it's any, coincidence, or probably, you know, a topic to go too deep too soon, but you know, when you look at the mental health crisis, I don't think that is a coincidence that you have more people on things like antidepressants, more people in therapy than ever before, and there's a rise in a sport that often has a link to people with trauma."

Endurance Racing and Professional Success: "we get a lot of successful business people do our races because I think it gives them that same kind of founder, you know, that exciting bit of research, that exciting thing to kind of obsess over and stuff like that."

Advancements in Athletic Science: "So I was bringing science into my training, learning all about that, and and and trying to get those extra percentiles out of my performance."

Ultramarathon Resilience: "No matter how prepared you are to run a 100 mile is so Adam Kimball, a good mate of mine, is probably one of the best 100 mile races in the world. Like, he loves that distance, and he'll cruise for 60, 70 miles, and then at this kind of, like, final 30, which is mad to say out loud, isn't it? But this is a guy that can 6 minute mile comfortably for 70 miles, and then the race is on. And he has races, of course, where he feels shit, like, shitty at 30 and 40 and stuff, and it's just how it goes. But he is one of those guys that can kind of get into a pain cave and just he has such a positive attitude that he can kind of bring himself through it."

Mastering Ultrarunning – Energy and Mindset: "ultrarunning essentially is an energy and is a balancing of energy in the mind."

Athlete Training Philosophy: "You would just look at getting the basics right, getting the consistency in, getting all of the things that any athlete needs, good nutrition, good sleep, good support network."

Ultrarunning Training Insights: "Even if it's just a one session a week or a quick session, couple of sprints, just to get kind of prep the body for that. You know, one thing that I think all ultrarunners should be is adaptable."

Training Intensity for Athletes: "You're there to create an adaptation and and to go hard. So you know you know you've got it right when you turn up to the gym that day and you're kind of dreading it."

The Importance of Consistency in Athletic Training: "I think if I'd been consistent through the years of my training, I'd not had this gap of time out, I'd probably be a bit different at you because I'd be a different athlete."

Adapting to Extreme Physical Challenges: "By week 2 and 3 my body had just adjusted and actually doing 60 70 mile days wasn't bad it was just a thing you know, and it seems crazy, but your body kind of, so I will be approaching this where I'll be really trained."

FOLLOW OUR PODCAST

• @theprogresstheory
• @drphilprice
• @krisking
• @beyondtheultimate

For all our other episodes and to get in touch, please visit www.theprogresstheory.com.

Thanks for listening!

All rights reserved. © The Progress Theory & KULT Media LTD 2025

Mentioned in this episode:

The Science of Hybrid Training

It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance.

Book

Progress Theory Newsletter

The Progress Theory newsletter. If you want the latest information and recommendations on how to optimise your physical and mental performance, then subscribe to the free Progress Theory newsletter on Substack today.

Substack

Hello and welcome to the Progress Theory, where we discuss scientific principles for optimising human performance. In this episode, we are joined again by the legendary Dr. Pak. Now, it was so good to have Dr. Pak back on the show. His last episode was amazing, but this time I wanted to move away from the minimal dose effect research that he's done before and focus more on this new research, which is more around strength and hypertrophy and how we can utilise this information to become as strong as possible and apply this to the deadlift. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• 0:43 - Introduction 
• 1:50 - What is Kyriakos Grizzly like?
• 8:33 - Minimalist training
• 10:50 - Common traits in super strong athletes
• 12:51 - Expectations on strength gains
• 15:21 - Strength and muscle mass periodisation
• 22:33 - Hypertrophy for deadlift
• 29:42 - Deadlift focused training
• 34:45 - Social media memes and training
• 39:20 - ‘Being Evidence-based’ need to do better
• 51:14 - Dr Pak’s current research and media projects
• 55:50 - Deadlift recommendations

Viral Topic: The Illusion of Strength Standards on Social Media Quote: "A 200 kilo deadlift if you're a lifter is not something that many will regard as impressive. But if you start thinking about your strength in percentiles compared to the average gym gore, if you're not a power lifter, right, then that's a different game."

Hypertrophy Training and One RM Specific Work: "So let's say you are far away from a competition, or you have a year where you can work on hypertrophy. I would personally still have some one RM specific work there."

The Importance of Hypertrophy for Strength Athletes: "And for strength athletes specifically, I do feel that a lot are guilty of massively mistreating hypertrophy specific work and viewing hypertrophy stuff as obviously there are accessories, but I do feel like calling them accessories sometimes leads to them being treated as like, if it's higher reps and it's a machine based exercise, or it's not like an SPD exercise for power lifters, then, okay, I've done my hypertrophy work regardless of whether it was close to failure, whether it's progressing over time, and so on and so forth."

Predicting Deadlift Progress: "But your starting point may be completely different to that of another person, if that makes sense."

The impact of body weight gain on strength training: "But when working with somebody and they want to increase their strength, which is almost everyone I work with and nobody has come to me and said, hey, man, too strong over here, I got to get weaker."

Powerlifting Progression: "Yes, I want 300, but I am at a place in my lifting career where the deadlift now needs either a lot of focus from me and a lot of dedication, which I have other things going on in my life if I want to get close to that 300."

Fitness Myth: "And the more calories would be mostly, it may be placebo to a certain extent, but like, gaining a couple of kilos over a few months means that I am in a calorie surplus, that I am giving myself a bit more, that I am improving my recovery a bit more."

Viral Topic: Social Media and Personal Branding Quote: "I am somebody who's not very serious as an individual, I'm serious about the things I do, but as a character, I like to have fun with things and I like to have fun with more, let's say complex or serious topics like scientific studies and stuff."

The Importance of Evidence-Based Practice: "But I do think that the clash between the two sides, which are not really sides, is just a result of people wanting to naturally go against something and have this enemy."

"Improving Deadlift Strength with Variations and Singles": "Doing one RM specific work in the form of singles, keeping the majority of those with a few reps in reserve, but still having some heavier singles there, and potentially working on variations of the deadlift like the Romanian deadlift, maybe other hip hinge exercises like a good morning, or even variations of the deadlift with dumbbells or different bars just so that you can get the muscles involved in the deadlift stronger."

FOLLOW OUR PODCAST

• @theprogresstheory
• @drphilprice
• @dr__pak
• Stronger by science

For all our other episodes and to get in touch, please visit www.theprogresstheory.com.

Thanks for listening!

All rights reserved. © The Progress Theory & KULT Media LTD 2025

Mentioned in this episode:

The Science of Hybrid Training

It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance.

Book

Progress Theory Newsletter

The Progress Theory newsletter. If you want the latest information and recommendations on how to optimise your physical and mental performance, then subscribe to the free Progress Theory newsletter on Substack today.

Substack

Hello and welcome to The Progress Theory, where we discuss scientific principles for optimising human performance.

I am Dr. Phil Price. And on today's episode, we are joined by Powerlifter and S&C coach, Rob Palmer. Now, I've known Rob for many, many years and I know he knows a thing or two about getting as strong as possible. He's won many national titles and international titles in Powerlifting and was an S C coach in professional rugby for over 15 years. So I wanted to know a bit more around his processes on getting as strong as possible and see if we can use that to improve our bench press.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 0:47 - Introduction
• 7:20 - The importance of a strength culture
• 14:19 - Learning from programming for rugby and powerlifting
• 19:00 - Multifactorial approach to programming
• 22:46 - Common mistakes in strength training
• 25:35 - Variability in strength training & Programming
• 32:27 - Identifying limiters of bench press performance
• 34:01 - Rob’s bench press training
• 37:00 - Reflecting on Rob’s powerlifting career
• 50:07 - Common mistakes in powerlifting skill
• 55:35 - What is 969 strength?

Key Findings

The Challenges of Professional Sport: "The job in professional sport, you're challenged to make lots and lots and lots of decisions every single day that realistically could have a very negative outcome for the player."

"The Value of Strength Training": I still think people don't value strength training as much as they should, because things come in and out of vogue, don't they? So when I first came to the sport, strength training was massive in terms of the thought process of what strength training can do for you. And I'm talking about basic strength training, getting good at deadlifting, getting good at squatting, getting good at being able to bench press, overhead press as much weight as possible, you had this kind of culture.

Viral Topic: The Importance of Recovery in Rugby

Quote: "In rugby, it's all about the recovery. It's got nothing to do with because the guys who are obviously aerobically really well developed, they're not particularly strong, but they can come in and hit 80% plus, 90% plus. It doesn't seem to affect them the same way that it does the guys who are less fit now, if you take them out of that context, say they get injured and they come out. The guys who are less aerobically developed as soon as they start the weight training. And obviously this is a bit of what you're born with, isn't it?"

The Future of Sports Science: "My biggest learnings from rugby are more that kind of truly holistic kind of programming where you have to consider you have an appreciation and consider all the facets of what make an athlete good."

"Improving Strength in Training": "Are you applying a stimulus? And is that stimulus great enough to elicit some sort of adaptation as you come back up?"

Injury Prevention in Sports Training: "So you do lots of volume and you work on lots of different muscle groups in isolation down here, so you can deal with the amount of stress is greater, although it's not on the higher end of the intensity spectrum."

"The Importance of Variation in Strength Training": With the squat you'd use lots of variations, so you get total leg development and it's the same kind of principle. You get total development of all the muscles required to enhance your, in this case, bench press performance. On that isolated muscle side, you get this kind of every single muscle gets developed to its maximal ability or its maximal potential there in isolation. Then you start to strip away, don't you?

Periodized Training: "Yeah, it would be the longest phase of all the phases. But within that so one of the key things for me within all of this, so if you were to use some common language with sort of periodized planning, so you've got, for argument's sake, we'll say accumulation intensification realisation."

The Importance of Exercise and Failure in Strength Training: "You obviously want, on the basic level, this accumulation phase is total development, isn't it? It's total development of the skill and total development of the individual muscle groups that go into giving you a top bench press."

Bench Press Technique: "So I think the first thing starts with the position you have to get your body in to reduce the stroke of the bench press. So you want the bar to move as through a shorter distance as possible."

FOLLOW OUR PODCAST

• @theprogresstheory
• @drphilprice
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The Science of Hybrid Training

It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance.

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Hello and welcome to The Progress Theory, where we discuss scientific principles for optimising human performance. In this episode, we're joined by sports physiologist, Dr Becky Neal. 

Have you ever done an obstacle course race such as Spartan or a Tough Mudder? Now think about doing one of those, but at Everest Base Camp. That's exactly what Dr Becky Neal has done. And not only that, she did it as part of a massive research study. So in this episode, we discussed her experiences in the Himalaya and also how her research is helping us understand how people function in high altitude. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• 0:46 - Introduction
• 2:07 - The world’s highest OCR
• 12:28 - The freezing temperatures
• 15:47 - Racing and avoiding mountain sickness
• 26:08 - The results from the world’s highest race study
• 30:44 - What could warn us of potential mountain sickness
• 40:02 - future high altitude challenges for research
• 46:41 - Would you climb Mt Everest?

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For all our other episodes and to get in touch, please visit www.theprogresstheory.com.

Thanks for listening!

All rights reserved. © The Progress Theory & KULT Media LTD 2025

Mentioned in this episode:

Progress Theory Newsletter

The Progress Theory newsletter. If you want the latest information and recommendations on how to optimise your physical and mental performance, then subscribe to the free Progress Theory newsletter on Substack today.

Substack

The Science of Hybrid Training

It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance.

Book

Hello, and welcome to The Progress Theory, where we discuss scientific principles for optimising human performance.

I am Dr. Phil Price, and on today's episode, we are joined by S&C coach and hybrid athlete Jamie Scott. Jamie came to me a few months ago discussing the possibility of him wanting to do a PhD in the area of hybrid training. So I thought, well, this is a perfect opportunity for you to on the show, and we can discuss all of the types of areas that we can look into. So in this episode, we discuss the misconceptions around the interference effect, what kind of factors we need to be really focused on when it comes to hybrid research, and he discusses his own experiences as a hybrid athlete and gives us three tips for our hybrid training.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 0.55 - Introduction
• 8:23 - Becoming sub-elite in many sports
• 13:44 - The misinterpretation of the interference effect?
• 27:47 - Where hybrid research needs to go?
• 33:44 -  The importance of progressing slowly
• 42:02 - Jamie’s Training goals
• 46:31 - What’s the hardest hybrid challenge?
• 52:42 - Advice for hybrid training

Key Findings

Sub-Elite Performances and the Management of Time: "When we talk about hybrid approaches and being sub elite, that fascinates me because essentially you have people that are in these kind of mismatched conditions or sub-optimal conditions inherently and they're still performing exceptionally well and being able to kind of spin those plates I think is fascinating. So, yeah, I think that when you have an athlete that is maybe not as appreciated because those performances aren't kind of like world class, you're not going to have someone run like a sub ten second, 100 meters, but let's say someone's able to run like a Sub 11.5 and then it also is able to snatch 130. Then even more divergent than that is be able to run like a Sub free marathon. I think I said it in the post, you probably have one of the very select humans on Earth. And I think that's fascinating to really appreciate that actually from a genetic point of view, but also from the management of time."

The Fascinating Question of Human Potential: "I find that very interesting. That's something that we just probably don't know how high that ceiling is."

The Impact of Basic Physiological Needs on Performance: "When you look at potentially the reasons for fatigue from a peripheral perspective, from a central perspective, I think even the desire to drink might downregulate your force production, for example, because that's your primary need."

The Importance of Physiology in Performance: "And I think Jerome Dempsey spoke about physiological redundancy. So essentially, systems within systems, ultimately, you need to stay alive, and it doesn't really care about your five K time or whatever."

Training and Fatigue Management: "And I think that the idea that people in general probably just have to train a bit more, right? We just have to increase, we have to get people out training, have to get people moving. And I think that there's this idea about maybe overdoing it, pushing it or overtraining and managing fatigue."

Adaptations and Fatigue Management: "We see that the stronger signal of adaptations get sent, and hence why interval training is so powerful, right? Because by enabling rest, we're enabled to spend more time at high intensity, but the cost of that is more fatigue."

The Challenges of Improving Weightlifting and Endurance Sports: "The interesting thing that I probably would say from an anecdotal perspective is that when I have done weightlifting, so I particularly enjoy sort of the snatch stuff, I definitely feel like I have to be very sensible in where I place that session. Because if I have a little bit of fatigue or whatever, I just don't feel like I've got that kind of snap and kind of neural drive."

Iron Man Training: "He talks about how he just tried to muscle through swimming and kind of just applied the same mentality as he did for his bike and his run and just realised that he was just getting beat up because he was pushing himself so hard, because he was trying to muscle through it and not understanding, perhaps the time spent."

The Importance of Training Volumes in Swimming: "When you look at the literature in swimming, if you look at the training volumes, it's an incredibly high amount of training volumes like elite swimmers do."

The Importance of Skill Acquisition Sessions: "I definitely didn't when I was doing CrossFit years and years ago, I didn't appreciate the importance of skill acquisition sessions actually having an okay mental load, but we're going to just focus on just movement and just trying to improve efficiency of a certain task and not necessarily have to kill myself in doing that task."

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For all our other episodes and to get in touch, please visit www.theprogresstheory.com.

Thanks for listening!

All rights reserved. © The Progress Theory & KULT Media LTD 2025

Mentioned in this episode:

Progress Theory Newsletter

The Progress Theory newsletter. If you want the latest information and recommendations on how to optimise your physical and mental performance, then subscribe to the free Progress Theory newsletter on Substack today.

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The Science of Hybrid Training

It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance.

Book