On this episode of the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed sits down with World #1 Tennis Player Aryna Sabalenka. Aryna opens up about her journey from first picking up a racket at six years old to becoming the top-ranked player in the world. She reflects on the role her father played in her early development, the turning point when she fell in love with the game, and how her mindset has evolved through the years.

Aryna shares an inside look at her training, recovery, and how WHOOP helps stay on top of her game. Aryna discusses balancing fun with competitiveness, the lessons she’s learned from setbacks, and her strategies for staying resilient under pressure.

Looking ahead to the US Open, Aryna shares what the tournament means to her personally and how she’s preparing to defend her title. Aryna reflects on her game and shares her advice to young athletes chasing their dreams.

(00:58) Building A Career In Tennis

(03:36) The Road to Becoming World #1

(06:50) Mindset and Keeping Things Light Hearted As A Team 

(07:38) How Aryna Views Herself and Her Game On Court

(09:03) Aryna’s Training and WHOOP Data

(17:41) Having a Red Recovery Going Into The US Open Final

(20:39) Travel Tips For Peak Performance

(21:43) Aryna’s Definition of Success

(26:27) Looking Ahead to The US Open: What The Tournament Means to Aryna

(27:50) Reflecting on Past Competitions

(30:46) The Differences in The Men’s and Women’s Game

(31:53) The Secret to Maintaining A Positive Mindset

(34:20) Rapid Fire Questions

(37:04) Build The Best Tennis Player

(38:17) Aryna’s Lowest Recovery

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In this episode of the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP SVP of Research, Algorithms, and Data, Emily Capodilupo, sits down with renowned circadian rhythm researcher and expert, Dr. Satchin Panda, to explore how the timing of your daily habits, like light exposure, sleep, and meals, can transform your health. Dr. Panda explains why our body doesn’t just run on a single “master clock,” but on a network of clocks in nearly every cell—and how food timing plays a surprisingly powerful role in synchronizing these clocks. You’ll learn practical strategies for training your circadian rhythm, optimizing your nightly routine and light exposure for better sleep, and using time-restricted eating to improve metabolic health.

(00:23) Rapid Fire Q’s with Dr. Satchin Panda

(02:26) Decoding the Brain’s Master clock

(08:12) How to Train Your Circadian Rhythm: What Factors Apply Most?

(11:09) Importance of Light Exposure For Optimal Sleep

(15:41) Time Restricted Eating: How Does It Help Circadian Rhythm?

(18:56) What Time Restricted Eating Studies Tell Us

(28:22) Benefits of Time Restricted: What Do We Know?

(40:54) Practical Takeaways For Time Restricted Eating and Circadian Alignment

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On this month’s installment of the How To Series, WHOOP Director of Sports Marketing, Jeremy Powers, sits down with Ironman World Champion, Lucy Charles-Barclay, to explore what it takes to train as a hybrid athlete. From her roots as an elite swimmer to dominating the world of triathlon, Lucy shares how she balances high-volume training across swim, bike, and run, while incorporating strength work. Lucy breaks down her training blocks, recovery strategies, and using WHOOP to stay consistent and injury-free. Lucy also opens up about managing celiac disease, experimenting with HYROX, and building an engaged fitness community through her YouTube channel, all while maintaining elite-level performance across multiple disciplines.

(00:37) Introduction to Lucy Charles-Barclay 

(01:35) Rapid Fire Q’s 

(02:41) Lucy’s Journey From Pro-Swimmer to Ironman World Champion

(06:02) Winning The World Championship: Training & Lead-Up To Competition

(12:38) Week In The Life Training For An Ironman

(15:13) Balancing Disciplines: Training Hybrid

(18:16) Monitoring Strain While Training & Mitigating Injury

(20:26) Inside Lucy’s Recovery Habits

(21:55) Perfecting Her Game: Lucy’s Tech, Tools, and Coaching 

(27:08) Lucy’s Favorite WHOOP Metrics

(30:16) Improving Sleep Routine While Traveling: Blue light Glasses, Early Dinners, & More

(33:55) Training With Celiac: Nutrition for Endurance

(36:44) Building A Community While Training: Lucy’s YouTube and Social Media Channels

(41:52) What’s Next For Lucy? Upcoming Goals, Races, And Challenges 

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On this episode of the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP Director of Sports Marketing, Jeremy Powers, sits down with Jake Dearden, Hybrid Athlete and Social Media Personality, to explore the world of HYROX. Jake shares his journey from civil engineering to elite fitness, opening up about his bouts with injury, journey toward mental toughness, and growing in endurance sport. Jake and Jeremy break down HYROX training and fueling strategies, reflect on the rise of hybrid training and offer insights on recovery, VO2 Max, sleep hygiene, and injury prevention. 

(00:26) Introduction to Jake Dearden

(01:14) Icebreaker: T or F Questions

(03:27) Jake’s Journey From Marathons to Hyrox

(05:39) Breaking Down Hyrox: What Is It and How To Compete

(06:34) Building Community Through Hyrox

(07:34) Jake’s Guide To Ultra-Marathons

(10:55) Mental Toughness and Motivating A Community

(12:11) The Rise of Hybrid Athletics and What It Means For Fitness

(15:01) Importance of VO2 Max For Fitness and Competition

(17:39) Growth in Sport: Prep, Pressure, and Setbacks

(25:18) Recovery and Sleep Hygiene’s Effects on Performance

(30:48) Jake’s Competition Prep and Fueling Strategy

(34:52) Jake’s WHOOP Data at Hyrox World Championships

(39:31) Learning From Injury: Jake’s Recovery Advice

(43:34) Performance Improvements To Achieve Goals

(45:07) Building a Platform: Experience, Advice, and Messaging on Jake’s Social Media

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On this week’s episode of the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist Dr. Kristen Holmes sits down with Lucy Davis, HYROX athlete, ultra-marathon runner, and content creator. Lucy shares the fitness, wellness, and recovery strategies that power her elite performance, including how she maintains a high HRV, rebounds from intense strain, and keeps her WHOOP Age under 18. Lucy opens up about her training strategy, mental health journey, and mission to empower women through sport. Whether you're new to fitness or chasing the podium, this episode offers valuable insights to help you build strength, resilience, and recovery.  

(00:21) How Lucy Davis Rebounds From High Strain

(05:29) WHOOP Podcast Rapid Fire Q’s

(08:48) Lucy’s RHR, HRV, And Recovery Recommendations

(11:42) Mastering Fitness as a Hybrid Athlete

(14:14) Training Harder to Improve Hyrox Times

(14:57) Lucy’s Longevity Secrets and WHOOP Age

(19:48) Lucy’s Relationship with Strength Training

(22:00) Staying Grounded While Travelling and Training

(31:16) Mastering Mindset Entering Competition

(33:33) Hyrox, World Records, and Going For More

(37:10) Body Image, Health, and Mentality

(39:17) Empowering Women Through Sport and Fitness

(42:11) Inspiring Athletes and Promoting Participation in Sport

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We know sleep and physical activity are crucial for overall health, but how do they affect one another? On today’s episode of the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP SVP of Research Algorithms and Data, Emily Capodilupo sits down with Sleep and Circadian Scientist Josh Leota to break down the latest WHOOP study on how intense exercise and timing affect sleep—and how sleep, in turn, influences your ability to train. Josh shares his insights on two major peer-reviewed studies, using WHOOP to analyze data on sleep and physical activity. The results? The closer to bedtime you train, the more your sleep is affected. Whether you're an early bird, night owl, or somewhere in between, Emily and Josh offer science-backed strategies to optimize both sleep and physical performance without sacrificing either.

(00:33) Using WHOOP For Data Collection In Research Studies

(02:43) The Study: High Intensity Training’s Effects on Circadian Rhythm

(05:05) WHOOP Podcast Rapid Fire Questions

(06:06) Do Late Night Workouts Affect Sleep Quality?

(10:44) The Hawthorne Effect: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

(12:57) How Do Sleep Patterns Predict Next Day Performance? 

(17:32) What Happens To Exercise When Sleep Cycles Are Disrupted?

(23:47) Early Birds vs Night Owls: Why When You Train Matters

(30:21) How To Optimize Sleep and Exercise as a Busy Individual

(33:26) Advice & Practical Takeaways From The Study

(42:59)  What’s Next? Foreshadowing Future WHOOP Studies

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What happens to your body—and your behavior—when you start wearing WHOOP every day?

In this episode, WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist, Dr. Kristen Holmes is joined by WHOOP Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Greg Grosicki to break down the results of a groundbreaking new study conducted by WHOOP, analyzing the data from 12,000 WHOOP members over 12 weeks. The study reveals a clear relationship between WHOOP wear frequency and improvements in key health and performance metrics like sleep consistency, duration, and quality, RHR and HRV, and overall physical fitness. Dr. Holmes and Dr. Grosicki break down the study, science, and implications of the findings on long-term health and longevity.

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Wearing WHOOP More Frequently Is Associated with Better Biometrics and Healthier Sleep and Activity Patterns

Related Episodes:

Understanding GLP-1: The Latest Research From WHOOP with Dr. Greg Grosicki

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Improving VO₂ Max For Longevity and Performance with Dr. Greg Grosicki

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This week on the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist, Dr. Kristen Holmes sits down with Dr. Gina Poe, neurobiologist and expert in REM sleep and memory consolidation. Together, Dr. Holmes and Dr. Poe unpack what actually happens when you’re asleep and why sleep is essential not just for memory, but emotional resilience, longevity, and high performance. 

This episode breaks down the different stages of sleep and how they reshape the brain, regulate the nervous system, and actually clean the brain. Dr. Holmes and Dr. Poe provide insight on daily habits to optimize sleep quality, including timing, exercise, and stress regulation.

(00:23) Introduction to Dr. Gina Poe

(00:58) Dr. Poe’s Journey to Sleep Research 

(06:58) Sleep Timing in Relation to The Body’s Physiological Rhythm

(12:29) Sleep Pressure and Melatonin Production

(14:52) REM Sleep Reshaping the Brain Each Night

(21:03) Effects of Short Sleep Cycles 

(30:17) Relationship Between Skipped Sleep Cycles and Neurodegenerative Disease

(31:36) The Importance of Sleep Spindles & Exercise on Sleep Performance

(40:46) How Sleep Spindles Change Over A Lifespan

(43:44) Daily Practices That Promote Healthy Sleep 

(49:15) Shift Work, Sleep Cycles, & Human Growth Hormone

(55:01) Metabolism and Sleep Cycles: What Happens To The Body’s Energy Storage

(59:21) Dr. Poe’s Dream Sleep Study

(01:01:09) What Healthy Sleep Looks Like

(01:05:38) Rapid Fire Takeaways

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The Science of Stress & Sleep For Optimal Performance with Dr. Bill von Hippel

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How to Sleep Better with Dr. Shelby Harris

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Looking to improve your VO₂ Max? This week’s episode gives you everything you need to know about one of the latest WHOOP Metrics. WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist, Dr. Kristen Holmes sits down with WHOOP Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Greg Grosicki to define VO₂ Max and offer insights on its importance for healthspan and human performance. 

As part of the How To Series, Dr. Grosicki shares his knowledge on how VO₂ Max affects musculoskeletal load, metabolic flexibility and aerobic capacity, and the important training tips to improve this metric. 

(00:50) How WHOOP Captures VO₂ Max

(05:04) Studying VO₂ Max: Creating The Dataset 

(6:05) Developing The WHOOP VO₂ Max Feature

(9:08) How WHOOP Studies VO₂ Max

(10:46) Defining VO₂ Max

(12:08) Impact of Musculoskeletal Load on VO₂ Max

(19:32) The Physiological Factors Determining VO₂ Max

(26:07) Inner Ad

(26:40) What Is An Optimal VO₂ Max

(31:27) Performance and Increasing VO₂ Max

(40:13) Metabolic Flexibility

(41:39) Training For VO₂ Max

(48:16) Quality of Reps As It Relates to VO₂ Max

(49:39) Impact of Training Consistently

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This month, on the WHOOP Podcast Longevity Series, WHOOP SVP of Research, Algorithms, and Data, Emily Capodilupo sits down with Dr. Linda Fried. Dr. Fried is a geriatrician, Dean of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and Founder of Experience Corps, a nationwide volunteer program for adults over the age of 50 to become literacy tutors in elementary schools. Emily and Dr. Fried discuss the effects of frailty, how to prevent it, and ways to take control of the aging process. Dr. Fried also discusses her path to public health, the lifestyle changes that promote longevity, and the powerful role of purpose and intergenerational connection in healthy aging.

(00:30) Dr. Fried on Defining and Researching Frailty

(05:44) Identifying Frailty & Frailty Prevention

(07:57) Manifestations of Aging in 20 & 30 Year Olds

(08:58) How Much of The Aging Process Is Within Our Control?

(11:34) Dr. Fried’s Journey to Public Health

(13:58) Positive Lifestyle Impacts on Longevity

(16:10) Experience Corps: Influence of Volunteer Work on The Aging Population

(24:27) What Society Is Missing To Support Healthy Aging

(25:44) Re-connecting Across Generations

(34:02) The Starting Points for Change

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