Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Training Babble Podcast you get to be a fly on the wall and listen in on our team meeting in prep for the Leadville 100. This conversation provides an in-depth overview of strategies and considerations for the LT100 focusing on course details, climbing and descent techniques, weather and nutrition, aid station usage, pacing, and altitude management. Takeaways The course is 105 miles with significant elevation changes. Pacing is crucial, especially in...
Aug 01, 2025•40 min•Season 7Ep. 12
Send us a text Summary In this episode, Dave Schell and Dr. Phil Batterson discuss the concept of hyperoptimization in training, exploring its implications and dangers. They emphasize the importance of consistency, practicality, and focusing on fundamental training principles rather than chasing quick fixes or trendy methods. The conversation highlights the psychological impacts of hyperoptimization, the significance of research in training, and the need for skepticism towards new trends. Ultima...
Jul 16, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 7Ep. 11
Send us a text In this episode of the Training Babble Podcast, host Dave Schell and guest Matti Rowe dig into the complexities of cycling, racing, and coaching. They discuss Matti's recent experience at Unbound, the importance of supporting athletes, the chaotic nature of racing, and the misconceptions surrounding training metrics like CTL. The conversation emphasizes the significance of recovery, nutrition, mental preparation, and the broader perspective on goals and fulfillment in the sport of...
Jul 02, 2025•40 min•Season 7Ep. 10
Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Training Babble Podcast, host Dave Schell and guest Leah Davison discuss the challenges and sacrifices involved in pursuing athletic excellence, particularly in the context of Olympic dreams. Leah shares her journey from being a professional athlete to navigating the complexities of motherhood and retirement, emphasizing the importance of a growth mindset, the sacrifices required for success, and the need for a supportive environment. They explore th...
May 28, 2025•40 min•Season 7Ep. 9
Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Training Babble Podcast, hosts Dave Schell and Matti discuss the said principle of training, emphasizing the importance of specificity in fitness as athletes transition from general fitness to race-specific training. They explore various aspects of training, including building work capacity, the significance of nutrition, the pitfalls of crash dieting, and the necessity of adapting to race conditions. The conversation also touches on performance mana...
May 02, 2025•46 min•Season 7Ep. 8
Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, hosts Dave Schell and Matti Rowe delve into the complexities of athlete mindset, focusing on time orientation, the burden of past performance, the impact of aging, and the role of metrics in training. They discuss how anxiety and depression relate to future and past thinking, respectively, and emphasize the importance of being present. The conversation also touches on the dangers of comparison and fantasy in athletics, and th...
Apr 18, 2025•46 min•Season 7Ep. 7
Send us a text Summary In this episode, Dave Schell and Matti Rowe dive into the intricacies of the coach-athlete relationship, emphasizing the importance of alignment between a coach's methodology and an athlete's goals. They discuss common misconceptions about coaching, the necessity of commitment from athletes, and the reality of athletic progress, debunking the myth of instant results. The conversation highlights the need for patience and understanding in training, as well as the significanc...
Apr 02, 2025•1 hr•Season 7Ep. 6
Send us a text In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, hosts Dave Schell and Matti Rowe dive into the complexities of training metrics, particularly focusing on Functional Threshold Power (FTP) and its relevance in endurance sports. They discuss the evolving definitions of endurance, durability, and the importance of volume in training. The conversation highlights the sacrifices athletes must make to achieve high performance and the often unspoken realities behind setting and pursuing go...
Mar 19, 2025•45 min•Season 7Ep. 5
Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Training Babble Podcast, Coach Dave Schell and guest Matty Rowe of Gravel God Cycling dig into the implications of AI in coaching. They discuss the rise of AI tools like CoachCat, the challenges of relying on flawed metrics, and the importance of human expertise in interpreting data. The conversation highlights the complexities of training plans and the need for personalized coaching, emphasizing that while AI can assist, it cannot replace the nuance...
Feb 26, 2025•45 min•Season 7Ep. 4
Send us a text Send me a message, I'd love to hear from you! Summary In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, Coach Dave Schell interviews athlete Megan Onweller, who shares her journey from a competitive high school athlete to a busy mom rediscovering her passion for cycling. Megan discusses the challenges she faced, including injuries, body image issues, and the importance of nutrition and coaching. She emphasizes the significance of finding balance between family life and personal goal...
Feb 12, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Send us a text Summary In this episode, Dave and Dr. Phil discuss the top training mistakes that athletes make. They emphasize the importance of focusing on the fundamentals of training, such as consistency, specificity, and progression, rather than chasing the latest trends or hyper-optimizing every aspect of their training. They also highlight the significance of proper nutrition, recovery, and avoiding drastic changes on race day. The key takeaways include the need to prioritize the big thing...
Jan 29, 2025•30 min•Season 7Ep. 2
Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Training Babble Podcast, host Dave Schell and Dr. Phil Batterson discuss Phil's training journey as he prepares for an uphill running race. They cover the structure of his training, focusing on VO2 max work, the importance of consistency and adaptation, and the physiological testing that has informed his progress. Phil shares insights on nutrition, health markers from blood tests, and outlines his future training plans leading up to the race. Takeawa...
Jan 14, 2025•38 min•Season 7Ep. 1
Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, host Dave Schell reflects on the past year, expressing gratitude to listeners and sharing insights on coaching and training strategies. He emphasizes a minimalist approach to coaching, the importance of flexibility in training plans, and debunks myths surrounding base training and zone two training. Schell advocates for simplicity and effectiveness in workouts, encouraging athletes to focus on performance metrics beyond just ...
Dec 31, 2024•16 min•Season 6Ep. 30
Send us a text Let's connect! Send me a message at KaizenEndurance Summary In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, host Dave Schell speaks with registered dietitian Alex Larson about healthy weight loss strategies for endurance athletes. They discuss the importance of nutrition in training, the shift from focusing on weight loss to improving body composition, and personalized nutrition strategies that can enhance performance. Alex emphasizes the significance of protein intake for recover...
Dec 10, 2024•47 min•Season 6Ep. 29
Send us a text Summary In this episode, Dave Schell and Dr. Phil discuss the importance of consistency in training, the use of RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) for better self-awareness, and the physiological adaptations that occur with structured workouts. They explore how repeating workouts can lead to significant improvements and the necessity of managing training loads to prevent burnout. The conversation also highlights the benefits of walking as a low-stress activity that can enhance overa...
Nov 27, 2024•40 min•Season 6Ep. 28
Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, host Dave Schell discusses the transition to indoor training as colder weather approaches. He emphasizes the importance of flexibility in workouts, understanding the limitations of erg mode, and avoiding one-dimensional training. Dave also advises on maximizing indoor training efficiency by focusing on structured workouts and adjusting targets based on perceived exertion. Takeaways Indoor training may feel harder due to diffe...
Nov 12, 2024•12 min•Season 6Ep. 27
Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, host Dave Schell discusses the importance of the off-season for athletes. He emphasizes the need for physical and mental recovery, the significance of reflecting on the past season, and the necessity of setting realistic goals for the upcoming season. Dave also highlights the importance of flexibility in training schedules and the need for regular check-ins to ensure athletes remain aligned with their goals throughout the yea...
Oct 29, 2024•16 min•Season 6Ep. 26
Send us a text Summary In this episode, Dave Schell and Dr. Phil Batterson explore the intricacies of coaching and training for endurance athletes. They discuss the importance of setting realistic goals, the role of a coach in guiding athletes, and the significance of consistency in training. The conversation delves into the mental aspects of training, the balance between hard workouts and recovery, and the necessity of enjoying the process. They also touch on the importance of adapting training...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 6Ep. 25
Send us a text In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, host Dave Schell reflects on his journey into coaching and the importance of simplicity in training. He shares personal anecdotes from his experience with triathlons, emphasizing that effective training doesn't have to be complicated. Dave encourages athletes to focus on what truly matters in their training, to be skeptical of information overload, and to find a balance that fits their lifestyle for consistent improvement. Takeaways ...
Sep 30, 2024•7 min•Season 6Ep. 24
Send us a text Summary In this episode, Coach Dave discusses the importance of calibrating your inner power meter by pairing your perception of effort with objective metrics like power, heart rate, and pace. He emphasizes the need to tune into how different sensations feel and not blindly follow the numbers on your devices. Dave explains the three energy systems our bodies use and how they work together during different intensities. He also challenges the idea of false precision in training and ...
Aug 28, 2024•18 min•Season 6Ep. 23
Send us a text Summary In this episode of Fast Physiology, Dave and Dr. Phil discuss the validity and reliability of training devices and the advice they provide. They highlight the issue of proprietary algorithms and the lack of transparency in how these devices come up with their recommendations. They also discuss the limitations and inaccuracies of metrics such as heart rate and sleep tracking. The key takeaway is to be skeptical of the advice provided by these devices and to use them in conj...
Aug 13, 2024•26 min•Season 6Ep. 22
Send us a text Summary In this episode, Dave Schell discusses the concept of intuitive endurance training, which involves listening to your body and structuring your training based on subtle cues like fatigue, soreness, and motivation. He emphasizes the importance of considering subjective factors like how athletes feel during workouts and how they handle training. Dave also talks about the origins of the idea and how it can be beneficial for athletes. He highlights the need for flexibility in t...
Jul 30, 2024•15 min•Season 6Ep. 21
Send us a text Summary In this episode, Dave and Dr. Phil discuss the healthy way to return to training after dealing with an illness. They emphasize the importance of understanding the stress that illness puts on the body and the need for proper recovery. They caution against jumping back into intense training too soon and recommend a conservative approach. They also discuss the cultural tendency to push through illness and the importance of being patient and not rushing the return to training....
Jul 16, 2024•22 min•Season 6Ep. 20
Send us a text Summary In this episode of Fast Physiology, Dave and Phil discuss ergogenic aids or performance-enhancing substances. They cover various types of aids, including caffeine, beetroot juice, sodium bicarbonate, beta-alanine, and creatine. They emphasize the importance of focusing on the fundamentals of training, nutrition, and recovery before considering the use of supplements. They also touch on the topic of ketones and highlight the lack of clear evidence for their effectiveness. O...
Jul 03, 2024•27 min•Season 6Ep. 19
Send us a text Summary In this episode of Fast Physiology, Dr. Phil Batterson and Dave S discuss the concept of Functional Threshold Power (FTP) and its misconceptions. They explore different methods of measuring FTP and the importance of training at appropriate intensities. They also discuss the variability of FTP and the need for context in testing. Overall, FTP is seen as a range rather than a fixed number, and training strategies should focus on increasing time at or close to the second thre...
Jun 19, 2024•23 min•Season 6Ep. 18
Send us a text Summary In this episode of Fast Physiology, Dr. Phil and Dave discuss muscle cramping. They differentiate between different types of cramps, focusing on muscle cramps. They explore the role of electrolytes in muscle cramping and the importance of sports-specific training to prevent cramps. They also discuss strategies for dealing with cramps during exercise, including the use of bitter or sour substances and light stretching. Additionally, they touch on breathing cramps and abdomi...
Jun 05, 2024•31 min•Season 6Ep. 17
Send us a text Summary In this episode, host Dave Schell interviews sports dietitian Kristen Arnold about sports nutrition for women, with a focus on menopause. They discuss the differences between men and women in terms of nutritional needs and how the menstrual cycle affects performance. They also explore the impact of nutrition on perimenopause and postmenopause, including recommendations for protein and complex carbohydrates. The conversation emphasizes the importance of energy availability ...
May 29, 2024•35 min•Season 6Ep. 16
Send us a text Summary In this episode of Fast Physiology, Dr. Phil Batterson and Dave Schell discuss the size principle in muscle fiber recruitment. They explain that the body recruits muscle fibers based on the force required, starting with slow-twitch type 1 fibers and gradually recruiting type 2a and type 2x fibers as the force output increases. They also discuss the impact of cadence on fiber recruitment and fuel utilization. They emphasize the importance of sport-specific training to prepa...
May 22, 2024•27 min•Season 6Ep. 15
Send us a text Summary In this episode, Dave Schell and Gravel God, Matti Rowe, discuss the differences between road racing and gravel racing. They highlight the importance of pacing, drafting, and fueling in gravel races. They emphasize the need to assess one's goals and adjust strategies accordingly. They also discuss the challenges of technical sections and the impact of heat on performance. Matti shares his experiences and provides insights on how to optimize performance in gravel races. In ...
May 14, 2024•57 min•Season 6Ep. 14
Send us a text Summary In this episode, Dave Schell and Dr. Phil Batterson discuss fiber types in muscles and their relationship to endurance training. They explain the different types of muscle fibers, including type 1 (slow twitch), type 2a (fast twitch with some aerobic capacity), and type 2x (fast twitch with non-aerobic capacity). They also discuss the history of how these fiber types have been described and identified. The conversation delves into the energy systems used during different t...
May 08, 2024•33 min•Season 6Ep. 13
