We are continuing our groundbreaking research looking at the connection between an increase in respiratory rate and COVID-19 infections. This episode is a deep dive on everything you need to know about respiratory rate and how to monitor your WHOOP data during the pandemic. VP of Data Science Emily Capodilupo shares our latest research updates, and pro golfer Scott Stallings returns to the podcast to detail how his data indicated that he had come down with coronavirus. We cover our respiratory r...
Dec 12, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 102
World-renowned COVID-19 expert Dr. Nicholas Christakis returns to the WHOOP Podcast to share everything you need to know about the second wave, vaccines, and how long it will take until things return to normal. Nicholas has dedicated his life’s work to understanding public health, disease, and how pandemics shape our world. He is the author of the new book Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live. Dr. Christakis discusses his sobering fatality forecast f...
Dec 02, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 101
We’re celebrating 100 episodes of the WHOOP Podcast! We've compiled some highlights from our first 100 episodes and it's our hope that you have found our amazing guests as insightful, informative, and inspiring as we have. We look back on conversations featuring former NBA Commissioner David Stern (1:24), golf greats Rory McIlroy (4:41) and Justin Thomas (7:53), basketball legend Sue Bird (9:59), Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman (11:41), former Navy SEAL Mark Divine (16:00), bestselling a...
Nov 25, 2020•40 min•Season 1Ep. 100
Erika Nardini is one of the most influential women in sports. As the CEO of Barstool Sports, she has overseen the company's growth from 12 employees to hundreds and has helped establish the brand as one of the most recognizable in sports and beyond. Erika discusses her journey to Barstool (2:11), landing her dream job (5:12), working with Barstool founder Dave Portnoy (6:46), growing the brand authentically (10:13), creating a playground for personalities (15:59), cancel culture (22:19), politic...
Nov 18, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 99
WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with Arena Labs founder and CEO Brian Ferguson to discuss the future of healthcare and how hospitals and medical organizations can optimize performance in the operating room, the ICU, and beyond. Brian dives deep on his transition from the military to healthcare (3:05), the complexity of modern healthcare (6:41), teamwork in medicine (7:12), burnout in the healthcare field (11:06), how to measure the strain placed on doctors and nurses (13:20), st...
Nov 11, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 98
WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes and VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo return for an in-depth look at how the end of Daylight Savings Time messes with your circadian rhythm. This is everything you need to know about how your body’s internal clock can be altered by even just the change of one hour. Emily and Kristen discuss studying the differences between daylight time and standard time (4:37), the rise in heart attacks after the clocks change (5:20), understanding your circ...
Oct 28, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 97
Chef Dan Churchill joins the WHOOP Podcast to break down everything you need to know about nutrition. Dan is an expert on physiology, fitness, and the science of nutrition. He sits down with Will Ahmed to explain why eating late can negatively impact your sleep and how mindset can completely alter digestion and prevent you from reaching your weight-loss goals. Dan discusses food’s role in recovery (2:16), getting hooked on cooking (3:19), the science of nutrition (4:38), cooking and performance ...
Oct 21, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 96
Chris Herren was a high school and college basketball star who eventually made his way to the NBA, but also saw his career and life derailed by drug and alcohol abuse. Now 12 years sober, Chris is one of the leading addiction prevention and recovery advocates in the country and uses WHOOP at his treatment centers to help people find their path to recovery. He discusses his pathway to addiction (4:46), going from top recruit to getting kicked out of college (8:49), his addiction to painkillers (1...
Oct 14, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 95
WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with media superstar Nigel Barker, one of the top photographers on the planet. Nigel was a long-time judge on America's Next Top Model and has shot photos for some of the biggest stars in the world, including Taylor Swift. Nigel discusses finding confidence and overcoming nerves (3:30), competing with Olympic rowers on his WHOOP team (8:01), drinking in moderation (11:58), what he’s learned from WHOOP (13:39), overcoming hangovers (15:47), becomin...
Oct 07, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 94
On this week’s episode of the WHOOP Podcast, Kristen Holmes sits down with Chris Mosier, the first trans man to represent the United States in international athletic competition. Chris is a trailblazer in the world of sports. He successfully challenged the International Olympic Committee’s policy on trans athletes and has made Team USA 6 times in duathlon and triathlon. Chris discusses advocating for trans athletes (4:10), his fear of losing sports after transition (7:01), finding yourself (11:4...
Sep 30, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 93
Jason Hehir directed the Emmy award-winning series The Last Dance, chronicling Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. It was the most-watched documentary in ESPN history and is already regarded by many as one of the best sports docs ever made. He sits down with Will Ahmed to talk about his never-ending quest to find out what makes the greatest athletes on earth human, the obstacles his team had to overcome to finish all 10 episodes on-time, and what it was truly like interviewing Jordan. Jason di...
Sep 23, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 92
Rory McKernan, the face and voice of the CrossFit Games and the CrossFit Open for the past decade, sits down with WHOOP Performance Manager and resident CrossFit expert Mike Lombardi to talk about the evolution of the sport over the years. Rory discusses what the future of the sport might look like (5:05), his experiences covering elite CrossFitters (10:55), writing a book with Katrin Davidsdottir (12:16), growing into his job as a writer and broadcaster (13:02), the role of data in CrossFit (16...
Sep 16, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 91
Dr. Kevin Sprouse is one of the leading sports medicine and exercise physiology experts in the country. He works with some of the best athletes on the planet, including baseball and football players, Olympians, and some of the top golfers on the PGA Tour. Kevin is also the medical director for EF Pro Cycling, one of the top 10 cycling teams in the world. WHOOP is the official wearable of EF and Dr. Sprouse shares how his team is using WHOOP data science to monitor rider well-being and to help op...
Sep 09, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 90
There probably aren't too many professional video game players who are also professional bodybuilders, but Jackson Bliton is one of them. Jackson is one of the most popular video game streamers on the planet and is better known as "Bajheera" in the gaming world. Each day, thousands of people watch Jackson play World of Warcraft, while thousands more tune in to watch him broadcast his workouts. He joins WHOOP CTO and Co-Founder John Capodilupo to discuss why World of Warcraft is his chosen game (...
Sep 02, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 89
Sam Dancer, one of the top CrossFitters in the world, joins the WHOOP Podcast to discuss the keys to recovery and healing. Sam was one of the first athletes on WHOOP and describes the profound impact it has had on his life, helping him cut out prescription drugs, coffee, and tobacco. He also explains how WHOOP has improved his relationships with others and his relationship with himself. Sam discusses how he found CrossFit during a self-described identity crisis (2:58), competing with a broken le...
Aug 26, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 88
Dr. Bob Arnot returns to the WHOOP Podcast to share his tips and tricks for defying aging and talk about his new book, Flip the Youth Switch. Dr. Bob dives deep on why age is just a number and details how you can lower your “biological age” by improving your heart rate variability with WHOOP. Dr. Bob discusses how he competes athletically with 25-year-olds at the age of 72 (3:15), how WHOOP taught him to recover (5:28), why wearables are changing medicine (15:05), optimizing workouts and recover...
Aug 19, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 87
Arizona Cardinals left tackle Kelvin Beachum joins the WHOOP Podcast to detail his journey from 7th-round draft pick to established NFL starter. Kelvin is one of the most thoughtful athletes in sports. He discusses his use of visualization to help achieve his goals, what he’s learned about how to succeed in his career and in life, and why he’s always thinking about what comes next after football. Kelvin dives deep on how he transformed his body to become an offensive lineman (4:03), why he’s doi...
Aug 12, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 86
Professional golfers Jessica and Nelly Korda, both ranked in the top 20 in the world, talk about growing up with pro-athlete parents (3:45), why they make great teammates (8:30), what got them on WHOOP (15:38), exceptional HRV and resting heart rates (17:42), WHOOP teams they are on with other pros (19:02), measuring what you can't feel (20:25), the stress of the Tour and the strain it causes (23:08), being child phenoms (27:24), strength training and how their workout plans differ (36:40), how ...
Aug 05, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 85
Kristen Holmes and Emily Capodilupo are back to detail a critical update to the WHOOP recovery algorithm. We have long calculated recovery by tracking heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and sleep performance. Now, we are excited to add respiratory rate as the fourth pillar of our recovery score. This powerful update reflects the latest research in health monitoring and provides members with an even deeper understanding of their bodies. Kristen and Emily discuss our COVID-19 research (2:...
Jul 29, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 84
WHOOP is ready to help you get back to work. Our Chief Business Officer, Deborah Poole, makes her WHOOP Podcast debut to talk about how we’re helping businesses, sports leagues, and organizations around the globe keep their employees as safe as possible by providing them with 24/7 health monitoring. Deborah and Will discuss the origins of WHOOP Back to Work and our partnership with the PGA (4:14), why temperature checks don’t keep employees safe (7:08), tracking respiratory rate (8:33), rethinki...
Jul 22, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 83
Crosslifter Obi Vincent talks about his remarkable transformation from an overweight teenager to one of the most recognizable fitness figures in the world today. Obi candidly details his struggles with anxiety and an eating disorder, and shares what he’s learned from those experiences. He discusses what got him into fitness (4:37), his eating disorder (6:28), how his bad relationship with food began (7:37), overcoming his struggles (8:28), the negative side of bodybuilding culture (11:48), how h...
Jul 15, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 82
Our research team has been working around the clock to uncover insights about COVID-19, and a few weeks ago we announced a major finding that showed tracking respiratory rate with WHOOP can help detect coronavirus before you feel any symptoms. VP of Data Science and Research Emily Capodilupo dives deep into our respiratory rate findings, along with a separate study that showed WHOOP members have seen improvements in sleep and cardiovascular health during the physical distancing period. Emily and...
Jul 08, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 81
Pro golfer Nick Watney, the first player on the PGA Tour to be diagnosed with COVID-19, details how his WHOOP data led him to getting tested for the virus. Watney shares how he became alarmed by a sudden rise in his respiratory rate and how he experienced no other symptoms that would have alerted him to the presence of the virus. Nick discusses his current health (3:28), his significant respiratory rate spike (6:05), why he was immediately concerned (7:21), testing positive (9:59), his quick act...
Jun 27, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 80
World-renowned sleep expert Dr. Chuck Czeisler joins Will Ahmed and Emily Capodilupo to discuss everything you need to know about sleep, and to announce the launch of the COVID Resilience Project. WHOOP is collaborating with Dr. Czeisler’s team, along with researchers from Harvard’s Brigham Health, Harvard Medical School, the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University, the Institute for Breathing and Sleep at Austin Health, and ARCHANGELS, to learn how the COVID-19 pandemi...
Jun 24, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 79
WHOOP and high-performance apparel brand Rhone have teamed up for an all-new drop of WHOOP clothing. Rhone CEO and Co-Founder Nate Checketts joins the WHOOP Podcast to discuss the partnership, his views on the role of technology in our world, and how he uses WHOOP to optimize his own life. Nate talks about why he was always cut out to be an entrepreneur (1:56), leaving his job at the NFL to start his own business (4:03), why he loves his WHOOP (7:30), his relationship with former NBA Commissione...
Jun 17, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 78
World No. 4 golfer Justin Thomas joins the WHOOP Podcast to talk about the highs and lows of his career, and how WHOOP helps him train, sleep and perform better. Justin discusses his upbringing and how his dad and grandfather inspired him to be a golfer (3:09), his friendly rivalry with Jordan Spieth and battling it out for the 2012 NCAA National Championship (10:50), seeking advice from Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Brady (14:42), taking lessons from disappointment (18:15), his friendship ...
Jun 10, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 77
Jennifer Jacobs is one of the world's most recognizable personal trainers. She is the founder of J Method Fitness, spent 3 years as an instructor for Peloton, and has been training people virtually for more than a decade. She discusses how she got into the digital space (2:09), the keys to leading a successful workout (5:06), her training philosophy (6:37), why home is the optimal place to workout (11:22), how boxing is a great workout (14:26), her approach to nutrition (16:54), why she's agains...
Jun 03, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Ryan Holiday is one of the most popular writers in the world and has authored bestsellers such as The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, and Stillness Is the Key. His books have become wildly successful among high-performing people and teams, including Rory McIlroy and the New England Patriots. Ryan discusses finding his calling as an author (3:15), dropping out of college to pursue writing (4:22), writing his first book (9:33), managing ego (12:34), the difference between confidence and arr...
May 27, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 75
The tables have been turned for this week’s podcast. Will Ahmed changes roles from host to guest as we share his discussion with NOBULL founders Michael Schaeffer and Marcus Wilson on their podcast, Behind the Horns. Will dives deep on the founding of WHOOP and our mission to unlock human performance. He shares what WHOOP is all about (2:13), why Lebron James and Michael Phelps were among the first WHOOP users (3:09), the inspiration for creating WHOOP (4:08), trying to unlock the secrets of the...
May 20, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 74
Dylan Frittelli is one of the top golfers in the world and is coming off a strong rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2019. He joins Will Ahmed to share his story, what drives him, and how he uses WHOOP as part of his scientific and methodical approach to training. Dylan discusses being a 6-sport star in South Africa and his lifelong dream to play sports professionally (3:17), coming to America and being a 3-time Academic All-American at Texas (8:19), teaming up with Jordan Spieth in college and wi...
May 13, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 73
