This is Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin.
I'm Dr. Andy Galpin, a professor and director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University.
With this podcast, my goal is to help you better understand and maximize your own physical and mental performance, leveraging my two decades of experience with elite performers, including Olympians and world champions across numerous sports. The goal is to cover a range of tools, technologies, and strategies designed to help everyone—from beginners to record-breaks, and everyone in between.
I’ll use a format that I call the "3 I's.” For every topic, we'll explore how to 1) Investigate (measure it), 2) Interpret (determine what’s bad, ok, good, or even elite!), and 3) Intervene (implement changes). This framework will guide our discussions on both the science and actionable insights—the do’s and don’ts.
In the upcoming episodes of Season 2, we'll dive into topics such as how metabolism and metabolic rate truly work, how to maximize brain function and health, what sports nutrition looks like in the world’s best athletes, how to improve bone health and accelerate healing, the science of strength training for kids, and much more.
While not all of us are elite athletes—myself included—there are countless lessons and tools we can learn from those performing at the highest levels. And remember, as legendary coach Bill Bowerman stated, "If you have a body, you are an athlete." If you're not already, I hope you'll consider starting to train and recover like one.
My guest is Dr. Bret Contreras, PhD, CSCS, a leading expert in glute training. We cover key strategies for maximizing glute growth, explore the anatomy and function of the glutes, and break down effective exercises like the hip thrust. We discuss how to structure training programs based on individual goals, the importance of prioritizing recovery, and common mistakes that hinder progress. Additionally, we examine how physiological differences in women’s training should inform program design. Fin...
Feb 19, 2025•3 hr 29 min•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, my guest is Dr. Thomas Wood, a UK-trained M.D. with a Ph.D. in physiology and neuroscience. He is a professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Washington. We discuss how both physical and mental challenges can enhance cognitive function in the short and long term. We also examine the crucial roles of nutrition, sleep, and other lifestyle factors in supporting overall brain health. Additionally, we explore the potential benefits of supplementation with creatine...
Feb 12, 2025•3 hr 4 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I discuss science-supported methods to boost metabolism and maintain sustainable fat loss. I explain the key components of total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and why some people seem to stay naturally lean with little effort. Using the three I’s—Investigate, Interpret, and Intervene—I explain how to assess your metabolism and make changes to improve it. I describe various behavioral, exercise, nutrition, and supplement-based approaches to enhance metabolism in both the short ...
Feb 05, 2025•2 hr 14 min•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I discuss nutrition and supplementation to reduce the risk of brain injury and enhance brain performance and long-term health. Most brain injuries, including traumatic brain injury (TBIs) and concussion, are not from sports and are actually quite common in non-athletes. I explain what happens in the brain when a TBI occurs and discuss science-supported nutrients to reduce the risk of brain injury, minimize symptoms, and improve recovery. Summarizing both research and clinical st...
Aug 14, 2024•2 hr 42 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I discuss blood testing for athletic performance. I explain how performance-based blood testing differs from medical or disease-based blood panels and the pros and cons of blood testing for performance. I explain how to choose specific blood markers based on your performance goals, scenario, and situation. I also discuss the timing, frequency, and preparation for blood tests to increase the accuracy and validity of results. I explain how to contextualize blood test results, inte...
Aug 07, 2024•2 hr 23 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I discuss genetic testing for sports and athletic performance. I describe the history of sports genomics and the search for genes that determine strength, endurance, and other performance markers. I explain how to interpret genetic test results, including how many genes determine a trait, the relative influence of a single gene, and the likelihood that a genetic variant produces noticeable performance effects. I discuss the ethical issues and current limitations of using genetic...
Jul 31, 2024•2 hr 43 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I discuss training plateaus, overtraining, and peaking (aka “tapering”) to help you train smart for your goals and effectively use rest to maximize performance. I discuss training plateaus, the underlying molecular mechanisms that cause plateaus, and how to overcome plateaus by targeting systems and nutrition-based approaches. I describe how overtraining reduces performance, which molecular biomarkers to measure to determine if you are overtrained, and how to recover from overtr...
Jul 24, 2024•2 hr 6 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I discuss lactate (or “lactic acid”) and its essential roles in metabolism and athletic performance. Lactate is commonly misinterpreted as the waste product responsible for muscle soreness and exercise fatigue. However, I explain why it is produced, how lactate positively affects multiple organ systems, and its critical function in metabolism and as a signaling molecule. I explain the concept of metabolic flexibility and how lactate helps cells effectively transition between ene...
Jul 17, 2024•2 hr 49 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I explain how sleep optimization produces a competitive advantage and the many tools available for improving sleep to maximize athletic performance. I explain how sufficient, high-quality sleep enhances speed, accuracy, reaction time, and competition performance and aids in injury recovery. I also describe why most athletes suffer from chronic suboptimal sleep, the athlete’s sleep paradox, the biochemical reason athletes need more sleep, and the most common sleep disorders affec...
Jul 10, 2024•2 hr 3 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I explain protocols to build muscle hypertrophy (muscle size) and maximize strength and power for athletic performance, health, and longevity. I describe two science-supported programs developed by strength and performance experts that are appropriate for both men and women, no matter the sport or training level background. I discuss the key training concepts of strength-based programs, including progressive overload, intensity, Prilepin’s chart, autoregulation, block periodizat...
Jul 03, 2024•2 hr 2 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I explain practical applications for improving your VO2 max and endurance in order to prevent disease, promote longevity, and optimize overall health and performance. I also explain the training fundamentals and methods to consider when developing an endurance training program, such as general conditioning, warm-ups/cool-downs, tissue tolerance and recovery, injury prevention, and maximizing training time. I describe two endurance training programs suitable for individuals of al...
Jun 26, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I discuss the essential role of skeletal muscle in health and performance. I explain what skeletal muscle is made of, how it works, and its role as an integral organ system for physical and mental health. I explain how to focus on skeletal muscle quantity (total muscle) and muscle quality (functionality, speed, power, strength) to ensure you function and perform at the highest levels. I explain the difference between slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers and why skeletal muscle is...
Jun 19, 2024•2 hr 55 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast
In this episode, I discuss the critical importance of building a strong heart and how to do it. I explain why the human body needs to breathe, the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness for sleep and exercise recovery, and its long-term implications for physical health, disease risk, and mortality. I explain how the heart functions, what determines heart rate, why the heart never gets sore, and the unique advantages of cardiac muscle over other muscle types. I explain how to use the ‘Three I’s’...
Jun 12, 2024•2 hr 59 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast
This is Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin. I'm Dr. Andy Galpin, a professor of kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton. With this podcast, my goal is to help you better understand and maximize your own physical performance, leveraging my two decades of experience with top-tier performers, including Olympians and world champions across numerous sports. We'll discuss a range of advanced tools, technologies, and strategies, striking a balance between the forefront of scientific research an...
Jan 09, 2024•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast