Hola from the land of heavy iron and maxed-out heart rates.

​Time is running out—Flexible Meathead Cardio enrollment slams shut TONIGHT at MIDNIGHT PST, and if you’re still on the fence, this might just be the savage wake-up call you need.

Because here’s the thing:

You’re out here obsessing over your squat numbers, chugging creatine like holy water, fine-tuning macros like a mad scientist—and meanwhile, your cardio fitness is circling the drain, with one foot on the banana peel, taking your longevity with it.

Think I’m exaggerating?

Dr. Peter Attia laid it out in such brutal terms that even the most cardio-hating meatheads need to listen.

So here it is—word for word:

"The two biggest predictors of longevity aren’t what most people expect—they’re strength and VO2 max (cardiovascular fitness). 🏋️‍♂️🏃‍♂️

When we look at hazard ratios for mortality (aka your risk of dying early), common risk factors are:

❌ Hypertension → 20% increase in risk
❌ Type 2 diabetes → 30% increase in risk
❌ Smoking → 50% increase in risk 🚬

But here’s the real shocker...

⚠️ Being weak? 250% increase.
⚠️ Having a low VO2 max? Up to 400% increase.

That means weak muscles and poor cardio health are DEADLIER than smoking. 😳" - Dr Peter Attia - post on IG

Note- this is not just me or Dr Attia, this is based on published research (1-4) on actual humans, no 3-legged ferrets from Finland.

If we want to build strength and improve endurance, we need to put our bodies in a position to handle these stressors and actually adapt.

Read that again. Let it sink in.

Weakness and garbage cardio fitness are worse than cigarettes.

And yet, so many lifters are still convincing themselves that high-rep squats are "enough cardio."

They aren’t.

You can’t out-lift a weak cardiovascular system.

You can’t out-bench a failing VO2 max.

You can’t out-deadlift a heart that’s thickening like a clogged oil filter because all you do is max out and never train endurance.

Strength training and adding muscle is amazing, but....

Your Strength Won’t Matter If Your Heart Fails First

This is exactly why I built the Flexible Meathead Cardio course—because if you want to lift for DECADES instead of burning out at 40, you need to fix your darn aerobic system.

This isn’t some weak-ass “run on a treadmill for an hour” nonsense.

This is real training for lifters who refuse to let their heart be their weakest muscle.

Inside, you’ll learn:

🔥 Why traditional "lifting faster" does NOT count as real cardio
🔥 How to train your heart like you train your muscles—without losing gainZ and even improving your recovery
🔥 Protocols that actually work for lifters, not endurance cardio bunnies
🔥 How to increase VO2 max without suffering through boring steady-state hell for 6+ hours a week
🔥 Plus basic blood work to determine if that is your aerobic weakness

You Have Less Than 12 Hours Left

This course shuts down at MIDNIGHT PST tonight.

There is still time to enroll. Full details below:

​https://miket.me/cardio​

Much love, cardiac horsepower, and the ability to be stronger, faster, and harder to kill,​
Dr. Mike

References

1. Mandsager, K., et al., Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Exercise Treadmill Testing. JAMA Netw Open, 2018. 1(6): p. e183605.

2. Harb, S.C., et al., Associations between cardiorespiratory fitness, sex and long term mortality amongst adults undergoing exercise treadmill testing. Int J Cardiol, 2021. 342: p. 103-107.

3. Kodama, S., et al., Cardiorespiratory fitness as a quantitative predictor of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events in healthy men and women: a meta-analysis. Jama, 2009. 301(19): p. 2024-35.

4. Strasser, B. and M. Burtscher, Survival of the fittest: VO(2)max, a key predictor of longevity? Front Biosci (Landmark Ed), 2018. 23(8): p. 1505-1516.

There is still time to enroll. Full details below:

​https://miket.me/cardio​

Doors close tonight at midnight PST!

_____________________

Mike T Nelson CISSN, CSCS, MSME, PhD
Associate Professor, Carrick Institute
Owner, Extreme Human Performance, LLC
Editorial Board Member, STRONG Fitness Mag
​​Mike T Nelson is a Ph.D. and not a physician or registered dietitian. The contents of this email should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

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