Pioneering a New Path to the Seven Summits Let me hit you with a story that punches harder than a 500-pound deadlift and climbs higher than your average PF goers LDL. This one isn’t about six-pack selfies or 17.5-day shred challenges. This is about true performance—the kind forged in pain, sweat, data, and damn near divine defiance of physiology. One of my M3 1-on-1 clients -Anthony Morro gives it to us straight in his own words about my battle-tested methods from the trenches of pro sports and spec ops... One twist here is that Anthony has secondary progressive MS—a condition that makes even walking a grind some days, let alone training for the ultimate test of endurance and willpower. His goal is to climb all seven summits and I am stoked to help him do just that. Guess what tool is he using to sharpen the aerobic sword for that battle? Not a mountain trail. Not a treadmill. The Rogue Echo Bike—aka Satan’s tricycle. The main reason is limited time commitments and it is what he has available. Together, we've built a relentless weekly protocol of precision-crafted aerobic training methods designed to skyrocket his VO2 max while keeping impact low and progress savage. And the results? Pure madness. PRs in watts, HR recovery, and calories stacked on top of an ironclad mindset and a body that refuses to quit. Here’s what he had to say about our custom work together "Training with Dr. Mike T. Nelson: Pioneering a new Path to the Seven Summits Since partnering with Dr. Nelson in February, my training has entered a new realm of efficiency and effectiveness. While I have over 15 years of coaching experience at both the professional level and in military special operations, as well as a master's degree, I sought Dr. Nelson’s guidance for a few key reasons. As I work towards becoming the first person with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis to climb the seven summits—with & without supplemental oxygen—Dr. Nelson’s program has been crucial. Huge thanks to Tony for the kind words and it is an honor to help you on your upcoming journey. You can follow Tony HERE on IG. With Tony I am using the exact same principles that I teach in the Flexible Meathead Cardio - and you can learn to apply them yourself. Time to enter the temple of cardio and emerge with lungs of steel and biceps full of blood. Much love, _____________________ Mike T Nelson CISSN, CSCS, MSME, PhD Mike T Nelson is a PhD 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. .. |
Creator of the Flex Diet Cert & Phys Flex Cert, CSCS, CISSN, Assoc Professor, kiteboarder, lifter of odd objects, metal music lover. >>>>Sign up to my daily FREE Fitness Insider newsletter below
You may be wondering if doing cardio will zap your muscle gainZ? The shorter answer is –very unlikely – but it does get confusing on how to add it to your lifting program. While there are many ways that work, here is the exact system I use for my one-on-one M3 clients, which has served me well for over a decade now. I teach this system in the FMC. Standard template Mon, Wed, Fri → Lift heavy sh*t with grip work (sympathetic/stress days) Tues, Thurs, Sat → Aerobic development work...
Ninety.Six.Days. That’s how long this meathead—yours truly—has been doing cardio.Not by accident. Not occasionally. Not when the weather was nice.Every darn day. In a row. Like some lunatic on a mission to find his VO2 max soul. The streak started on Feb 8, mid-sunburn in Mexico.Three weeks of tacos, tequila, and Zone 2 sweat.Even with spicy food, trying to evacuate my colon like it owed someone money… Cardio. Got. Done. Then we were yeeted back to the frosty armpit of Minnesota. Did I fold?...
This is the single greatest increase in VO2 max I have ever seen published in a trained population. Ever. I have been obsessed with cardiovascular training research since I first cracked open an anatomy textbook in 1993, when cell phones were bricks and creatine was the new magic powder. Since then, I have: ✅ Performed hundreds of exercise tests in labs and at the Extreme Human Performance Center using metabolic carts. ✅ Worked 12 years for a cardiovascular med tech company, buried in data...