Today I have a protocol that resulted in the greatest increase in VO2 max in a trained population... ever that I have seen published.

I have been pouring over the research on aerobic and cardiovascular training since taking my first college anatomy and physiology class way back in the stone ages of 1992.

Cell phones were bricks.

Creatine was the new magic powder in the lab.

I still had hair that behaved like it had signed a peace treaty with gravity.

Since then, I have done hundreds of exercise tests in the lab and at the Extreme Human Performance Center using a metabolic cart.

I also worked for a cardiovascular med tech company for 12 years, buried in data, heart-rate weirdness, HRV, and enough physiology to make a normal person walk directly into the ocean.

During that whole time, I have been on the lookout for the greatest documented improvement in VO2 max - aka the 1RM of your aerobic system.

About 6 years ago, I found a new winner that blew the previous study out of the water.

Now - caveat time, because this is where science keeps us from becoming carnival barkers with ring lights.

My caveat is that the improvement had to be in an already moderately trained population.

Yes, you can take noobs with a VO2 max just over single digits and see a massive increase...

...that does no meant dittlle-ding if you already lift, train, and are not currently being out-conditioned by a houseplant.

In this study, the average starting VO2 max was 43.7 ml/kg/min - which for lifters is pretty darn good.

Not world-class, nor elite by any stretch, but not couch-potato-with-a-pulse territory either.

Over 10 weeks, the subjects reached a new VO2 max over 60 ml/kg/min.

Read that again.

From 43.7 to over 60 ml/kg/min.

Keep in mind that in the study (1), the increase was not from 1 or 2 genetic freaks who have mitochondria shaped like tiny Norse gods.

Not one freak result.

The average.

That is a massive improvement and a very high VO2 max for a lifting population.

Now, if I had the morals of a raccoon with a burner phone, an LLC, and a payday loan office in the back of a vape shop, you would hear:

"Join the Flexible Meathead Cardio course and I can guarantee you that level of increase in 10 weeks because... you know, cuz science and $hit. Trust me, I'm a doctor"

Nope.

While I can guarantee some IG blow-hard who has never trained a single client in their life will blow up this study, slap flames on the thumbnail, and promise you a mutant VO2 max by Tuesday... there is a catch since there is no physiologic free lunch.

The protocol they put these poor bastards through - er, I mean subjects - was completely insane.

Like bat-poo insane, completely bonkers.

The study ran 6 days per week for 10 weeks.

Day after day.

Week after week.

The training stress climbed like a caffeinated raccoon scaling a power line.

I tried this protocol many years ago and literally made it 10 days.

Ten.

Miserable.

Days.

Ran it with a few clients too.

Same thing.

Plus they hated me even more, which I previously thought was impossible.

While the exact protocol is too much stress to add to someone already lifting 2-4+ days per week, however, I found a way to extract the principles of this study into a phased protocol that works really, really well.

That is the key.

Do not copy the insanity.

Steal the principles.

Apply them in an order you can not only survive, but improve.

That is exactly what I built inside the Flexible Meathead Cardio course — $100 off through Monday night with code CARDIO at checkout.

​https://miket.me/cardio​

Now, it is still not easy by any stretch.

But it is doable.

And while you will not get the same insane result as the study, you can see impressive upticks in VO2 max, recovery, and work capacity when the principles are dosed correctly.

Right now, almost nobody is talking about this study because it is not new.

Heck, students think anything before 2000 is sooooo old.

This study is from 1977 (1).

It got left behind.

Lost in the scientific couch cushions next to old conference badges and a fossilized protein bar because nobody even reads modern actual full studies much less old ones when they can just type anything into the ole AI now.

I do a full dissection of it in the Flexible Meathead Cardio course.

Then I show you what they did, why it worked, why almost nobody should copy it directly, and how to turn the underlying principles into a lifter-friendly progression.

The whole game.

Not magic.

Zero vibes.

None of that "just do Zone 2 until your beard grows another beard."

Principles. Protocols. Progression.

The course is $100 off through Monday night with code CARDIO.

​https://miket.me/cardio​

Use CARDIO at checkout.

Much love, stolen principles and survived protocols,

Dr Mike

PS - Only 1 client has ever survived the Hickson protocol as written — shout out to Jason M — and his VO2 increase was crazy. He is also crazy. The rest of us need the principles extracted and made survivable, which is exactly what the course does.

Nerd receipt

Hickson, R. C., Bomze, H. A., & Holloszy, J. O. (1977). Linear increase in aerobic power induced by a strenuous program of endurance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology: Respiratory, Environmental and Exercise Physiology, 42(3), 372-376.

​https://miket.me/cardio​

Use CARDIO as the coupon at checkout.

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 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.

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