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 and physiological chaos.

✅ Spent decades searching for the biggest, baddest, most ridiculous documented VO2 max improvement in trained individuals.

🏆 And about six years ago, I found the winner.

A study so mind-blowing, so batshit crazy, that it left everything else in the dust.

But first, a quick caveat.

If you take some poor, untrained bastard with a VO2 max in the single digits (basically one step away from needing a motorized scooter at Walmart), then yeah, you can make their numbers skyrocket.

…But that’s not what we’re talking about.

The subjects in this study started with an average VO2 max of 43.7 ml/kg/min.

For lifters, that’s solid. Not elite, but definitely not couch potato territory. And by the end of the study?

Over 60 ml/kg/min.

That’s a colossal improvement. This was the average change across the entire study, not just for one freak genetic outlier.

If that doesn’t make your nerd brain explode, check your pulse.

Here’s Where You’d Expect the Hard Sell... But Hold On

This is the part where some Instagram blowhard would scream,
​
"Bro, sign up for my program and I GUARANTEE these results in just 12 weeks—cuz science and sht!"*

And that’s where I call BS.

Because there’s a catch, and it’s a BIG ONE.

The Training Protocol Was Absolute Insanity

These poor subjects (er, I mean volunteers) were put through a training program so psychotic that I TRIED IT MYSELF... AND LASTED 10 DAYS.

Ten. Miserable. Days.

I tried it with a few clients.

They lasted about the same.

And they hated me for it.

Yes, the results were insane, but the sheer brutality of the protocol made it completely unrealistic for anyone already lifting 2- 4+ days per week.

But here’s the good news.

I reverse-engineered the key principles behind this study and built a phased protocol that is actually doable.

It’s still tough, but it won’t break your soul.

It won’t give you the same absurd VO2 max jump as the study, but it will push your aerobic system far beyond what most lifters ever achieve.

Nobody is Talking About This Study... Yet

Why? Because it’s not a new study.

It got buried.

Forgotten.

Lost in the scientific abyss.

But I’m bringing it back, blowing the dust off it, breaking it down, and making it actionable.

And you can get the full protocol, a deep dive on the study, and the exact principles you can apply to your aerobic training in the upcoming Flexible Meathead Cardio course.

The feedback on this protocol alone has been amazing, and a couple said it was worth the price of admission if that was the only thing they got out of the 9+ hour course.

Sign up before you miss out:
​https://miket.me/cardio​​

Much love, oxygen-fueled savagery, and cardio for the win.
Dr. Mike

​https://miket.me/cardio​​

​

_____________________

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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