Hola from Austin as I am about to head out to do a podcast with my buddy Tex all about creatine, but before I head out I wanted to answer a question I got this week

“Ok I get that I need to build the aerobic engine. But what actually changes? Like physically, in my body?”

Great question and most programs never actually answer it.

Here is what happens when aerobic training is programmed correctly — right intensity, right volume, right progression, in the right order.

The physiology of a working engine.

Stroke volume increases.

Your heart pushes more blood per beat, meaning it has to beat less often to do the same work.

Resting heart rate drops. Heart rate at any given workload drops.

VO₂ max increases — your maximal rate of oxygen consumption goes up, which raises the ceiling on every energy system below it, including the anaerobic work you actually want in the gym.

Capillarization improves — more capillaries feeding more muscle fibers, more efficient oxygen delivery to working tissue.

Mitochondrial enzyme activity increases — the machinery inside your muscle cells that converts oxygen and substrate into ATP gets denser and more active (Holloszy & Coyle, 1984).

Lactate clearance improves.

Fat oxidation improves.

HRV improves.

And the thing you will actually feel:

Recovery between sets gets faster.

Recovery between sessions gets faster.

Work capacity goes up.

Strength is preserved.

You stop feeling wrecked after training and start feeling like you can actually go again.

That is not marketing copy.

That is the documented physiological response to correct aerobic training in lifters.

Don't just take my word though, here is what Rena —a registered dietitian, 20+ years of experience — thought she understood metabolism before she ran this system:

“My VO₂ max went from 50 to 59 ml/kg/min in 4 months, and my recovery and energy improved before the number even changed. This course connected physiology, metabolism, and training in a way nothing else has.”

Nine points of VO₂ max in four months.

And the recovery improvements came before the number on the test moved.

That is what it feels like when the adaptation is happening underneath the surface before the instruments confirm it.

The engine building before you can measure it.

Go to the link below for all the details on how to build your aerobic engine.

​https://miket.me/cardio​

Three bonuses — SS-31 PDF, Full Protocol Sheets, Quick Start Guide — disappear this Wed night at midnight PST.

The course itself stays open after that. The bonuses do not.

Much love and mitochondrial density,

Dr. Mike

References:

Holloszy, J. O., & Coyle, E. F. (1984). Adaptations of skeletal muscle to endurance exercise and their metabolic consequences. Journal of Applied Physiology, 56(4), 831–838.

Flexible Meathead Cardio details and payment plan below

​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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