Human Performance SECRETS Behind Norwegian World Champions: Olav Aleksander Bu 

My 14 key takaways: -Culture Culture is the fundament of the Norwegian team. Culture comes with work ethic, habits and passion for each other. -Personal values Being a good human has inherent value. A gold medal is something we give value to. Surround yourself with people that consciously and subconsciously make you a better person. -Transparency Transparency creates a work environment for growth. Being transparent about yourself as a person builds trusts. Being transparent about ones advantages builds a stronger training environment. -Evaluating A race analysis needs some time to mature. There is less emphasize on data and more on the evaluation of the performance by the athlete. -Curiosity Olav has been curious since he was a kid. The drive to learn and understand separates him. -Competitive Being competitive does not only apply to sports. Olav wants to become the best in the things he does and expect nothing less from the people he is working with. -Physiological The physiological systems operate like a black box between input and output. Physiological numbers don’t explain the whole picture and there are still a lot of concepts that are not understand fully, such as: maximal lactate steady state and glycogen uptake. -Performance and technology Today much more of the research can be done in Vivo. This creates holistic training programs and stops obsessing over details. -Quality work If you work toward a specific goal, every session should be separated by quality instead of intensity. You should always be able to answer the question: what is the purpose of this session. Don’t be a workout hero and race day zero. -Lactate production Lactate is produced in the muscles and released in the bloodstream. The amount of lactate that is produced gets influenced by a lot of factors such as: blood volume, blood plasma and hydration. The body can use lactate as fuel. -Core body temperature The body turns around 20% of the energy uptake into mechanical power. The rest is turned into heat. When the body overheats, blood flow will be directed towards the skin instead of muscles which will reduce performance. -Heart rate variability HRV can be influenced by activities such as breathing techniques or a warming up routine. Readiness for training should therefore not be determined by the HRV but rather the perceived fatigue of the athlete. -Recovery Doing a hard session when not fully recovered will have a negative impact on future performance instead of a positive one. Listening to your body is important. -Nutrition Eating a variety of foods with enough calories is important for performance. Supplements can be used to fill gaps that require some additional attention.

I love that his philosophy is that what is important is to be a good PERSON!!!!

please tell this guy to write a book with all this content!

Wow, one of the best conversations I’ve heard, Thank you so much Rich for always bringing such great energy and insight into your podcasts

One if the most innovative minds in sport right now. Hopefully Kristian and Gustav can continue to elevate and dominate.

my guy shared a ton.. but also nothing at the same time lol. i wanted to hear training details, i guess i shouldn’t have expected him to share training secrets… the title just got me thinking he was going to.

Awesome episode it was worth the wait. This is a man that is just bursting with knowledge in endurance training and articulates highly technical principles in a understandable way. I enjoyed how you got into his past before this career path and this has major replay value. It’s not a surprise his athletes are dominating especially when he touches on the human element as the most important aspect before the science.

I never saw something so empowering for me and so human and technical at the same time, thanks so much.

Next level endurance conversation, without a shred of ego in sight. A fascinating insight to what it takes to take the sport of triathlon by the scruff of the neck, shake it up, and spit it out, creating the new baseline for everyone to copy or build upon.

Only 10 mins into this and the pod is next level culture values and data. Brilliant listen

I could listen to these two talk for hours

Just wow, incredibly fascinating conversation! Soo much to take in. This is one of those pods that needs to be consumed to multiple times. Can't wait for part two ;)

Such a fantastic interview you can really see how he applies his engineers mind to his coaching, it’s almost like he’s taking a lot of approaches from Formula 1

Amazing interview 💪💪 well done guys

this is an amazing interview!! thanks so much

Wow! What a guy! Definately a new huge approach to everything in sport. Looking forward part two

How much do Gustav and Christian stretch or work directly on body mobility? Day, week, month? Do they test and compare results from their past in this regard? These are some questions I have never heard talked about for these two athletes.

This was a great interview about coaching and training!

One of your best episodes. Learned so much from this. Thanks Rich.

I am loving this talks with Olav Aleksander Bu. He is awesome.

Finally!!! Been waiting for this interview to drop. 😊

Thank you so much for this podcast! Thank you, Olav for your openness, and thank you, Rich, for letting him go into details! Yes, please do a part 2, and part 3, and part 4 etc! As an age grouper triathlete, this is so fascinating and helpful.

Great episode...always love when you have endurance athletes and coaching sharing how they are elevating human performance. When is Goggins coming back on?

Love it…. This is one interview I have looked forward to so thank you so much! But Rich, this reminds me once again of the interview with Lance a few years back. The table you used then was way, way better. More personal. This one now is insanely long. Why??? Please go back. 😬😳😎

Fantastically interesting discussion. Thank you.

Another banger RRP episode 👌👌Thank you 🙏

fantastic thanks for sharing knowledge greetings from Portugal

Fantastic episode Rich Roll.

Lo esperaba hace meses, Thanks you Nice job and interview

Great conversation! Thanks to both of you for letting us watch. And I cannot agree more about ignoring the Whoop before heading out for a big training day and definitely before races. So many times I’ve also gone out and then dumped out only to find I was high green or to have an amazing day and find out I was red. Great to hear that perhaps it is perhaps not the clear marker of what is to come as much as it is something to look at over time.

Awesome, thank you!

Can't wait for this!!

Oh man, this is gonna be awesome!!

This episode is Gold!

Why ignore Norways epic 400m hurdler and their 1500m runner plus these two untoucheable triathletes. Thats 4 athletes suddenly out of Norway smashing the world to bits. What Iden and Blumi are to triathlon their 400m hurdler is even more insane.

The hits keep coming!😊

Another fantastic interview sans silly questions. I reckon, there will some day be a book or perhaps a data-driven app with biofeedback loops.

very interesting. Thank you

It'd be interesting to see how morning light affects performance, or music or sound.

Olav is on another level of smartness

Awesome!!

Vredi slušati ljude koji imaju vrhunske rezultate.

Waited 728 episodes for this

Do you have a video about the tool needed for amateur and sports endurance athletes, thanks again

Greetings from Bergen!

1:31 is the most important section to me. How you feel is the most significant Predictor. No need to micro manage I think

Excellent stuff! If Blood lactate tests are in mmol so a volume measure but since HR drifts up during dehydration as blood volume decreases - blood lactate is still a good measure of training zone as you're having to work harder for the same power output. The more I read and watch on devices to train - the more I realise the talk test and heart rate is superior to any power measurement. It's a real physiological measurement that responds to the internal state. A watt simply isn't a watt in physiology I've started to use HRV overnight to make sure I don't cross into the threshold for my long activities. Seiler states that crossing into Z3 is almost like a binary switch for the autonomic nervous system. If my HRV stays constant or increases I know I didn't cross the threshold.

I have questions: 1. How has increased the aerobic and anaerobic performance (vo2max etc) of Blu and Iden since 2015? 2. What is the intensity of the race on olympic distance, half ironman or full ironman? 3. Is it possible that during next olimpic race Norwegian will have 0 medals?

Put his training formula and all the variables that are being considered into ChatGPT and see if it tailors an app or training plan.😊

That’s what’s up. Love this stuff

There is not one interview I have watched with Olav where I don't come away a smarter human being.

Anyone have any links to the research he is referring to regarding heart size and stroke volume changing much more quickly than originally thought?

awesome video ! Can i ask you if Gustav or Kris takes any suplemment like probiotic, omega3, vitaminD, creatine ? Or its just caffeine and carbs ? :p

wow👏

thank you so much !! Very interesting information, perspectives. It is like opening a hood of a revolutionary supercar and trying to understand how it actually works. Human body & human consciousness is a miracle. and a miracle is a miracle until you understand the science behind it. We are diving deeper into the mind of God - simple & complex at same time.

I wonder what the best way to optimize velocity in trail running. Specifically, ultra trail running in ranges greater than 50km?

Love Triathlon and the athletes. This interviewer Rich Roll wants big money rolls in his pocket and bank account. All theatre. Olav is great. Learn heaps from him.

Is there an episode 2?

Q1: what were some of your biggest mistakes and how did that affect your training plan going forward? Q2: talk about blood sugar levels during training using the meters and how that affects the performance in real time. Q3: is there any future in lactate meters during performance, like the blood sugar meters that currently in vogue?

Olav takes good English to a new level

I love the explanation of Vo2 max. As a nonathlete but a health nut, it's good to know I can focus on improving my 5-minute stamina.

not a single takeway on this conversation

A few weeks ago I was at the gym with my friend Jim Nasium, I had a 10 pound dumbbell near the front door and the manager asked if I was taking it home. I said the sign on the wall said free weights.

Didn’t know Juergen Klop was into triathlons

Definitely not pathetic 😅

Norwegians are great at Nordic skiing...Highest Vo2max athletes in the world...Carry that down to triathlons and bang.....

Take note 📝 kids

coach kavanagh all over again

Everything is Fine, Death is Callin' some see it as a blessing, others as a warning Don't cheat yaself this time Homie without the moon there ain't no sunshine, Darling explore the journey you've been living in a castle yet stuck in the same territory what is eternity without a new discovery? HOLD hands with destiny imagination is flying without a fee but the earthly ride ain't free sad but true you can't learn what you can't teach and you can't go where you can't reach no way to translate what we haven't lived The price we pay is in direct proportion to the prize we might receive new experiences create new emotions healing words are shared by preachers pain and suffering are the teachers floating like a butterfly will get ya stung by a beast "It's not a virtue to be naive" Keep an eye for the bird with the key it has a childhood memory filled with harmony collaborating and cooperating provides self relief giving and taking without expectation call it perpetual meditation self reflection, subtle elebaration can't cut corners there's no small time dealers, just small performers serpent bites don't kill, venom does Choose your poison what's the word of the day daddy? "Poise" son Maintain your composure Here comes the shocker Death is a metaphor for mystical, not physical Let go and surrender "If we don't trust ourselves, we can't betray ourselves" Use logic and reason somebody said: "Where there's trust there's treason" 6 million ways to die choose looking at the mirror, that mask what the hero does at once, the joker does at last Ready to take a gamble to get ahead in the game of life? then go right ahead, shine forth Being real is the best deal can't fake courage nor patience what silence is to the meek and ancients self created sickness is to pity patients Nothing new under the sun "What has to be done will be done" The more we get betrayed, the better writer we become No need to start a senseless war we can always raise the bar a new star will continue to get eclipsed by a bigger star Yet there's enough darkness for all of us to shine No Time, No Space, No Pressure Who knows how to measure and mix pain with pleasure? The best courage arrives while crying We can start willingly by walking or crawling Whenever we're ready to accept the calling Death to an Old Self to create New Cells, New Mind, New energy and strength to feel more clever to feel Death at a deeper level until we meet the Devil, that Fool the ego caught up in the high-achieving, oriented society and sometimes feeling above it and other times were so driven by selfish impulsivity, we can't stop it social media is the platform for any prophet, poet and puppet Stubborn to feel authentic by dominating others compelling urge to attain mighty powers yet afraid to demonstrate their true self no confidence, no self control and no patience to deal with others Wherever you go, there you are you still gotta face it by yourself with no confidence, no self control and no patience it's those thoughts running around like mentally ill patients aggressions and pretensions Relentless Screaming Set Me Free There's no escape It all comes down to choice and responsibility Individuality and maturity Self interests vs Ethics sexual deviance vs morality humanity will never eliminate the necessity to crave more, to do more that disease called "more" more of this, more of that Always wishing for something else A wish come true - is when we don't desire to be at some place else Right here, right now we create our woe and our wow The time is now and Perhaps we ought to know we have the freedom to say "No" Is everything fine? It's only Freedom calling but to experience true liberation we gotta be filled with new found hope and inspiration and like William Blake said: "Nothing Outshines Imagination" How would it feel to be the engager to a numinous nature? Yet we cling to our Boldness and stubbornness What's an empress to a high priestess? "vanities of vanities, it's all vanity" craving sophistication and worldliness while the boneless pray for a bonus the boundless mind appreciates life and death because it's endless They say the truth hurts I'll never forget Mircea Eliade's quote: "The opposite of life is not death, it's rebirth." FGirius flowin

Be awarded that such a big performance and the effort it could end up with the life of this young talented human beings. This is getting OUT of normal human physiology!,

🤯👊🔥💥💢🥵

Is it me? I couldn’t learn a single thing in the first hour

To be honest, let Kristian and Gustav train with Dan Lorang, or other good coaches, they would still be the best and maybe even perform better. Sam Laidlow was faster than Kristian.... I think it's more the work ethic, atmosphere they are training in that are making them so good than the training method. #SORRYNOTSORRY

So, I might be pre-judding here. But I am 5 min in the video and instead of letting the guest and expert speak I mostly hear the host trying to showcase his opinons on a topic and proceeding without even asking a real question... I hate this if podcast hosts do that :(

Don't ask them about blood doping- that's considered impolite in the world of pro endurance athletes!😂

I was shocked to hear such a backward opinion on supplements, especially after the analogy of the electric car not charging completely. Micronutrients are often depleted over time.

Hopefully clean... seriously doubt it!

Genetics - that’s “what’s going on” in Norway 😅 It’s hilarious to observe non- north Europeans try to figure out how those natural for that genetic group results can be artificially manufactured outside of it.

He didn't mention the drugs part though...

Questions to long and complicated.

Because I don't have a girlfriend and I consider my chances a tiny bit higher when I don't look like complete crap. Easy as that.

None of this counts all his athletes are on EPO… these guys are all liars