Blood Flow Restriction, Vo2 Max, Longevity & the Science of Smart Training – with Martin Whitaker

Simon Ward, The High Performance Human Triathlon Podcast

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13d ago 1:08:49

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In this episode, Simon chats with Martin Whitaker — a performance coach and PhD researcher specialising in blood flow restriction (BFR) training — about powerful tools for boosting performance, enhancing recovery, and staying fit for life.

Topics Discussed:

What is blood flow restriction training and how does it work?
Strength and hypertrophy gains with lower loads
Case studies from ACL rehab and elite football clubs
VO₂ Max development using low-intensity interval training with BFR
Using BFR for recovery, tapering, and mid-competition maintenance
Who should not use BFR (health contraindications like DVT or AFib)
Why VO₂ Max matters for longevity (Peter Attia’s “Centenarian Decathlon” idea)
How to structure high-intensity VO₂ Max intervals for over-50s
The importance of fat max, fractional utilisation, and fuelling strategy

Quotes:

“VO₂ Max is a bit of a vanity number for athletes… but it’s also one of the strongest predictors of longevity.” — Martin Whitaker
“BFR lets you get the same strength gains at 20–40% of 1RM that you'd usually need 70% for.”
“High-intensity work gets harder with age — but it also gets more important.”

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Resources & Links:

Saga Fitness BFR cuffs
Research paper on BFR safety - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6530612/
VO₂ Max tables and fat oxidation graphs (shared by Martin)
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