In this episode, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai welcome Dr. Phil Maffetone—renowned clinician and pioneer of holistic endurance training. They explore the dangers of being “fit but unhealthy,” chronic overtraining, and the societal pressure to do more. Marjaana shares her personal crash and comeback story, illustrating how a high-performance mindset without...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass, Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski navigate the overwhelming world of training advice by highlighting six core pillars for endurance performance: base training, HIIT, strength training, sleep/recovery, nutrition, and mental health. They discuss how to recognize when you’re out of balance, why “feel” matters more than metrics,...

In this episode, the hosts explore two seemingly distinct but deeply related endurance training concepts: MAF testing and Fat Max workouts. Dr. Paul Laursen breaks down the science behind the Maximal Aerobic Function method (popularized by Phil Maffetone) and how it revolutionized the performance of athletes like Mark Allen. They dig into how low-intensity training...

In this back-to-basics episode, the hosts—Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai—strip away the noise of elite training paradigms to focus on what truly moves the needle for everyday endurance athletes. They lay out the six foundational pillars of performance: movement, HIIT, strength training, nutrition, sleep, and mental health. With refreshingly real talk, the...

In Episode 77 of the Athletes Compass Podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen dive into listener questions about VO2 max training, with a focus on the nuances of interval sessions like 30-30s, 40-20s, and five-minute efforts. They explore the importance of pacing, individual adaptation, terrain selection, and recovery while emphasizing context-specific...

In this episode, the Athletes Compass team continues their deep dive into VO2 max, shifting the spotlight from the heart and lungs to the muscles, capillaries, and mitochondria. Dr. Paul Laursen breaks down how oxygen delivery is only part of the equation — your muscles must be primed to use that oxygen. They explore how...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski explore how the heart functions as a major limiter of VO2 max and endurance performance. They break down the components of cardiac output, discuss genetic ceilings and the effects of aging on heart rate, and offer practical training strategies...

In this episode, Paul Laursen, Paul Warloski, and Marjaana Rakai tackle one of the least understood but critically important VO2 max limiters: the lungs. From the phenomenon of exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia (EIH) affecting 50% of elite athletes to practical methods for respiratory muscle training, the trio breaks down the science of lung function and its...

In this episode of the Athlete’s Compass, the team—Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai—breaks down VO2 max: what it really means, why it’s relevant for every endurance athlete (not just the elites), and how it connects to performance, recovery, and long-term health. They explore how training, genetics, testing accuracy, and strength work all...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen tackle one of the most hotly debated topics in endurance sports: strength training. They break down why lifting heavy won’t make you bulky but will make you a more efficient, resilient, and injury-resistant athlete. With practical advice for beginners...