This week on the Garage Gym Athlete Podcast, we're running three completely different scientific studies through the grinder—and none of us saw each other's ahead of time. Expect surprises, arguments, and some actionable training takeaways you can start using immediately.

Jerred digs into a kettlebell snatch protocol that boosted VO₂ max without running. Joe explores how dietary nitrates (think beets, spinach, arugula) improve isometric endurance by 25%. And Dave breaks down a 2025 study showing how heavy strength work dramatically improves running economy, durability, and time-to-exhaustion in well-trained runners.

We also kick things off with an update on last week's isometric training experiment—spoiler: it was brutal—and end with a practical roundtable on supplements we actually use.

If you train in a garage gym, want science-backed performance strategies, and enjoy a little misery mixed with progress…this one's for you.

00:00 – Intro: This week's study mash-up
00:30 – Isometric training update & why Jerred is wrecked
02:25 – Immovable objects, heavy loads & iso strategy
03:47 – Dave digs into CNS fatigue from the iso session
04:52 – Transition: Let's get into the studies
05:16 – Study 1: Strength training improves running performance
08:48 – 31% improvement in time-to-exhaustion
10:27 – Jerred on heavy lifting for runners
12:04 – Joe on balancing strength, speed & endurance
13:56 – The truth about soreness & "gaining mass" fears
15:28 – Study 2: Nitrates boost isometric endurance (Joe)
18:48 – How much beets/spinach you actually need
19:26 – Joe's real-life beet adventure (never pickled…)
20:53 – Study 3: Increase VO₂ max by 6% with kettlebells (Jerred)
21:16 – VO₂ max simplified — oxygen demand & oxygen debt
23:16 – The 15s on / 15s off kettlebell snatch protocol
25:17 – Circuit training vs kettlebell intervals
27:39 – How to implement the protocol in real training
30:36 – Kettlebells vs running for conditioning
33:32 – Supplement roundtable: what we actually take
34:29 – Joe: nitrates & tart cherry
36:05 – Dave: creatine, protein & coffee
39:28 – Jerred: electrolytes & hydration
42:45 – Are electrolytes supplements or just life?
44:22 – Closing thoughts & "Kill Comfort" reminder

Can you gain real muscle with isometric holds and little to no equipment? We break down a 2025 study comparing long-muscle-length isometric training to full range of motion isotonic work for quadriceps hypertrophy in trained lifters. We translate the science into simple setups you can use at home or in a hotel gym, explain why long-length positions matter, how to hit a true 10 RPE on static holds, and when to pair pre-exhaust sets with isometrics for serious growth without beating up your joints.

What you'll learn:

• Isometric vs isotonic for hypertrophy and when isometrics can win

• How to find and hold true long-length positions for chest, back, quads, and hamstrings

• Making bodyweight isos hard enough to matter with 30-second max-effort holds

• Joint-friendly use cases for tendons, pain, deload weeks, and travel

• A plug-and-play isometric session you can try today

Sample session:

• Pull: Chin-over-bar hold to failure, 4 sets

• Push: Handstand push-up iso 3 to 6 inches off the floor, to failure, 4 sets

• Quads: Wall sit at or just below parallel, 30-second max holds, 4 to 6 sets

• Unilateral: Rear-foot-elevated split-squat iso, back knee 1 inch off floor, 30 seconds, 4 sets per leg

• Optional overload: Pins, fixed bands, or plates on lap for wall sits

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
01:00 The 2025 study in plain English
03:30 Why long-length isometrics drive growth
06:50 Execution cues: 30s holds and true 10 RPE
08:30 Rehab and tendon applications
10:40 Pre-exhaust plus isos for hypertrophy
12:45 Minimal equipment programming ideas
15:10 Full sample isometric workout
20:20 Soreness, CNS load, and recovery
23:10 Movement skill benefits and coaching cues
27:45 Key takeaways and next steps

Links:
Free trial of our programming: https://garagegymathlete.com

Have you ever "hit the wall" mid-workout — or mid-day? In this episode, Jerred Moon and coaches Joe and Dave reveal how to fuel for performance using simple, science-backed strategies — whether you're training for a 100-mile ultra, crushing CrossFit, or just want more energy as a busy parent.

🔥 What You'll Learn:

• ✅ What "hitting the wall" really means (and why glycogen runs out fast)
• ✅ How to use periodized nutrition — match carbs & calories to your training
• ✅ Why under-eating kills mood, focus & family time (even on rest days)
• ✅ 4 Pillars of Performance Nutrition: Protein, Calories, Fats, Fiber
• ✅ Free Macro Calculator: garagegymathlete.com/tools — enter weight, get targets instantly

😂 Funny Moments:

• Jerred's fingers swelled like balloons from too many electrolytes
• Joe threatens to disown his brother over the Baltimore Marathon
• The heated white rice vs. brown rice debate (Team White Rice FTW?)

⏰ Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Intro: Have You Hit the Wall?
• 01:46 – Glycogen 101: What is "the wall"?
• 06:43 – Dave's 100-mile ultra fueling (PB&H = MVP)
• 11:31 – Periodized nutrition for daily life
• 15:38 – How under-eating ruins sleep, mood & relationships
• 23:40 – 4 Nutrition Pillars + Free Macro Tool
• 33:11 – Daily Takeaways: Think Like an Athlete

🔗 Resources:
👉 Free Macro Calculator
👉 Start Training (14-Day Free Trial)

💀 If you don't kill comfort, comfort will kill you.

Tags: fueling for performance, hit the wall, glycogen depletion, periodized nutrition, garage gym athlete, crossfit nutrition, endurance training, daily energy, protein timing, carb cycling, ultra marathon fueling, spartan race, macro tracking, performance nutrition, athlete mindset

This week we are looking at a study comparing active rest and passive rest and how it impacts performance. We break down the study, give our thoughts on if and when you should do active rest, and more on resting between sets.

Motivation fades and excuses pile up. This is when most people quit (but you'll learn how not to). In this episode, we unpack a surprising study that shows how to actually keep making progress when you don't feel like it (using Self-Determination Theory). No hype or fancy programs (these guys didn't even follow a workout plan). Just autonomy, competence, connection, and human to human coaching. Learn the mindset strategies that keep you training (or bettering any area of your health), even when you're not feeling it.

this week Jerred and Dave are talk about weighted vest and what the benefits of using them are.

This week we are going over a study that examines performance and sauna use after a training session. We talk more about sauna use and how you should think about using them.

This week Jerred and Dave are talking about a study on self determination theory and how it impacts training.