Episode 012: How to optimise our sports performance with Kristen Holmes, WHOOP VP Performance Science

In today’s episode, I am joined in the studio by Kristen Holmes 

As Vice President of Performance Science, Principal Scientist at WHOOP, Kristen drives thought leadership by engaging with industry-leading researchers and partners to better understand individual and team biometric and performance data across high-stakes verticals to drive product innovation, strategy, and coaching.
 Kristen blends her academic and applied background in athletics, coaching, performance technology, psychology, and exercise physiology to drive research, partnership, and product development initiatives to strengthen WHOOP as a leader in Human Performance.
 Kristen works with hundreds of the best tactical, professional, surgical teams, corporate, and NCAA Athlete Teams in the world, helping them interpret WHOOP data to optimize training, recovery, and sleep behavior.  Kristen's research focuses on the temporal organization of circadian influences and their effect on physiological and psychological resilience.
 Kristen was a 3x All American, 2x Big 10 Athlete of the year at the University of Iowa, competing in both Field Hockey and Basketball, and a 2021 University of Iowa Hall of Fame Inductee. 7-year member of the U.S. National Field Hockey Team and one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history, having won 12 league titles in 13 seasons and a National Championship at Princeton University.  
 Kristen has an MIT Sloan Artificial Intelligence Certificate, M.A. Psychology, and Sports Performance, B.A., Political Science, University of Iowa, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Queensland. Kristen serves as a Science Advisor to Levels Health, Science Advisor to Arena Labs, Advisor to Evolve Leadership, a Performance Ambassador to Liminal Collective, and sits on the Tactical Leadership Board of Sports Innovation Lab. 

 In today’s episode we cover 

•  What is WHOOP? What does it do and measure? 
•  What is heart rate variability. 
• The various training zones – what are they and why do they matter? 
• MAF/zone 2 training and autonomic recovery as a recovery tool  
• How should our programmes be balanced and varied to accommodate these zones? 
• In an era with constant digital access – how can we utilise the WHOOP measures to better our recovery and training decisions  
• What can we do in lifestyle to take our fitness abilities to the next level  
• How can we train for longevity  
• Using WHOOP and mapping and tracking our menstrual cycle – has it got a role? 
• Key take home messages to optimise our sports performance  

You can find Kristen on @kristen_holmes2126  

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