meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
STEM-Talk

Episode 34: Jim Stray-Gundersen explains how blood flow restriction training builds muscle and improves performance

STEM-Talk

Dawn Kernagis and Ken Ford

Natural Sciences, Alternative Health, Science, Health & Fitness, Nutrition

4.7706 Ratings

🗓️ 28 March 2017

⏱️ 84 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Blood-flow-restriction training is a topic of growing interest. But as IHMC director and STEM-Talk co-host Dr. Ken Ford points out, there’s also a great deal of misinformation about the training. Episode 34 of STEM-Talk addresses some of that misinformation with our interview of Dr. Jim Stray-Gundersen, who helped pioneer blood flow restriction training and leads the Live Hi/Train Low program for the US Athletic Trust. Since receiving his board certification in general surgery in 1985, Jim has focused his work and research on maximizing human performance, health and resilience. He pioneered the Hi-Low training protocol and played a key role in the development of the anti-doping test, SAFE, which stands for Safe And Fair Events. It is considered the most aggressive blood-profiling test in the fight against doping. He has worked with numerous Olympians in various sports and has an ongoing relationship with world renowned long-distance runner Alberto Salazar, who also is a coach and director of the NIKE Oregon Project. Jeff has been an official physician and consultant of the United States, Norwegian and Canadian Olympic teams. He is an official member of 15 world championships. Jim completed post-doctoral fellowships in cardiovascular physiology and human nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He received appointments as an associate professor of orthopedic surgery and physiology. He spent 20 years on the faculty of UTSW and helped build and direct two human-performance centers at St. Paul and Baylor University hospitals. He has served on international medical committees that include the International Olympic Committee, FIFA, International Biathlon Committee, International Ski Federation and the International Skating Union. Jim also is the sports science advisor for the US Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), and continues to lead human performance and altitude camps for Olympic athletes, masters athletes, as well as Navy SEALs. He runs The SG Performance Medicine Center and Sport Technologies for Maximal Athletic Performance, overall fitness, weight loss, and recovery in Frisco, Texas, and now the new center in Park City, Utah, located inside The Center of Excellence USSA Building.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Welcome to STEM Talk.

0:01.2

Stem Talk.

0:01.4

Stem Talk.

0:02.0

Stem Talk.

0:03.0

Stem Talk.

0:04.0

Welcome to Stem Talk, where we introduce you to fascinating people who passionately

0:10.0

inhabit the scientific and technical frontiers of our society.

0:13.0

Hi, I'm your host, Don Cornegas, and joining me to introduce today's podcast as the Man Behind the Curtain, Dr. Ken Ford, IHMC's director and chairman of the double secret selection committee that selects all the guests to appear on STEM talk.

0:26.5

Hi, Don, great to be here. Today's interview with Jim Stray Gunderson on blood flow restriction training is a great topic and it's one of great personal interests for me.

0:37.2

Yeah, his extensive experience

0:38.7

between research and applying that research as a world-renowned Olympic and professional

0:42.6

coach is pretty unique combination. Absolutely. Jim is a fascinating fellow and the topic of

0:49.2

blood flow restriction is one where there is great and growing interest.

1:02.4

Unfortunately, there is significant misinformation disseminated on the web and through podcasts on this very topic.

1:03.6

Surprise, surprise.

1:05.7

Absolutely. What a shocker. On a more personal note, I've been using blood flow restriction for the past several years to excellent

1:12.0

effect and I've sort of drunk the Kool-Aid on this one.

1:16.4

Well, before we get to today's interview with Jim, we have some housekeeping to take care of.

1:20.7

First, we really appreciate all of you who subscribe to STEM Talk, and we are especially

1:24.3

appreciative of all the wonderful five-star reviews piling up on iTunes.

1:28.2

So I have it on good authority that the double secret selection committee has been continually

1:32.0

and carefully reviewing the iTunes reviews with an eye towards selecting the wittiest and most

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Dawn Kernagis and Ken Ford, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Dawn Kernagis and Ken Ford and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.