Sutherly

Sutherly Sutherly is an Exercise Science company that performs metabolic testing as well as coaching based of

3.5 weeks until the lifeguard lap 8 miler in Avila 🤙🏼
03/18/2026

3.5 weeks until the lifeguard lap 8 miler in Avila 🤙🏼

Should swimmers, paddlers or surfers do a VO2max on a treadmill? VO2max/CPET testing has value outside viewing your aero...
03/10/2026

Should swimmers, paddlers or surfers do a VO2max on a treadmill?

VO2max/CPET testing has value outside viewing your aerobic power in your sport. The data we have on health and longevity are all based on treadmill and cycling tests, and this data is helpful to compare against.

However, the lack of data on swim benches and the differences shown above make swim bench testing of little value unless you're planning pre/post testing, OR you're using the swim bench to train as well.

The truth is, your VO2max in an upper body supporter exercise will pale in comparison to a leg driven, unsupported exercise. While there are a number of factors, the main issue is difference in muscle mass.

Swimmers, paddlers and surfers put healthy oxidative muscle in their upper body, so actually a VO2max test of the legs doesn't show the whole picture.

The route here is to either combine an upper/lower test or do a test on a rower/assault bike - but even then specificity is a problem.

I'll be gathering swim bench data to make this avenue valuable but until then, while testing is always informative, you must understand the nuance.

Based on the Mølmen & Rønnestad (2024) review.The research breaks down three distinct targets for endurance athletes: Ae...
03/02/2026

Based on the Mølmen & Rønnestad (2024) review.

The research breaks down three distinct targets for endurance athletes: Aerobic, Anaerobic, and Neuromuscular.

The key takeaway is that the "best" session depends entirely on the specific physiological gap you're trying to bridge and, crucially, your current training status.

A session that provides a massive aerobic stimulus for a recreational runner might be purely maintenance for an elite athlete. Adaptations are highly-specific to your individual baseline and training history.

Common examples of these targeted stimuli include:
🫀Aerobic: High-volume "Norwegian" style intervals (e.g., 4 x 4 min or 4 x 8 min) at 90% max HR to maximize time near VO2max.

🫁Anaerobic: 30/15s or 40/20s short-interval stacks designed to maintain high oxygen uptake while increasing glycolytic demand.

🦵🏼Neuromuscular: 20-second max-effort sprints with full recovery to improve recruitment and running economy.

Selecting the right one requires looking at the specific demands of your goal race and your current physiological profile rather than just "going hard."

A little case study writeup on the sutherlyperformance.com website. Link in bio!-
02/24/2026

A little case study writeup on the sutherlyperformance.com website. Link in bio!
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02/20/2026

Located in a private studio near USD in Fashion Valley.

Dm to get scheduled!

The Kaminsky 2015 study, utilizing the FRIEND (Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database) cohort...
02/20/2026

The Kaminsky 2015 study, utilizing the FRIEND (Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database) cohort, established robust reference standards for cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) derived from direct VO2max measurements via cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET).

Historically, much of the data regarding population fitness levels relied on submaximal estimation, a methodology now ubiquitous in consumer wearables.

While these devices provide accessible longitudinal tracking, their algorithms often deviate from gold-standard CPET results, leading to inaccuracies in true physiological profiling.

A common takeaway from this data is the ~10% decline in VO2max per decade. However, I don’t view this as an immutable biological law.

Years of interviewing individuals on their long-term training habits and analyzing their performance data suggests that this rate of decay is often chosen but also highly plastic.

The "standard" decline is frequently a byproduct of age-related reductions in training volume and intensity rather than a fixed physiological ceiling.

Measured data will always outperform algorithmic guessing.

This research study investigates whether hot water immersion following exercise in temperate conditions serves as an eff...
02/13/2026

This research study investigates whether hot water immersion following exercise in temperate conditions serves as an effective heat acclimation strategy for both endurance athletes and recreationally active individuals.

Over a six-day intervention, participants followed a protocol of running in cool air followed by a 40-minute bath at 40°C, resulting in significant reductions in core body temperature, skin temperature, and perceived exertion during subsequent heat stress.

While highly trained athletes are often considered partially acclimated due to their fitness, the findings reveal that they experience comparable physiological benefits to less active peers.

Notably, the study highlights that while heart rate reductions were more prominent in the recreational group, the immersion method effectively lowered thermal strain for all participants without requiring expensive environmental chambers.

Ultimately, the authors conclude that incorporating hot baths into a post-exercise routine offers a practical and accessible way for athletes to prepare for competition in hot climates.
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I've been getting great gains from the j-coozRemember this is just one study and one particular protocol. I'll post anot...
02/10/2026

I've been getting great gains from the j-cooz

Remember this is just one study and one particular protocol. I'll post another about hot water immersion later this week. The takeaway is you don't need a sauna to reap the rewards and in some cases it can even be better.

All you need is a hot tub!

bath

When my wife first told me about the four different parenting styles, I found it really interesting how they aligned wit...
02/06/2026

When my wife first told me about the four different parenting styles, I found it really interesting how they aligned with the variety of ways I've treated myself and treated my patients.

As a parent, I've learned that consequences are important, but how you apply them and to whom you apply them, and the form they take, is even more important.

The FAFO crowd is misdirected; the permissive crowd is misdirected.

"We have a standard and I'm going to help you meet it."

"Consistency is a byproduct of connection, not a result of force."

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No one test does it all, and you typically need to choose between VO2max and precise training zones. If you've done a 60...
02/05/2026

No one test does it all, and you typically need to choose between VO2max and precise training zones.

If you've done a 60s staged test you probably found that your zones (speed/power and/or heart rate) fail to make sense after any appreciable effort.

For this reason we typically offer x4 different tests to match the individual with their goals:

-VO2max (performance)
-CPET (health)
-Lactate
-Comprehensive Thresholds (Lactate + VO2 + pulmonary)

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San Diego, CA

Telephone

6195073221

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