The speaker emphasizes the need for resilience over optimization, especially in times of difficulty. He urges to prioritize adaptation even during off seasons instead of focusing solely on optimization for the future.
This episode discusses the importance of putting your body under higher stress to build resilience and upregulate to become more tolerant to stress load and improve physiological recovery. It also emphasizes the need to push your limits to become more accomplished and achieve success.
Tapering, or reducing training volume, in the last few weeks of a sports season can improve intracellular recovery, leading to a 10-15% increase in fast twitch muscle size and improved performance. However, the taper only works if preceded by a season of hard training.
The concept of adaptation versus optimization can be compared to immediate gratification versus delayed gratification, with elite athletes often experiencing a depression cycle after achieving a major accomplishment such as winning an Olympic medal or championship.