EP 1294

1294. Why Your Workouts Aren’t Giving You a Summer Body — with Nick Bare

In this episode of The Human Upgrade, Host Dave Asprey sits down with human performance coach and Go One Morefounder Nick Bare to break apart the myth of the summer body. They reveal why your workouts might be hurting more than helping—and what to do instead. From sleep debt and overtraining to emotional burnout and mitochondrial breakdown, this episode shows you how to push your limits without breaking your biology. You’ll learn the secret to balancing ambition with recovery, using tools like cold therapy, neurohacking, nootropics, and strategic sprints. Whether you’re chasing peak fitness, high-performance parenting, or entrepreneurial focus, this conversation gives you the mindset and tactics to sustain energy, master stress, and build a stronger, longer life. 

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In this Episode of The Human Upgrade™...

You’re working out, eating clean, and still not getting the results you want. This episode reveals the real reason your fitness isn’t translating to the summer body you’re chasing and what to do instead. 

 

Host Dave Asprey sits down with performance-driven entrepreneur and former Army Ranger Nick Bare, a founder of the Go One More movement. With over a decade of experience in human performance, endurance, and mindset training, Nick has built a cult-like following by pushing the limits of physical and mental resilience without burning out. 

 

In this episode, you’ll learn why consistency beats intensity, how to spot the traps of overtraining, and how to train smarter by understanding mitochondria function, recovery science, and sleep optimization. Dave and Nick go deep on longevity tacticscold therapyneurohacking rituals, and why emotional regulation is the missing link in high performance. 

 

They also break down elite strategies for entrepreneurial stressparenting under pressure, and how to balance ambition with recovery using tools from biohackingself-quantification, and functional medicine. You’ll get practical insights into how Upgrade LabsDanger Coffee, and the principles behind Smarter Not Harder can dramatically boost your energy and focus. 

 

Whether you’re an endurance athlete, a sleep-deprived parent, or a business builder trying to avoid burnout, this conversation gives you the blueprint for sustainable energy, powerful willpower, and next-level fitness that actually works. 

 

You’ll Learn: 

  • The true cost of overtraining and how to avoid it
  • How to create “sprints” in life without sacrificing long-term performance
  • Tactical upgrades for training, sleep, fasting, and emotional recovery
  • What most people get wrong about motivation and discipline
  • How to use nootropicscold therapy, and fastingto accelerate growth 
  • Why fear of mediocrity can be fuel if used correctly
  • How testosterone, cortisol, and dopamineaffect parenting, performance, and purpose 

 

Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade is the top podcast for people who want to take control of their biology, extend their longevity, and optimize every system in the body and mind. Each episode features cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, hacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. 

 

Episodes are released every Tuesday and Thursday, where Dave asks the questions no one else dares, and brings you real tools to become more resilient, aware, and high performing. 

 

 

SPONSORS: 

Zbiotics | Go to https://zbiotics.com/DAVE for 15% off your first order  

-Active Skin Repair | Visit http://activeskinrepair.com/ to learn more and use code DAVE to get 20% off your order. 

“I’d rather be consistently good than occasionally great.”

Nick Bare

  • 00:00 Trailer

A fast-paced preview of Nick Bare’s journey, mindset, and key takeaways from the episode. 

  • 00:55 Intro

Dave sets the stage for a deep dive into performance, discipline, and the biology behind drive. 

  • 02:59 Longevity & health

Nick explains how his training philosophy evolved to prioritize long-term health and energy. 

  • 07:51 Endurance vs recovery

Discussion on overtraining, energy output, and strategies for balancing intensity with recovery. 

  • 20:23 Focus & boundaries

How building a business and family forced Nick to eliminate distractions and protect priorities. 

  • 23:16 Pain & recovery

Insights into using pain as feedback, and tools Nick uses to accelerate physical recovery. 

  • 24:48 Dopamine & motivation

The link between dopamine, ambition, and how to stay driven without burning out. 

  • 25:48 Breath work & states

Nick shares how he uses controlled breathing to shift mental and emotional states. 

  • 28:24 Endurance as meditation

Running as a tool for mindfulness, clarity, and processing emotion. 

  • 30:44 Curiosity & fear

How Nick reframes fear and uses curiosity to push through perceived limits. 

  • 32:22 Purposeful suffering

Why embracing discomfort is essential for growth and building self-respect. 

  • 33:33 Vision quests

Nick recounts spiritual breakthroughs and revelations from isolation experiences. 

  • 40:18 Nervous system switching

Techniques to toggle between sympathetic drive and parasympathetic recovery. 

  • 45:59 Decision-making

How decisive action fuels momentum and reduces anxiety. 

  • 47:59 Final thoughts

Parting wisdom on building a life of purpose, grit, and self-awareness. 

 

 

Resources:  

Enjoy the show!

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Smarter Not Harder: The Biohacker’s Guide to Getting the Body and Mind You Want is about helping you to become the best version of yourself by embracing laziness while increasing your energy and optimizing your biology.

If you want to lose weight, increase your energy, or sharpen your mind, there are shelves of books offering myriad styles of advice. If you want to build up your strength and cardio fitness, there are plenty of gyms and trainers ready to offer you their guidance. What all of these resources have in common is they offer you a bad deal: a lot of effort for a little payoff. Dave Asprey has found a better way.
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