Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) CEO Alex Karp says his approach to staying fit enough to run the data analytics company starts with a simple rule borrowed from elite endurance culture. Build aerobic capacity slowly, then add strength.
Karp Prioritizes VO2 Max And Muscle
Speaking with Axios' Mike Allen at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2024, Karp said he focuses on VO2 max, a measure of how much oxygen the body can use during hard exercise. Karp said he believes pushing VO2 max into a top age-group range ranks among the most important steps a person can take for long-term health. But he also warned against chasing endurance at the expense of strength.
"My VO2 Max is like elite for like a 25-year-old," Karp said. "But if I go to elite for a 20-year-old, I lose muscle mass. I think for brain health it’s much better to be slightly older from a VO2 Max and increased muscle mass."
Norwegian Training Shapes His Fitness Advice
He told executives that they should think about the point where aerobic capacity, muscle and brain health overlap. His formula requires patience.
"You spend three years working on VO2 Max," Karp said, adding that the work requires discipline, low-intensity exercise and "very technical intervals." His shortcut for learning the method was to simply, "just copy the Norwegians."
Norwegian researchers at NTNU's Cardiac Exercise Research Group promote the 4×4 interval model, which uses four hard four-minute efforts separated by active recovery. Their guidance also pairs interval work with broader exercise habits.
Strength Work Complements Slow Running
Karp said people should later add practical strength work, not mirror-muscle training. He recommended "bands and body weight exercises" to make muscles "stronger and more flexible."
Research supports much of his framing. A Cleveland Clinic study published in JAMA Network Open linked higher cardiorespiratory fitness with longer survival and found no upper limit to benefit. Reviews also associate resistance training with brain changes and gains in executive function, though researchers urge caution because studies vary in size and design.
For beginners, Karp kept the advice simpler. "Run like a snail," he said. "Meaning, you run at the pace that you walk."
Other business leaders make similar arguments. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook starts early and uses gym time to manage stress, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson says exercise boosts his productivity and billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has made regular cardio part of his longevity routine.
According to Benzinga Edge Rankings, PLTR is experiencing a bearish price trend across short, medium and long-term periods. Its Growth ranks in the 97th percentile.
Image via Shutterstock/ Ivan Kurmyshov
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