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Cognitive and physical performance research

Performance

Performance research spans cognition, recovery, training, and the interventions studied for each. Below: what the published research describes.

Performance measurement

VO2 Max: Lab Tests vs Watch Estimates

Laboratory VO2 max testing directly measures oxygen consumption during exercise. Wearables estimate it from heart rate and pace data. This page describes the methods and the accuracy gap.

11 min read · 2026-06-01
Training research

HIIT vs Steady-State Cardio: What the Research Describes

Controlled trials have compared HIIT and moderate-intensity continuous training across VO2 max, metabolic outcomes, body composition, and adherence. This page describes what each comparison has actually measured.

11 min read · 2026-06-01
Recovery science

What "Recovery" Means in Performance Research

Recovery is multi-dimensional — different physiological systems recover on different timescales. This page describes what research has measured about recovery processes, HRV-based scores, and the role of sleep.

11 min read · 2026-06-01
Performance measurement

What is HRV? Heart Rate Variability Explained

HRV is the variation in time between consecutive heartbeats. It reflects autonomic nervous system balance. This page describes what HRV measures, how wearables calculate it, and where the science is strongest.

11 min read · 2026-06-01
Training research

Zone 2 Training: What the Research Has Measured

Zone 2 training drives mitochondrial biogenesis and supports fat oxidation. It dominates elite endurance training programs. This page describes the physiology research and where consumer claims outrun the evidence.

11 min read · 2026-06-01
Free reading · Research brief

The Proco Performance Research Brief

What ten performance interventions actually do, ranked by measured effect size. Resistance training, sleep, Zone 2, HIIT, sauna, recovery, and the ones where popular framing outruns the evidence.

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Proco Scanner

Scan your supplement. See the research.

Proco Scanner reads any supplement label and surfaces what the published research describes for each ingredient — dose, evidence, and known interactions. Coming to iOS. Join the waitlist for early access.

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