Palantir CEO Alex Karp Says 'Just Copy The Norwegians' When It Comes To Building Endurance And Strength: 'Run Like A Snail'

Karp Prioritizes VO2 Max And MuscleSpeaking 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 AdviceHe 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 RunningKarp 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."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 KurmyshovMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.