Arete

Method & roadmap

How Arete sequences, measures and proves it — the protocol, the biomarker stack, the wearable layer, and the 18-month plan.

Proof before claim

Sequence is the product; proof is the moat.

The proprietary order of operations, measured against a stack that runs from daily wearable signals to bi-annual epigenetic clocks.

The Arete sequenceMovement → thermal → nourishment → transition
  1. 01
    Movement
    Earth

    Mechanical & metabolic stress on the fitness floor.

  2. 02
    Thermal
    Fire

    Hot/cold contrast — the hormetic core.

  3. 03
    Nourishment
    Water

    Protein + polyphenols in the anabolic window.

  4. 04
    Transition
    Air

    Passive recovery — where adaptation happens.

Thermal protocol · the contrast cycle
#PhaseDurationDetail
1Warm-up movement5 minPrime circulation before heat.
2Sauna phase 115 min80–90°C; exit when conversation becomes uncomfortable or HR > 140.
3Air cooling5–7 minPassive cool-down between heat phases.
4Sauna phase 210–15 minSecond heat exposure; deepen the response.
5Cold immersion2–3 min10–12°C; controlled breathing throughout.
6Threshold transitionopenPassive recovery in the liminal space.
7NourishmentopenProtein + polyphenol-rich foods, post-thermal anabolic window.
Biomarker stackDaily → bi-annual
Tier 1 — Wearable-accessibleReal-time
HRV (RMSSD)Autonomic recovery, stress resilienceTrending up vs baseline
Resting HRCardiovascular efficiency, mortality predictorLowest sustainable, declining
VO₂maxCardiorespiratory fitnessTop 25% for age
Sleep scoreStage distribution, efficiency, consistency>85; >1.5h deep, >1.5h REM
Pace of agingLongitudinal biological-age trajectory<0.80
Tier 2 — Quarterly blood panelClinical · quarterly
HbA1cGlycaemic control<5.0%
Fasting insulinMetabolic health<5 μIU/mL
hsCRPSystemic inflammation<0.5 mg/L
LDL-CCardiovascular risk<70 mg/dL
TestosteroneVitality, muscle synthesisUpper quartile for age
Tier 3 — Epigenetic & advancedBi-annual
DunedinPACERate of aging<0.80 pace
GrimAgeMortality-predictive clock< chronological age
SYMPHONYAgePer-organ biological ageAll organs younger
MicrobiomeDiversity & butyrateHigh diversity / butyrate
Tier 4 — Emerging (watch)As accessible
Cystatin CKidney functionPredicts CV mortality independently
GDF-15Cellular / mitochondrial stressStrong mortality predictor
ApoB / ApoA1Lipoprotein particle qualityMore informative than HDL-C
Wearable intelligenceHRV accuracy · 2025–26 validation
Oura Ring
CCC 0.99
Passive HRV
Apple Watch
CCC 0.98
Ecosystem + ECG
WHOOP 5.0
CCC 0.94
Recovery + Healthspan
Garmin
CCC 0.87
Training load + GPS

Concordance with reference ECG / polysomnography, scaled from 0.80. Arete is device-agnostic; Oura is the recommended tier for passive HRV.

Working professionalsThe split-session model
AM anchorworkPM session06:0021:00

The split session is the reconciliation between the science of when to do things and the reality of when people are available. For many members it is superior to a single longer session.

The two sessions

SessionPrimary functionDuration
Morning anchorCircadian alignment, mental prep, moderate activation20–45 min
Post-work eveningMain training + thermal intervention60–90 min

Three morning configurations

  • Focused activation — mobility + breathwork → short infrared sauna → brief cold immersion (~35 min).
  • Movement-led — 15–20 min zone-2 cardio → mobility → optional brief sauna (on resistance-evening days).
  • Recovery-focused — breathwork + gentle movement → moderate sauna → brief cold (after high-intensity evenings).

The highest-leverage element costs nothing: 15–20 minutes of outdoor bright-light exposure on the commute. Even when a facility visit is impossible, that alone delivers significant circadian benefit. The evening session should complete 2–3 hours before sleep.

Female physiologyThe specific application
MenstrualFollicularOvulatoryLuteal~28dvaries widely

The female physiology research base is substantially less developed than the male equivalent — a structural feature of how 20th-century biomedical science was conducted. Arete's stance is honesty over false certainty.

What the evidence actually says

  • Female physiology was systematically excluded from research; the 'default human' in exercise science was male — protocols may not translate directly.
  • A 2025 systematic review found no consensus, after 40 years, on whether the menstrual cycle meaningfully affects sports performance.
  • Current reviews do not support periodising strength or endurance training by cycle phase over traditional approaches.
  • Individual variation between women is enormous — population averages are starting points; individual pattern recognition is the goal.

The product implication

The app must not impose rigid phase-based protocols that exceed the evidence. Members' own experience of their cycles is real data and deserves weight even when objective measurements are mixed. A female-specific onboarding module is offered after the six core domains — framed as optional.

R&D roadmap18 months · 6 phases
  1. M 1–3
    1 · Foundation
    Measurement architecture

    HealthKit, WHOOP & Garmin APIs, logging MVP, privacy architecture

  2. M 4–6
    2 · Intelligence
    Readiness engine

    Daily readiness score, AI coach v1, session-correlation engine

  3. M 7–9
    3 · Depth
    Clinical integration

    Blood panel protocol, epigenetic baseline, CGM, efficacy study launch

  4. M 10–12
    4 · Personalization
    Adaptive protocols

    Protocol-matching ML, cognitive test suite, supplement layer

  5. M 13–15
    5 · Proof
    Longitudinal outcomes

    Outcomes report, refined AI coach, hormonal protocols

  6. M 16–18
    6 · Standard
    The superhuman standard

    Arete Performance Standard, brand-science positioning, publication