Podcast Recap: Huberman Lab
Science Supported Tools to Accelerate Your Fitness Goals
In this episode of the Huberman Lab, Andrew Huberman, Ph.D discusses the key components of building an optimal fitness routine for lifelong health and performance. The 12 tools, which we discuss below, can be easily implemented into your current fitness routine and will greatly enhance your level of fitness. An optimal fitness program should aim to support longevity, health and lifespan, expand performance and expand aesthetics. Ideally we should be getting in 2 — 4 cardiovascular sessions and 2 — 4 resistance training sessions per week.
#1: Zone 2 Cardio & Daily Activities
Zone 2 cardio is when we are able to elevate our heart rate and breathing while still being able to comfortably hold a conversation. If you were to exert yourself slightly more, holing a conversation or completing your sentences would be difficult. During zone 2 you should be able to maintain nasal breathing. Cardio enhances all other areas of our fitness.
Goal: 150 — 200 Minutes a Week
How to Accomplish: Zone 2 cardio can typically be accomplished in our daily activities and we do not always need the recommended time carved out in our schedule for cardio. By walking at a more rapid rate and increasing your movement out the day, we are able to enter zone 2 cardio. Make it a goal to schedule 60 — 120 minutes of cardio a week and accomplish the remainder of the goal through your daily movement and activities.
#2: Low Repetition Strength Training & the 3x5 Protocol
Making it a goal to focus more on low repetition strength training can have an incredible result on your overall strength and fitness training overtime. It has shown to increase overall strength, making it easier to attain lifting more when returning to increased repetitions, it can improve your cardiovascular training due to improved posture and stronger muscles allowing for correct form and has shown to provide mental freshness, less soreness and feeling better overall.
Goal: 3x5 Protocol for 8 — 12 Weeks of the Year (Replace High Repetition Training)
How to Accomplish: The 3x5 protocol should begin with a warmup and then goes as follows—
3 — 5 Exercises Per Workout
3 — 5 Sets Per Exercise
3 — 5 Reps per Set
3 — 5 Minutes Rest Between Each Set
3 — 5 Times Per Week
#3: “Sugarcane” Endurance Protocol
The Sugarcane Protocol is a brutal, yet efficient, way to improve our cardiovascular health. The Sugarcane protocol originates from Kenny Cane and involves safely pushing our bodies intensity when it comes to exercise. By increasing our intensity, our heart is elevated which can improve our V02 max, which is the highest amount of oxygen that can be used during intense exercise. Our VO2 max is an important indicator of our overall health and is linked to improved health and performance.
Goal: Once Every 2 — 4 Weeks (Replace High Intensity Interval Training)
How to Accomplish: Your choice of cardio can be applied to this protocol including running, biking and rowing. Protocol should begin with a warmup and cool down.
For 2 minutes, go the maximum distance you can in that time.
Rest for 2 minutes.
Go the same distance you were able to accomplish in round #1, as fast as you can (how ever long it takes you).
Rest for 2 minutes.
Go the same duration as round #2 with the goal of reaching the same distance, or more, as round #1.
#4: Exercise Snacks for Cardiovascular & Muscular Endurance
Exercise snacks are a great way to enhance or maintain your fitness throughout the day so you do not lose ground on your fitness progress and goals when you get busy with everyday life.
Goal: 10 — 12 Minutes of Cardiovascular and 1 — 2 Minutes of Muscular
How to Accomplish: Below are examples of “exercise snacks” in each category that can be done randomly throughout your day.
Cardiovascular
50 — 100 Jumping Jacks
Up & Down Stairs for 30 — 40 Seconds
Muscular
1 Minute Plank
1 Minute Wall Sit
Pushups (maximum number you can do)
10 — 20 Squats
#5: Rest Period & Psychological Sighs
By taking time to intentionally rest and focus on our breathing and respiration when we exercise, we are able to shift our nervous system from being in a sympathetic drive to parasympathetic drive which is essentially brining our body from a high alert/stressful state to a more calm state. While actively exercising, stress hormones our good for our bodies but if we do not down regulate following exercise, stress hormones can linger and will not allow for our bodies to reach a calm and restful state. This also leads to better recovery for the body.
Goal: Implement Into Any Current Exercise Routines
How to Accomplish: Practice implementing in physiological sighs or aim to actively exhale and breathe slower.
Deep inhale through your nose
Inflate your lungs to the maximum
Second brief inhale
Long exhale out until lungs are empty
#6: Down Regulation Breathing & Recovery
Often times after working out, we do not take the time to cool down and recover. As discussed above, this can cause stress hormones to continue to flood your body instead of shifting your body into a parasympathetic mode. By down regulating after a workout, we are supporting our body in recovery and enhancing the benefits of our exercise. Overall, this allows our body back into a calm state and allows us to recover quicker. Regardless of the type of workout, down regulation should be done regardless.
Goal: Shift body into a parasympathetic mode
How to Accomplish: Take 3 — 5 minutes after every single workout to down regulate
#7: “The Line”
The concept of “the line” is to compartmentalize your workout and once you cross “the line” you mean business and are focused on your exercise and not being distracted. If your goal during any workout is to stimulate anytime of physiological adaptations and not get injured, this is a great way to do so. By blocking out all distractions (both physical and mental) we can focus, enjoy and gain the most from our exercise.
Goal: Implement Into Any Current Exercise Routines
How to Accomplish: When you go to exercise, visualize yourself crossing “the line” at which point you leave all distractions behind and are completely focused on your exercise.
#8: Smartphone Use & Training
Before you “cross the line”, decide what you need from your phone during that workout (example: what music you are going to listen to or fitness tracking apps). By constantly interacting on our phones while we workout, our rest times and intervals are interrupted, our focus and efficiency is effected and it can cause our workouts to take longer than normal. Smartphones can greatly impact the quality of the training we are doing.
Goal: Implement Into Any Current Exercises Routines
How to Accomplish: Have a designated playlist, podcast or audiobook for your workout ahead of time and stick to it during the duration of your exercise.
#9: Omega—3 Fatty Acids
Most people are not getting enough EPA forms of Omega—3 fatty acids. Omega-3’s are associated with our mood and offsetting depression, supporting neurotransmission which is essential for neuromuscular performance and can reduce inflammation response and improve our cardiovascular health.
Goal: 1 gram per day, can work up to 2 grams
How to Accomplish: Supplement your diet with fish oil capsules or liquid fish oil
#10: Creatine
Creatine is a fuel system for the brain associated with both cognitive and athletic performance.
Goal: Roughly 5 grams per day (adjust based on body weight)
How to Accomplish: Supplement daily, may need to take with food and build up dose
#11: Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola Rosea is a cortisol modulator. Growing research has explored rhodiola rosea supplementation in one’s subjective perception of fatigue or output during high intensity training. It is not considered foundational but is a great supplement to enhance fitness once you have a healthy foundation laid. Using Rhodiola Rosea can allow one to feel less and exhausted during training and lead to better recovery.
Goal: Use ahead of high intensity workouts
How to Accomplish: Supplement 10 — 15 minutes before high intensity workouts
#12: Training Fasted or Fed & Caffeine
While there are many different philosophies on training fasted or fed, there are no specific rules. Training fasted or fed does not show more enhanced performance one way or the other and comes down to what feels best for you and avoiding gastric distress. By being able to train both fasted and fed, there is more flexibility in when you can get your training sessions in.
Goal: Find what works individually for you
Lyndsay’s Takeaways:
As someone who has been on a new fitness journey the last 10 months, I found this podcast episode to be incredibly helpful in identifying ways to create a more optimal training plan. As I have slowly increased how often I exercise as well as the type of exercise I am engaging in, I personally was having trouble knowing how to create a plan that is both effective and efficient. Many people overlook aspects of their workout routines such as the sustainability and recovery. It’s very easy for people to push themselves when it comes to exercise but that does not always support the needs of our body and can result in injury, prolonged recoveries and additional stress on the body which can cause more harm than good. If you’re looking to improve and create a more sustainable fitness routine that will help you reach your goals, I highly encourage you to check out this episode of the Huberman Lab.
Listen to full episode here: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/science-supported-tools-to-accelerate-your-fitness-goals
