Dr. Andrew Huberman, Ph.D. is a Professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine. His lab focuses on neural regeneration, neuroplasticity, and brain states such as stress, focus, fear, and optimal performance.
In this episode of Huberman Lab, Andrew Huberman reviews the lessons learned from the 6-part guest series on fitness, exercise, and performance with Dr. Andy Galpin. He breaks down the components of a well-rounded fitness program for lifelong health and performance and 12 science-supported tools to enhance fitness, from breathwork to nutrition and supplements.
Host: Andrew Huberman (@hubermanlab)
150-200 minutes of zone 2 cardio (exercise that can be done purely nasal breathing)
2-4 cardiovascular training sessions outside of zone 2 cardio sessions
2-4 strength training sessions
Most people will not hit the upper threshold of guidelines because of time constraints
Huberman’s suggested program (and what he follows):
  • 3 cardiovascular sessions – 1 longer duration + 1 shorter, faster duration + 1 very short, HIIT session
  • 3 resistance training sessions – 1 focused on legs + 1 focused on torso + 1 focused on accessory, smaller muscles (e.g., biceps, triceps)
Tool 1: Combine zone 2 cardio with daily activity
  • Zone 2 = level of output that allows you to maintain a conversation and nasal breathing while still increasing heart rate
  • Good opportunity to get outdoors! Hike, jog, walk with a friend
  • Zone 2 cardio can be as simple as increasing walking and total movement throughout the week – walking faster in the grocery store, walking with a colleague you have a meeting schedule with, etc.
  • Zone 2 cardio will enhance, not impede other aspects of fitness and is immensely important to cardiovascular health – get 200 minutes per week by just making an effort to move in daily activities
Tool 2: include low repetition pure strength work in a 3-5 repetition range
  • Weights should be heavy enough it’s a tough set close to failure
  • Benefits: the ability to maintain cardiovascular form will improve, strength will be enhanced, soreness is reduced, less mental fatigue
  • Training in the low rep range is geared more towards increasing strength and less about hypertrophy (muscle size)
  • Simple guide: choose 3-5 exercises x 3-5 sets/exercise x 3-5 repetitions/set x 3-5 minutes rest between sets x 3-5 times/week (depending on time and recovery) – take a period of 8-12 weeks and try it
    • Exception: smaller muscles (e.g., rear delts) may be better served with slightly higher reps but still low weights
Importance of training after age 40:
  • Every year after age 40 there’s a 1% decrease in muscle mass that can be offset with strength training
    • Shoot for 6-10 working sets per muscle group per week
  • There’s a 3-5% reduction in strength and power every year after age 40
  • There’s an 8-10% decrease in speed every year after age 40
Tool 3: sugar cane protocol for HIIT
  • Warm up, then:
    • Round 1: Max distance cardio of choice for 2 minutes as far and as fast as you can then rest for 2 minutes
    • Round 2: take however long you need to go the distance you went in round 1 as fast as you can then rest for 2 minutes
    • Round 3: go all out for the same duration as Round 2
    • Perform a dedicated cooldown
  • Incorporate once every 2-4 weeks
  • Benefits: elevates heart rate substantially and improves VO2 max, gamifies exercise, and puts you against yourself
Tool 4: exercise snacks
  • An excellent way to maintain fitness when you may not have time for your usual routine
  • Two major categories: (1) improve or maintain cardiovascular activity; (2) improve or maintain muscular endurance
    • Purpose & guidelines: increase heart rate, compatible with an existing exercise program, no warmup needed to avoid injury, take little time, can incorporate into a daily routine (even while on a phone call)
  • Examples of cardio exercise snacks: stand from the desk during the workday and performing 100 jumping jacks, running up the stairwell as fast as you can 20-40 seconds, running to the car from the office
  • Examples of muscular endurance exercise snacks: planks, actively holding squat or wall sit 30-60 sec, max pushups
    • Purpose: muscular endurance allows a buildup of microvascular supply to muscles and connective tissue which allows the delivery and removal of nutrients and waste products
  • Benefits: improvements in other domains of fitness, designed to be fun & easy
Tool 5: breathing and respiration
  • Ideal breathing protocol during rest between resistance training sets: physiologic sigh – two deep inhales through the nose and extended exhale through the mouth
    • Allows you to shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic which allows you to save alertness for sets
  • Include a 3-5 minute period of calm breathing (long, extended exhales or repeated physiologic sighs) at the end of every workout to shift the body to parasympathetic mode and allow recovery to start
  • Benefits: improved recovery after a workout, reduced stress
Tool 6: compartmentalize your workout with “the line”
  • Use an imaginary or real, physical line to compartmentalize the portion of life before and after your workout
  • Pick a location and once you cross that line, your sole purpose is to exercise and ignore the other distractions of life – don’t check email, etc.
Tool 7: set boundaries around phone use during a workout
  • Choose your playlist/podcast/audiobook ahead of time and stick to it so you can focus on exercise and timing of rest intervals instead of getting distracted by phone
  • This will also help you use your time most efficiently
Tools 8-12: supplementation
  • Supplement with omega–3 fatty acids, particularly stress 1-2g/day EPA
  • Supplement with 1-5g (or more depending on body weight) per day of creatine monohydrate
  • Supplement with rhodiola rosea as needed (typical dose 100-200mg) to help with stress response (physiologic and perceived) – take 10-15 minutes before high-intensity workout
Tools 10-12: Nutrition
  • If you’re hungry before training in the morning, eat! There are no rules about training fasted or fed, listen to your body and energy levels
  • It’s ok to ingest caffeine first thing in the morning if you are going to train
    • Remember, Huberman’s suggestion to delay caffeine intake is dependent on whether you have an afternoon crash
  • Have flexibility – real-life happens