Fitness Toolkit: Protocol & Tools to Optimize Physical Health

I describe a fitness protocol that maximizes all the major sought-after aspects of physical fitness, including strength, endurance and flexibility. I discuss fundamentals of resistance training protocols, including repetitions, sets, inter-set and inter-workout rest periods and periodization of intensity and volume to improve strength and hypertrophy. I also explain how to integrate this with endurance training across the week by controlling the duration, timing and intensity of cardiovascular workouts. I also cover science-based protocols on leveraging the mind-body connection, deliberate breathing (during and after exercise), stretching, deliberate heat and cold exposure, and non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) for better workout performance and faster recovery. Further, I tackle a range of real-world issues that can affect a consistent training schedule, such as whether you should train if you are sick, have had a poor night of sleep or had a stressful event and how to start training again after a break and whether you should train in a fasted or fed state. Physical fitness is a key variable for immediate and long-term health. This episode provides a modifiable “foundational” template that can be adjusted based on your current fitness level, goals, time constraints, and access to different types of equipment. For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Huberman Lab Premium https://hubermanlab.com/premium Timestamps (00:00:00) Foundational Protocol for Fitness (00:04:35) Tool: Soleus (Calf) Push-Ups, Glucose Utilization & Metabolism (00:13:49) Sponsor: LMNT (00:18:53) Core Principles of Fitness & Modifiable Variables (00:23:37) Day 1: Long Endurance Workout (00:34:38) Day 2: Leg Resistance Training, Strength & Hypertrophy (00:36:13) Sponsor: AG1 (00:39:22) Key Principles of Resistance Training (00:51:10) Day 3: Heat & Cold Exposure, Recovery (01:00:35) Day 4: Torso & Neck Resistance Training (01:09:55) Day 5: Moderate Intensity Cardiovascular Training, Running Alternatives (01:16:43) Day 6: High-Intensity Interval Training, Maximum Heart Rate (01:24:10) Day 7: Arms, Neck & Calves Resistance Training (01:28:45) Flexibility of Foundational Protocol, Workout Spacing (01:33:00) Tool: Mind-Muscle Contraction, Physiological Sighs  (01:37:10) Safety & Endurance/Cardiovascular Workouts (01:38:32) Tool: Stress or Poor Sleep & Workouts, Recovery & NSDR (01:41:20) Should You Train Fasted or Fed? (01:43:58) Tool: Static Stretching & Flexibility, Irradiation & Resistance Training (01:49:10) Tool: Hanging from a Bar & Fitness Metric  (01:50:16) Should You Train Sick?, Ramping Training (01:53:33) Tool: Deliberate Slow Breathing & Recovery (01:55:00) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous Supplements, Huberman Lab Premium, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer