How to train your cardiovascular fitness | Peter Attia

[@Maritime007]

I compete in Ironman's at age 56 so do a lot of research on how to maximize my fitness. Dr. Attia's information is very consistent with the best information I have found. I like his explanations as they're very clear and succinct. Some sources of information can get quite technical and difficult to turn into real world action items.

[@deedee2455]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🏃‍♂️ Cardiovascular fitness training aims to maximize the area between Zone 2 (base) and VO2 max (peak) to achieve the best results. 00:38 🚴 The 80/20 rule suggests that around 80% of training volume should focus on Zone 2, and 20% on VO2 max for most athletes, including elite ones like Tadej Pogacar. 01:47 🕰️ Time commitment plays a crucial role in designing a cardio workout routine, and it varies for individuals based on their schedules. 02:59 🔄 It's generally recommended to spread out Zone 2 workouts rather than doing them all at once, even if you can handle a longer session. 03:52 💪 The weekly training schedule typically involves strength training, Zone 2 workouts, stability training, and VO2 max sessions, with different days dedicated to each. 05:29 🏃‍♀️ Zone 2 workouts should ideally last at least 30 minutes per session to be effective. 08:53 🏋️‍♂️ VO2 max training modalities can include cycling (outdoors or on a stationary bike), stair climber, treadmill running, swimming, and rowing. 11:34 ⏱️ VO2 max workouts often involve intervals of 3-8 minutes, such as four minutes on and four minutes off, with the goal of maintaining a high intensity. Made with HARPA AI

[@MarkMetternichPhotographyLLC]

What a waste. The whole thing is a take away.

[@esc1614]

I appreciate you going above and beyond for this, yo!💯

[@baconinvader]

@@esc1614 just an AI generated summary, they didn't even paste the entire thing

[@NatashaRaisorGlam]

Thank you

[@Trackrdesigns]

8:53 should say Zone 2 training instead of vo2max FYI

[@hikelfin5941]

I'm morbidly obese around 225kg, and yesterday I started a daily walking habit of 5000 steps. I know it's small, but I'm using a Polar arm HR monitor and I spent 40 minutes today and yesterday in zone 3, and about 20 minutes at zone 2. I am aiming to increase my step count by 500 per month, so in one month from now my goal will be 5500, then 6000 a month after that etc. I'm just trying to do a slow burn to get me up and mobile and a bit more flexible and shed some pounds because all my joints hurt.

[@rescuesar54]

It will be slow going the first few months, but play the long game and keep at it…you’ll get there!

[@chadhildwein2178]

Kudos to you for acknowledging where you are and setting achievable goals to work towards! I agree with @rescuesar54 that the first couple months will be your hardest, but if you stick to it before you know it you will be doing more than you ever thought you were capable of. If I may give you a tip, try finding someone to walk with if you are not already doing so. Working out alone is much harder mentaly, so finding a partner or group will boost your morale! Anyways, goodluck on your journey and know that I am rooting for you :)

[@therealavichads]

Give us updates in your progress!!! How is it going so far?

[@hikelfin5941]

@@therealavichads Actually so not even kidding about 5 days in I was walking in the park at about 10pm and I didn't see a hole in the ground and I rolled my ankle quite bad and have had to have about three weeks off work lmao. I haven't walked in that time, but I decided to return to the gym last night after about 1.5 years and did my first push day in as long.

[@eran3851]

That's great! It will be hard, but don't give up. Remember that any setback You encounter is a part of the journey.

[@creektopfarms5217]

Y’all are lucky to have normal hearts, I have half a heart, my vo2 is 27(very poor) Spo2 90% and I still manage to hike regularly and rock climb. I just did a 900 rock face called Tahquitz twice in 2 weeks. Take care of yourselves and be thankful for being normal if you are.

[@H0A0B123]

What's the name of your condition?

[@DeafSeattleGuy36]

mine is 22 for vo2 and I have a normal heart :(

[@redwoodtrees7068]

you are a legend man!

[@mikevaldez7684]

@creektopfarms5217, What do you mean, "half a heart"? What exactly is your condition? Just be happy you don't have, "half a brain." Hopefully 😁👌

[@mikevaldez7684]

@@DeafSeattleGuy36 sad😭

[@Apice.]

Listening to Attia talking about VO2 max is a joy

[@swing8]

If the speaker is Peter Attia and the subject is Zone 2 you can bet I'll be watching.

[@sponkmcdonk3898]

it’s mental masturbation

[@cynicalmonk870]

it takes too long for him to say what he needs to say try to stay between 65 and 75% of your max heart rate for around 45 to 1 hour…🔁😅

[@tf-ok]

Get a room

[@AntonioMacher]

@@cynicalmonk870thank you very much.. im in the middle and still dont get it .. i work out for 5 years Fitness / Bodybuilding and want know to a little bit More cardio at age 29.. so How i know what 65% Or my heart Rate is ? Thx

[@Gref75]

I hated moving for 31 years p, my whole life. 7 months ago I saw dr Attia at Rogan’s and Huberman’s and I was hooked. Noone can talk about this and make you want to excercise just for the sake of it, for your health and joy. And believe me, I tried to start training since I was a kid. This man is like a missionary making people believe just by preaching.

[@sedrickrichardson6141]

😊

[@sedrickrichardson6141]

😊

[@sedrickrichardson6141]

😊😊😊

[@sedrickrichardson6141]

O

[@Gref75]

@@GuacamoleyNacho Hi, sure. here they are: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH-ToYV3ps6IgLc kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2POineMn71jfZI&pp=ygUbZHIgYXR0aWEgZXhlcmNpc2Ugam9lIHJvZ2Fu

[@schrafn]

I'm 32 years old and training for the hardest 1-day mountain bike race in America. I came to the conclusion recently that my training was not focused nearly enough on zone 2. As my muscular endurance is currently much higher than my cardio endurance. Thank you for the valuable insight to improve my training and race experience

[@JAREDGRAF8181]

What race is that? sounds cool

[@schrafn]

@JAREDGRAF8181 The race is called the marji gesick it's 100 miles in marquette michigan

[@HkFinn83]

That’s a good problem to have as it’s a pretty easy thing to improve

[@jimvick8397]

RAMROD always seemed like a tough one too...

[@lisatowe778]

So good to hear a man younger than me by close to a decade say he can’t do some things anymore. I get frustrated because of what I used to do. I simply don’t have the time to do it all and some body parts just don’t handle quite the intensity

[@Kitiwake]

What we lose in ability we gain in technique.

[@PeacePresencePower]

I loved this guys questions... he gave clarity on all the subtle aspects of it that the average dude(me) did not understand. I gained more clarity from this video than watching 10 other similar videos.

[@dns201125]

00:00 To max cardio fitness: 80/20 (80% volume train in zone 2, 20% VO2max) 3:46 Peter weekly training plan VO2max after zone 2 Minimum 30min session (zone 2) 10:12 Sweet spot for VO2max: 3 to 8 min intervals, before pause 10:51 Peter VO2max training: 4 min on, 4 min off, sometimes 3/3 min on/off, or even 1/2 on/off for a total of 20-30min

[@cz451]

Monday - Strength training 90min - 2hrs inc stability training Tuesday - Zone 2 followed by 1hr stability Wednesday - Upper body 90min - 2hrs Thursday - Zone 2 followed by 1hr stability training Friday - Strength training 90min - 2hrs inc stability training Saturday - Zone 2 in the morning, Upper body 90min - 2hrs in the afternoon Sunday - Zone 2 followed by V02 max

[@grheryford]

Thank you for this summary!

[@mottohorn]

7:58 best description of how I messed up training in past. I’ve been focused on steady state Z2 like you’re describing the correct way recently, and have noticed so much change in my RHR, my workout HRs, and my ability to recovery from hard efforts.

[@Joblessnerdo]

kzbin.infoA1KlGqTIMbQ?si=t-2eG3HOxjiOBMw9

[@tg2003]

Can you explain how I would know that I am in zone 2? He said it's not your heart rate? It's your lactic acid???? What??

[@mottohorn]

@@tg2003 lactic acid is created a by product of muscle contractions. There is a point of lactic acid concentration where type I muscle fibers can use lactic acid as a form of energy somewhat and shuttle excess lactic acid away so an excess build up is not felt as “burning sensation” in the muscles. Your HR responds to these demands by increasingly pumping my oxygenated blood to your muscles to help keep them working effectively at higher levels of energy use which produce more lactic acid. But your HR responds secondarily to the lactic acid production in your muscles and as a separate albeit necessary system. When you cross certain thresholds of lactic acid concentration, your body metabolically needs to find a quicker source of fuel and energy (carbohydrates and sugars) as you go higher up the energy spectrum. You also accumulate more lactic acid build up as you are now unable to clear that lactic acid from your muscles as effectively anymore causing it to leak into the blood stream. So it is your HR, but your HR can also be affected by so many other things. Sleep, food, stress, temperature, etc. and lactic acid testing is really the BEST way of knowing where your real training zones are. Simply bc your HR can change too slowly especially for the highest training zones, and bc your metabolic Z2 HR might be different each day based on your body’s ability to perform on that day This is how I understand it.

[@kylegooner96]

⁠​⁠@@tg2003I believe it’s working out you’re lactate threshold (Joe Friel test) then zone 2 would be 80-85% of this number

[@gefloigle]

“What we’re looking for is the harnessing of mitochondrial efficiency, and to do that you have to be able to push oxidative phosphorylation right to its limit before you trip into glycolysis.” _-Dr. Peter Attia_ I’m going to have this mounted on my wall.

[@mikevaldez7684]

Why? Because you're gay?

[@ThisAintIt435]

Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.

[@FoobsTon]

Yeah he lifted that almost verbatim that from Qui- Gon Jinn's description of The Force to Anakin Skywalker.

[@nithin1477]

I really liked the way thr interviwer asked the question. Asked every detail.

[@Yowzoe]

agreed… the nitty-gritty is where it's at

[@FitnessAndLongevityWithHan]

I’m 53 and have raised my VO2 max from 35 to 45 in the last 3 years since I started doing zone 2 and 5. Prior, I was just into weight lifting and focused on strength. As a bonus - my abs now also show!

[@flemingringhofer8378]

That’s awesome! Did you notice any difference in your energy level?

[@Housemusic90]

Im also focussing just on weightlifting but I don't feel really fit. My strength is fine but my endurance s*cks. Did you notice a difference in energy and overall fitness since you added cardio?

[@FitnessAndLongevityWithHan]

@ - yes, regular cardio work but also a focus on low glycemic level foods has been a winning combination for higher and consistent energy levels overall.

[@Roger-il8iw]

Learning about doing 90% z2 training changed my life. Barely do any speed work. My vo2 max went from 46 to 58 in 8 months.

[@timothy961]

Have you guys never heard of using the rebounder I've used the one that I have for the last 40 years and it has kept me in shape greatly improving timing balance and coordination greatly improving endurance as well as dropping my resting pulse rate more than 20 beats per minute it has been the best cardio exercise equipment that I have ever used

[@juliegathman2923]

Is that one of those small trampolines? Can you explain more about what you do on it?

[@monikawashington1305]

Please tell me more about it :)

[@jimmycadena2708]

Same here, it’s a great cross training regimen 😊 my immune system improved dramatically 😊

[@gwynj]

The base of my pyramid is near-daily brisk Nordic Walking (40-75 minutes). This is about 250 weekly minutes of moderate activity (55%-70% MHR). I also do 3 weekly lap swims (4 or 5 x 400m) at a higher intensity. This is 90-odd weekly minutes of vigorous activity (75%-85% MHR). Once a week, one of my walks (or a bike ride) is up my local hill (so I'll hit 100% MHR). I do weight-bearing exercises in my local park several times a week (3 x 15 mins). I'm mid-60s, so this is a fairly low training load, especially compared to my 30s and 40s.

[@campfiresolutions]

If Heart rate monitor (Garmin/Apple Watch) is not a good indicator of Zone 2 for a given modality then how do I measure/know I'm in Zone 2?

[@simonstucki]

there's a few videos on GCN and other channels on Zone to and how to find it, apparently a good indicator is, that you should b able to have pretty normal conversation (full sentences but not needing breaks to catch your breath) but if your let's say on a phone call and the other party doesn't know that you are exercising they should be able to tell from how you speak, that you are exercising, that's how Iñigo San Millán put it.

[@msschiaffino]

Peter provides us, in my opinion, with the best content (and in the best format) on longevity I have ever come across. It is truly a joy and a privilege to have access to all of that. Personally, as a fellow Engineer myself, I profoundly relate to his work. Here is a humble suggestion on the "triangle" metaphor for cardiorespiratory health: why not add another dimension and make it a pyramid? x axis is the result of Zone 2 work (efficiency), y axis is the result of VOmax work (peak). The z axis would be plotted as a combination of both strength and stability. The base of the pyramid would be the area produced by this rectangle (cardiorespiratory efficiency and strength + stability) and the height would be the cardiorespiratory peak. If someone is insanely fit from a cardio perspective (large 2D triangle area) but does not work on the 3rd dimension (strength and stability), the pyramid could potentially fall (e.g. stress injuries on runners, etc...) Function to me maximized here would not just be the area of the triangle, but rather the volume of the pyramid.

[@msschiaffino]

Values of x, y and z would be plotted depending on the patient's goals. If the patient wants to be able to do a lot of cardio work at 90 (e.g. long hilly walks), scoring high on x and y axis would should be harder. If the patient wants to be able to play with grandkids and not panic when a 15 kg child runs towards him/her asking for a hug, scoring high on the z axis should be harder. (x,y,z) should be normalized by the patient's goals.

[@DKFX1]

Yes, his way of packaging the information really sticks in the brain. Especially that cardio pyramid of zone 2 and VO2 max was incredibly useful.

[@shobisyd5762]

@@msschiaffinoas another engineer, this is a great analogy! In fact, it could become a more accurate 3D “biomarker” of health/longevity than any one number. How to compute/standardize the x and z axis units will be tricky though (since for y axis we have vO2 max, a single computable score). Potentially x could be hours of zone 2 per week performed, and z could be powerlifting total and some composite plyometrics/yoga score lol

[@noosphericaltarzan]

It would make more sense for a z axis to represent some combined score for HRV and resting HR. Even dismissing that, one could argue lactate threshold serves as a better z axis. If we are talking about the sport of running, then running economy definitely has a place there, since you can have a super high VO2Max and lose to a competitor with a much lower VO2Max than you but much better running economy. That would integrate threshold by itself, since running around threshold and just above it is how you can best improve economy. I would keep the pyramid apropos to cardio-respiratory health and energy systems.

[@mrp973]

I like the engineer perspective. Structural engineer here hehe

[@jeg569]

When Peter mentioned archery, thats a strange one but since 💡I am half way thought his book Outlive. Love reading your book, so very well written and keeps the reader engaged.

[@paulwg9659]

Love Dr Attia I do my VO2 Max on rower. 4 minutes on 4 minutes rest.

[@99cya]

Do you just try to go all out during the 4mins? And how often do you repeat that?

[@brandonhinojosa615]

@@99cyarepeat 3x

[@MrQuestful]

2:16 give up driving, I did it a decade ago and I don’t regret it. I’m fitter now in my late 30’s than I ever was in my 20’s.

[@robertnobles8189]

I was wondering too. Is he maybe talking about driving in regards to golf? Like a “driving” range??

[@Combat556]

I’m in San Diego, and Fiesta Island at Mission Bay, is a great place to ride 12:56 laps without having to deal with traffic. Highly recommended if you’re coming to San Diego with a bike and you’re looking for a place to workout.

[@DrAshoriMD]

Interesting topic especially because many patients who first come to our practice spend the majority of their time in zone 3-5 and little in zone 2. Their first few sessions with a personal trainer is intense enough to cause a sense of nausea due to high intensity. This not only has caused blood pressure aberrancy and blood sugar problems but it leads to injury and the sense of wanting to give up due to the difficulty level. Thank you for highlighting the differences here.

[@jakegjorloff421]

They spend most time in zone 3-5 and get nauseated during zone 2? Zone 5 is 100% max heart rate. They spend most of their time in higher zones? Are your patients Olympians?

[@mikevaldez7684]

@@jakegjorloff421 🤣 I know, makes no sense..how do you get "nauseated" from zone 2 when you're highly trained in zones 3-5? 😁

[@milosgrujic9118]

I do love listening to this guy! He's so knowledgeable and those knowledge he put strongly on his own skin over time! Just great for people who are starting out this journey!!

[@ketle369]

Don't underestimate the power of walking. Just by hopping of the buss two stops earlier every day, to and from work, I get 30-40 minutes of walking every day and it isn't even noticeable.

[@Shelly-cp7gj]

Love it, good job

[@heatherbellbikes]

Tadej Pogačar makes cycling look easy. He says he going to attack with 85km to go and he leaves everyone standing. As one of the cyclists said ‘there were bodies everywhere’. No one could keep up. It’s incredible to watch. He’s the poster boy for Zone 2.

[@JohnIn2SonAZ]

I ride 8 hours a week on my bike and I am 61 years old. Up until I was 52 years old I rode 21 hours a week on the bike. From 31 years old till I was 50 I rode 1,000 hours of cardio a year every year. I was a long distance Competitive Time Trial Cyclist. My over-all miles of riding since I was 30 years old is currently 560,000 miles. For the past 25 years I had a resting heart rate of 30 BPM at 5-6% body fat.

[@anandramalingam9240]

How much Zone 2 went into your 560000 miles. Great feet and envy your workouts

[@RareAries323]

I am so impressed! I've accumulated 2,160 miles this year and 1500 of em were long distance cycling

[@RareAries323]

I meant I am impressed with your comment and stats

[@alanjohnson6169]

You are not 5-6% bf ever, 99% of men are on their death bed sub 8%

[@ИвайлоКачаков]

It's so funny how Peter can't wait for the whole answer to come out lol Their energy is so unmatched

[@ernestoalfonso2801]

Too many interruptions from Attia.

[@chriscruciat2469]

This is very useful. So then in my case, in addition to weight training, I can do 3 times per week Zone 2 and 1 time per week HIIT to achieve my Vo2 Max

[@jsmith5764]

So I've been doing 3 to 4 days of cardio. I use a polar chest strap. So heart rate is my main indicator and I'm rarely in zone 2 rather zone 3, 4 and 5. And I just keep going until I finish 2 plus miles a few times to 3. On Saturdays I try to do a mile as quick as I can so I'm pushing it. The best I've done is 11:58. I'm not obese and I do lift 3 days of the week. Peter mentioned entering glycolosis and I think that means burning sugar for fuel and not fat. I'm a Pre diabetic so I'm good with burning blood sugar. And while I have improved my cardiovascular fitness, I'm not sure that I'm training to increase vo2 max even if it has improved by doing what I do. The 3 to 8 minutes on then rest I thought was more high intensity. Meaning going all out. When I do my average of 2.5 miles I'm just trying to get it done. Any way I would like to get clearer about vo2 max training for my own understanding.

[@raghav_c]

I'd like to understand the following When i am doing my intervals for vo2 max 4 minutes on 4 minutes off A- how long should it take during the 4 minutes, for my heart rate to get to within 98-99 percent of my max? In other words, what should be the intensity? Am i supposed to go all out and try to survive 4 minutes and adjsut the intensity henceforth? B - the 4 minutes of recovery, how low should my heart rate go? Should i wait for it to reach a certain heart rate before i start the nect interval or let it fall to whenever it goes in the 4 minutes regardless? So if i max is 190 and wait for 3 minutes and it gets down to 120, with one more minute to go, should i wait or start another interval?

[@meatmotorendurance]

On recovery, you can do it by HR but in several randomized studies, athletes were asked to start up when they were ready again for the next VO2max interval. Most of them randomly selected between 3-4 minutes. As to HR climbing, it will ease towards highest. In a 4 minute interval you'll probably hit 93% of heartrate at about 3 minutes and be hanging on the last minute where it will continue to drift up slightly more.

[@MrJulianbowden]

As someone in their 50s, and struggle getting my shouders back enough to perform a normal squat bar, this is a game changer ❤

[@marcjov8149]

He mentioned Tadej Pogačar as example and he is from a small country of Slovenia, that is where I come from. Really surprised. Nice for Tadej.

[@robertnobles8189]

His pronunciation was one I haven’t heard. How would you spell Tadej phonetically in English? Tah-day or Tá-dee?

[@marcjov8149]

@@robertnobles8189 Tah-day is correct :)

[@brandonwon9257]

This led me to do some research on how this is good for your health: Zone 2 exercise leads to increased ROS production as mitochondrial activity (the type of energy output derived from Zone 2 exercise) increases. ROS can be damaging to cellular homeostasis at high levels (this can lead to diseases and health issues). However, through this moderate form of exercising you essentially train your cells on how to remove ROS more effectively and prepare it for situations when it needs to get rid of ROS in the body. Therefore your cells are stronger and better at battling free radicals which contribute to major health issues. I'm not a health professional so please correct me if I'm wrong.

[@brandonwon9257]

ROS in moderate amounts also serve as signaling molecules which lead to a number of health benefits.

[@milossavic6642]

Rowing on the erg is the best! You can do both zone2 and vo2 max

[@ludolecellier6740]

Row erg involve to much technique and could be hard for the lower back, bike erg seems a better option or may be an eko bike where your could do zone 2 and zone 5

[@ericwhitfield8475]

I represented Australia in sport. The best way to increase endurance is to skip rope 3 times a day. Start with just 30 seconds skipping rope with 30 seconds rest and gradually increase it over the following days. Give yourself a rest and increase your endurance After a couple of days you will be able to increase it to minutes.

[@YoursTruly78887]

Love you guys took the time to explain Zone 2 and VO2 max before going into the nitty gritty. Really appreciate that 🙏

[@marttyd]

I’m still waiting for them to tell me what zone 2 is. Oh and what vo2 max is.

[@Junker_1]

Has he ever heard of overtraining? I also see very little on his youtube about recovery. This is a super super important topic and he seems to basically ignore it. He is doing a ton of training here and maybe he is genetically gifted that he can take it but many many will suffer from overtraining doing this. And trust me it is not a pretty sight. I also see little warning to people to become obsessed by all this and go into overtraining or eating disorders and such. So I hope he addresses these things in the future.

[@myzenlifeinnature]

Exactly. Did higher weights this week, first 6 weeks in gym for years, other than own body weight training, next day striding up and down bleacher steps hiit & 45 min zone 2 and came down crook. Unsure if virus as well but I definitely overtrained. Muscles still recovering 4 days later. Here I am bedridden instead of skiing today.

[@disinformationworld9378]

This is correct. Your tendons recover slower than muscles. Damage those you are in trouble.

[@ThePathOfEudaimonia]

For once I am glad I live in the flat country of The Netherlands, where cycling in zone 2 is pretty convenient to do!

[@TrygveVang]

His Workout plan : Monday: Lower Body + Stability (1,5 - 2 hr) Tuesday: Z2 (45-60 min) + 1 hr Stability Wednesday: Upper Body + stability (1,5 - 2 hr) Thursday: Z2 (45-60 min) + 1 hr Stability Friday: Lower Body + Stability (1,5 - 2 hr) Saturday: Z2 in morning + Upper Body in Afternoon Sunday: Z2 followed by VO2 max

[@Dggb2345]

Thank you for the weekly schedule breakdown. Hugely helpful

[@HerbSterbermerbler]

Optimizing athletic performance and optimizating health are two different things- I get better results for my heart with much more higher heart rate training.

[@noosphericaltarzan]

The problem for me is that Garmin is constantly gaslighting me about effective base building. Its training effect score seems strongly biased towards endurance and economy hr zones ranges. So, when I am training at 70-75% MHR for 45 minutes, that gets me a “maintenance” effect for base. To get an “improving” effect, I have to increase hr to between 75-85% of MHR, which I vaguely understand as a stamina range and not that effective for developing capillaries and mitochondrial growth. I had to set the hr zones manually to conform the zones to my exercise science books. When I look online, I see comments to the effect that Garmin’s z3 is z2, but that’s silly since you end up with a useless zone at the bottom. I really wonder how many Garmin users think that threshold is the no-man’s land and not their “Garmin zone 2”. My power zones were a little jacked up too. I had to learn to ignore most of Garmin’s analytics and just transfer raw data to my training notebook to do the math myself. Has anybody out there gone through this and worked out the wrinkles? I only switched to Garmin in May. I want to integrate it with Stryd as well (I train by both power and hr).

[@travisrios1212]

Yeah I turned off basically everything in my Garmin except the basics and just monitor them myself. Thing will tell me I'm constantly stressed, constantly overtrained, have a bad "HRV," etc. Been into cross training for 15 years so I know my body. Watch is great for basic stats but the recommendations are terrible. (Edit: mainly got to improve my running pace / times, which have improved despite the watch telling me I'm making no progress / overtrained)

[@mikevaldez7684]

@@travisrios1212 @travisrios1212, you hrv is terrible, you have no endurance 😷👌

[@jackolyte]

it is insane how people overcomplicate fitness. listening to this guy talk just stresses me the fuck out and reminds me of when i had a big problem with binge eating, OCD workout spreadsheets, and body dysmorphia. i've overcome most of that through years of trial/error, suffering, and personal growth; now i am pretty comfortable my own skin and recognize a lot of popular fitness methods/science as idealistic distractions, unnecessary burdens, and even harmful quackery (not necessarily this dude, but some others). his intentions seem good, and i am sure the science is grounded, but let me emphasize to anyone like my perfectionistic younger self, who is watching this video and feeling overwhelmed, confused, or stressed by all the various points and distinctions he calls out: just do your best. don't worry about lab tests, calibrated methods of measurement, zone 2 definitions blah blah blah... that is egghead shit. you will find 105 year old Italian ladies who only ever walk to the grocery store and cultivate their patio garden. they live longer than some dudes who work out every day. you may get cancer and die at 65 for all you know. squeezing the last drop of longevity out of your body has extremely diminishing returns for the effort required. here is how simple fitness is (and this basically agrees with what he's saying, in less words): 1) do low-intensity cardio for about an hour a day, like jogging, swimming, cycling, or even just brisk walking. low-intensity means you can talk while doing it. 2) do one one day of max effort, high intensity interval cardio. max effort means max effort. simple as. 3) get a basic lifting routine 3x a week centered on well-established, compound lifts like squats, presses, bodyweight lifts, and deadlifts. supplement with a few targeted accessory exercises that you like for aesthetic or functional reasons (bicep curls, delt rows, etc) so that you feel good and ENJOY the workout 4) stretch every day and do a few mobility exercises throughout the week (hip flexors, ankles, etc) 5) eat whole, unprocessed foods with a high protein intake (0.5 - 1.0g / lb bodyweight); minimize added sugar 6) don't smoke, do drugs, or drink heavily 7) sleep 7-8 hours every night bonus: relax, get out in nature, make friends, love others, seek God (he's real and he loves you). be joyful. you only live once, so enjoy your life as best you can. being stressed out all the time is going to counteract longevity benefits. notice how there are no depressed, irritable, or anxious centenarians. you can do a solid workout in an hour if you are efficient. if you have to miss a day here and there, it's okay! life is busy, especially if you are a parent or have an important responsibility. but if you do this every day you will be ahead of 95% of the population. maybe you could squeeze an extra few years of longevity if you rigorously followed some autistically calibrated method with expensive lab tests, but the stress, time, money, and energy is not worth it. stop worrying about all of that. you don't need to be superman. accept mortality. we all age, we all die. you can only do so much to stop it. enjoy life and enjoy fitness instead of seeing it as a burdensome task that you must fulfill perfectly. that is a recipe for disaster and burnout. peace be with you all

[@josephmarinucci9073]

Wisdom.

[@harismalik1297]

Thanks for simplifying it. I've been intrigued by these kinds of videos because I found I was missing/not doing some aspects of this training that would help me a lot in sports that I play. As long as I do what makes me happy and stress free, I think I'll have a great life.

[@fryertuck6496]

I do my zone 2 and finish with a VO2 max on the punchbag using hands and feet.

[@johnhawkins4908]

Thank you for your excellent videos and your book, Outlive, Dr. Attia. I'm enjoying training in Z2 a about 90% of the time and Z6 about 10% of the time. Like most people, I don't have access to a lab to determine my max HR nor an expensive lactate meter to determine that I've been in Z2 during my training in order to get optimum mitochondria development and fat burn. Thus, I'm gauging Z2 training by going at a pace where I don't get out of breath, can carry on a conversation without much difficulty, and have a perceived exertion level whereby I can go 45 minutes or longer on the stationary bike or treadmill without getting tired or sore legs afterwards. Interestingly, my Z2 seems to correlate with being in the 60-70% of max HR range using 220 minus my age or the MAF calculator. But am I really in Z2? Am I developing my mitrochondria? Do I need to purchase a lactate meter as you and Dr Iñigo San Millán have suggested? Or does it even matter? I'm not an elite athlete, just an older guy trying to stay in shape and live a long, vibrant life. As I watch videos and read about Z2 training, I feel pressure to be nearly perfect to get the long-term benefits of Z2.

[@PerryScanlon]

Talk test. And max HR varies wildly with people the same age.

[@cubitusclaudius]

You're right. I did one 3 years ago, and my my max HR was 174. I was 67. Of course, each year, I'm going to loose...

[@fantasy7432]

MAF and 220-age are bullshit. You can do HRmax and LT2 tests somewhat accurately, and base your zones off of that. Ultimately you want to learn the feeling of that intensity and go from there, which those test help you accomplish. I wouldn't really worry that much about not going above Z2 if you're doing it for longevity purposes, you're not trying to cram as much training as possible after all. There's no need to do any lab tests or to measure your lactate unless you're elite or sub-elite at your sport and trying to optimize your training (like with double-threshold days).

[@gerrysecure5874]

You should be able to barely talk a full sentence at once, but not more. Assume a conversation where both speak one sentence alternating. If you can speak 2 or more it's too easy. HRmax as 220-age is a statistical average that has no meaning to the individual. Get yourself a HR strap and step up power or speed over 4-6min until final sprint. Try it several times on different days. You'll get better at it. The peak is your HRmax. *Upper Z2 HR* is (HRmax-HRrest)*0.65 + HRrest. Example (165-65)*0.65 + 65 = 130. So stay between 115 - 130. Start low, e.g. 115, so it stays below 130 even when drifting up with time.

[@joe1071]

I came to the comments to note the same stuff. I like Dr attias message and his efforts to spread knowledge regarding longevity and exercise. My biggest knock with him is he makes everything WAYYYY too complicated. He gets so stuck in the weeds with the specifics of data that he comes out with protocols that are nearly impossible without specialized testing, equipment, etc. I wish he could boil things down into protocols that people who go a job all day, have children they are caregivers for, etc where they don’t have 2 hours in the morning and afternoon to exercise with specialized equipment. What also bothers me with dr Attia is let’s actually look at human outcomes. There are a lot of people who live over 100 and 110 years old, and I guarantee they never get close to Attias RDA protein, they don’t exercise for zone 2, vo2 max, or grip strength, yet they have high quality lives over 100 years. I realize these people stay active with meaningful activities that keep up their strength and cardiovascular, and maybe that’s the answer. Meaningful, long duration and low impact physical activities across the lifespan

[@Itadakiman]

Love the chemistry!

[@timholmes3621]

I hit and stick the zone 2 with power walking wearing a 25 lb vest 4 days a week every other day.

[@lil__apan]

isn't it better, to walk faster, or jog if u maxed out your walking speed?

[@darthvader1494]

Zone 4 and weights in the winter. Long runs and rides in zone 2 in summer. Life of a scandinavian enjoying training

[@innogravel]

I would argue with the power based Vo2max intervals towards the end of this clip. Some say it’s more about getting close to max heart rate and to really push the limits of your hearts stroke volume. An indicator I use is a maxed out feeling of gasping for air. One should listen to Kolie Moore of Emperical Cycling for more info on this type of approach.

[@ryans1623]

How long should you push yourself at VO2 max, and how much cardio a day if you have the time should you do alltogether?

[@meatmotorendurance]

@@ryans1623 Typical intervals are 4-8 minutes. Example 4x 8 minutes with about a 4-minute recovery between each, but if you can't start that start a 2 and work your way up. Doing them at a high enough intensity to elicit the VO2 max response is more important than doing the set times at too low of an intensity (aka like Dr. Attia said, "You should barely think you'll survive at the very end of the interval/aka looking forward to the timer beeping). You want to do 2 of these sessions for every 8 you do at easier z2 levels. Of course, spread those out in that 10-session total block. For time at Zone2, it's really what does your schedule allow. The more you do, granted avoiding injury, the more fit you'll become. Pro cyclists will sometimes put in several days of 5-6 hours per day. Runners have to do less b/c of injury risks from impact. Swimmers are famous for doing lots of time at Z2, as well.

[@zouhangashan1661]

Huge fan of Dr. Attia!

[@virtualathlete]

It would be very helpful if Peter could talk about a perceived exertion scale we use in the fitness world. Zone 2 & V02 max is a tad vague. PE can be used up & down the fitness ladder. From 1-10. 1 being on sofa. 10 all out. I think it would be easier to grasp how hard (or not) we need to go based on PE. Just an idea.

[@sparkside217]

He says often on other stuff that zone 2 should be barely conversational - you can talk, but slowly and with lots of pauses

[@InfiniteQuest86]

I get what you are saying and asking for, but it's a bit hilarious. Since Zone 2 and VO2 max have exact real biological and measurable definitions. And PE is completely subjective and varies from person to person, but you are literally asking for something vague to help you understand something precise and claiming the complete opposite.

[@JackJensenTrader]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6ClY3SDitZrjcksi=GuJWBoktgjie99vf&t=22

[@jaderanderson]

He talks about this in the huberman podcast, in summary Z2 would be something you could do for a really long time and able to talk but really prefering not to. In my personal experience is a state where you feel tired, but able to proceed

[@virtualathlete]

@@jaderanderson Thanks. So, if you're a runner, maybe he is saying it's like LSD training- long, slow distance. I think a tempo pace would be much harder to talk.

[@jayl271322]

My sense that your personal preference for volume (as indicated by your athletic history and stated desire to go back to those days of many many hours of cardio if you had the time) makes you lean towards recommendations that are impractical for most people and which go well beyond what's actually required for the average person to get very considerable health benefits. We're obviously not living the lives our ancestors were and we have to factor in how much more sedentary the typical person is today than even 50 years ago but I would be surprised if humans at any point in history regularly hit 3 hours a week of zone 2. Daniel Lieberman covers this ground in Exercised.

[@imhassane]

Today I understood the importance of zone 2. I hadn’t done MMA and BJJ for like five months now and only trained zone 2 for my cardio the last three months and stopped the last month, today I went sparring and expecting that I’d gas out in like one round but to my surprise I was able to spar as hard as I could and ended the training with three rounds of MMA, if you know MMA you know that it’s not easy to do that if you haven’t been active and all I did for cardio was zone 2 for 2-3 months and stopped a month ago, I’m gonna start it back.

[@nicolotiraboschi]

I wanna try the same thing for boxing, let's see.

[@travv88]

I'm convinced by your anecdote. I lost a bit of body fat and improved my diet (mostly meat with some berries and coffee) and I hadn't done cardio/jump rope in ages. I expected to be really tired but I did better than expected. Shows how dangerous body fat is, and how beneficial it is to lose it in a natural manner.

[@benhallo1553]

I’m gunna start doing zone 2 for this reason

[@thomaswagner6495]

Around the 9:00 mark you state that a heart rate monitor is grossly inadequate for indicating arrival into and maintenance of zone 2 level exertion while training. You are not analyzing your O2 and CO2 while you are doing your daily training unless you train in lab. What works as an accurate guage? I'm perceiving an undertone that assumes that "regular people" just aren't able to keep up with their betters. If the answer is something like "it's your personal perception" then you made me chuckle I appreciate the elaborate gag.

[@j3dwin]

Stability training? VO2 max? Zone 2? Minimum RPE? I'd love some explanations of what those are.

[@justinabrams78]

stability training = try the TRX home system. zone 2 = when youre in steady state cardio burning fat rather than glucose.. for younger ppl this is 110-130 heart rate.. most ppl new to this will fail and like avg 145 but think they are in zone2. takes a bit of time to get it down. If you're super fit your zone 2 could be like mine which is running a 9min pace 5k.. for others its just walking. VO₂ max refers to how much oxygen your body can absorb and use during exercise.. important when doing 1 mile all out hill climb/sprint.

[@ziztanun]

When he said vo2 4min on 4min off, how many round do think we should do it?

[@jasonprice1599]

Google

[@IvanyaKosmos]

@@ziztanun4-10 rounds depending on how fit and advanced you are

[@mertonhirsch4734]

When I was in grad school in exercise physiology, we found the lowest all cause mortality in runners at about 50 kilometers per week which is only about 3 hours of running. People who only did 5 k were generally less likely to get sick and die than 10 k and marathoners. When you get to walking for health, we found that for people who didn't need to loose bodyfat, we found peak health at about 4 miles of total ambulation a day, and for people who needed to loose fat, peak at about 5 miles a day, meaning that above those levels, there began an increase in health hazards. 10 hours a week at about 70/30 would basically be the literal peak of the health hill. In fact, at double those levels of 4-5 miles a day total movement, and about 30 minutes hard, we had health hazard ratios and actual death rates equal to that of sedentary individuals, and they got worse with more. The peak comes out to very close to about 10,000 steps over about 90 minutes with 30 minutes hard.

[@marktapley7571]

All shows that exercise as Attia recommends is not only unnecessary but counter productive.

[@mertonhirsch4734]

@user-om1jv6cb2p It does, but the standard deviation is small and elite runners don't benefit from more total time than average people. Again with elite runners the mean was about 25 miles per week with a standard deviation of about 3.5 so 90% of elite runners peak occurred between 18-32 miles average running per day and 99% between 15-35. Experience did not raise the threshold, it tended to lower it, but remember this was 6 month average, so time off could make up for larger running volumes. Walking wise, except for people who were going from sedentary to active, the standard deviation would indicate peak health between 8000-10,500 steps per day AVERAGE over 6 months, with 99% falling between 6750-11,750 So statistically it is highly likely that if you are running close to 35 miles per week or walking 11750 steps you would improve your health to lower this average over a given 6 month period. Also BTW almost every resistance training study shows peak at 40-90 minutes a week or about 20-40 sets of resistance training with 60 sets being 2 standard deviations above optimal health. This is when corrected for cofactors like steroid use, sports related injury, occupational injury and death.

[@brannmacfinnchad9056]

Thank you! I've been trying to figure out whether the Zone 2 80/20 should be by time, training load, or what for a while, even after watching every GCN and similar video. It seems obvious, but you never know. The section about keeping it steady state is also helpful to know, although probably far less enjoyable to put into practice.

[@noej2591]

Inigo interviewed by Peter says the 80/20 split should be by time (I asked myself the same question and dug for this specific answer recently)

[@iChloe88]

I’ve done sports since I was a child (27f now), I couldnt compete as a child because I got out of breath so quick, even as an adult and trying every which way possible of training, I can’t beat a 37 minute 5k “run”. I have had ECGs, heart echos, asthma tests and been told everything is fine, yet my non-sporty smoker best friend ran a 5k first time. My overweight bf done a 10km run in 1 hour. It seems no matter how I train or how much effort I put in I still struggle. RHR is 48 but soon as I start to run I shoot up to 185 within a few min

[@MichaelWellman1955]

I've heard a lot about the benefit of Zone 2 benefits and how to do it but I haven't heard HOW you determine what your zone 2 is and what metric you are using to ensure you're in zone 2. I'm looking for a test the average person can use to determine these zones.

[@RR42636]

If you don't have a trainer to hand, there are a few different ways to get a rough number. Many of the experts we asked plump for one of two ways: Subtract your age from 220 - to work in Zone 2 at the age of 30, for instance, you're looking for 60-70 per cent of a max heart rate of 190bpm, which comes out at between 114bpm and 133bpm.

[@RR42636]

If you don't have a smartwatch, a good rule of thumb is that in Zone 2, you should still be able to have a conversation without having to take a breath at the end of every sentence. You should still be feeling relatively normal, maybe you'd have to inhale every couple sentences. Ideally, you'd slap on a smartwatch, get into Zone 2, and keep an eye on your HR every now and then. After a while you just get a feel for what's what.

[@marcjacobson757]

Simon Hill just posted the other day a formula (the Karvonen Formula) that is: Lower Limit = (Max HR - Resting HR)*.60 + Resting HR and Upper Limit = (MaxHR - Resting HR)*.70 + Resting HR. Of course you need to know your Max HR and Resting HR.

[@richardmiddleton7770]

Most decent HR based fitness trackers (watches, bands, rings, bike head units) will tell you your zones once you input your max HR. Strava also shows you this (if you're not on Strava, do you even train bro?!). Or simply 180 minus your age puts most people right in the middle of your zone 2, just stay within +/-5 beats but don't always push it to the top level!

[@innogravel]

Zone 2 is easy to over do. But hard to underdo. When in doubt, go easier. Otherwise you aren’t doing Z2 anymore. True Z2 you should be able to hold a conversation without gasping for air. You should be easily nose breathing.

[@Wantthosedaysback]

Been attempting to increase vo2 on ebike commutes . I think the weight of ebikes, gears and power assists can make it somewhat ideal compared to a normal ebike imho ,yet keep from being late to work

[@viq234]

Thanks I totally forgot about vo2 Max training. I was so focused on zone 2.

[@sherryjanelove1920]

Love him! Have revised my workout routine and am fitter than ever in my 60s!

[@benjaminwesercreative]

very curious about his stability routine now 😀

[@vickyverma6852]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00: Cardiovascular *fitness is optimized by focusing on the area under the training intensity curve, emphasizing both zone two (80%) and VO2 max (20%) workouts.* 01:20: Tadi *Pogacar, a top cyclist, devotes 80-90% of his training to zone two, emphasizing its universal relevance for athletes, including elite performers.* 02:32: Structuring *a week with 80% zone two and 20% VO2 max workouts, considering personal time constraints, helps maximize cardiovascular benefits.* 04:32: A *weekly training schedule example: strength training on Monday, zone two on Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday, VO2 max on Sunday, with stability training incorporated.* 07:42: Zone *two workouts can be done through various steady-state activities like swimming, running, cycling, and rowing, promoting mitochondrial efficiency.* 09:32: VO2 *max training can be performed with diverse modalities that elevate heart rate substantially, including biking, running, rowing, or even intense exercises like burpees.* 11:34: An *effective VO2 max workout involves intervals, like four minutes on and four minutes off, with a strategic approach to intensity, avoiding an all-out effort in the initial minutes.* Made with HARPA AI

[@wss327]

I used to do structured training in sweet spot and over trained. Then I changed to polarized training, did less effort but ended up just as fast and better endurance. Zone 2, RPE, VO2 Max and body weight functional training.

[@mikevaldez7684]

How sad.

[@philiplacey5430]

Me too, I used to be faster in June than I was in October because I wore myself out from chronic over training all summer. It is really hard for me to go slow though.

[@rdbm-uo5zt]

Dr Attia, you mentioned in another video that MaxVO2 is the most important marker for fitness. Some individuals with a high percentage of type II x (where x > a) muscles won't be able to recruit a large enough mass of mitochondria to maximally tax their cardiovascular system - even if they use an Assault Bike. Such people might have the cardiovascular capacity to perform at a high level if only they could replace some of their white meat with more red meat. Also, in some cases, some bodies show a very strong adherence to specificity. At a rehab facility, they tested me on a steep uphill walk (i.e., a modified Bruce Protocol) and I only made it to eleven minutes. Yet, I can comfortably run 9 mi/hr. (> 14 km/hr.) on long runs, and on Zwift, I've pushed over 400 watts for half an hour (although I weigh almost 200 pounds). An exercise physiology grad student said that he sometimes tests distance runners on the Bruce Test who occasionally even flunk. But, after a few months of using their treadmill, I made it to level 16 without measurable improvement in my running and cycling. After rehab, I went out and purchased a treadmill and an Assault Bike to fill in some holes in my training.

[@angad10]

dr attia says muscle mass, but more importantly strength, grip strength and leg strength, mobility etc plus VO2 max are the main parameters he uses to gauge longitivity.

[@LoVeELekR0]

Thank you Attia for mentioning the heart rate for zone 2. I was recently hiking with a friend (very steep), still holding a conversation but my hr was close to max (188). Seems like zone 2 but not. Still a bit confusing but will ignore Garmin zones for now.

[@-Plot-]

Yeah I’m not really impressed with Garmin’s stuff

[@mannysanchez5001]

nose breathing works better for me as far as staying in zone 2

[@burarum1]

You don't have to ignore garmin zones but set them to the correct values.

[@Journeymanlive]

the MAF 180 formula is not too bad for finding Zone 2. 180 minus your age. lactate meter is better but despite ALL the measurement tools, Attia said with the EXACT wattage on his bike, one day he was in Zone 2, another day he was not ( probably tired etc) it's very hard to track. it's basically the high form of exercice BEFORE you produce lactate. SO for me ( and Attia said it a lot) you have to rely on how it feels. my 180- my age formula is a good average, I can feel when I'm in Zone 2, you sort of get a sense of it.

[@-Plot-]

My thing is that my heart rate is always on the higher end

[@OaxSport]

Great insights, Dr. Attia! The breakdown of Zone 2 and VO2 max training is clear and actionable. Thanks for sharing your expertise on cardiovascular fitness! #CardioTraining #Zone2 #VO2Max #FitnessTips

[@Nick_Henri]

I've been looking for more info on Peter's perspective of Zone 2 and VO2 Max, particularly given how his "zone 2" is different from the traditional use of that term. This clip was very helpful!

[@valherd.o.o.-pelasertec254]

Sd

[@ibnunadzir223]

How is his zone 2 different from others?

[@beastmode1]

Mark Sissan has been onto this idea for quite some time. My over trained athlete friends would hear nothing of it. But now it’s beginning to become a bit more mainstream. But they are still over training and fueling with carbs.

[@randymartin1269]

I was thinking of Mark Sisson also while listening to this

[@douglasbooth6836]

You also need a good threshold. It all depends on how good your vo2 is V your zone.

[@tom_rydval]

Jonas Vingegard just smashed Tadej Pogacar an hour ago in Tour de France time trial :)

[@onigm2]

What training plan is Jonas on??

[@lewicypher1912]

vo2 of 97...

[@steviedee9344]

Sweet spot

[@jonathan9506]

But Tadej is the better cycler even Jonas agrees on this (see TV interview)

[@gavinhanna]

Tadej didn't have the training plan he wanted for the tdf as he crashed and broke his wrist. That makes a massive difference.

[@nigelterrancehordatt-reece6577]

Could you please show the day by day listing of your workouts showing example to all thank you

[@helibladerunner74]

Great video , thanks for sharing You're an inspirational speaker and now I not only watch your videos , I also share them with my wife who has also found your videos a great encouragement. Thanks again, keep us the good work.

[@99cya]

For vo2max i do some zwift cycling workouts (roghly 50min session) and in running i like to do 6x1km temp run with 2min rest in between or hill runs.

[@francesstager997]

You sure love talking about YOURSELF!!

[@chrisphillips6479]

My question would be, for what purpose? Are we talking about the most effective at reducing all cause mortality, fat loss, or simply training endurance? Then, to follow up, does the answer change depending on purpose?

[@TheOskarOVJ]

1:15 Vingegaard??

[@jameswestmoreland9717]

Absolutely the 3 minute thing. First feels good but not slow, second minute starts feeling hard and the third begins suffering with the last 30 sec is barely there. I like 3"10 hard with 2:50 recovery letting countdown rollover, last 10 seconds with alarm going off.

[@audio_tron]

My question for anyone here is this: Inigo said he’ll add 5 minutes of VO2 Max at the end of his Zone 2 ride. Is this something that adds extra cardio benefits when done with a typical weekly VO2 max interval ride? Currently, I’ve been adding 5 minutes of hard riding at the end of my Zone 2. It does add a fun/challenging dimension to an otherwise “boring” ride.

[@thewalkingjoke3843]

If you are used to a certain volume of work, then sure. But a better way would be to add another interval session during the week with a specific focus on VO2max, and then keep the easy/moderate at easy/moderate intensity. You could add some short sprints at the end of your easy sessions to also maintain faster twitch fibers.

[@myasterr]

5:05 Regarding 1000cal vs 1000kJ: Surprisingly, you actually have to burn about 1000cal of energy to reach 1000KJ of work. Our body is inefficient, so it takes arnd 4+smth cal of energy burnt to produce 1cal of mechanical output. This ratio is remarkably stable across all humans (v similar for pros vs complete newbies). They tend to use it interchangeably which is indeed very confusing at first, but that’s why

[@santoshsebastien3689]

Great questions. Very specific and things us mortals wanted to really know.

[@jgg7168]

What are peoples thoughts on using a steady weighted circuits (CrossFit style) for counting towards zone 2 training?

[@simonhinkel4086]

No it's highter. Zone 4 or 5 depending on the circle. Zone 2 is very low lactate

[@jgg7168]

@@simonhinkel4086 ah I guess although the overall average heart rate may be zone 2. This will be spiking and dipping throughout, as opposed to a steady consistency 👍

[@vammuskoka]

I feel like Crossfit is more like the VO2 max, depending on the wod

[@jgg7168]

@@vammuskoka I don’t mean intense CrossFit, more a cross fit style workout. As in I like to do maybe 4 exercises but as I do these generally on more recovery based days from cardio. I have much more rest between sets compared to when I would do a similar workout with minimal rest between sets. As I have a good level of cardio fitness, having the longer rest between means my average heart rate at the end would be classed as zone 2. But would not really count now seeing that it needs to be a consistent steady pace in the zone 2 range, rather than spikes. Was hoping to save some time with combining but I guess I’ll have to find more time ha

[@vammuskoka]

@jgg7168 If you Google Zone 2 workout options, you'll see Invictus has 5 workouts you can do that they classify as Zone 2 with mixed movements: the key being to keep your heart rate up thru them all, i.e., quick changes. I mix 40 minutes of cardio for Zone 2 which could mean changing between rowing and assault bike, some days adding an assault runner. It is very hard for me to stay on only one piece of equipment for half an hour or more because of issues with my hips, etc. One day I did do 30 minutes of slow, steady box step ups.

[@someguyusa]

I am a 34 year old male veteran with a 20+ year history of strength training, running, and other activities. However, after some injuries and covid, I have only been able to really resume strength training. Now, I am resuming walking, running, and cycling for the last couple weeks. I can walk on a treadmill to reliably target heart rate zones, but jogging at my slowest possible pace results in a heart rate of 184bpm which I can sustain for a few minutes. I haven't attempted any sprint drills for max heart rate yet. My Garmin Fenix 7 watch says I have a VO2 max of 34, so between that and my most recent exercise heart rate monitoring, I guess my aerobic fitness is really that poor. Is it really just a matter of time and effort at this zone 2 training to see improvements? What kind of timeline of improvements can I expect?

[@cwr8618]

Good question. I’m hoping you get an answer bc I’m also curious about this. I’ve been in and out of the service and now on the final stretch towards reserve retirement. 42 y/o, run about a 22 min 3 mile and slightly faster 5k row, average swimmer. Decent on bike - maybe 19-20 mph avg on flat ground. VO2 hovers around 49 - 50 but I don’t know how much work it really takes to move that needle and if it’s worth the effort, instead of just maintaining a basic level of fitness. Just hearing about this zone 2 stuff and at first, it seemed odd that walking briskly would be part of a ‘work out’ but when you couple it with weights throughout the week and one or two VO2 max workouts, then it starts to make more sense. Going to try his routing out for a month or so

[@bennydaz1214]

Hi, by no means any sort of expert here, I’m just speaking from my experience; the time to see improvement depends on a lot of other factors: sleep, nutrition etc. But assuming everything else is ok and normal, it is just a matter of time. From your start point it might be good to note down pace and incline required to reach your zone 2 heart rate. Be consistent for a few weeks of 4-5 sessions/week and then see what your new pace and incline is to reach your target z2 heart rate. You’ll see progression. Because you’re used to training you’re body will remember and hopefully you’ll see a quick progression and you’ll soon be setting yourself some goals etc. I’d recommend setting yourself a 5k baseline (or take it from your Garmin race predictions). The training protocol described will improve race times, even though zone 2 will feel ‘easy’ - you’ll hear runners talking about ‘time on feet’. That’s Z2. Training your body to become more efficient whilst giving it time to adapt - avoiding injury. Good luck and enjoy it with some good music.

[@mattp8335]

Great question. Make sure you listen to Attia and Inigo San Millan on Zone 2 training. It takes a min of 45 min zone 2 3x per week to improve mitochondria and your aerobic base, according to San Millian. He says 2x per week @45min per session to maintain mitochondria. Typically it is about 3-6 months to see improvement. With a vo2 max of 34 you definitely need to develop your aerobic base. It very likely you won't be able to strength train and do 45 min of zone 2 3x per week and recover right of the bat. For example If you strength train 3x per week and do zone 2 3x per week----start with 10-15 min per session and add 1 min per session. It will take several months to get to 45 min 3x per week but shouldn't completely smoke you in the process or take away from your strength training. After 3 months of 3x/week zone 2 @45min per session then I would start to add a vo2max workout at the end of onen of your zone 2 sessions. 4min work/4min recover/4 times or something like that. Hope this helps. Best of luck!

[@someguyusa]

@@mattp8335 Thanks for the info. I’m already doing 3x per week of strength and cardio. The good news is your recommendation is less than I’ve been doing, so that should make things easier lol.

[@ketilerichsen]

Intervals are for improving VO2Max. Zone 2 is for base/endurance. Do 80% Zone 2 and 20% Intervals or threshold training and you will see huge improvements.

[@justinf1343]

Interested to understand how zone 2 and vo2 max can be better training for a 60 minute TT rather than lots of threshold training?

[@Burps___]

This is awesome; good questions asked. I wonder what Dr Attia would say about all that “gray zone” stuff, esp for runners, such as the tempo run, the threshold run. Most running videos (Canaday, DeMoor, Strength Running Fitzgerald, McMillan, etc) state that the tempo threshold run, usually at 20-40 minutes steady, is the most important run of the week. Thoughts?

[@Good_News_King]

They’re wrong. Attia is righ lt about Zone 2. Checkout Phil Maffetone’s MAF training method. Same principal as Attia, with more detailed explanation. Used it to run 4 successive marathons (in 2 years, twice separated by 1 week), all PR’s, all negative splits, to get within 11 mins of my BQ. Works!

[@Burps___]

@@Good_News_King Please read more carefully…no one is challenging Zone 2…and no one doubts that *you* have used chiropractor Maffetone’s method successfully for your recreational category races. We are discussing the 80-20 split and if it’s use by the majority of elite runners for peak performance, particularly the elite Kenyan racers.

[@codycornell2212]

@@Burps___ I'd also be interested in his opinion on lactate threshold work. Defintetly not grey zone (that'd be more between Z2 and threshold). Looking at current training methods for runners and triathletes, threshold is king. Vo2 max work is highly overrated but this is also likely because high level runners naturally have a higher vo2 max. Most legit runners are doing Z2 and threshold

[@Monkey_slapping_keys]

@@codycornell2212 He never addressed the time sink as a comparison. Goal dependent, if you are going for performance yet only have a few hours a week, then the bulk in Z2 might be detrimental. The people he compares to, the pros do 10s of hours of training a week and just as a point of fact would be unable to sustain a mass of threshold work. Z2 makes sense as a bulk of the effort and might be optimal in that instance.

[@mango850]

Absolutely correct on tempo days. The problem with 80/20 only focussing on zone 2 and VO2max is the missing bits between the base of the triangle and the apex. Tempo runs help increase effectiveness for both zone 2 and zone 5 (sprinting the end of marathon finish)

[@Spotofgardening]

Would love to get people's insights! - What about all the other zones, so it's hard to stay in Z2 all the time, especially with varying terrain? As an amateur, I can only really do my heart rate zones, so that's what I track on Zwift. Strava also has Power zones, based on a recent FTP test, my spin last night said I spent 15% of the ride in the VO2 Max zone, but this wasn't planned and was dictated by the terrain. Although a relative beginner, I really enjoy pushing myself hard but looking at advice this isn't necessarily the best approach, but still good and valuable. - Is an FTP a good way to assess your VO2 max? Mine is hovering around 160-165 but want to be over 200 - Can i do intense sessions through the week when i have less time and then do longer (boring) slower sessions at the weekend, in other words will my body care! - Glad he, builds in strength training as I want to do both to improve everything, I've just started a similar approach of alternating days,j ust need to work out how to build the volume (as I get fitter)

[@adamsmith8283]

You don't need strength training for cycling, I would choose what you prefer to do. Regarding terrain this is why gears are on your bike use them wisely, look at getting your own power metre. Your ftp is very low. Zone 2 sessions are boring but try to keep yourself fresh for the intervals.

[@Spotofgardening]

@adamsmith8283 thank you for the encouraging, insightful and valuable words 🙏

[@adamsmith8283]

@@Spotofgardening It all comes down to how much time you have to train. Just have fun you will still improve, after a few months then decide how seriously you want to train.

[@Spotofgardening]

@adamsmith8283 thanks, the zone two is boring! Check in on me in 3 months hopefully I've improved 🤣

[@Heldarion]

​@@adamsmith8283you definitely need strength training in cycling if you want to see significant improvement.

[@renevanzyl7084]

Very interesting. Just wondering when he gets time to do any work, like a 8-5 job, clean and manage the house and relationships (with the kids). Ony day, maybe, when I'm grownup, I'll remember this talk 😅 I'm 35

[@davidgavney6711]

I have to smile at how people take this stuff so seriously. Don't get me wrong, it's important to stay in shape, but it's a lot easier to do this kind of training when you're younger and your body is in its prime. When I was in my 30's and 40's I was running full marathons and doing track workouts, weight training, working on my Vo2 max (sprints, hills), super long runs on the weekends (working up to over 20 miles), and interval training runs (alternating slow - fast). My body was in the greatest shape in its life and that's even after being in track and cross country in high school. But, as you get older it gets harder, the body has taken a beating and it has to go slower. I still run slowly and probably doing zone 2, but there's no way I'm doing Vo2 max these days without injuring something.

[@joeburn1628]

Hey guys just have a few questions on V02 max. 1) What machines are you doing them on? One of the only machines I can sustain 4 minutes of V02 max (4x4 protocol is rower) but wondering any other ideas 2) I am having issues hitting my V02 max and sustaining for minutes. Because it’s max training, I go as hard as I can but burn out at around 2 minutes. Am I going too hard too early, being too soft, or is that just normal and I need to work slower towards building a 4 min base (i.e. - progressive overload until I hit 4 mins)

[@codycornell2212]

Just go slightly less hard the first 30 seconds and up the effort as you go

[@Machoman510]

As mentioned in the video, and as someone who has used vo2 max workouts regularly, it really does take time to know how hard to push yourself, and this is with instantaneous feedback, like watts on a bike. But if you’re gassed at minute two, that’s way too hard. Dial it down and get to 3 minutes, then hold on for life the last minute. Good luck.

[@the_fast_life]

As someone who has coached many cyclists, and missing many puzzle pieces in regard to you, in my experience categorizing people who do what you did, I am going to guess you are a highly glycolytic athlete (type 2 muscle fiber dominant). My guess if I were to describe you would be slightly to largely muscular, you have always been strong, short repeated hard efforts are preferred over long sustained less hard efforts? These athletes will typically have good/great sprint power, good 1 minute power, able to do hard repeats but also nearly always have relatively poor 5 minute VO2 power. BUT, they can usually work at a high percentage of that max VO2 power so their threshold power is still decent. This also means they are burning lots of carbohydrates compared to someone working at a lower percentage. Training techniques and diet manipulation can help, but this athlete will always require more carbohydrate compared to a type 1 dominant person as the excessive type 2 fibers are always activated and contributing to the aerobic output of the type 1s. Ramble over lol

[@bardsamok9221]

​@@the_fast_lifeProbably true but he'll still likely get to completing 4min max test without much trouble with basic guidance.

[@experiencinglifeisthepurpose]

The best one for me personally is the airbike. It is actually also great for Zone 2 Cardio. But for Vo2 Max Training it is the best!

[@stumpywigmaker]

Thank you for the video! I still have this question: How can I effectively measure if I’m in “zone 2”? HR is out, I don’t have the means for the proper measuring equipment, so what’s the best way to get into and stay in Zone 2?

[@aching4382]

He eluded to it, which is to utilize an indoor trainer (e.g., Wahoo) or treadmill at an incline of choice with the very rudimentary Zone 2 measurement guide of “can I hold a causal conversation.” Poor man’s way to go about it, but it gets you started. Couple that with a HR monitor and you’ll have a rough estimate.

[@juliegathman2923]

We used to measure our heart rate by putting our two fingers on an artery and counting the beats for a minute (or half a minute; multiply by 2).

[@ketle369]

In the beginning you should aim for not going over zone 2, ie you should rather go too low than too high. The training should be so easy you can easily talk and maybe don't even brake a sweat. If you go for a brisk walk for an hour or two and wake up the next morning and have the feeling you could easily do the same thing all over again, you are in the right place. Zone 2 is hard to get because most people think training have to be hard. Zone 2 isn't hard, its very easy. Something you can do almost every day and feel fresh the morning after. But, it takes months to get results, so be patient.

[@walterwood3229]

Because of my heart having an aortic valve replacement the heart rate monitor is not very effective, but using the old “talk test” from the 1970’s gives me a very good standard based on respiration.

[@gerrysecure5874]

It is NOT 20% of volume. It is 20% SESSIONS. Intensity sessions are much shorter than endurance sessions. Based on time its 5-10% intensity.

[@nutritionbyelsa]

"i've done the math 10 ways to sunday" that among peters many other sayings I totally just love, and where on earth do they come from, "rob peter to pay paul" is definitely another Peter classic, but this "i've done the math 10 ways to sunday" is my new fave

[@fhowland]

What? Those are original to Attia lmao

[@timboslice45]

Those are common expressions, and have been for many years. My grandfather used to say both all the time.

[@chadz393]

First time I've seen him with a bit of an impatience vibe and feeling hes above the interviewer

[@bobbanks3355]

I had that impression too, in a slight way. However the interviewer had this down-beat style of talking that made it seem like he didn't care too much. Also, Attia has been answering these same questions for months now, must be hard to keep up one's enthusiasm and not just say RTFB.

[@fhowland]

Interviewer was bad, don’t blame Peter

[@PriusTurbo]

The guy he’s talking to is his employee and does all of his Q&A’s with him. He’s not annoyed. This is how someone talks to people they know and work with.

[@ДенисВарванец]

Z2 is not the limit of oxidative phosphorylation. It will continue and ramp up until vo2max is reached and even then it will not shut down

[@ziphomdluli]

I’m sure vangegaard will have a different view on Tadejs rating in the cycling world 🤔

[@shamshermann]

He just blew the time trials and Pogacar today what guy vingegaard

[@shirk15]

Yeah can we get Vingegaard's training program. He mopped up Pog like a child in the TT today.

[@ziphomdluli]

@@shirk15 yes please we need that and his recovery program plus supplements.

[@PhiyackYuh]

The doc must be a fan boy. They forgot chris froome was mopping everyone few years back with few tdf wins than pogo with JUST 2.

[@fhowland]

Uhh did you guys watch the spring classics? Lmao

[@angad10]

im recovering from two herniated disc and pinched nerves in my back , and i cannot wait to train again