What is the Soleus push-up and what are its benefits?

The Soleus push-up is a micro-movement performed while seated, involving lifting the heel while pushing down on the toes to contract the Soleus muscle. A study from the University of Houston found that continuously performing these push-ups dramatically improved blood sugar regulation (52% less post-meal glucose excursion) and reduced hyperinsulinemia (60%) despite using only 1% of total musculature.

How much Zone 2 cardio should I do per week for longevity?

Dr. Peter Attia recommends aiming for 180 to 200 minutes of Zone 2 cardio per week. Zone 2 cardio is characterized by being able to maintain a conversation while feeling your heart rate and breathing elevated. This can be achieved through activities like jogging, cycling, rowing, or hiking.

What is the recommended structure for resistance training sets and repetitions?

It is recommended to periodize your resistance training monthly. For about three to four weeks, do more sets (3-4) in a lower repetition range (4-8 reps) with heavier weights and longer rest (2-4 minutes). Then, for the next month, switch to fewer sets (2-3) in a moderate repetition range (8-15 reps) with slightly lighter weights and shorter rest (60-90 seconds). This approach helps in continuous progress.

Why is heat and cold contrast important for recovery and fitness?

Heat-cold contrast, such as alternating between a hot sauna/bath and an ice bath/cold shower, accelerates recovery from workouts, improves cardiovascular function, and can enhance brain health. Infrequent but intensive sauna sessions (3-5 rounds of 20min heat, 5min cold, once a week) can lead to significant increases in growth hormone, beneficial for metabolism and recovery.

When should I train my neck and why is it important?

Training the neck multiple times per week, for example, as part of your Wednesday torso workout and Saturday arms/calves/neck day, is crucial for total body stability, spinal safety, and preventing shoulder issues, back pain, and headaches. Even light to moderate weight work can help maintain strength and posture.

How should I manage training if I'm sleep deprived or feeling sick?

If experiencing moderate sleep deprivation, consider doing a 30-60 minute Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) protocol to restore mental and physical work capacity before training. However, if you've had a truly miserable night's sleep or are feeling sick, it's best to skip training entirely and focus on recovery. When returning from illness, ramp up training gradually over one to two weeks.

What is the 'physiological sigh' and how does it aid recovery during workouts?

The physiological sigh is a rapid breathing technique involving two inhales through the nose back-to-back, followed by a long, full exhale through the mouth. Performing this between sets helps calm the nervous system, reduce heart rate, and conserve energy, setting you up for maximal performance in subsequent sets.

How can grip strength influence weight training and overall health?

Gripping a weight tightly with the working hand and even the non-working hand can enhance muscular contraction and strength in the moving limb due to nervous system 'irradiation'. Additionally, the ability to hang from a bar for one minute or longer, which relies on grip strength, is highlighted as an important metric for longevity and overall health by experts like Dr. Peter Attia.

What is the importance of slow breathing after a workout?

Performing three to five minutes of deliberately slow breathing at the end of every training session helps to 'downshift' the nervous system. This promotes maximal and rapid recovery, allowing for better adaptation from the training and preparing the body for the next intense session.

Key Moments

Fitness Toolkit: Protocol & Tools to Optimize Physical Health

Andrew Huberman

Science & Technology2 min read118 min video

Oct 17, 2022|1,611,274 views|28,361|1,338

andrew huberman huberman lab podcast huberman podcast dr. andrew huberman neuroscience huberman lab andrew huberman podcast the huberman lab podcast science podcast fitness routine workout routine HIIT

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Optimize fitness with a weekly template: endurance, strength, HIIT, and recovery.

Key Insights

A foundational fitness protocol can maximize strength, endurance, and flexibility.

Integrate varied training types weekly: long endurance, resistance training, and high-intensity intervals.

Deliberate heat and cold exposure can aid recovery and cardiovascular benefits.

Prioritize sleep and recovery; adjust training if sleep-deprived or feeling unwell.

Proper nutrition, particularly carbohydrates post-workout and training fasted, can optimize performance.

Consistency and progressive overload are key to long-term fitness gains.

FOUNDATIONAL FITNESS FRAMEWORK AND SOLEUS PUSH-UPS

Andrew Huberman introduces a science-based foundational fitness protocol designed to maximize strength, endurance, hypertrophy, and overall health. The program emphasizes progressive overload and can be tailored to individual goals. A novel finding discussed is the Soleus push-up, a simple seated calf exercise that significantly improves blood glucose utilization and insulin sensitivity, even with minimal muscle engagement, offering a low-cost tool for metabolic health, especially for sedentary individuals.

WEEKLY TRAINING SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

The protocol outlines a structured weekly training split: Sunday focuses on long endurance (e.g., 60-75 minutes of Zone 2 cardio like jogging or hiking), Monday targets leg resistance training, Tuesday is dedicated to heat and cold contrast for recovery and cardiovascular benefits, Wednesday involves torso and neck resistance training, Thursday offers moderate-intensity cardio (around 35 minutes), Friday incorporates high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and Saturday is for arms, calves, and secondary torso work.

RESISTANCE TRAINING PRINCIPLES AND PERIODIZATION

Resistance training sessions, including legs on Monday and torso/arms on Wednesday and Saturday, should ideally last 50-60 minutes post-warm-up. Key principles include using two exercises per muscle group, one focusing on peak contraction and another on stretch. Periodization involves alternating between lower repetitions with heavier weights (4-8 reps) for a month, followed by moderate repetitions with fewer sets (8-15 reps) for another month, optimizing strength and hypertrophy gains.

CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING MODALITIES AND INTENSITY

Cardiovascular training is varied throughout the week. Sundays feature long, low-intensity (Zone 2) endurance, while Thursdays involve moderate-intensity cardio (75-80% effort) for about 35 minutes. Fridays are dedicated to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), such as all-out sprints on a bike or a rower for 20-30 seconds with 10-second rests, aiming to elevate the heart rate to near maximum at least once a week.

RECOVERY STRATEGIES AND REAL-WORLD ADAPTATIONS

Recovery is prioritized through Tuesday's heat and cold contrast sessions, which enhance cardiovascular function and hormone release (like growth hormone) without hindering strength adaptations. The protocol allows for flexibility, enabling workouts to be shifted by a day if needed. Prioritizing sleep and utilizing techniques like Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) are crucial, especially if sleep-deprived, to avoid illness and maintain training consistency.

NUTRITION, FLEXIBILITY, AND MIND-BODY CONNECTION

Training fasted is generally preferred, with carbohydrates ingested post-workout to replenish glycogen. Flexibility is addressed through repeated static stretching sessions (30-60 seconds each) done multiple times a week, ideally in the evenings. The importance of the mind-muscle connection, controlled breathing for nervous system regulation (like physiological sigh), and deliberate grip enhancement during sets are highlighted as key tools for optimizing both strength and recovery.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Products

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Studies Cited

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Optimizing Your Fitness Protocol: Daily & Weekly Guide

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Dedicate one day to 60-75 minutes of Zone 2 cardio (jogging, cycling, rowing, hiking) and consider a weight vest.

Prioritize leg training early in the week on its own dedicated day (50-60 minutes).

Implement one day of heat-cold contrast (sauna/ice bath, hot/cold showers) for recovery and growth hormone release.

Train torso muscles (pushing and pulling) on a separate day (50-60 minutes), emphasizing both stretch and peak contraction exercises.

Include regular neck training with light to moderate weights for stability and injury prevention.

Perform a moderate-intensity cardiovascular session (30-35 minutes at 75-80% max effort) on another day.

Integrate High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on a separate day, ideally using low-impact equipment like an Airbike/Assault bike or rower.

Conclude your week with an arms, calves, and indirect torso workout, ensuring full body stimulation.

Periodize your resistance training monthly: alternate between 4-8 reps (heavier, more sets, longer rest) and 8-15 reps (moderate weight, fewer sets, shorter rest).

If sleep-deprived, consider NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest) before training to restore performance, or skip the workout and shift the schedule.

Always engage mind-muscle connection during resistance sets and grip tightly for maximal force.

End every training session with 3-5 minutes of deliberately slow breathing to downshift the nervous system and promote recovery.

Incorporate static stretching for 30-60 seconds, 2-3 times per week, ideally in the evening or throughout the workday at a standing desk.

Avoid This

Avoid training at maximal intensity if you're sick; pause training until fully recovered.

Do not perform deliberate cold exposure (ice baths) immediately after strength, hypertrophy, or endurance workouts to prevent hindering adaptations.

Do not go all-out on movements like sprints if you cannot maintain perfect form to prevent injury.

Do not extend resistance training workouts beyond 60-75 minutes to avoid excessive cortisol increases that impede recovery.

Avoid remaining sedentary for prolonged periods; utilize micro-movements like Soleus push-ups if sitting is unavoidable.

Don't neglect neck training due to aesthetic concerns, as it's crucial for spinal stability and injury prevention.

Don't solely rely on static stretching immediately before intense workouts for flexibility gains; prioritize it as a separate, regular practice.

Common Questions

The foundational fitness protocol is a weekly template designed to maximize all aspects of fitness including endurance, strength, flexibility, and hypertrophy. It balances different types of training across the week, allowing for customization to individual goals. This protocol balances strength, endurance, and recovery to support overall health and longevity.

Topics

Resistance Training Human Performance Fitness & Exercise Mindset & Self-Improvement Health & Longevity Exercise Protocols Strength Training Endurance Training High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT)Recovery Strategies Sleep Optimization Mind-Muscle Connection Metabolic Health

Mentioned in this video

Concepts

Physiological sigh

A breathing technique involving two inhales through the nose back-to-back, followed by a long, full exhale through the mouth, used to rapidly calm the nervous system and aid recovery between sets.

Non-Sleep Deep Rest

A science-supported protocol for deep relaxation, available on YouTube and Spotify, used to restore mental and physical performance, particularly after poor sleep.

Zone 2 cardio

Cardiovascular exercise at an intensity where breathing is faster, heart rate is elevated, but one can still hold a conversation, recommended for longevity.

Software & Apps

Backpack

A simple, no-cost alternative to a weight vest for adding resistance to walks or hikes.

Athlean-X

Jeff Cavaliere's platform providing workouts and programs, with many free protocols on YouTube and Instagram.

Soleus push-up

A micro-movement involving lifting the heel while seated, shown in a study to dramatically improve blood sugar regulation and metabolism.

Media

Prefontaine

Another movie about the legendary runner Steve Prefontaine.

The Drive with Peter Attia

Peter Attia's podcast, offering extensive information on health metrics, fitness, and longevity.

Without Limits

A movie about the legendary runner Steve Prefontaine.

Organizations

University of Houston

The institution where a new study on Soleus oxidative metabolism was published.

The Ready State

Dr. Kelly Starrett's platform that provides information and channels on physiology, movement, and strength.

Studies & Research

A Potent Physiological Method to Magnify and Sustain Soleus Oxidative Metabolism Improves Glucose and Lipid Regulation

A study published in iScience that examined the dramatic positive changes in blood sugar utilization and metabolism from continuous Soleus push-ups.

Murach and Bagley Review

A review paper discussing whether there is interference between strength and endurance workouts.

Products

Airdyne Bike

A fan-based stationary bike, recommended for high-intensity interval training, similar to the Assault Bike.

Assault AirBike

A fan-based stationary bike, recommended for high-intensity interval training due to its high resistance and effectiveness in elevating heart rate.

Weight vest

A wearable vest, ranging from 10 to 50 pounds, used to increase the effort during walks or hikes, providing additional muscular endurance and cardiovascular work.

Supplements

Momentous Supplements

A partner of the Huberman Lab podcast that provides supplements discussed on the show, available for purchase through their website.

Companies

ROKA

A company making high-quality, lightweight eyeglasses and sunglasses designed for performance and suitable for daily wear.

Helix Sleep

A company that makes customized mattresses and pillows based on individual sleep needs.

InsideTracker

A personalized nutrition platform that analyzes blood and DNA data to provide actionable health directives.

People

Kelly Starrett

Physiologist from 'The Ready State' known for his expertise on movement, stability, strength, and injury prevention, including proper neck training.

Anna Skips

An Instagram personality and teacher who shares her impressive progression in jump rope skills, serving as an inspiration for cardiovascular training.

Stu McMillan

A world-class sprinting coach mentioned as a potential future podcast guest.

Dan Pfaff

A world-class sprinting coach mentioned as a potential future podcast guest.

Jeff Cavaliere

Physiotherapist and strength and conditioning coach from Athlean-X, mentioned for his expert protocols on exercise choice, muscle activation, and neck training.

Pavel Tsatsouline

A strength expert known for his principles on body mechanics, 'irradiation' to facilitate muscular contraction, and an excellent book on stretching.

Andy Galpin

Expert guest on the Huberman Lab podcast, mentioned for his insights on fitness concepts, modifiable variables, and repetition ranges for hypertrophy.

Andrew Huberman

Host of the Huberman Lab podcast and a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.

Peter Attia

Medical doctor and guest on the Huberman Lab podcast, known for emphasizing Zone 2 cardio and specific metrics like hanging from a bar for longevity.

Steve Prefontaine

Legendary long-distance runner known for his ability to maintain an all-out sprint pace for extended periods.

Ido Portal

World-renowned movement specialist also featured as a guest on the Huberman Lab podcast.

Rhonda Patrick

Guest on the Huberman Lab podcast who discussed the benefits of deliberate heat exposure, particularly sauna use.

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