For the perfect companion to this episode, make sure to download *The Cognitive Enhancement Blueprint* at bdnfprotocols.com. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Introduction (01:51) What differentiates "vigorous" from "zone 2" (09:12) Why zone 2 training may not improve VO2 max (11:34) Balancing zone 2 & vigorous-intensity workouts (13:32) Norwegian 4x4 protocol improves VO2 max (16:52) Methods to estimate VO2 max outside a lab (19:49) What it takes to reverse 20 years of heart aging (25:40) How HIIT reduces type 2 diabetes risk (26:54) HIIT vs. Zone 2 for mitochondria (29:25) Should committed exercisers practice 80/20 rule? (32:35) Vigorous exercise enhances mitophagy (35:20) Why lactate from HIIT benefits the brain (37:45) How lactate allows "glucose sparing" in brain (40:43) The unique BDNF benefits of HIIT (41:59) Lactate signals the growth of new blood vessels (44:15) Exercise intensity increases myokine release (47:04) Exercise lowers mortality risk in cancer survivors (48:13) Vigorous exercise kills circulating tumor cells (49:53) Why exercise reduces depression and neurotoxicity (kynurenine mechanism) (51:58) How "exercise snacks" reduce mortality
Been listening to you for years. Recently read Sally K Norton's book on food toxins; ie oxalate. Do you have anything to add or to say in response to her point?
Dr. Patrick is right!! This is so good to hear. 20 years ago, when I was 32, I was hit by a car while riding my bicycle. Had moderate traumatic brain injury, fractured hip, , fractured collarbone, fractured ribs, collapsed lungs, and immense blood loss. I was in medically induced coma for 8 weeks at Western Med Trauma center in California. I had licox probes and a trach too. During recovery, my doctor told me to get back on the bike again. Start exercising. Go hard. Do intensity. Do intervals, etc. It was really hard at first, but in time, my fitness came along and my brain recovered more quickly than expected. I am very lucky to be where I am today.
Currently recoverying from a bad seizure a year and a half ago. Still have pretty bad impairment but focusing on diet, excercise, and sleep. Normal MRI and EEG and told I should be feeling normal but it's like I'm on 4 drinks. Curious what your cognitive recovery experience was like. Gonna keep up the exercising, 45 minutes of biking every day 👍
I’ve been cynical towards the American healthcare system for decades, and it’s people like Dr. Rhonda, Patrick, and several others in her circle that restore my faith. The information they are sharing while making it accessible is restoring my faith in healthcare and humanity in general. I mean that. It’s information like this delivered in a beautifully packaged and easy to digest way that is changing lives and putting health back to the forefront of our culture and society. Absolutely loved this episode for so many reasons. I personally let myself get way out of shape in recent years, and as I venture back into health and fitness, it’s listening to podcasts like these, that keep me inspired and motivated. ❤
I am Norwegian and I can attest to that the 4x4 method works especially well for improving VO2max. Back in college, I did the 4x4 intervals 3 x per week for 8 weeks and tested VO2max pre and post in a workout lab. The results showed about a 10 % increase in VO2max after the 8 weeks. So even though it's painful, it definitely works!
Great to hear - added them to my weekly regimen and looking forward to seeing some benefits. I've found that the ratio and number of reps is mentally just right although physically the first couple of reps don't get my heart into the right place unless I go extra hard on them vs. the last two, or have a more vigorous warm up than I would normally do.
Your advice has been so helpful as a mature athlete and as a coach. Now as a 62 year old trail and mountain guide and ex 400m runner in my 20’s, I’ve stuck with that training regime throughout my life. HIIT works! Thank you!
Thank you, Rhonda. I got a lot out of this episode. In particular, I didn't realize the importance of lactic acid to brain health. Lately, since learning from Dr. San Millan that zone 2 enhances mitochondria, my exercise regime has switched from more HIIT to about 20% HIIT and 80% zone 2. I'll rethink that ratio now. At 75, I've been jogging and cycling for about four decades and exercise has really paid off for me. The only thing I'd change is that I'd pay more attention to proper rest, warmups, and stretching to avoid those occasional injury setbacks.
I learned from Dr. Peter Attia that for maximum lactate blood levels you can do things like sprint for 15 seconds, walk for 15 seconds, repeat. Or you can run fast until you're 80% exerted(say for 1 minute) and then just stop moving altogether until you're heart rate gets down to zone 2, and then run around again. Essentially you can do something like high intensitity followed by walking or just standing still or even sitting, in intervals as low as 10 seconds or whatever you want. The goal would be to simply keep your heart rate above resting the entire time. I have had tons of runs in the mountains doing basically whatever I want in some funky way, but always keeping my heart rate at zone 2 or higher. I also believe it may be more helpful to stop moving after sprinting or running instead of walking like you're trying to keep moving.
I'm 52, 6ft, 180lb with a runner's frame. 42" box jumps, jog/sprint internals, whole body calisthenics and free weights workouts, and overhead and farmer carries and must do's and I absolutely love it. Speed, power, and grip strength are what I'm intentionally trying to maintain. You're never too old to workout smart and hard.
My father is 94, still very active and living at home, almost every day he rode his bike to work about 45 minutes and for recreation after he retired. All his non bike riding or exercising friends have died.
@@rollingon6358 No it isn't about genetics. Only about 5% of longevity is genetics. Longevity is largely determined by our daily habits, especially diet and exercise.
God bless Rhonda Patrick for consistently sharing invaluable, practical, science based information we can apply to improving our lives. She is amazing!! So grateful she takes the time to record and share on her FoundMyFitness platform. Absolute queen!! 👑
I am a 70 yr and adherent to hi intensity weight training and some cardio.. my routine is simple each set is performed until utter muscle failure. I can attest that it is quite effective and I belive it switches on many genetic pathways that keeps one healthy.. My doctors are always pleasantly surprised to see a 70 yr old with muscles...
🎉 I’m a specialized exercise physiologist and this is one of the best reviews I’ve seen on exercise. I would had functionality, strenght, mobility and weight loss as well, but this was incredible. Congrats
Rhonda, you are a goldmine of reliable, actionable information. Understanding the mechanisms behind the benefits of exercise is so motivating. Thank you.
My dad died at 92 from Covid, my dad’s brother at 96 at home in his sleep, my grandma 99 also at home asleep. None of them did a minute of exercise. None of them smoked or drank, all worked hard most of their lives. I’m in my 60s, I enjoy exercising and walk or lift 4-5 days a week because I enjoy it. Thank you Rhonda.
I enjoy exercise. However did our ancestors do high intensity exercise? Didn't our ancestors do everything they could to conserve precious calories? I don't think they would have consciously chosen to do high intensity exercise. To survive they had to move, but at a high intensity? Would like to see someone like Rhonda address these questions. thanks Rhonda
Same here. All the "super agers" I know kept fit with chores and walking. My relative is turning 100 soon and still fit. She had a farm and did all the work until she was 95. I have no proof, but all this zone 5 stuff gets you is heart fibrosis, like runners.
@@forajc Didnt see your post before I posted a similar question for Rhonda. What you observed is also as far as I know a fact that the Blue Zone people (oldest aged people, centenarians) do not do anything physically near the intensity level effecting their VO2 max.
@@HkFinn83 Lots of them worked a lot more than 9-5, lots of the time. Since for much of history the big majority of people were dependent on subsistence agriculture, much of the year was very hard and hard. Enough had to be put away in order to make it through the winter.
Finally some clarity on the benefit of Zone 2 cardio for the untrained. The more unfit you are, the more vigorous training you should do relative to Zone 2, even more than 50% of your training time. Head to the 12:00 mark for that part of the discussion.
It's refreshing to hear Dr. Patrick discuss the vital importance of aerobic exercise. In recent decades, there's been a huge emphasis on weight lifting, while cardiopulmonary exercise has been shunted to the background as a quaint notion of the 1970s. Weight-bearing exercise is certainly important, but it's at least equally important to get our lungs and hearts going hard by vigorously moving our bodies through space (or simulating that movement on a treadmill or stationary cycle).
I've been watching your videos coming up for a while. Today is the first time I visit your channel. I cannot stop watching. One episode after the other! Thank you so much for these amazing videos. Really educational and very motivational. ❤
I’m 76. My experience to date confirms whatBeginning at about the age of 13 until about the age of 44, I was involved with weight training and competitive sports (varsity lacrosse in high school and college (nationally ranked Division 1 team)
I've been performing "an experiment of one" since late adolescence being a serious endurance athlete for over 35 years. Never have had any alcohol, smoking etc and been vegetarian all those years as well. Time will tell :)
Finally, some clarity. I love Attia, but when he talks about training in Zone 5 for 4 to 5 minutes at a time (and getting there quickly), I have to wonder what planet he's on.
Once a week, i go out to the park and do my interval sprints. I can usually go all out for 40 - 60 secs, but then need 3 mins to recover before the next, for a total of 5 repeats, absolute torture after the fourth go. I love doing this once a week, i also subscribe to Galpins exercise snack protocol, not every day, but whenever theres a staircase i can find during work, ill usually sprint up. Zone 2 is my fave, Sunday 2hr run, listen to one of my fave podcasts. Just wish i had the maturity to appreciate this in my thirties, or at least have the wisdom to pay attention to the facts earlier, so it would be routinal. Always been a lifter, never really liked cardio until i learnt from Huberman, and now ive got a better balance.
I have always enjoyed your podcasts because you do not avoid presenting cutting-edge information at a deeper biochemical level. I hope that you will continue to produce podcasts on a regular schedule.
i love exercising, it has been my favorite activity for my whole life. Unfortunately, i have a heart condition, constrictive pericarditis, that stops me from exercising as intensely as i would like to. I still go to the gym, walk, and do short HIT sessions once in a while. being able to work out is a blessing.
Dr Rhonda Patrick ! Her long form videos have excellent editing with subtitle boxes explaining important points. This short video does her a disservice 😊
Been doing vigorous exercise for the past 20 years since I developed brain fog after hitting my temple on something. 2-3 days after hitting it everything was fine & then I had a really bad headache hit me instantly out of the blue. I went to lay down & when I woke I woke with the brain fog & the realisation I couldn't visualise things in my mind. I still have brain fog, it hasn't abated even once in that time. I went from someone who could visualise things in my mind with rich clarity, re-live memories in absolute detail to someone who sees nothing at all, it's just black, I close my eyes & try to imagine something & there is nothing. The only time I see anything in my mind is when I dream. Also I can't access any of my past visual memories so it's like my life never happened. I don't have a single moment I can relive where I can remember what someone said, don't remember any of my childhood with actual memories of the time, rather it's what I know happened minus any details, kinda like an outline. Time just doesn't exist to my mind anymore, there are no thoughts of something having happened a long time ago or last week, it's all the same. I gave up trying to get the Drs to help, I just end up with another MRI scan then given some nonsense about how the technology just doesn't exist to help you. I know an MRI isn't even the right scan.
@@shirleycastano841 It has helped from the perspective of maintaining my overall health & physical shape but mentally no. Exercise may help others as each persons situation is different. I have no idea what went wrong in my head as I was only 23 at the time when it happened & only sought medical help 3-4 weeks afterwards when I realised what had happened wasn't going away. As in I realised it wasn't just a virus or something, something bad had actually happened.
I've been doing vigorous exercise you started talking about it on the show years ago. I don't do 4x4 but try to stay in zone 5 (measured by my max heart rate) as long as possible. This practice is so obviously medicine, and makes every aspect of life better, physical and mental. V02 max up 73% since I started with it, and this makes every physical thing so much easier.
Yet another excellent podcast! I have been incorporating HIT into my kettlebell routines and have been able to routinely get my rate over the supposed maximum for my age (220 - 70 = 150, but I am able to get up to 160-165!). Love the info on the Norwegian 4x4 protocol and look forward to incorporating this in the future.
I just loved this podcast so much! I work with women 45+ and sooo many of them fear vigorous exercise because they fear it will increase cortisol and make them gain fat. Yes, it stresses the body and increases cortisol, of course, but the positive effects you've highlighted are so crucial! We've done some VO2 Max workouts on the channel, but I'm going to film the Norwegian 4x4 next. Thanks so much Dr Rhonda!
I workout each day at a hitt workout studio. Bodywork and weight work. 45 minutes each work day and Saturday for one full hour. Am 67 male. I thrive at it. I do this at 6 am during the week. Saturday at 8:15 am. On Thursday I normally due two 45 minutes workouts on Thursday. One upper and lower body, these are weighted.
You know your discipline. I am overwhelmed with the detail I get the general idea, but I need examples of exercise that are effective ways of getting me in the various zones.
I owe my improvements to Huberman, and his delivery of the information which inspired me to do something about health fitness, hes always referencing you as the pioneer for providing the science to the public for free and digestable for the avg joe. Thanks for the info Doc, keep up the good work 👊😎
So much good information! As a 58-year old working to improve my health -span, it nice to hear your thoughts on cardio training. Too many fitness “gurus” are all about strength training (which certainly has its place) but fail to communicate a good balance between strength training and cardio training.
Dr. Attia promotes the idea of VO2 max and it's link to longevity. I would love to see some data on this. Empirically, the blue zones populations live long lives, on average. Do they "train" for VO2 max? No, they don't. They eat a certain way, get frequent moderate "natural" exercise (walking, hiking, gardening, etc.), and have strong social connections and support. Perhaps comparing those populations to marathon runners would be interesting.
"Life is motion. And motion is life." Chapter 57 of Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) which is one of the most important works of Taoism written around the 6th century before Christ. Took a few thousands years to prove it by science.
Your presentation is wonderful. Thank you for the detailed explanation. I’m 58 and have stayed fit most of my adult life (27 yr military). I exercise every other day. I would exercise daily if I hadn’t had so many past injuries. I eat high fat/protein and little carbs. I target fast as well (16-20 hours/day). I begin exercising around 10:00am - 11:00am. I have so much more energy and perform (strength training) at levels I could not before eating this way. Anecdotal; I feel more energy 14-16 hours after eating and believe it to be natural growth hormone. Anything to that???
Literally the perfect video for my interests today. I’m trying to figure out how to increase my VO2 max and you spelled it out perfectly. I rarely listen to an hour video but this one was too good! Thank you.
Very valuable and, based on my personal experience, very VALID advice. Thanks for this information. The "problem" with high-intensity exercise is that it requires consistent discipline, as you correctly imply. But the payback is well worth it, imho.
Rhonda, have you heard Dr Stacy Sims, PhD talk about differences in physiology between men and women and how SIT and HIIT are preferred to zone 2, especially in peri and postmenopausal women?
As a 70-year-old with a couple of knee surgeries in the rearview mirror, I'd like to hear about raising VO2 max via a HIIT equivalent swimming routine. The high-impact damage needs to be addressed if you want to include 'everyone.'
Just to share--I saw on one of the documents that the Dr shared in the video (came onto the screen when she was talking that Arm ergometers can be used too. Hope that info might be helpful.
2 things that has helped my heart heath the most. Coq10 injections and powered l-Carnitine. Best exercise for the heart is the deadlift. The pull movement directly connects to the heart. Most people don't know that.
Been watching your content ever since I saw you on Huberman some time ago which you must hear a lot haha. Either way I'm glad I found you through there so I can keep up with things. I was already doing a lot but you definitely motivate me to keep doing them knowing how beneficial it is.
Continuing my thoughts. My experience to date confirms what Dr. Patrick is saying. When I was 69, I took the MENSA admission test and was admitted to MENSA.
I have been doing High Intensity exercising all of my life. I am now 69 years old. One thing I noticed about HIIT workouts is that they have a tendency to keep me up at night if I do them past noontime
Great episode. Your content is excellent. Love the science behind it. Thanks for breaking all this down and explaining the brain/body benefits of exercise. I firmly believe exercise is medicine. I’ve been exercising, running, strength training and doing HIIT since 1999. And, some hot yoga. Before that, I played soccer in my teens and college and ran races and full/half marathons. Now in my 50s, I still love running and vigorous exercise/HIIT -it feels good to push it and it focuses my mind and boosts my mood. I can reach my highest heart rate zones in outdoor spin classes which helps with V02Max. I use my runs to relax, focus on my form/nature and enjoy the ride (ala ChiRun). Probably Zone 2 and 3 on my runs. Zone 2 was confusing when I first heard it; I think it’s what runners call LSD training. Thanks again!
I have been doing Sprint 8 from Phil Campbell for the last 5-6 years. I have not done it consistently for half this time, but, I have kept my skin in the game. I almost always am able to hit my Maximum heart rate and sometimes to a few seconds of even higher than max. Everyone I have turned on to Sprint 8 says it knocks the heck out of them...and it does! Sprint 8 is most close to the Wingate method on Rhonda's list. It is advised not to do Sprint 8 more than 3x a week.
HIIT can be very effective when used in moderation and after building a solid structural and Zone 2 base. Otherwise you will cause serious over-training and injuries. The study that reversed 20 years of cardiac aging did much more Zone 2 and max steady state before adding HIIT. Elite athletes only use HIIT 20% of the time for a reason.
Hi, Dr. Patrick, Could you explain where resistance training fits in, please? When is it considered vigorous exercise to reap as much as possible the benefits that you listed, not only for physical health but also for brain function, aging, and cancer prevention?
WOW, so much incredible information! Love the suggestions of exercise snacks and VILPA for us deskbound active people! I do 1x1 min max efforts for my MTB racing, they are tough, but well worth it! :D
You said that increased blood circulation due to exercise can mitigate metastases: then how do you explain Canadian Terry Fox who exercised as vigorously as he could, and yet suffered the ravages of his metastases?
Too much oxidative stress, when you have cancer your already overwhelmed copping with it plus it's just not about exercise and metabolic health it's about supporting your immune system with an extremely hyper healthy diet beyond normal. It's a more holistic approach. He also had chemotherapy which I suspect caused more damage which in the long term he paid the price for. Why we still use chemotherapy for fighting cancer is beyond me, it may be effective in the short run and extend peoples life but the irreversible damage it causes isn't worth it. Plus it was in the 80's and bone cancer treatments were limited. Today we have bone marrow treatments that are pretty effective if caught in time. More recent immunotherapies have been more promising especially when combined with life style dietary changes. This has shown to be the most effective approach to fighting cancers. Using a combination of conventional and alternative strategies seems to be the most successful, in the US we still haven't figured this out yet. We're still looking for the magic bullet or a single intervention solution and that's why the out comes in fighting cancer hasn't changed in decades. You can't fight cancer by exercising even though it maybe good for you at cellular level too much can lead to cell damage and apoptosis and weakening your bodies immune system. I know quite a few athletes who are ultra marathon runners most of them suffer from chronic renal issues mostly likely because their bodies are not equipped to repair all the damage they have done in these types of pursuits or haven't given themselves enough time to recover before the next one. I've tried to warn them but they're obviously addicted to it so the high they get from doing it is so rewarding that they ignore the pain and sensibility.
Yes, very active people do get cancer. But, for many of us, the fact that exercise can help and also be a tool of prevention can be a very empowering message. Shearing forces are one unique biological mechanism likely contributed by exercise. There's a whole lot of factors at play in cancer, including those outside of our control.
For the perfect companion to this episode, make sure to download *The Cognitive Enhancement Blueprint* at bdnfprotocols.com.
CHAPTERS:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:51) What differentiates "vigorous" from "zone 2"
(09:12) Why zone 2 training may not improve VO2 max
(11:34) Balancing zone 2 & vigorous-intensity workouts
(13:32) Norwegian 4x4 protocol improves VO2 max
(16:52) Methods to estimate VO2 max outside a lab
(19:49) What it takes to reverse 20 years of heart aging
(25:40) How HIIT reduces type 2 diabetes risk
(26:54) HIIT vs. Zone 2 for mitochondria
(29:25) Should committed exercisers practice 80/20 rule?
(32:35) Vigorous exercise enhances mitophagy
(35:20) Why lactate from HIIT benefits the brain
(37:45) How lactate allows "glucose sparing" in brain
(40:43) The unique BDNF benefits of HIIT
(41:59) Lactate signals the growth of new blood vessels
(44:15) Exercise intensity increases myokine release
(47:04) Exercise lowers mortality risk in cancer survivors
(48:13) Vigorous exercise kills circulating tumor cells
(49:53) Why exercise reduces depression and neurotoxicity (kynurenine mechanism)
(51:58) How "exercise snacks" reduce mortality
❤
Absolutely GREAT podcast. SUPER SUPER SUPER! Thank You-Stu
thanks
Been listening to you for years. Recently read Sally K Norton's book on food toxins; ie oxalate. Do you have anything to add or to say in response to her point?
@FoundMyFitness the download no longer works.
Nothing motivates me more to exercise than learning about the flurry of benefits you get from doing it.
Amen to that. And I'm happy to say I was already ticking most of the boxes except for HITT. But I already do so much it would be hard to fit in.
Yea. And knowing what's potentially happening if you don't.
Yes, I agree with these reasons to exercise vigorously.
Whats is best exercise?
@@Peter-zv4dx
It's different for everyone. For me, it's lifting a slice of pizza 🍕 to my mouth. 😳
Dr. Patrick is right!! This is so good to hear. 20 years ago, when I was 32, I was hit by a car while riding my bicycle. Had moderate traumatic brain injury, fractured hip, , fractured collarbone, fractured ribs, collapsed lungs, and immense blood loss. I was in medically induced coma for 8 weeks at Western Med Trauma center in California. I had licox probes and a trach too. During recovery, my doctor told me to get back on the bike again. Start exercising. Go hard. Do intensity. Do intervals, etc. It was really hard at first, but in time, my fitness came along and my brain recovered more quickly than expected. I am very lucky to be where I am today.
Holy cow….glad you’re okay!
It sounds like yours was a bit more damaging then the two times I've been hit by them....
Im also from California. Can we meet hun
All the best.
Currently recoverying from a bad seizure a year and a half ago. Still have pretty bad impairment but focusing on diet, excercise, and sleep. Normal MRI and EEG and told I should be feeling normal but it's like I'm on 4 drinks. Curious what your cognitive recovery experience was like. Gonna keep up the exercising, 45 minutes of biking every day 👍
I’ve been cynical towards the American healthcare system for decades, and it’s people like Dr. Rhonda, Patrick, and several others in her circle that restore my faith. The information they are sharing while making it accessible is restoring my faith in healthcare and humanity in general. I mean that. It’s information like this delivered in a beautifully packaged and easy to digest way that is changing lives and putting health back to the forefront of our culture and society. Absolutely loved this episode for so many reasons.
I personally let myself get way out of shape in recent years, and as I venture back into health and fitness, it’s listening to podcasts like these, that keep me inspired and motivated. ❤
Go to da gym! 💪😁🌴🤙
I am Norwegian and I can attest to that the 4x4 method works especially well for improving VO2max. Back in college, I did the 4x4 intervals 3 x per week for 8 weeks and tested VO2max pre and post in a workout lab. The results showed about a 10 % increase in VO2max after the 8 weeks. So even though it's painful, it definitely works!
Great to hear - added them to my weekly regimen and looking forward to seeing some benefits. I've found that the ratio and number of reps is mentally just right although physically the first couple of reps don't get my heart into the right place unless I go extra hard on them vs. the last two, or have a more vigorous warm up than I would normally do.
Your advice has been so helpful as a mature athlete and as a coach. Now as a 62 year old trail and mountain guide and ex 400m runner in my 20’s, I’ve stuck with that training regime throughout my life. HIIT works!
Thank you!
What protocol would you recommend for a beginner? I'm thinking of doing HIIT sprinting 3 days per week with one zone 2 session per week.
Thank you, Rhonda. I got a lot out of this episode. In particular, I didn't realize the importance of lactic acid to brain health. Lately, since learning from Dr. San Millan that zone 2 enhances mitochondria, my exercise regime has switched from more HIIT to about 20% HIIT and 80% zone 2. I'll rethink that ratio now. At 75, I've been jogging and cycling for about four decades and exercise has really paid off for me. The only thing I'd change is that I'd pay more attention to proper rest, warmups, and stretching to avoid those occasional injury setbacks.
I learned from Dr. Peter Attia that for maximum lactate blood levels you can do things like sprint for 15 seconds, walk for 15 seconds, repeat. Or you can run fast until you're 80% exerted(say for 1 minute) and then just stop moving altogether until you're heart rate gets down to zone 2, and then run around again.
Essentially you can do something like high intensitity followed by walking or just standing still or even sitting, in intervals as low as 10 seconds or whatever you want. The goal would be to simply keep your heart rate above resting the entire time.
I have had tons of runs in the mountains doing basically whatever I want in some funky way, but always keeping my heart rate at zone 2 or higher. I also believe it may be more helpful to stop moving after sprinting or running instead of walking like you're trying to keep moving.
I'm 52, 6ft, 180lb with a runner's frame. 42" box jumps, jog/sprint internals, whole body calisthenics and free weights workouts, and overhead and farmer carries and must do's and I absolutely love it.
Speed, power, and grip strength are what I'm intentionally trying to maintain.
You're never too old to workout smart and hard.
My father is 94, still very active and living at home, almost every day he rode his bike to work about 45 minutes and for recreation after he retired. All his non bike riding or exercising friends have died.
i had a great grandparent live to 102, drank coke every day and never exercised. crazy!
It’s all game of genetics..if you listen to Peter Attia book he explains that on people who live over 100.
@@rollingon6358 No it isn't about genetics. Only about 5% of longevity is genetics. Longevity is largely determined by our daily habits, especially diet and exercise.
The greatest exercise activist on Earth Dr. Rhonda
God bless Rhonda Patrick for consistently sharing invaluable, practical, science based information we can apply to improving our lives. She is amazing!! So grateful she takes the time to record and share on her FoundMyFitness platform. Absolute queen!! 👑
I am a 70 yr and adherent to hi intensity weight training and some cardio.. my routine is simple each set is performed until utter muscle failure. I can attest that it is quite effective and I belive it switches on many genetic pathways that keeps one healthy.. My doctors are always pleasantly surprised to see a 70 yr old with muscles...
How many reps are you usually doing ?
@@jamesmccarty8988
About 15 to 20.. usually a couple sets per body part.
@@jamesmccarty8988
A couple sets per bodypart 15 to 20 reps
@@jamesmccarty8988
Usually 15 to 20..easier to injure urself as u get older so I use higher reps and moderate weight
I will just workout harder now. I love Dr. Rhonda Patrick. What great looking doctor.
🎉 I’m a specialized exercise physiologist and this is one of the best reviews I’ve seen on exercise. I would had functionality, strenght, mobility and weight loss as well, but this was incredible. Congrats
Rhonda, you are a goldmine of reliable, actionable information. Understanding the mechanisms behind the benefits of exercise is so motivating. Thank you.
This video is simply amazing. Have never seen anyone covering so many important benefits of exercise in one hour. Thank you Dr. Rhonda Patrick!
My dad died at 92 from Covid, my dad’s brother at 96 at home in his sleep, my grandma 99 also at home asleep. None of them did a minute of exercise. None of them smoked or drank, all worked hard most of their lives. I’m in my 60s, I enjoy exercising and walk or lift 4-5 days a week because I enjoy it. Thank you Rhonda.
I enjoy exercise. However did our ancestors do high intensity exercise? Didn't our ancestors do everything they could to conserve precious calories? I don't think they would have consciously chosen to do high intensity exercise. To survive they had to move, but at a high intensity?
Would like to see someone like Rhonda address these questions. thanks Rhonda
@@forajc naturalistic fallacy. Your ancestors didn’t work 9-5’s.
Same here. All the "super agers" I know kept fit with chores and walking. My relative is turning 100 soon and still fit. She had a farm and did all the work until she was 95. I have no proof, but all this zone 5 stuff gets you is heart fibrosis, like runners.
@@forajc Didnt see your post before I posted a similar question for Rhonda. What you observed is also as far as I know a fact that the Blue Zone people (oldest aged people, centenarians) do not do anything physically near the intensity level effecting their VO2 max.
@@HkFinn83 Lots of them worked a lot more than 9-5, lots of the time. Since for much of history the big majority of people were dependent on subsistence agriculture, much of the year was very hard and hard. Enough had to be put away in order to make it through the winter.
Finally some clarity on the benefit of Zone 2 cardio for the untrained. The more unfit you are, the more vigorous training you should do relative to Zone 2, even more than 50% of your training time. Head to the 12:00 mark for that part of the discussion.
Great topic Dr. Patrick. You are the woman!
It's refreshing to hear Dr. Patrick discuss the vital importance of aerobic exercise. In recent decades, there's been a huge emphasis on weight lifting, while cardiopulmonary exercise has been shunted to the background as a quaint notion of the 1970s. Weight-bearing exercise is certainly important, but it's at least equally important to get our lungs and hearts going hard by vigorously moving our bodies through space (or simulating that movement on a treadmill or stationary cycle).
I've been watching your videos coming up for a while. Today is the first time I visit your channel. I cannot stop watching. One episode after the other! Thank you so much for these amazing videos. Really educational and very motivational. ❤
I’m 76. My experience to date confirms whatBeginning at about the age of 13 until about the age of 44, I was involved with weight training and competitive sports (varsity lacrosse in high school and college (nationally ranked Division 1 team)
I've been performing "an experiment of one" since late adolescence being a serious endurance athlete for over 35 years. Never have had any alcohol, smoking etc and been vegetarian all those years as well. Time will tell :)
Am 82 now doing intensity interval training using my bike for 3 mins for 3 sets every other day. It keeps me fit so far.
Finally, some clarity. I love Attia, but when he talks about training in Zone 5 for 4 to 5 minutes at a time (and getting there quickly), I have to wonder what planet he's on.
Once a week, i go out to the park and do my interval sprints. I can usually go all out for 40 - 60 secs, but then need 3 mins to recover before the next, for a total of 5 repeats, absolute torture after the fourth go. I love doing this once a week, i also subscribe to Galpins exercise snack protocol, not every day, but whenever theres a staircase i can find during work, ill usually sprint up. Zone 2 is my fave, Sunday 2hr run, listen to one of my fave podcasts. Just wish i had the maturity to appreciate this in my thirties, or at least have the wisdom to pay attention to the facts earlier, so it would be routinal. Always been a lifter, never really liked cardio until i learnt from Huberman, and now ive got a better balance.
I have always enjoyed your podcasts because you do not avoid presenting cutting-edge information at a deeper biochemical level. I hope that you will continue to produce podcasts on a regular schedule.
Rhonda you are the best! Love your channel, it’s helping me change my life. Thank you so much!
So inspiring it is literally mesmerizing. Thank you 1000X!
Thanks for the info. I love the warm fuzzy afterglow following a good workout too. You have just made me itchy for a HIIT fix.
i love exercising, it has been my favorite activity for my whole life. Unfortunately, i have a heart condition, constrictive pericarditis, that stops me from exercising as intensely as i would like to. I still go to the gym, walk, and do short HIT sessions once in a while. being able to work out is a blessing.
Dr Rhonda Patrick ! Her long form videos have excellent editing with subtitle boxes explaining important points. This short video does her a disservice 😊
Been doing vigorous exercise for the past 20 years since I developed brain fog after hitting my temple on something. 2-3 days after hitting it everything was fine & then I had a really bad headache hit me instantly out of the blue. I went to lay down & when I woke I woke with the brain fog & the realisation I couldn't visualise things in my mind. I still have brain fog, it hasn't abated even once in that time. I went from someone who could visualise things in my mind with rich clarity, re-live memories in absolute detail to someone who sees nothing at all, it's just black, I close my eyes & try to imagine something & there is nothing. The only time I see anything in my mind is when I dream. Also I can't access any of my past visual memories so it's like my life never happened. I don't have a single moment I can relive where I can remember what someone said, don't remember any of my childhood with actual memories of the time, rather it's what I know happened minus any details, kinda like an outline. Time just doesn't exist to my mind anymore, there are no thoughts of something having happened a long time ago or last week, it's all the same.
I gave up trying to get the Drs to help, I just end up with another MRI scan then given some nonsense about how the technology just doesn't exist to help you. I know an MRI isn't even the right scan.
Has exercise helped you at all?
@@shirleycastano841 It has helped from the perspective of maintaining my overall health & physical shape but mentally no. Exercise may help others as each persons situation is different. I have no idea what went wrong in my head as I was only 23 at the time when it happened & only sought medical help 3-4 weeks afterwards when I realised what had happened wasn't going away. As in I realised it wasn't just a virus or something, something bad had actually happened.
@@FactsBeFacts Really sorry to hear this, can't imagine how hard it must be, would highly recommend vipassana meditation.
Thank you Rhonda, very comprehensive as they always are. I'll be listening to this one many times. Lots of terrific information.
These kinds of talks are really motivating and Dr. Patrick is a great communicator. I do martial arts and there is less structured intensity training.
I've been doing vigorous exercise you started talking about it on the show years ago. I don't do 4x4 but try to stay in zone 5 (measured by my max heart rate) as long as possible. This practice is so obviously medicine, and makes every aspect of life better, physical and mental. V02 max up 73% since I started with it, and this makes every physical thing so much easier.
Yet another excellent podcast! I have been incorporating HIT into my kettlebell routines and have been able to routinely get my rate over the supposed maximum for my age (220 - 70 = 150, but I am able to get up to 160-165!). Love the info on the Norwegian 4x4 protocol and look forward to incorporating this in the future.
I just loved this podcast so much! I work with women 45+ and sooo many of them fear vigorous exercise because they fear it will increase cortisol and make them gain fat. Yes, it stresses the body and increases cortisol, of course, but the positive effects you've highlighted are so crucial! We've done some VO2 Max workouts on the channel, but I'm going to film the Norwegian 4x4 next. Thanks so much Dr Rhonda!
I think you’re underestimating the hormonal impacts of menopause combined with vigorous exercise.
I workout each day at a hitt workout studio. Bodywork and weight work. 45 minutes each work day and Saturday for one full hour. Am 67 male. I thrive at it. I do this at 6 am during the week. Saturday at 8:15 am. On Thursday I normally due two 45 minutes workouts on Thursday. One upper and lower body, these are weighted.
You know your discipline. I am overwhelmed with the detail I get the general idea, but I need examples of exercise that are effective ways of getting me in the various zones.
I owe my improvements to Huberman, and his delivery of the information which inspired me to do something about health fitness, hes always referencing you as the pioneer for providing the science to the public for free and digestable for the avg joe. Thanks for the info Doc, keep up the good work 👊😎
Thankyou Rhonda for your constant research. Your explanations of how the body works ate truly life enhancing.
Thanks for the information I pass it along to those who are willing to listen and I find it helpful.
So much good information! As a 58-year old working to improve my health -span, it nice to hear your thoughts on cardio training. Too many fitness “gurus” are all about strength training (which certainly has its place) but fail to communicate a good balance between strength training and cardio training.
I’ve been anxiously waiting for this one to drop. Thanks!
Dr. Attia promotes the idea of VO2 max and it's link to longevity. I would love to see some data on this. Empirically, the blue zones populations live long lives, on average. Do they "train" for VO2 max? No, they don't. They eat a certain way, get frequent moderate "natural" exercise (walking, hiking, gardening, etc.), and have strong social connections and support. Perhaps comparing those populations to marathon runners would be interesting.
Attia is wrong. Fontana is right. And extreme athletes and runners have heart fibrosis.
Blue zone is bad science
@@jpintero6330Who's Fontana?
You're still the best Dr. Rhonda!
"Life is motion. And motion is life." Chapter 57 of Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) which is one of the most important works of Taoism written around the 6th century before Christ. Took a few thousands years to prove it by science.
Your presentation is wonderful. Thank you for the detailed explanation. I’m 58 and have stayed fit most of my adult life (27 yr military). I exercise every other day. I would exercise daily if I hadn’t had so many past injuries. I eat high fat/protein and little carbs. I target fast as well (16-20 hours/day). I begin exercising around 10:00am - 11:00am. I have so much more energy and perform (strength training) at levels I could not before eating this way. Anecdotal; I feel more energy 14-16 hours after eating and believe it to be natural growth hormone. Anything to that???
You always inspire me to exercise.
Literally the perfect video for my interests today. I’m trying to figure out how to increase my VO2 max and you spelled it out perfectly. I rarely listen to an hour video but this one was too good! Thank you.
Thanks Rhonda...
You are an angel
I think in my opinion is to do both. Zone 2 and zone 5. That way you get the benefit of both. Love,love this podcast 👍
Excellent podcast with much useful information... Thanks Dr. Patrick!
This would make a great Ted talk
Such a great episode. Very practical and useful information. Thank You.
Very valuable and, based on my personal experience, very VALID advice. Thanks for this information. The "problem" with high-intensity exercise is that it requires consistent discipline, as you correctly imply. But the payback is well worth it, imho.
I enjoyed this immensely. Thank you so much for sharing your information. Very informative.
definitely going to increase vigorous exercise content in my workouts !
Wonderful episode! Thank you Dr. Patrick!
Phenomenal explanations. This is great science. I have passed this on to my colleagues and clients.
Love this so much! I’m definitely more motivated to start doing HIIT rather than straight aerobic work.
What an awesome lecture. Thank you.
Wow, I learned a lot. Thanks, I did not know about the heart.
My goodness this information is absolute GOLD. Thanks for doing this.
Brilliant as always Dr Rhonda. Thank you. Watched the whole thing while on the treadmill rucking up hill, really enjoyable listen!
Thank you, ma'am. This is quite pertinent to my current situation.
Wow! Fantastic and Informative Video. Thank you.
Great information🔥👏
Rhonda, have you heard Dr Stacy Sims, PhD talk about differences in physiology between men and women and how SIT and HIIT are preferred to zone 2, especially in peri and postmenopausal women?
As a 70-year-old with a couple of knee surgeries in the rearview mirror, I'd like to hear about raising VO2 max via a HIIT equivalent swimming routine. The high-impact damage needs to be addressed if you want to include 'everyone.'
Just to share--I saw on one of the documents that the Dr shared in the video (came onto the screen when she was talking that Arm ergometers can be used too. Hope that info might be helpful.
Thank you so much for this! You look stunning and i love the glow of your skin, wow😍
Love it! I believe open mat at jiujitsu 3 times a week should be meeting these requirements
Sounds like my stair master level 6 workout program addresses much of what you suggest.
2 things that has helped my heart heath the most. Coq10 injections and powered l-Carnitine. Best exercise for the heart is the deadlift. The pull movement directly connects to the heart. Most people don't know that.
Been watching your content ever since I saw you on Huberman some time ago which you must hear a lot haha.
Either way I'm glad I found you through there so I can keep up with things.
I was already doing a lot but you definitely motivate me to keep doing them knowing how beneficial it is.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
Continuing my thoughts. My experience to date confirms what Dr. Patrick is saying. When I was 69, I took the MENSA admission test and was admitted to MENSA.
this is fantastic. thank you
I have been doing High Intensity exercising all of my life. I am now 69 years old. One thing I noticed about HIIT workouts is that they have a tendency to keep me up at night if I do them past noontime
much much better than Huberman!!!! Thank you for steadfastly upholding the principles of science and education. You are the best Dr. Rhonda.
Great episode. Your content is excellent. Love the science behind it. Thanks for breaking all this down and explaining the brain/body benefits of exercise. I firmly believe exercise is medicine. I’ve been exercising, running, strength training and doing HIIT since 1999. And, some hot yoga. Before that, I played soccer in my teens and college and ran races and full/half marathons. Now in my 50s, I still love running and vigorous exercise/HIIT -it feels good to push it and it focuses my mind and boosts my mood. I can reach my highest heart rate zones in outdoor spin classes which helps with V02Max. I use my runs to relax, focus on my form/nature and enjoy the ride (ala ChiRun). Probably Zone 2 and 3 on my runs. Zone 2 was confusing when I first heard it; I think it’s what runners call LSD training. Thanks again!
Anaerobic :Substrate level phosphorylation
Aerobic :Oxidative phosphorylation
I have been doing Sprint 8 from Phil Campbell for the last 5-6 years. I have not done it consistently for half this time, but, I have kept my skin in the game. I almost always am able to hit my Maximum heart rate and sometimes to a few seconds of even higher than max. Everyone I have turned on to Sprint 8 says it knocks the heck out of them...and it does! Sprint 8 is most close to the Wingate method on Rhonda's list. It is advised not to do Sprint 8 more than 3x a week.
Excellent. Thank you.
I'm happy with my routine, it fits what is here suggested. I'm 74. On the third floor.
fascinating stuff, thank you Rhonda.
Really loving these videos, keep them coming Rhonda ❤
I do the Nike method, which are 2-20’s on my bike. 20 seconds hard pumping, 2 minutes easy riding….for 60 minutes. I use music as a timer.
Thanks Ronda! Practical tips based on evidence, definitely something everybody could take advantage of!
HIIT can be very effective when used in moderation and after building a solid structural and Zone 2 base. Otherwise you will cause serious over-training and injuries. The study that reversed 20 years of cardiac aging did much more Zone 2 and max steady state before adding HIIT. Elite athletes only use HIIT 20% of the time for a reason.
Dr, that was intense, thank you!
Super informative. Thank you!
Hi, Dr. Patrick, Could you explain where resistance training fits in, please? When is it considered vigorous exercise to reap as much as possible the benefits that you listed, not only for physical health but also for brain function, aging, and cancer prevention?
WOW, so much incredible information! Love the suggestions of exercise snacks and VILPA for us deskbound active people! I do 1x1 min max efforts for my MTB racing, they are tough, but well worth it! :D
I’d love to see a Dr Patrick fitness montage 💪🏼 🔥
You said that increased blood circulation due to exercise can mitigate metastases: then how do you explain Canadian Terry Fox who exercised as vigorously as he could, and yet suffered the ravages of his metastases?
Too much oxidative stress, when you have cancer your already overwhelmed copping with it plus it's just not about exercise and metabolic health it's about supporting your immune system with an extremely hyper healthy diet beyond normal. It's a more holistic approach. He also had chemotherapy which I suspect caused more damage which in the long term he paid the price for. Why we still use chemotherapy for fighting cancer is beyond me, it may be effective in the short run and extend peoples life but the irreversible damage it causes isn't worth it. Plus it was in the 80's and bone cancer treatments were limited. Today we have bone marrow treatments that are pretty effective if caught in time. More recent immunotherapies have been more promising especially when combined with life style dietary changes. This has shown to be the most effective approach to fighting cancers. Using a combination of conventional and alternative strategies seems to be the most successful, in the US we still haven't figured this out yet. We're still looking for the magic bullet or a single intervention solution and that's why the out comes in fighting cancer hasn't changed in decades. You can't fight cancer by exercising even though it maybe good for you at cellular level too much can lead to cell damage and apoptosis and weakening your bodies immune system. I know quite a few athletes who are ultra marathon runners most of them suffer from chronic renal issues mostly likely because their bodies are not equipped to repair all the damage they have done in these types of pursuits or haven't given themselves enough time to recover before the next one. I've tried to warn them but they're obviously addicted to it so the high they get from doing it is so rewarding that they ignore the pain and sensibility.
Yes, very active people do get cancer. But, for many of us, the fact that exercise can help and also be a tool of prevention can be a very empowering message. Shearing forces are one unique biological mechanism likely contributed by exercise. There's a whole lot of factors at play in cancer, including those outside of our control.
Thanks Rhonda.
The most potent drug...
Wow what a great Podcast. Up there with, perhaps even surpassing, the best of Huberman, Rich roll and Zach Bush.
tx alot for this. I'll be sharing it