Understand that fat loss fundamentally relies on ingesting less carbon (calories in) or expelling more carbon (calories out), as fat is primarily lost through respiration as CO2.
For fat loss, choose any exercise strategy (high intensity, steady state, etc.) that you can consistently adhere to over time, as the specific mode of carbon expenditure is less critical than total output.
To maximize longevity, performance, and aesthetics, incorporate a full spectrum of training, including both steady-state long-duration and higher-intensity interval training, rather than choosing just one.
Perform short (e.g., 20-second) bouts of all-out exertion, like running stairs, multiple times a day (e.g., every four hours, three times a week) to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, VO2 max, cognitive benefits, and postprandial glucose control.
Regularly engage in short, all-out bursts of activity (e.g., 10-30 seconds, multiple times a day) to quickly elevate heart rate, without needing a warm-up or causing significant sweating, for similar benefits to structured “exercise snacks.”
Focus on improving breathing techniques, posture, and movement technique as the quickest way to enhance endurance, as efficiency trumps force for repeated performance.
Practice nasal breathing during exercise, as it often helps correct breathing mechanics by default and is a quick way to improve endurance.
Ensure proper posture during all activities, including exercise, by being more upright to prevent loss of efficiency and potential injury over time.
Adopt a more strategic breathing pattern during exercise to avoid over-breathing early on, which can lead to problems and fatigue later.
Aim to lower your resting heart rate to sub-60 beats per minute as a positive adaptation to endurance training, indicating improved cardiovascular efficiency.
For optimal fat loss, incorporate resistance training in the hypertrophy to muscular endurance range (6-30 repetitions) to deplete muscle glycogen, which indirectly promotes fat utilization.
Strive for a fasting blood glucose level of 85 mg/dL or lower, as levels above 85 mg/dL are associated with an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
Check your ALT/AST ratio, aiming for a value lower than 0.8, as an elevated ratio can be a clue for blood glucose dysregulation, though not a definitive diagnostic.
Regularly perform a standard workout fasted; if you experience little to no drop in performance, it suggests good fat utilization as a fuel source.
Observe your energy response after consuming ~50 grams of carbohydrates; experiencing a significant energy crash 30 minutes later may indicate poor carbohydrate utilization.
To enhance carbohydrate utilization, engage in higher-intensity training sessions after consuming carbohydrates, which helps the body become more efficient at using them as fuel.
To improve fat utilization, consume fat before a workout (though this may slightly reduce peak performance) or incorporate fasted training, as both strategies encourage the body to adapt to using fat as a primary fuel source.
Ensure consistent and adequate protein intake, and combine carbohydrates with fiber and/or protein to stabilize blood glucose and improve overall energy regulation throughout the day.
Perform a 20-minute bout of exercise prior to mentally demanding tasks like exams to potentially increase cognitive performance and exam scores, likely due to factors like elevated lactate.
Understand that lactate acts as an acid buffer and a potent fuel source, not just a waste product, and can be recycled into glucose or used by other tissues like the heart.
Select exercises that precisely target the muscle groups and movement patterns you wish to improve, as muscular endurance training is highly specific (e.g., do planks to improve plank hold time).
To increase capillarization and enhance muscular endurance, train specific muscle groups close to failure frequently, as this increases local blood flow and stimulates capillary growth.
For muscular endurance, use a light load (e.g., 50-60% of 1RM) that allows for high repetitions (15+ reps) to train within the desired repetition range, as heavy loads shift focus away from endurance.
Perform muscular endurance training (e.g., 2-3 sets to near failure) frequently, such as three to four times a week per muscle group, due to the light load and lower soreness compared to hypertrophy training.
Progress muscular endurance by adding one or two repetitions or a small amount of time to your sets each week; if progress stalls, reduce intensity and accumulate more practice at 80-85% of your max.
Select exercises for anaerobic capacity that are safe and familiar (e.g., assault bike, rower, uphill sprints) to minimize injury risk and allow maximal focus on exertion and form during high-intensity efforts.
Perform anaerobic capacity training (e.g., 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off) for a minimum of four rounds, at least once or preferably twice a week, aiming to reach maximum heart rate during the work intervals.
For short, all-out bursts (e.g., 20 seconds), use a higher rest-to-work ratio (e.g., 2:1 or 40-60 seconds rest) to ensure extremely high quality and maximal effort during each work interval.
Aim for 5-6 minutes of total all-out anaerobic work per week, distributed across 2-3 workouts, using bouts of 20-60 seconds with sufficient rest between rounds to maintain high quality.
Perform a 3-round interval protocol: 1) Max distance in 2 mins, 2) Rest 2 mins, 3) Cover Round 1 distance, noting time, 4) Rest 2 mins, 5) Work for Round 2’s time, aiming for more distance than Round 1. This challenges pacing and recovery.
Progress anaerobic capacity by increasing total work (e.g., 5% more distance/reps) each week, or by adding rounds to your interval protocols over time.
Perform a maximal aerobic output test, such as a one-mile run as fast as possible (5-10 minutes for most), once a week to improve this capacity.
Supplement maximal aerobic output training with moderate-intensity support work (e.g., 40% of total training time, heart rate below 85% max but above conversational pace) to improve oxygen transport and capillarization without over-fatigue.
Integrate maximal aerobic output and anaerobic capacity training by dedicating one day to shorter, high-intensity intervals and another day to a 5-15 minute maximal effort, ensuring both high-intensity domains are covered weekly.
Create circuits of various exercises (e.g., farmer’s carries, planks, bodyweight squats, jump rope) with minimal rest between movements to achieve long-duration endurance benefits without repetitive, mind-numbing activities like continuous running.
Incorporate at least 20-30 minutes of steady-state endurance exercise once a week, as it provides significant benefits for various training goals, including capillarization and fat utilization.
To prevent fatigue of the intercostal muscles and diaphragm during long-duration exercise, incorporate breathing drills or use specialized lung exercise devices.
During endurance training, use technical breakdown (loss of good form or posture) as a key marker for when to stop or reduce intensity, as it indicates fatigue and loss of efficiency.
Aim for 60-120 minutes of long-duration endurance work per week, which can be done in one longer session (e.g., a weight-vested hike) or split into two shorter sessions (e.g., 45 minutes each).
After high-intensity workouts, perform a 20-30 minute slow cool-down, including 3-5 minutes of slow nasal breathing (e.g., 4-5 second inhale/exhale), to aid down-regulation and recovery.
For endurance goals (e.g., half marathon), allocate 60-70% of training to moderate intensity (tempo/practice), 10% to short (20-second) high-intensity bursts, and 20-30% to 5-15 minute maximal efforts (repeated intervals), to build comprehensive endurance.
Include tempo training (60-80% effort, faster than conversational pace but not maximal sprint) to practice race-specific skill, accumulate mileage, and build work capacity for endurance events.
For a 4-day-a-week endurance program, dedicate two days to moderate-intensity tempo training, one day to short (20-30 second) high-intensity bursts, and one day to a maximal aerobic output effort (e.g., VO2 max training).