Engage in regular endurance practice of some sort, as it is vital for the functioning of both body and mind, offers clear longevity benefits, and improves energy utilization across musculature, vascular, and oxygenating systems.
Perform at least five sets of resistance training per muscle per week to increase or maintain muscle strength and size, which is vital for immediate and long-term health, including brain health.
Use the Galpin equation (body weight in pounds / 30 = ounces per 15 minutes of exercise) as a rule of thumb for fluid intake, ensuring adequate electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) to prevent 20-30% reductions in work capacity and mental performance due to dehydration.
Supplement with Vitamin D3 and K2, as D3 is essential for various aspects of brain and body health (many are deficient even with sunshine), and K2 is important for regulating cardiovascular function and calcium in the body.
Take an all-in-one vitamin-mineral probiotic drink (e.g., Athletic Greens) once or twice a day to cover basic nutritional needs, make up for deficiencies, and support microbiome health, which interacts with the immune system, brain, and other biological systems.
Use a meditation app (e.g., Waking Up) for meditation, mindfulness training, yoga nidra, or non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) protocols, as it offers different durations and types of sessions to place the brain and body into various states and restore cognitive and physical energy.
Train muscular endurance with 3-5 sets of 12-100 repetitions (12-25 reps are more reasonable for most) with 30-180 seconds rest between sets, approaching or reaching failure, focusing mainly on concentric movements without major eccentric loading.
Incorporate isometric holds like planks or wall sits into your routine, performing 3-5 sets for 1-2 minutes with 30-180 seconds rest, to build muscular endurance in postural muscles (spinal erectors, abdominals, neck) and improve overall posture.
Engage in one set of continuous effort for 12 minutes or longer (e.g., running, swimming, cycling) at less than 100% of your maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max), focusing on movement efficiency to build mitochondrial density and new capillary beds within muscles.
Perform 3-12 sets of high-intensity aerobic conditioning with a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio (e.g., run a mile, rest for the same duration, repeat) to build a wide range of energy systems, improve nerve-to-muscle firing, and enhance heart and lung capacity.
Perform 3-12 sets of high-intensity anaerobic endurance training with a work-to-rest ratio of 3:1 (e.g., 30 seconds on, 10 seconds off) or 1:5 (e.g., 20 seconds on, 100 seconds off), pushing your system above 100% VO2 max to maximize oxygen utilization and train neurons for intense, repeated efforts.
If combining strength training and endurance training, allow at least 4-6 hours, and ideally 24 hours, between these different types of workouts to optimize adaptations and recovery.
Take one to two full rest days per week to allow for systemic recovery, especially if your sympathetic nervous system (stress system) is chronically elevated, leading to better performance and mental well-being.
Immediately after any training, dedicate 5-20 minutes to slow, pure nasal, long-exhale breathing or simply lie down and zone out to accelerate systemic recovery by quieting the sympathetic nervous system.
Perform the carbon dioxide tolerance test (four breaths in/out, then a big inhale and a slow controlled exhale) to assess recovery; an exhale of 60 seconds or longer indicates good parasympathetic control and systemic recovery.
Before any endurance work, spend about three minutes breathing very deeply, concentrating on raising the chest (intercostals) and expanding the stomach (diaphragm) on inhale, to warm up breathing muscles and enhance oxygen delivery.
Practice nasal breathing during long duration endurance work, as it scrubs the air of bacteria and viruses, benefits the nasal microbiome, and is a more efficient breathing system.
During high-intensity training, exhale on the maximum effort part of the movement (concentric phase) and inhale on the less intense part (eccentric phase) to optimize breathing for intense efforts.
If experiencing a side stitch during exercise, perform a double inhale (deep breath, then sneak in more air) followed by a full exhale, repeating a few times, as this often relieves the discomfort caused by phrenic nerve aggravation.
During endurance activities, focus your eyes on a landmark or milestone to generate more effort, but alternate with dilating your field of view for relaxation and efficiency, as visual focus activates neural circuits for alertness and higher energy output.
If you hit a ‘wall’ or feel fatigued during long duration effort, try increasing your speed (run, pedal, row, swim faster) for a short bout, as this can tap into alternative fuel sources and allow for continued effort.
Practice ingesting small amounts of fluid during high-intensity training (above 70% VO2 max) and gradually increase the volume, as this capacity can be trained to ensure crucial hydration during intense efforts.
Consider taking ice baths or cold showers after endurance training, as there is some evidence it can improve mitochondrial density and respiration and facilitate recovery, though it remains a controversial area.
Consider supplementing with magnesium malate, as it has been shown to be useful for reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), particularly after novel or high-eccentric load workouts.
Consider using caffeine, as it has been shown to definitely improve endurance work and power output, though there’s some evidence it might inhibit the creatine system.
Dissolve one packet of Element in about 16 to 32 ounces of water when you wake up in the morning and during any physical exercise to ensure proper hydration and adequate electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium).