#223 - AMA #39: The Centenarian Decathlon, zone 2, VO2 max, and more

<a href="https://peterattiamd.com/ama39/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=220919-pod-ama39&utm_content=220919-pod-ama39-podfeed"> View the Show Notes Page for This Episode</a> <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=220919-pod-ama39&utm_content=220919-pod-ama39-podfeed"> Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content</a> <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=220919-pod-ama39&utm_content=220919-pod-ama39-podfeed"> Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter</a> In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter describes what it means to exercise with the goal of longevity in mind, including his personal goals, exercise framework, and how he is optimizing for what he refers to as the "Centenarian Decathlon." He explains the various types of cardiovascular training and how to partition your time between intensity levels (i.e., zone 2 training vs. zone 5 training) to optimize cardiorespiratory benefit. Additionally, Peter dives deep into questions around VO2 max, such as why it's critical for longevity, how to improve it, and the value in starting VO2 max optimization early in life. If you're not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you'll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you're a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/members/private-podcast-feed/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=220919-pod-ama39&utm_content=220919-pod-ama39-podfeed">private RSS feed </a>or on our website at the <a href="http://peterattiamd.com/ama39/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=220919-pod-ama39&utm_content=220919-pod-ama39-podfeed">AMA #39 show notes page</a>. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=220919-pod-ama39&utm_content=220919-pod-ama39-podfeed">here</a>. We discuss: <ul type="disc"> <li>Exercise topics to be discussed [1:45];</li> <li>Peter's exercise goals, and the Centenarian Decathlon [4:00];</li> <li>Peter's exercise framework, and how he tracks his MET hours [8:30];</li> <li>How to partition your time between low and high intensity exercise to optimize results [13:15];</li> <li>Zone 2 exercise: ideal training methods and how to determine your zone 2 level [23:15];</li> <li>Rucking as a versatile mode of exercise [31:45];</li> <li>Zone 5 exercise: modalities of training, time per week, and other considerations [34:30];</li> <li>The importance of knowing your VO2 max, and methods for estimating it [38:15];</li> <li>Training methods for improving VO2 max, and realistic targets for improvement [46:00];</li> <li>Relationship of VO2max with age and the required fitness levels for daily life activities and exercise [52:30];</li> <li>The training necessary to maintain an elite VO2 max throughout life [58:45];</li> <li>The value in starting early: the compounding nature of fitness [1:01:45]; and</li> <li>More.</li> </ul> Connect With Peter on <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterAttiaMD">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/peterattiamd/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/peterattiamd/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8kGsMa0LygSX9nkBcBH1Sg">YouTube</a>

Actionable Insights

1. Backcast for Longevity Goals

Start with your desired physical state in the last decade of your life and work backward to plan your training. This approach helps you avoid missing your long-term objectives by ensuring you build sufficient reserves to account for inevitable decline.

2. Train with Specific Objectives

Avoid a vague ‘just going to work out’ strategy, as it typically doesn’t produce great results over the long haul, especially when solving complicated problems like achieving physical robustness in old age. Pursue specific objectives in your physical endeavors to guide your training effectively.

3. Adopt Centenarian Decathlon Mindset

Use the Centenarian Decathlon as a mental model to train for being incredibly robust physically in the last decade of your life, aiming to function like a 70-year-old at 90. This requires training with the same focus and specificity as an exceptional athlete to prepare for the inevitable decline of muscle mass, strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness.

4. Broad Yet Specific Training

Develop a training program that allows you to be broadly trained and broadly conditioned, but with specificity and focus. This approach ensures comprehensive physical preparation for longevity without being narrowly specialized.

5. Structure Training into Buckets

Organize your exercise into distinct categories such as Zone 2, Zone 5, Strength, Stability, and Rucking. This structure helps ensure a well-rounded approach to training for the Centenarian Decathlon, addressing various aspects of physical fitness.

6. Maintain Zone 2:5 Cardio Ratio

Partition your cardiovascular training time such that Zone 2 duration is approximately eight times that of Zone 5, and Zone 2’s aggregate intensity (MET hours) is about five times Zone 5’s. This specific ratio is highlighted as an important point for effective cardiorespiratory training.

7. Ruck for Heat Acclimation

Engage in rucking during the hottest time of the day, typically between 4-5 PM, to help elevate your body’s thermostat and improve heat tolerance. This demanding activity also offers significant psychological benefits.

8. Track Training with MET Hours

Quantify your exercise energy expenditure by calculating MET hours per week for each activity. This method provides the purest way to understand and compare the aggregate intensity and energy going into different domains of your training.