Fitness Toolkit: Protocol & Tools to Optimize Physical Health | Huberman Lab Podcast #94

I describe a fitness protocol that maximizes all the major sought-after aspects of physical fitness, including strength, endurance and flexibility. I discuss fundamentals of resistance training protocols, including repetitions, sets, inter-set and inter-workout rest periods and periodization of intensity and volume to improve strength and hypertrophy. I also explain how to integrate this with endurance training across the week by controlling the duration, timing and intensity of cardiovascular workouts. I also cover science-based protocols on leveraging the mind-body connection, deliberate breathing (during and after exercise), stretching, deliberate heat and cold exposure, and non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) for better workout performance and faster recovery. Further, I tackle a range of real-world issues that can affect a consistent training schedule, such as whether you should train if you are sick, have had a poor night of sleep or had a stressful event and how to start training again after a break and whether you should train in a fasted or fed state. Physical fitness is a key variable for immediate and long-term health. This episode provides a modifiable “foundational” template that can be adjusted based on your current fitness level, goals, time constraints, and access to different types of equipment.

#HubermanLab #Fitness #Exercise

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Timestamps
00:00:00 Foundational Protocol for Fitness
00:03:35 Huberman Lab Premium
00:04:35 Tool: Soleus (Calf) Push-Ups, Glucose Utilization & Metabolism
00:14:42 InsideTracker, ROKA, Helix Sleep, Momentous Supplements
00:18:53 Core Principles of Fitness & Modifiable Variables
00:23:37 Day 1: Long Endurance Workout
00:34:38 Day 2: Leg Resistance Training, Strength & Hypertrophy
00:38:09 Key Principles of Resistance Training
00:49:57 Day 3: Heat & Cold Exposure, Recovery
00:59:22 Day 4: Torso & Neck Resistance Training
01:08:40 Day 5: Moderate Intensity Cardiovascular Training, Running Alternatives
01:15:28 Day 6: High-Intensity Interval Training, Maximum Heart Rate
01:22:56 Day 7: Arms, Neck & Calves Resistance Training
01:27:30 Flexibility of Foundational Protocol, Workout Spacing
01:31:49 Tool: Mind-Muscle Contraction, Physiological Sighs
01:35:57 Safety & Endurance/Cardiovascular Workouts
01:37:18 Tool: Stress or Poor Sleep & Workouts, Recovery & NSDR
01:40:04 Should You Train Fasted or Fed?
01:42:43 Tool: Static Stretching & Flexibility, Irradiation & Resistance Training
01:47:56 Tool: Hanging from a Bar & Fitness Metric
01:49:02 Should You Train Sick?, Ramping Training
01:52:19 Tool: Deliberate Slow Breathing & Recovery
01:53:47 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous Supplements, Huberman Lab Premium, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media

[soareverix]

Here are my notes on the protocol:

Sunday: Long endurance workout
Hiking, running, Zone 2 cardio for 60-75 minutes, maybe hiking for three hours or so

Monday: Leg Resistance Training for Strength and Hypertrophy
10 minutes of warming up
50 minutes of actual work, really hard work
Not any longer, since past this point you get increases in cortisol that impede development.
Choose a specific muscle group like calves or quadriceps. For each muscle group, try to get that muscle group into a weighted stretch position. For example, a standing calf raise, down at the bottom it’s weighted, plus another exercise where you’re getting the contraction in the shortened position of the muscle. For example, for hamstrings this could be the leg curl, for quadriceps it’s the leg extension machine.
Look up specific exercises.
Examples: Quadriceps → Leg extensions + hack squats.
Hamstrings → Leg curls + glute ham-raises
Calves → Standing and seated calf raises

Tuesday: Rest Day (heat and cold exposure)
Sauna to ice bath.
15-20 minutes in the sauna, then 5 minutes of cold.
3 to 5 rounds of this.
Causes 16x growth hormone

Wednesday: Torso Day
Strengthens muscles of torso, shoulders, and back. Train your neck too.
Bench press, incline press, shoulder press, lateral raise
Bent over rows, chin-ups, pull-ups, cable crossovers.
Push-pull method, go from bench press to chin-ups or similar
Don’t do neck bridges because you can slip a disc

Thursday: Mild Cardio
Run for 30-35 minutes (you could also row for 30-35 minutes)
If stuck in a room, dod jumping jacks or something similar
Try to breathe only through your nose

Friday: High Intensity Cardio
Bike really intensely, max out your heart rate
20-30 seconds of full sprint on the AirDyne bike, then 10 seconds of rest
Sprint for 20-30 seconds, jog for 10

Saturday: Arms, Calves, Neck Resistance Training
Dips, chin-ups, 45-50 minutes

Hope it helps! This is what I'll be using as my workout protocol.

[ravibug]

I honestly can’t think of any other person or resource who has contributed so greatly to my health, happiness, and wellbeing. In this swarm of information we live in, social media, influencer bullshit, constantly being “sold to”, it is so so so meaningful to have access to quality information that has real impacts on my health and relationships. Life is beautiful because of Dr. Huberman ❤

[Simmol]

My notes:

If having to sit at a desk for long period of time do soleus pushups. This is done by having your feet flat on the floor, lifting the heel to top of range of motion and lowering. This uses your soleus muscle which is designed to handle walking all day. Shown to cause over 50% improvements in glucose management after eating.
Fitness types:
- skill,
- speed,
- power(speedxstrength),
- strength,
- hypertrophy,
- endurance
- musclular endurance eg stay in plank position
- Anaerobic endurance eg sprint for less than 1 minute
- 3-12 minute duration range
- 30+ minutes endurance
Overview
Each of these fitness types requires different concepts and exercise types. This will always be based on progressively overloading this system though. To get a balance of all of these (surely minus skill) follow the below protocol.
This protocol begins on Sunday as an example. This is flexible to fit in with your life. As long as the days are in the same order it works well. Any day can be shifted one day forward or one day back. You can do two workouts on one day to catch up.
After every training session do 3-5 minutes deliberate slow breathing to maximise recovery and hit next session harder.
All resistance training:
About 10 minutes warming up. Then 50-60 minutes workout including rest between sets time. More than 60 minutes increases cortisone, decreasing recovery time. You want at least one exercise that gets your muscle in a weighted stretch position, and one that you’re getting contraction in the shortened position. Most muscle groups just 2 exercises each is good, 3 per muscle groups maximum.
For reps and sets, for alternate months do 4-8 reps, 3-4 sets, 2–4 minute rests between per exercise. For the next month do 8-15 reps, 2-3 sets, 1.5-2 minute rests per exercise. This helps prevent boredom and reduce plateauing. In order to achieve hypertrophy (muscle growth) it’s been found anything between 5- 30 reps is effective.
You can choose to focus on lifting the weight while lifting which will benefit overall strength more, or focus on specific muscle you want to grow while lifting will achieve more hypertrophy in that specific muscle.
Focus on deep relaxation between sets with the goal being to bring HR down. Do a ‘physiological sigh’ to facilitate this: 1 deep breath in through the nose as much air as you can intake, then another intake through the nose to fully inflate the lungs, then a long slow breath out through the mouth. This is the fastest known way to calm nervous system.
Gripping the bar tightly help you lift more.
Sunday:
Zone 2 cardio, at least 30 minutes, but ideally 60-75 minutes. Being able to nose breath or hold a conversation is a good barometer if you’re in zone 2. Don’t stress too much about staying in it the whole time. The goal of this is to build and maintain your base cardiovascular fitness. You could replace this with a long hike. If doing this with somebody less fit than you you can add weight to increase your effort. As per Peter Attia, you want to get 180-200 minutes per week in zone 2 for longevity. This is the only zone 2 this protocol does though, so I’m unsure where you could fit the rest in (maybe on the ‘rest’ day?).
Monday:
Leg day. Goal is to build and maintain strength in your legs. As previous day is long and slow your legs shouldn’t be sore for this. This is the only resistance training for legs for the week, but leg strength will be maintained by HIIT workout. Probably the most important resistance workout to do due to the positive hormonal (makes other workouts more effective) and metabolic effects and forms the base for your body. Despite this, legs is often the most often missed as it is hard and people want a big chest etc for aesthetics. During the lighter, higher rep month you’ll notice endurance training being facilitated.
Focus on safety. Complex movements like squats, dead lifts etc are riskier if you are not experienced/ trained. You want two exercises per muscle group (quads, hamstrings, quads).
- Quads: Hack squats (reduces risk of injury from squats) and quads leg extensions.
- Hamstrings: Hamstring curls and Glut ham raises.
- Calves: Standing calf raises and seated calf raises
Tuesday:
Rest/ Recover. As you have just done cardio 2 days ago and legs yesterday, both cardio and resistance work will be difficult and not facilitate recovery. So instead, ideally do Hot/ Cold exposure instead of a workout. Doing all of your hot/ cold exposure on one day is more accessible and has cardiovascular, brain and hormone benefits (16x growth hormone release!). Do not do cold exposure post workouts as negates adaptive processes (cold showers OK).
Hot exposure e.g., Sauna for 20 minutes, hot as you can without being dangerous. Then Cold exposure e.g., cold/ice bath 5 minutes, cold as you can without being dangerous. Repeat 3-5 rounds.
Going for a walk today will be good too.
If you miss doing hot/colds this day you can do it another day, just not 4 hours post workout.
Wednesday:
Torso (chest, shoulder, back and neck). This protocol brings the pushing and pulling motions onto the same day. This benefits strength, balance, aesthetics, and systemic hormonal and metabolic effects. Huberman did not specify exercises to do (or I missed them in my note taking) but recommended Jeff Cavalier as having good protocols on example exercises to use.
Neck is important to train as reduces shoulder issues, correct posture form modern life and protects spinal cord damage in accidents. Need to be careful, do not do ‘neck bridges.’
Thursday:
Cardiovascular 35 minute. Running, rowing etc. Jumping jacks or skipping good replacement if not much space. Aim is to elevate HR significantly higher than zone 2 earlier, but not trying to sprint. Start with 10 minute warm up. Then set timer for 35 minutes and go 75-80% of sprint. Don’t stress too much re HR, just push hard for 35 minutes. This taps into multiple fuel systems/ endurance types.
Friday:
Cardio: HIIT. Fair warning if you haven’t done HIIT before, you will feel like you want to die in this one. Benefits speed, power strength. (I find it a bit contradictory to do this after what he said about not doing cardio on Tuesday. I find a good warm up for both 35 min and HIIT vital to not have fatigued legs for days after this). Acts as a second strength exercise for legs for the week. Focus on safety, the goal is to get the HR way up. If doing complex movements (not on a machine), like sprinting, go at 95% max to maintain good form. Assault bike good option for this, using arms and legs, can go 100%.
Build up to this if not already in good cardiovascular health.
20-30 second sprint, 10 second rest or jog, 8-12 rounds. By 5-6 rounds you will feel absolutely terrible. Aim is to feel like you can’t go any faster.
Saturday:
Arms, calves, neck. This also includes indirect 2nd workout for torso via the arms. Eg dips hit multiple muscles, biceps curls hit lats. This is why there are 3 workouts per arm muscle group, starting with the more complex movements.
- Biceps: palms facing you chin ups, incline curl, dumbbell curl.
- Triceps: Dips, overhead extension, triceps kickback
- Calves: standing calf raises, seated calf raises.
- Neck: look up Jeff Cavalier video.
Variables:
- Sick: If feel you may be getting sick, it’s good to train due to the positive effect on immune system, but reduce effort about 20%. If you are quite sick, skip training, focus on recovery then taper back into full training over a couple of weeks.
- Poor sleep: Training may lead to you getting unwell and not training for a few days, so push the training out to the next day. Make it up with a double day at some point to get back on schedule. You may be able to ‘catch up’ some of your sleep with nsdr (youtube for a script). If feeling fresh post nsdr you can train.
- Fasted or not: Training fasted is OK. Protein post workout is a good idea. Carbohydrates night before workouts, esp leg workout and HIIT good idea.
Flexibility:
- Ideally short repeated stretching sessions daily.
- Static stretch, focusing on mentally and physically relaxing. Do this by exhaling and relaxing the torso and hands.
- Statics stretch, not extending as far as possible, more like 60%, holding 30-60 seconds then repeating.

[rawsonband]

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[vsaroay]

Hi Dr. Huberman, can you do a podcast on the scientific approach to skin care? I.e. does/how stress, food, or other changes in the body affect our skin and to what extent? Thanks for being greatly informative!

[baderalaftan]

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You are generous, kind and hard working. You supply us with the most valuable information on YouTube helping us be better. I’m sure countless lives have changed to the better because of you and what you do

Thank you for all of this

[LegacyFarmandHomestead]

I'm a truck driver so these soleus push ups are absolutely fantastic news for me because I can do them for 11 hours a day while I'm driving! This is exactly the information I really needed. Thank you so much for this information!!

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Mondays start with the Huberman Lab. I love your show. I have listened to every episode, and what makes you my first listen is how relatable you are as a person. From the loss of Costello, to the « knock on wood » superstition as a kid. I appreciate this window into your health journey and your n of 1 experiences. Your content is really accessible. Thank you for what you do.

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Your podcasts make mondays more tolerable! Are you going to do a one on social anxiety soon? l believie it would be beneficial for many people. Thanks for your work and effort you put into this channel.

[studentperformancepodcast]

Just as I was looking to change up my fitness protocols, this podcast hits my sub-box. You're the best Dr. Huberman!

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Hi dr Huberman I’m a double major in Electrical and computer engineering in undergrad right now and have always had a passion for biology/neuroanatomy and love personal fitness. Thank you for being a professor in the latter subject areas and providing these wonderful lectures each week!

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[vTHE_HiTMANv]

This advice is so valuable! This guy is an absolute legend for doing this for free and I hope people don't take this advice for granted and really implement everything they can and optimise themselves for the better 👌

[aman.]

Really loved this concept of bringing together multiple learnings from multiple guests/sources in these videos. It's like a compilation and I'm living it!

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[JPage-fjmb]

This is really cool. I was born with CP and I don't walk independently, or for long distances even with mobility aids, but I *can* do these soleus push ups. Muscle injury, strain/sprain and early fatigue is a real problem for me, and other disabled folks. This soleus pushup idea is encouraging. Certainly going to try these for a bit.

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