zone 2 cardio

Zone 2 cardio, as described by Andrew Huberman, is a type of cardiovascular exercise where you're active and breathing faster than normal, with an elevated heart rate, yet you're still able to sustain a conversation. If you pushed any harder, you'd struggle to speak without pausing or catching your breath. It's a way to build endurance and maintain the capacity for long-distance activity without fatiguing quickly. You can achieve this through activities like jogging, rowing, cycling, or swimming, and you should aim for continuous movement at this intensity for around 60 to 75 minutes. Zone 2 cardio helps to improve blood sugar regulation, making blood sugar more stable and improving insulin sensitivity if performed for 30 to 60 minutes, three to four times a week 1 2.

Integrating zone 2 cardio into your daily life can contribute to a healthy fitness routine and overall well-being, without necessarily dedicating extra time to scheduled exercise sessions. Moving more during your daily tasks and being active for about 200 minutes per week can help you reach the benefits of zone 2 cardio. It can be as simple as incorporating more walking at a brisk pace into your daily activities 3.

Zone 2 cardio is also beneficial for brain health, as it can aid in the clearance of debris and support the glymphatic system, which helps clean the brain. About 30 to 45 minutes of this low-intensity exercise three times a week is recommended 4. For complete cardiovascular health and overall fitness, it's advised to combine zone 2 cardio with both cardiovascular training of higher intensities and resistance training 5.

VO2 max, or maximal oxygen consumption, is a measure of the peak amount of oxygen that an individual can use during intense or maximal exercise. It's often used as an indicator of cardiovascular and aerobic fitness, especially in endurance sports.

The standard numbers for VO2 max differ between men and women. A minimal target value for VO2 max is about 35 for men and about 30 for women, with ideal numbers being higher. Specifically, it is preferred to see men with a VO2 max above 50 and possibly even above 55. A legendary figure in exercise physiology suggested that there is no human excuse to be below a VO2 max of 60, although achieving and sustaining such a level can be quite difficult 1.

To measure VO2 max without laboratory equipment, alternative methods like the 12-minute Cooper's test or a 1-mile walk test can be used. In the 12-minute Cooper's test, you run for 12 minutes and cover as much distance as possible. The distance is then used to calculate an estimated VO2 max. The 1-mile walk test requires walking a mile as quickly as possible and recording both the time taken and heart rate at the end, which can then be used to estimate VO2 max 2.

Importantly, a person's VO2 max can reflect their capability to live independently in old age. For instance, an VO2 max below 18 may indicate that an elderly individual cannot live alone and might need some form of assisted living due to insufficient fitness 3.

Maximal heart rate and anaerobic capacity, which contribute to VO2 max, are positively affected by reaching a maximum heart rate through certain high-intensity exercises. This can lead to cardiovascular adaptations such as increased stroke volume and cardiac output, and an improved energy release from mitochondria 4.

Finally, a well-rounded approach to increasing VO2 max will incorporate both cardiovascular training and resistance training, as these adaptations develop from specific and targeted types of stress, which can be distinct depending on the activity 5.

The sugarcane protocol is a cardiovascular training method designed to improve cardiovascular fitness efficiently with a limited time commitment but high intensity. This was discussed by Andrew Huberman and is named after the expert trainer Kenny Cain.

The protocol is structured as follows, and should ideally be incorporated into your training schedule on an infrequent basis, possibly every two to four weeks, alternating with other high-intensity interval training:

1. Warm-up: Begin with a 3 to 5 minute warm-up consisting of activities like jogging, jumping jacks, or skipping rope to increase core body temperature in preparation for high-intensity work.
2. High-Intensity Rounds: After warming up, perform three rounds of high-intensity work using an exercise form that you can perform safely at high intensity (e.g., running, cycling, rowing). The exact form isn't crucial, as long as it's intense.

The third and final high-intensity round is performed at an all-out sprint level. It's crucial to select an exercise mode that allows for maximum intensity without the risk of injury.

The sugarcane protocol is considered an effective yet brutal way to boost cardiovascular output and should be approached with caution, ensuring proper safety and alignment with fitness goals and current conditioning level 1.

The sugarcane protocol is a highly intensive cardiovascular workout framework, and it features the following key steps provided by Andrew Huberman:

1. Warm-up: Begin with 3 to 5 minutes of light exercises like jogging, jumping jacks, or skipping rope to prepare the body for the upcoming high-intensity work.
2. High-Intensity Rounds: The workout consists of three rounds of high-intensity activity, using an exercise that can be performed safely at high intensity, such as cycling, running, or rowing. Safety is paramount, as the exercise form chosen should not pose an injury risk despite the high intensity required.
3. Maximum Intensity Sprint: The final round of the protocol requires an all-out sprint-level effort. It's here where the intensity reaches its peak.

The sugarcane protocol is recommended to be incorporated into an existing training program periodically, perhaps every two or four weeks, as a complement to other interval training methods. This protocol is demanding and designed to boost cardiovascular efficiency with an emphasis on safety and individual capability 1.

Andrew Huberman has discussed resistance training in depth on different episodes of the Huberman Lab. Here are some insights:

1. Increasing Testosterone: Resistance training, particularly using protocols like six sets of ten repetitions of compound movements, can significantly increase serum testosterone levels. However, extending the sessions too long or increasing the repetitions too much can lead to a catabolic state with increased cortisol and decreased testosterone levels 1.

2. Maximizing Benefits: For muscle hypertrophy and strength, it's beneficial to use weights between 30% to 80% of your one-repetition maximum. Performing sets to failure or close to it is necessary to see benefits. Bias towards strength is achieved by using heavier weights, while lighter weights are more for hypertrophy 2.

3. Exercise and Body Phenotype: Resistance training improves biomarkers significantly, and individualizing exercise based on one's phenotype is crucial 3.

   Resistance Training Protocols

   Andrew Huberman

   Andrew discusses the ideal resistance training protocols for increasing testosterone release and how recovery is crucial for seeing improvement from session to session. Six sets of 10 repetitions with compound movements cause a distinctly different result in terms of hormone output than 10 sets of 10 of the exact same movement. Recovery dictates whether or not you can come back and do more work of a different kind.

   Huberman Lab

   Science of Muscle Growth, Increasing Strength & Muscular Recovery | Huberman Lab Podcast #22

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4. Training Protocol: A balance of resistance training and not exceeding 60 minutes per session is important to avoid adverse effects such as increased cortisol, which impedes recovery 4.

5. Strength Training Benefits: There are benefits to incorporating low repetition, pure strength work into your fitness regimen, including improved strength that carries over to other exercises and surprisingly, better cardiovascular function 5.

6. Periodizing Training: Customizing a resistance practice for your particular needs, and periodizing your training is crucial. The neuromuscular system adapts quickly at the beginning but changes slow over time, therefore adjustments are necessary 6.

7. Brain Function: Weight training, specifically strength and hypertrophy training that leads to a lactate burn, can have a positive systemic effect on the body including the brain, though it's different from the effects that endurance training has on the brain 7.

8. Training the Torso: Incorporating a workout that trains the torso, including pushing and pulling exercises, can lead to systemic effects that improve overall health 8.

Engaging in resistance training requires careful consideration of exercise type, intensity, duration, and the individual's unique physiological responses. Consulting a fitness professional is recommended for personalized fitness advice.