zone two training

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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.

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We discuss:

• Exercise topics to be discussed [1:45];
• Peter’s exercise goals, and the Centenarian Decathlon [4:00];
• Peter’s exercise framework, and how he tracks his MET hours [8:30];
• How to partition your time between low and high intensity exercise to optimize results [13:15];
• Zone 2 exercise: ideal training methods and how to determine your zone 2 level [23:15];
• Rucking as a versatile mode of exercise [31:45];
• Zone 5 exercise: modalities of training, time per week, and other considerations [34:30];
• The importance of knowing your VO2 max, and methods for estimating it [38:15];
• Training methods for improving VO2 max, and realistic targets for improvement [46:00];
• Relationship of VO2max with age and the required fitness levels for daily life activities and exercise [52:30];
• The training necessary to maintain an elite VO2 max throughout life [58:45];
• The value in starting early: the compounding nature of fitness [1:01:45]; and
• More.

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In this special episode of The Drive, we have pulled together a variety of clips from previous podcasts about exercise to help listeners understand this topic more deeply, as well as to identify previous episodes which may be of interest. In this episode, Peter discusses his framework for exercise, what he’s really optimizing for, and how to train today to be prepared for a good life at age 100. He describes the importance of strength and stability, and why deadlifting is an important tool to consider for longevity. Additionally, he details why training in zone 2 and zone 5 is important, gives a primer on VO2 max, and describes the most effective ways to engage in those types of exercise. Finally, Peter reveals his current exercise routine.

We discuss:

• What is Peter optimizing for with his exercise? [3:00];
• Preparing for a good life at age 100: Training for the “Centenarian Olympics” [6:00];
• The importance of preserving strength and muscle mass as we age [21:45];
• The value of deadlifts for stability and longevity when done properly [27:30];
• The importance of zone 2 aerobic training [35:45];
• The most effective ways to engage in zone 2 exercise [40:00];
• Zone 5 training and VO2 max [44:15];
• A primer on VO2 max [52:00];
• Stability—the cornerstone upon which all exercise and movement relies [1:03:00];
• Peter’s current exercise routine [1:07:45];
• More.

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Today’s episode of The Drive is a rebroadcast of the conversation with Iñigo San Millán, (released on December 23rd, 2019). This episode with Iñigo was one of the most popular discussions to date and is a prelude to an upcoming follow-up discussion in 2022.

In this episode, Dr. Iñigo San Millán, Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, explains the crucial role of mitochondrial function in everything from metabolic health to elite exercise performance. Iñigo provides a masterclass into the many different energy system pathways, the various fuel sources (including the misunderstood lactate), the six zones of exercise training, and the parameters he uses to measure metabolic health. Additionally, he highlights the power of zone 2 training as both an effective diagnostic tool and, perhaps more importantly, as a treatment for mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunction.

We discuss:

• Iñigo’s background in sports and decision to focus on education [3:45];
  
• The various energy systems and fuels used during exercise [11:15];
  
• Iñigo’s qualification of energy systems into six training zones [19:30];
  
• Lactate as an important fuel source [29:30];
  
• Zone 2 training—physiologic characteristics, fuel sources, lactate, and the transition into zone 3 [37:00];
  
• Using blood lactate levels (and zone-2 threshold) to assess mitochondrial function [43:30];
  
• Accessing mitochondrial function by testing one’s ability to utilize fat as fuel [51:30];
  
• Athletes vs. metabolically ill patients—mitochondria, fat oxidation, muscle glycogen capacity, “fat droplets”, and more [56:30];
  
• Physiologic characteristics of zone 3, zone 4, and the lactate threshold [1:16:30];
  
• Fueling exercise—dietary implications on glycolytic function [1:27:00];
  
• Relationship between exercise and insulin sensitivity (and what we can learn from studying patients with type 1 diabetes) [1:43:00];
  
• Metformin’s impact on mitochondrial function, lactate production, and how this affects the benefits of exercise [2:00:45];
  
• Raising awareness of the risk of “double diabetes” [2:11:30];
  
• How to dose zone 2 training, and balancing exercise with nutrition [2:14:30];
  
• Proposed explanation of the Warburg Effect: Role of lactate in carcinogenesis [2:23:30];
  
• Doping in cycling, and the trend towards altitude training [2:35:45] and;
  
• More.

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