Exercise

Exercise would be a miracle drug if it could be prescribed. Regular exercise (both cardiovascular training and resistance training) significantly reduces the risk of every major age-related disease: type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.

My Recommended Program

There are near infinite ways to program an effective fitness routine. Ultimately, doing something is infinitely better than doing nothing. That said, this routine has been designed to incorporate resistance training, aerobic base training, anaerobic peak training, and stability/mobility training — all of which are critical for longevity. The resistance training element is centered around powerlifter Jim Wendler’s “Boring But Big” program (please click and read before proceeding). It focuses on compound barbell lifts, optimizes for both strength and hypertrophy, and is divided into an upper body and lower body split. The aerobic and anaerobic training elements follow a polarized training program (80-90% low intensity, 10-20% high intensity) as pioneered by Dr. Stephen Seiler and Dr. Inigo San Milan. Stability and mobility training are inherently built into the warmups, the lifts (e.g. squats), and the anaerobic peak training (e.g. running). (An)aerobic training and resistance training are separated into the early morning and late afternoon to reinforce a strong circadian rhythm, maximize fat oxidation in the morning, and improve glucose tolerance throughout the entire day. Average exercise time per day is approximately 60-90 minutes. This program is designed for those at an advanced fitness level seeking to do all they possibly can to optimize for longevity. Always talk to your doctor before starting a new fitness program.

Monday

Early Morning (6-9am): Aerobic Base Training

• 45+ minutes of cycling slightly below aerobic threshold
• Use a smart trainer and set a fixed wattage
• Stretching and warmup/cooldown on both ends of workout

Late Afternoon (3-6pm): Resistance Training

• Press – 5/3/1
• Bench Press – 5 sets of 10 reps
• Lat work – 5 sets of 10 reps
• Stretching and warmup/cooldown on both ends of workout

Tuesday

Early Morning (6-9am): Aerobic Base Training

• 45+ minutes of cycling slightly below aerobic threshold
• Use a smart trainer and set a fixed wattage
• Stretching and warmup/cooldown on both ends of workout

Late Afternoon (3-6pm): Resistance Training

• Deadlift – 5/3/1
• Squat – 5 sets of 10 reps
• Abs – 5 sets
• Stretching and warmup/cooldown on both ends of workout

Wednesday

Early Morning (6-9am): Anaerobic Peak Training

• 5+ sets of 4 minutes maximum sustained running pace + 4 minutes rest
• Stretching and warmup/cooldown on both ends of workout

Late Afternoon (3-6pm): Rest

Thursday

Early Morning (6-9am): Aerobic Base Training

• 45+ minutes of cycling slightly below aerobic threshold
• Use a smart trainer and set a fixed wattage
• Stretching and warmup/cooldown on both ends of workout

Late Afternoon (3-6pm): Resistance Training

• Bench Press – 5/3/1
• Press – 5 sets of 10 reps
• Lat work – 5 sets of 10 reps
• Stretching and warmup/cooldown on both ends of workout

Friday

Early Morning (6-9am): Aerobic Base Training

• 45+ minutes of cycling slightly below aerobic threshold
• Use a smart trainer and set a fixed wattage
• Stretching and warmup/cooldown on both ends of workout

Late Afternoon (3-6pm): Resistance Training

• Squat – 5/3/1
• Deadlift – 5 sets of 10 reps
• Abs – 5 sets
• Stretching and warmup/cooldown on both ends of workout

Saturday