How To Build Endurance In Your Brain & Body

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In this episode, Dr. Huberman discusses endurance: our ability to perform effort over extended amounts of time. He describes the four kinds of endurance:

  • Muscular endurance
  • Long-duration (single-set) efforts
  • The two kinds of high-intensity interval training (HIIT)

He discusses efficiency of effort and maximizing quality of effort and a hydration formula. He reviews how our heart literally gets stronger when we oxygenate muscles properly. Dr. Huberman also discusses motivation for long bouts of work and the visual physiological basis of the “extra gear” we all can leverage for effort. Finally, he review how accelerating as we fatigue can allow us to access untapped energetic resources. 

Resources

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction

00:05:45 Why Everyone Should Train Endurance

00:09:49 All Episodes Now Searchable at hubermanlab.com & The Neural Network

00:11:28 How To Maintain Muscle

00:12:56 Endurance: It’s Not What You Think, Crossover With Brain Function

00:14:38 Energy; Many Paths To ATP: Creatine, Glucose, Glycogen, Fat; Ketones

00:18:00 The Vital Need For Oxygen: But Why?

00:19:00 What Allows Us To Endure (Anything)?

00:20:46 The 5 Things That Allow Us To Persist/Endure & What Causes Quitting

00:22:50 Why You Quit: It IS All In Your Mind

00:27:19 The “90% Mental” Myth

00:28:10 The Critical Need For Carbohydrates & Electrolytes (& Sometimes Ketones)

00:30:10 Phospho-Creatine, Glycogen, pH, Temperature Is Key

00:31:36 Using Your Blood, Heart, & Lungs To Go Longer, Further, With More Intensity

00:35:40 An Excellent Review on the Science of Training Adaptations (See Caption On YouTube)

00:37:15 The 4 Kinds of Endurance

00:38:53 Muscular Endurance: Powerful for Everyone: Posture, Performance, Resilience

00:41:50 Protocol For Building Muscular Endurance. No Major Eccentric Component

00:48:40 How to Make Muscles More Resilient: Mitochondrial Respiration, Neuronal Firing

00:51:31 Long Duration Endurance: 12minutes or More, One “Set”, Efficiency of Movement

00:57:00 Why Everyone Should Train Long Duration Endurance: Capillaries In Muscle & Brain

01:01:00 Two Distinct Types of High-Intensity Interval Training: Anaerobic & Aerobic

01:02:20 Anaerobic HIIT: 3-12 Sets, Work:Rest Ratio of 3:1 or 1:3; Quality of Repetitions is Key

01:07:00 Maximizing Oxygen Utilization, Heart Rate & Nerve-Muscle Energy Utilization

01:10:59 Aerobic HIIT; 1:1 Work:Rest Ratio, Tapping Into All Energy Utilization Systems

01:15:20 Building A Stronger Heart & Better Brain: Eccentric Loading the Heart: Stroke Volume

01:20:10 Resistance & Weight Training: Useless for the Brain? What Is Good For the Brain?

01:23:25 The Strength-Endurance Tradeoff; How Long to Wait Between Workouts

01:25:45 Breathing During Endurance, Explosive and Weight Training: Nose, Mouth, Gears

01:29:50 Intercostals & Diaphragmatic Breathing: Warming Up Intercostals Is Useful

01:31:00 Increasing Motivation & Adrenaline

01:32:10 Eliminating the “Side Cramp” With Physiological Sighs

01:34:45 Accelerating Through “The Wall”: Accessing Alternative Fuel Sources; Ketone Use

01:37:50 Hydration: Why Hydrate, How To Hydrate, & How Much Fluid To Drink

01:41:35 “The Galpin Equation”; Gastric Emptying Time, Adapting Hydration Mid-Training

01:44:20 Boosting Mitochondrial Density With Cold; Wait 6 Hours Before Cold/Between Training

01:46:00 Accelerating Recovery with 5 Minute Parasympathetic Down-Shift After Training

01:48:00 Leveraging The Visual System During Effort, Milestones; Dilation & Contraction; Pacing

01:53:10 The Physiological Basis of Your “Extra Gear”, Accessing Your “Kick”, Steve Prefontaine

01:56:00 Programming Examples; Concurrent Training

01:57:57 Caffeine, Magnesium Malate to Reduce Soreness, Nitric Oxide, Beta-Alanine

02:00:00 Synthesis; Next Episodes, Zero-Cost Ways to Support, Sponsors, Sources