Is Dr. Peter Attia off the mark about the relevance of VO2Max?
Dr. Peter Attia, a leading health podcaster, says VO₂Max is the #1 measure of longevity. It measures your max oxygen uptake and reflects aerobic capacity, mitochondrial function, and heart health.
Some of his key points:
Use an 80/20 balance between Zone 2 and Zone 5 intensity
Train Zone 2 4 to 6 hours a week (optimally)
Train Zone 5 1-2x week, 60 minutes max
For optimal VO2Max training, you need to train your cardiovascular system approximately 5 hours a week.
And that’s my check here - and probably your - primary problem.
Most of us don’t have 5 hours a week to set aside for “just” cardio.
We still need to:
Strength train
Focus on joint health (stability, mobility, flexibility)
And -
Have a life.
It’s not that I disagree with Dr. Attia per se…
I just disagree with his approach .
Several reasons:
First, if you have lower back, knee, or hip pain, stiffness, or tightness, one of the best ways to MAKE IT WORSE is to engage in high repetition cardio.
Why?
It embeds those negative compensatory movement patterns and muscle imbalances further into your CNS (Central Nervous System) making them much harder to resolve, and keeping you in pain longer.
And pain compromises the normal functioning of your joints and muscles.
The more you train into and through pain, the faster you’re looking at a catastrophic injury or joint replacement.
Second, you require MUSCLE to move.
It’s a documented fact that men lose 10% of their muscle - predominantly fast-twitch muscle fibers - the ones for running faster, jumping higher, and lifting more…
At a rate of 10% per decade if not directly trained.
These are the ones that burn the most energy.
And they are the fibers responsible for maintaining your metabolism elevated - your ability to burn calories at rest.
Training your VO2Max trains your slow twitch (endurance) fibers.
And too much endurance training actually converts your fast twitch fibers into slow twitch fibers.
And that’s exactly the reverse of what we’re aiming for .
Third, an overabundance of cardio ( depending on the individual) elevates circulating cortisol levels which decreases :
It diminishes testosterone, increasing fatigue and muscle loss, especially in men over 40.
The number of fast-twitch muscle fibers you have… which are the ones you lose most rapidly but depend on most over 30
Increases fatigue… something many men already battle , so we want to avoid that!
CAN damage mitochondria IF programmed incorrectly … which doesn’t sound like that big of a deal until you understand that mitochondria damage → mitochondria death → YOUR death!
So, it’s not that I DISAGREE with Dr. Attia’s understanding of the research…
I just disagree with his solution(s).
They are quite unrealistic for most of us over-40 types.
Unless you have all the time in the world, then you should go for it .
What should you do instead ?
1- Focus on maintaining your joints
It’s a well known fact that the reason people end up in nursing homes ( aside from Alzheimer’s and dementia) is that they suffer mobility loss.
Why’s that?
We’ll explain that next.
But first, get rid of your joint limitations to the best of your ability.
If you’re chasing that [INSERT YOUR PET LIFT HERE] but you’re frequently hurting, stiff, or sore …
You might want to rethink that.
You’re not going to take home gold medals or big sponsorships at this stage.
(Said the pot to the kettle. For real, I’ve had to have this conversation with myself quite a few times in the last 15 years.)
2- Focus on building strength
Work on developing your fast-twitch fibers.
Then make them bigger .
Use the kettlebell Grinds - Press, Front Squat, etc., and keep your reps between 1 and 6.
You can also use the kettlebell ballistics and keep your reps around 10 to 12.
Doing so boosts metabolism and is another way to steer clear of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
And as a result, you’ll boost your lifespan.
3- Focus on power-focused training
Why?
Power training enhances fast-twitch fibers and reaction time, often reduced after 40.
Kettlebells are awesome for this.
4- Focus on VO2MAX TRAINING
Now, fortunately, as you get improved with #3 - Power Training…
You can “slide into” this type of training, according to your approach .
“Yeah, but how well does it work compared to Zone 2 training that Dr. Attia recommends?”
Yes, several meta analyses* showed HIIT - which, when you come right down to it - is a form of power training -
Was superior to MICT - Moderate Intensity Continuous Training - for improving VO2Max in older populations.
But you can still add in 1-2 Zone 2 sessions a week if you have the time.