#223 - AMA #39: The Centenarian Decathlon, zone 2, VO2 max, and more

The Peter Attia Drive

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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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