How to Build Endurance in Your Brain & Body

This episode I discuss endurance: our ability to perform effort over extended amounts of time. I describe the four kinds of endurance: muscular endurance, long duration (single-set) efforts, and the two kinds of high intensity interval training (HIIT). I discuss efficiency of effort and maximizing quality of effort, and a hydration formula. I review how our heart literally gets stronger when we oxygenate muscles properly. I also discuss motivation for long bouts of work and the visual physiological basis of the "extra gear" we all can leverage for effort. Finally, I review how accelerating as we fatigue can allow us to access untapped energetic resources. Thank you to our sponsors: ROKA - https://www.roka.com - code: huberman InsideTracker - https://www.insidetracker.com/huberman Athletic Greens - https://www.athleticgreens.com/huberman Our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/andrewhuberman Supplements from Thorne: http://www.thorne.com/u/huberman Social: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Twitter - https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab Website: https://hubermanlab.com Join the Neural Network: https://hubermanlab.com/neural-network Mechanistic review of training adaptations: http://perspectivesinmedicine.cshlp.org/content/8/6/a029769.full.pdf Protocols: https://hubermanlab.com/how-to-build-endurance-in-your-brain-and-body/ 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 Please note that The Huberman Lab Podcast is distinct from Dr. Huberman's teaching and research roles at Stanford University School of Medicine. The information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Huberman Lab Podcast, its employees, guests and affiliates assume no liability for the application of the information discussed. Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com

Andrew Hubermanhost

Jun 7, 20212h 5mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: June 7, 2021
Duration: 2h 5m
Channel: Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

This episode I discuss endurance: our ability to perform effort over extended amounts of time. I describe the four kinds of endurance: muscular endurance, long duration (single-set) efforts, and the two kinds of high intensity interval training (HIIT). I discuss efficiency of effort and maximizing quality of effort, and a hydration formula. I review how our heart literally gets stronger when we oxygenate muscles properly. I also discuss motivation for long bouts of work and the visual physiological basis of the "extra gear" we all can leverage for effort. Finally, I review how accelerating as we fatigue can allow us to access untapped energetic resources. Thank you to our sponsors: ROKA - https://www.roka.com - code: huberman InsideTracker - https://www.insidetracker.com/huberman Athletic Greens - https://www.athleticgreens.com/huberman Our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/andrewhuberman Supplements from Thorne: http://www.thorne.com/u/huberman Social: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Twitter - https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab Website: https://hubermanlab.com Join the Neural Network: https://hubermanlab.com/neural-network Mechanistic review of training adaptations: http://perspectivesinmedicine.cshlp.org/content/8/6/a029769.full.pdf Protocols: https://hubermanlab.com/how-to-build-endurance-in-your-brain-and-body/ 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 Please note that The Huberman Lab Podcast is distinct from Dr. Huberman's teaching and research roles at Stanford University School of Medicine. The information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Huberman Lab Podcast, its employees, guests and affiliates assume no liability for the application of the information discussed. Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com

SPEAKERS

Andrew Huberman
host

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Andrew Huberman, How to Build Endurance in Your Brain & Body explores four Science-Backed Endurance Types To Transform Brain, Heart, Performance Andrew Huberman explains the neuroscience and physiology underlying endurance, reframing it as a 100% nervous-system-driven phenomenon rather than a vague mix of ‘mental vs. physical’ effort. He outlines four distinct types of endurance—muscular, long-duration, anaerobic HIIT, and aerobic HIIT—each with specific protocols and adaptations in muscle, heart, blood, and brain. The episode details how mitochondria, fuel utilization, oxygen delivery, and cardiac stroke volume are remodeled by different training styles, and why endurance work is essential for cognitive performance and longevity. Huberman also covers hydration, breathing, recovery, and practical programming, emphasizing accessible, low-equipment tools and the critical role of proper electrolyte balance.

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