Dr. Andy Galpin: Optimize Your Training Program for Fitness & Longevity

Optimal Fitness Programming

• Combining different protocols to achieve multiple adaptations in parallel 
  • Improve endurance and strength
  • Achieve hypertrophy (muscle growth) while maintaining endurance and improving speed
• Varying protocols across the week, month, and year for regular progress
• Making the fastest progress possible

Importance of Having a Plan

• Having a plan leads to more success in a shorter time frame
• Research supports that individuals on a specific training plan achieve better results than those without a plan
• Increases adherence and progressive overload 
  • Adherence: knowing what to do and how long it takes makes it easier to commit to the gym
  • Progressive overload: tracking progress and doing more each time guarantees success

Developing an Overall Fitness Program

• Considerations when developing a fitness program: 
  • Adherence: make it easy to commit to the gym
  • Progressive overload: track progress and do more each time
  • Goals: know what you want to achieve (e.g., strength, endurance, hypertrophy)
  • Time restrictions: how many days a week can you commit to the gym
  • Equipment and experience: what resources are available to you

Fitness Assessments

• Assess your level of fitness and progress in different adaptations 
  • Long endurance, anaerobic capacity, strength
• Use assessments to guide your fitness program and track progress

Remember that having a plan is crucial for achieving your fitness goals. By combining different protocols and varying them over time, you can make significant progress in multiple areas. Stay committed, track your progress, and enjoy the benefits of a well-​​designed fitness program.
Designing a Training Program: 10-​​Step Approach

• Based on evidence and years of experience working with professional athletes and general population
• Not the only way, but a proven method

1. Assessing and Identifying Training Goals

• Many people skip this step, but it’s crucial for success
• Example: Dr. Galpin asked about training goals and realized the importance of having a clear goal
• Two ways to identify goals: 
  • Pick something specific (e.g., run a 5K, lose 10 pounds)
  • Run a fitness testing protocol to identify areas of improvement

2. Using the SMART System for Goal Setting

• Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely
• Specific: More specific goals lead to higher success rates
• Measurable: Objective or subjective metrics (e.g., body weight, bench press, sleep hours)
• Attainable: Goals should be within your control and capability
• Realistic: Consider constraints (age, training experience, time) and set achievable goals
• Timely: Set a deadline for achieving the goal

3. Importance of Intermediate Goals

• Dopamine system responds best to signals of progress toward a goal
• Assess progress regularly to stay motivated and on track
• Example: If the goal is to drop 2% body fat in a year, set intermediate goals to measure progress

4. Deception Study on Goal Setting and Motivation

• Participants held a dumbbell in a front raise for as long as possible
• Four groups with different feedback on their performance 
  • Group 1: Told their time was 15% lower than actual
  • Group 2: Told their time was 5% lower than actual
  • Group 3: Told their time was 5% higher than actual
  • Group 4: Told their time was 15% higher than actual
• Results: Participants performed best when their goal was within 5% of their actual performance
• Lesson: Set goals that are challenging but not too far out of reach

5. Balancing Goals for Optimal Motivation

• Goals should be slightly scary and require effort
• If goals are too easy, motivation decreases
• If goals are too hard, people quit early

6. Potential Collaboration Between Laboratories

• Study design illustrates important psychological principles about goal setting, motivation, self-​​perception, and the dopamine system
• Dopamine system is a universal reward system for various goals (fitness, academic, relationship, etc.)

7. Assessing Progress and Re-​​Up Dopamine

• Dopamine system responds best to signals that we are on the right track toward a goal

• Regularly assess progress and trust that the workouts will lead to desired results
  Dopamine System and Goal Setting

• Dopamine system provides motivation when on the right path

• Resistance training has built-​​in feedback through muscle pump
• Endurance training doesn’t have immediate visible feedback

Intermediate Goals

• Depends on the ultimate goal
• Check in on progress weekly, monthly, or quarterly
• Overestimate what can be done in a week, underestimate what can be done in a year
• Set metrics ahead of time to maintain motivation

Long-​​term Goals and Defenders

• Identify what is stopping you from reaching your goal
• Work backwards from the long-​​term goal
• Invest in addressing defenders (e.g., injury prevention, flexibility, technique)
• Break down the goal into smaller, achievable steps (e.g., quarterly progress)

Goal Compatibility

• The more specific and focused a single goal, the faster it can be achieved
• Adding more goals can create distractions and slow progress
• Some goals can be trained simultaneously without interference (e.g., speed, power, strength)
• Other goals may have interference effects (e.g., hypertrophy and endurance)

Training for Multiple Goals

• Focus on the primary goal and give it priority
• Train complementary goals simultaneously (e.g., speed, power, strength)
• Be aware of potential interference effects between goals

• Adjust training and recovery resources accordingly
  Three Categories of Fitness Goals

• Aesthetic changes, functionality, and longevity

  • Lose fat, gain muscle in specific areas
  • Improve health span and lifespan
  • Feel great and live a long time

• Building muscle and strength

  • Focus on gaining muscle mass and increasing strength
  • Health is a secondary concern, but not the main focus

• Endurance and skill-​​based activities

  • Enjoy long-​​duration activities like running, cycling, swimming, hiking, dancing, tennis, and golf
  • Improve motor patterns and skills
  • Feel vital and strong during these activities

Designing Programs for Each Category

• For those focused on aesthetic changes, functionality, and longevity:

  • Balance between resistance training for muscle growth and cardiovascular exercise for fat loss
  • Prioritize recovery to ensure progress and avoid overtraining
  • Consider exercise choices that have less impact on joints and overall stress on the body

• For those focused on building muscle and strength:

  • Emphasize resistance training with progressive overload
  • Incorporate some cardiovascular exercise for overall health, but not at the expense of muscle and strength gains
  • Ensure adequate recovery and nutrition to support muscle growth

• For those focused on endurance and skill-​​based activities:

  • Prioritize the chosen endurance activity and skill development
  • Include resistance training to improve overall strength and endurance, but adapt the training to support the specific activity
  • Balance training volume and intensity to avoid overtraining and promote recovery

In all cases, it’s essential to consider individual goals, preferences, and limitations when designing a program. Additionally, monitoring progress and adjusting the program as needed will help ensure success in achieving the desired outcomes.
Exercise Program Considerations

Three Categories of Exercise Goals (Bin A, B, and C)

• Bin A: Gain muscle, lose fat, and maintain health now and forever
• Bin B: Get stronger, gain muscle, not damage health, but not focus on immediate health
• Bin C: Engage in endurance activities, feel strong doing them, and improve overall health

Setting SMART Goals for Each Category

• Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely
• Example for Bin C: Improve 2‑mile run time by 5% in the next two months

Identifying Defenders (Obstacles) and Personal History

• Consider personal history of knee pain, working too much, travel, or getting sick frequently
• Determine what has stopped you from achieving goals in the past
• Choose exercise programs based on reasons for past failures

Quadrant System for Life Priorities

• Bucket 1: Business — job, income, career-​​related aspects
• Bucket 2: Relationships — family, friends, romantic partners
• Bucket 3: Health — physical, mental, and emotional well-being
• Bucket 4: Personal Growth — hobbies, interests, self-improvement

Working with Non-​​Negotiables and Life Priorities

• Acknowledge and work with non-​​negotiable aspects of life (e.g., children, job)
• Develop flexible strategies to accommodate life’s demands
• Fight battles that can be won, not ones that are destined to fail

Critical Analysis and Identifying Defenders

• Reflect on past experiences and reasons for not achieving goals
• Consider changes in life circumstances since previous attempts
• Identify obstacles and develop strategies to overcome them

• Use quadrant system to prioritize and balance life aspects while pursuing fitness goals
  Balancing Life Quadrants

• Four life quadrants: 

  1. Work/​​business
  2. Relationships (family, love life, social connections, purpose)
  3. Fitness
  4. Recovery (personal time, meditation, sleep, social time)

• Allocate 10 points across the four quadrants

  • Example: 5 for business, 2 for relationships, 2 for fitness, 1 for recovery
  • Recovery must be at least half of the fitness allocation
  • Adjust the points to match your goals and priorities

• Create specific life actions to achieve the desired balance

  • Example: “Drop everything and train” at a specific time each day
  • Make actions specific, measurable, and non-negotiable

• Place the quadrant and action list in visible locations

  • Background of your phone
  • Place of failure (e.g., above workstation, on TV, etc.)
  • Share with someone who can hold you accountable

• Benefits of clear priorities and non-​​negotiable rules:

  • Organizing force for the brain
  • Increased happiness when decisions are made and other options are eliminated
  • Helps maintain focus on what truly matters in life

• “Drop everything and…” concept

  • Can be applied to various aspects of life (e.g., read, play, breathe)
  • Limit to one or two categories for maximum effectiveness
  • Reinforces the importance of taking time for yourself and your priorities
    Maintaining Work-​​Life Balance and Effective Training

• Importance of accountability and flexibility in personal commitments

  • Set realistic goals and adjust as needed
  • Create a system to stay on track and hold yourself accountable

• Drop Everything and Love (DEAL)

  • Take time to appreciate loved ones, pets, and personal relationships
  • Prioritize mental and emotional well-being

• Sponsor: Inside Tracker

  • Personalized nutrition platform analyzing blood and DNA data
  • Helps understand body and reach health goals
  • Provides actionable insights and recommendations

• Step 3: Calendar and Time Frame

  • Determine a realistic time frame for accomplishing goals
  • Consider life events, deadlines, and personal commitments
  • Work training around non-​​negotiable events

• Step 4: Choose Training Frequency and Duration

  • Determine the number of days per week and minutes per workout
  • Underestimate rather than overestimate to avoid failure and quitting
  • Adjust training schedule as needed

• Step 5: Select Exercises and Movements

  • Choose exercises based on limitations of time and frequency
  • Balance exercises across the week, considering muscle groups and movement patterns
  • Focus on exercises that target specific goals and are accessible

By following these steps, individuals can create a balanced and effective training program that accommodates their personal and professional commitments. This approach promotes accountability, flexibility, and overall well-​​being.
Exercise Progression and Workout Planning

• Importance of checking off exercise goals 
  • Doesn’t have to be every exercise or every day
  • Ensure goals are met regularly
• Progression strategy for bodyweight exercises 
  • Increase complexity (e.g., from two legs to single leg squat)
  • Increase repetitions
  • Increase time holding the position
• Steps for exercise progression to lower risk of injury 
  1. Execute the exercise properly with assistance
  2. Execute the exercise well without assistance (bodyweight only)
  3. Execute the exercise well with added eccentric load
  4. Hold the exercise isometrically in the most challenging position
  5. Add the concentric portion of the exercise
  6. Add speed (optional)
  7. Add fatigue (optional, only if the first six steps are mastered)
• Progression can happen in one session or over a longer period of time 
  • Depends on individual’s background, injury history, comfort, and confidence
• Workout planning: order of exercises 
  • Do what’s most important first in the workout
  • Prioritize muscle groups or specific goals
  • Consider interference effect and potential compromises in workout quality
• Choosing the best day for important exercises 
  • Most consistent schedule and energy levels
  • Can be a seven-​​day or longer cycle, depending on individual preferences and schedule
  • Example: Major League Baseball player with a nine-​​day training cycle, achieving all-​​time PRs in velocity

Remember that this form of notetaking is called the “style” of notetaking. “Style” Notes:

Catching Up on Sleep and Balancing Exercise

• Catching up on sleep on weekends, feeling rested by Monday
• Week begins on Sunday with long-​​form cardio 
  • Can take different forms: hike with weighted vest, jog, with family or friends
  • Difficult to do during the week, but adds consistency

Combining Fitness with Social Engagements

• Some crossover between work, relationship, fitness, and recovery 
  • Example: hike with family or friends combines relationship and fitness
• Consistency increases the probability of reaching goals

Consistency vs. Intensity

• Consistency always beats intensity 
  • Example: NFL players’ attendance for regeneration sessions was low on Saturdays
  • Changed strategy to focus on exercises they enjoyed, like “gun show” (biceps and triceps)
  • Attendance improved, and players completed their regeneration work afterward

Planning Workouts Around Motivation and Schedule

• Identify high and low friction days for training 
  • High friction: days with low motivation or busy schedules
  • Low friction: days with high motivation and more free time
• Schedule workouts accordingly to maximize consistency and success 
  • Example: easier workouts on Fridays or Saturdays when motivation is low
  • Harder workouts on days with more energy and motivation

Different Training Types and Mental States

• Different types of training can affect mental states and sleep patterns 
  • Intense, short workouts vs. long-​​duration training
• Future collaboration between neuroscience and exercise science could explore these relationships

Exercise and Sleep

• Zone 5 exercise (high heart rate) positively impacts deep sleep if done earlier in the day 
  • Aim for 30+ minutes a week in the top 10% of heart rate

• Exercise ideally 6 hours or more away from sleep time, unless it’s low-​​intensity exercise

  • If exercising closer to bedtime, finish with down-​​regulation breathing to help with sleep
    Training and Sleep

• Training is better than not training, but sleep is crucial

• Balancing training and sleep can be challenging for athletes and non-athletes
• Strategies for training and sleep: 
  • Train further away from sleep time if possible
  • Train around the same time as the event or competition
  • Longer and harder training sessions require longer down-​​regulation post-exercise
  • If sleep is affected, consider adjusting training intensity and frequency

Caffeine and Sleep

• Caffeine can disrupt sleep architecture if consumed 4–10 hours before bedtime
• Flexibility in training with or without caffeine is important for sleep and recovery
• Caffeine has anti-​​neurodegenerative effects and can improve mental and physical performance
• Limit caffeine intake to earlier in the day

Progressive Overload in Training

• Increase intensity or volume by around 3% per week for intensity and 5–7% for volume
• Avoid increasing more than 10% per week to prevent injury or burnout
• Progressive overload can be achieved through various variables: 
  • Complexity of movement
  • Intensity or load
  • Volume (sets, reps, exercises)
  • Tempo of each repetition
  • Training frequency
  • Rest intervals
• Deload every 4–8 weeks to allow for recovery and continued progress

Strength and Hypertrophy Training

• 3x5 program for strength: 3–5 exercises, 3–5 reps, 3–5 times per week, 3–5 minutes rest, 3–5 sets

• Hypertrophy training: minimum of 10–20 sets per muscle group per week

  • Can be done in a single session or divided across multiple sessions
  • Rep range can be from 6 to 30, but sets should be close to failure with good form
    Designing a Training Program

• Step 1: Determine your goal (e.g., strength, hypertrophy, endurance)

• Step 2: Plan your calendar (e.g., 4–6 weeks, up to 8 weeks before a back-off)
• Step 3: Decide on the number of days per week and the length of each session
• Step 4: Select exercises, balancing across movement patterns and muscle groups
• Step 5: Order exercises based on priority
• Step 6: Select volume (repetitions per set, total sets, and load per set) to match your goal
• Step 7: Fill in rest intervals, reflecting your goal (2–5 minutes for speed, power, and strength; lower for hypertrophy and endurance)
• Step 8: Progress the program from week to week
• Step 9: Perform chaos management by identifying potential issues and solutions
• Step 10: Reevaluate and adjust the program as needed

Example Training Program

• Three primary goals: appearance, performance, and longevity
• Covers health combine parameters: grip strength, leg strength, muscle mass, speed, power, VO2 max, and physical fitness
• Incorporates sunlight exposure and outdoor activities
• Includes at least one session per week that challenges proprioception (e.g., sports, hiking)

Importance of Proprioception

• Crucial for maintaining balance, coordination, and staving off late-​​onset dementia and Parkinson’s
• Involves adjusting to stimuli from the outside world (e.g., sound, light, smell, body position in space)
• Best developed through outdoor activities and sports that require reacting to external factors

Balancing Structured and Non-​​Structured Exercise

• Combine structured exercise (e.g., gym workouts) with non-​​structured exercise (e.g., hiking, sports) for overall health and wellness
• Aim for at least one session per week that challenges proprioception and incorporates outdoor activities

• Consider incorporating sunlight exposure into your training program for additional health benefits
  Goal-​​Based Training Plan

• 8–10 week long goals

• Example: 4 quarters in a year

Quarter 1: January-​​March — Muscle Mass

• Prioritize adding muscle
• Increase sleep and calories
• 7 sessions a week of physical activity 
  • 1 indoor sport (e.g., basketball)
  • 3–4 weightlifting sessions
  • 2 long walks
• Deload week after 12 weeks

Quarter 2: April-​​June — Fat Loss

• Get lean
• Decrease calories (hypocaloric state)
• Longer days, more sun exposure
• Shift from indoor to outdoor sports (e.g., stand-​​up paddleboarding)
• 1 group exercise class
• 2 weightlifting sessions

Quarter 3: July-​​September — Cardiovascular Shape

• High-​​intensity interval training
• Maintenance calories
• Outdoor sports (e.g., golf, pickleball, outdoor basketball)
• Track workouts or hill sprints (2x a week)
• Weightlifting (2x a week)

Quarter 4: October-​​December — Cardiovascular Fitness

• Focus on endurance
• Increase calories
• Indoor sports (e.g., kickboxing, jiu-jitsu)
• Cardio machines (e.g., StairMaster, Versa climber, assault bike)
• Weightlifting using machines
• Outdoor walks (2x a week)

Adjustments and Considerations

• Add a strength-​​focused quarter if needed
• Prioritize goals and adapt the plan accordingly
• Trail running for proprioceptive feedback during the endurance phase
• Avoid excessive overeating during the muscle mass phase to prevent excessive fat gain

The goal-​​based training plan is designed to be adaptable and can be run year after year, making adjustments as needed to suit individual goals and priorities. This approach ensures a well-​​rounded fitness level, covering muscle mass, fat loss, cardiovascular shape, and endurance.
Hypercaloric Intake and Muscle Building

• Hypercaloric intake refers to increasing caloric intake by 10–15% above baseline 
  • Example: If you eat 2500 calories daily, you might add 250–400 calories
  • Not doubling calories or causing excessive weight gain
• Most people need to be in a hypercaloric state to add muscle 
  • Exceptions: those with high body fat percentage and low fitness level can still add muscle with isocaloric or slightly lower caloric intake
• Timing of hypercaloric intake can be strategic 
  • Align with times of the year when people tend to consume more calories (e.g., holidays)
  • Match with training goals (e.g., muscle building)

Yearly Training Plan

• Quarter 1 (January-​​March): Focus on muscle mass and sleep 
  • Indoor sports and activities
  • Emphasize sleep due to shorter daylight hours
  • Hypertrophy training for immediate results and motivation
• Quarter 2 (April-​​June): Focus on leaning out and outdoor activities 
  • Outdoor sports and activities
  • Fitness classes for social interaction and variety
  • Traditional strength training 2 days a week for quality control
  • Align with summer months when people want to look their best (e.g., beach, weddings)
• Quarter 3 (July-​​September): Focus on conditioning and maintaining calorie intake 
  • Push heart rate high to improve cardiorespiratory fitness
  • Bring calories back up to match increased energy expenditure
  • Align with summer holidays and events involving eating

Southern Hemisphere Considerations

• Adjust training plan accordingly for different seasons and daylight hours
• Focus on eliminating bottlenecks and optimizing sequence of training goals

Benefits of Varied Training Plan

• Prevents burnout and maintains motivation
• Checks off multiple boxes for long-​​term development
• Balances specificity with variation to prevent overuse injuries

• Encourages social interaction and enjoyment of training
  Implementing Deload Periods and Adjusting Training Goals

• Considering periodic deload periods to prevent burnout and illness

• Matching specific goals for each quarter with the time of year
• Example of a macro structure: 
  • 3 months devoted to hypertrophy
  • 3 months devoted to fat loss
  • 3 months devoted to aerobic output
  • 3 months devoted to endurance
• Consult with a professional to adjust the macro structure according to personal strengths and weaknesses

Training Decisions Based on Sleep and Health

• Scenario 1: Poor night’s sleep (2–4 hours) 
  • Train if in a phase of training focused on adaptation and progress
  • Back off if it’s a pattern of poor sleep or not in a progress-​​focused phase
• Scenario 2: Starting to feel sick 
  • Opt for restorative training (moderate intensity, not pushing past 70%)
  • Avoid inducing immunosuppression with excessive training
• Scenario 3: Recovering from a mild illness (no fever, not contagious) 
  • Most people should rest and focus on recovery
  • Some may choose to train through it, but it’s generally not recommended

Adjusting Training Priorities

• Use the nine specific training adaptations and fat loss as a guide
• Modify the order and primary outcome of each quarter based on personal goals
• Adjust the specifics within each quarter to optimize the desired outcome

Example Training Structures

• Three-​​day split (well-​​rounded exercise program) 
  • Day 1: Speed and power, followed by hypertrophy
  • Day 2: Aerobic capacity and endurance
  • Day 3: Strength and power, followed by hypertrophy
• Four-​​day split (more specialized) 
  • Day 1: Speed and power
  • Day 2: Aerobic capacity and endurance
  • Day 3: Strength and power
  • Day 4: Hypertrophy and mobility

These training structures can be adjusted according to individual goals and priorities. Consult with a professional to create a personalized plan.