All protocols
4,984 protocols across every category, most recommended first.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsUse Upper-Body Sessions on High-Friction Days
On days when motivation or schedule is poor, use shorter upper-body sessions that require less warmup and are easier to complete.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsUse Long Steady-State Bike Rides on Low-Motivation Days
On low-motivation days, choose long steady-state work such as an easy bike ride; nasal-only breathing can be used during these rides.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsBookend the Week With Best and Worst Days in Mind
Identify your best and worst days for training and place workouts accordingly.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsGet 30+ Minutes Per Week in Zone 5 / Top 10% Heart Rate
Aim for about 30 or more minutes per week in the top 10% of your heart-rate range to positively impact deep sleep, provided it is done far from bedtime.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsKeep Some Evening Sessions at About 70% Instead of Going All-Out
If late training is unavoidable, reserve only a couple of days for very high intensity and keep the rest around 70% effort.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsStop Doing Intervals at 8 PM if Sleep Suffers
If sleep complaints persist, remove late-evening intervals.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsIncrease Intensity by About 3% Per Week
As a rule of thumb, progress training intensity by around 3% per week.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsAvoid Increasing Volume by More Than 10% Per Week
Do not increase training volume by more than about 10% per week; 5–7% is preferred. For running mileage, increase conservatively and do not add mileage to every run if that pushes weekly progression too high.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsIncrease Load by About 5%
A simple progression is to put about 5% more load on the barbell, handle, or implement.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsCalculate Weekly Repetition Volume
For lifting, calculate weekly volume by multiplying reps by sets for each exercise and summing across the week.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsIncrease Weekly Repetition Volume by About 5%
A simple progression is to increase total weekly repetitions by about 5%; one easy method is adding one rep per set from one week to the next.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsIncrease Load or Intensity Slowly for About Six Weeks
Use a progression phase of roughly six weeks where load or intensity increases slowly.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsUse 30 Seconds to 3 Minutes Rest for Hypertrophy Depending on Load
Rest intervals for hypertrophy can range from about 30 seconds to 2–3 minutes depending on load and reps.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsSleep on Your Program Before Finalizing It
After designing a program, wait about 12 hours and review it the next day before committing.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsTrain Leg Strength
Include training that supports leg strength as part of a health/longevity-oriented program.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsTrain Speed and Power for Fall Protection and Longevity
Include speed and power training so you can catch yourself from a fall and maintain function with age.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsDo at Least One Proprioception-Challenging Session Per Week
Include at least one weekly exercise session that challenges balance, coordination, and reacting to the environment; examples include outdoor activity on uneven terrain, sports, and trail running.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsUse a Seasonal Annual Training Structure
Example annual structure: January–March prioritize hypertrophy; April–June prioritize fat loss; July–September prioritize high-intensity interval work and conditioning; October–December prioritize more pure cardiovascular fitness.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsSleep More During a Hypertrophy Phase
During a muscle-gain phase, emphasize sleeping more to support recovery and growth.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsUse Seven Sessions Per Week of Physical Activity During a Hypertrophy Phase
Example hypertrophy quarter: perform about seven sessions per week of physical activity, not necessarily seven separate days.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsUse One Sport Session Per Week During a Hypertrophy Phase
Example hypertrophy quarter: include one sport session per week, such as an indoor sport like basketball.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsLift Weights 3–4 Times Per Week During a Hypertrophy Phase
Example hypertrophy quarter: lift weights three or four times per week.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsTake Long Walks Twice Per Week During a Hypertrophy Phase
Example hypertrophy quarter: include two long walks per week.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsShift From Indoor to Outdoor Sport in Spring
As days get longer, shift from indoor sport to outdoor sport to combine exercise with sunlight exposure; stand-up paddleboarding was given as an example.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsTake a Fitness or Exercise Class During a Fat-Loss Phase
Include a fitness or exercise class during the spring fat-loss phase.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsLift Weights Two Days Per Week During a Fat-Loss Phase
Example fat-loss quarter: lift weights about two days per week in addition to outdoor sport and classes.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsContinue Outdoor Sports During the Summer Conditioning Phase
Continue emphasizing outdoor sports during the summer conditioning phase; examples given include golf, pickleball, and outdoor basketball, about twice per week.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsDo Interval Work During the Summer Conditioning Phase
During the summer conditioning phase, include interval work such as track workouts, bike intervals, or hill sprints.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsLift Weights Twice Per Week During the Summer Conditioning Phase
Example summer conditioning quarter: continue lifting weights twice per week.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsUse Two Workouts Per Day During the Fall/Winter Cardiovascular Phase if Appropriate
During the cardiovascular phase, consider two workouts per day if trying to improve conditioning and endurance aggressively.