The Single-Strongest
PREDICTOR OF LONGEVITY
VO2 Max helps predict your future. Here’s why…
VO2 max is the single strongest predictor of lifespan and cardiorespiratory fitness. Don’t let the term scare you! It simply means “volume of oxygen.” Think of it as your lung capacity, how much oxygen your body can use during exercise. Picture your heart, lungs, and muscles working as an integrated team. The higher your VO₂ max, the more efficiently this team performs under stress.
Improve VO2 Max
ZONE 5 TRAINING
As we age, lung capacity decreases for everyone. Especially if you don’t challenge the system. But, zone 5 training changes that. Zone 5 trains your lungs, your heart, and your muscles to use oxygen more efficiently, helping you maintain strength and vitality.
Zone 5 is near maximum effort, typically 85-95% of your max heart rate. Short, explosive bursts that ask your cardiovascular system and muscles to show up at full capacity, no holding back. All you need is one Zone 5 training session a week to see improvement.
What I like about Zone 5 training is it trains your body for real-world situations, like hustling to catch a crosswalk before the light changes, picking up your pace to catch a subway or bus, or sprinting the last few steps to an elevator before the doors close.
The Big Buzz About
The 4×4 Method
The Norwegian 4×4 is a protocol for Zone 5 training that is gaining in popularity, because it’s a time-efficient way to rapidly boost VO2 max and cardiovascular health in under 40 minutes. Here’s how to do it….
– Warm up for 10 minutes
– Push hard for 4 minutes at a pace you can sustain but feels challenging
– Recover for 4 minutes at an easy pace
– Repeat the cycle 4 times
– Cool down for 10 mins
Four minutes is the sweet spot, because it takes 2-3 mins of intense work for your heart rate and oxygen uptake to maximize. If you’re doing shorter intervals, your burst finishes right as your cardiovascular system hits peak stress….but, a 4×4 forces your heart to maintain maximum stroke volume for several sustained minutes.
Plus, a longer interval (4 mins) accumulates more total training time in the high-aerobic zone, maximizing cardiac remodeling and oxygen delivery adaptations.
Just remember… this is intense training, but you only need to do it once a week!
You can even do it during a walk….
Get Started With
ZONE 5 TRAINING
Today’s 40-Minute Power Walk mixes steady aerobic pushes with bursts, giving your VO₂ max a challenge without asking for max effort. To get started, just press play above.
Get The Most Out of Every Walk
…With LeanWalk
6 Walking Workouts • Daily Calendar • Lifetime Access
What’s Included
– 5 audio walking workouts that boost your pace and burn up to 3x more fat than ordinary walking
– 1 indoor walking video so you never miss a workout, rain or shine
– Stretch & Flex video (10 minutes) to do before and after your walk, to improve mobility and prevent injury
It’s oh so simple! All you do is click on the calendar and your workout begins. It’s a simple click-and-play calendar:
• Just open today’s workout and click PLAY
• Transform your body (Seriously. That simple.)
