This training will add decades to your life!

Hello there,

Good morning from surprisingly chilly Dubai. This past week, I had the pleasure of giving a keynote speech at the HR Mena Summit in the JW Marriott in Dubai Marina, and I had a huge flashback.

Nine years ago, I sat in the lobby of that hotel for 88 days straight while applying for jobs without any response. Two days before my visa expired, I received a call from an employer offering me a job. The rest, as you can see, is history.

One thing this taught me is that we should always measure backward; it’s easy to start living on autopilot and forget how far we’ve come.

Let’s dive into the type of training that will give you a bonus decade, yet, no one is talking about it:

VO2MAX training.

VO2MAX, or maximum rate of oxygen consumption, declines significantly with age—around 10% per decade, increasing to up to 15% per decade after 50.

Why does this matter?

Your VO2MAX reflects a notable decline in function. It's the difference between effortlessly carrying your groceries and struggling to do so.

Increasing your VO2MAX effectively rejuvenates your body, making you functionally younger.

Here are 5 reasons why investing in VO2MAX is the quickest route to fitness ROI:

1. Boosting your VO2MAX, even by a small margin, significantly enhances your lifespan and health span.

2. Elevating your VO2MAX from the lowest quartile to just below average is linked to a 50% reduction in all-cause mortality.

3. ​​VO2MAX is highly trainable. Adults can increase their aerobic capacity by up to 13% within 8–10 weeks of training, offering a better and quicker ROI than focusing solely on muscle mass.

4. Enhancing VO2MAX by approximately 25% is akin to subtracting 12 years from your age.

5. Regardless of age, VO2MAX can always be improved.

Fun fact:

Robert Marchand, at the age of 101 and 103, broke cycling records, demonstrating that it's never too late to enhance your VO2MAX.

How to train your VO2MAX? Here are 4 ways:

1. Training within your endurance zone, commonly known as Zone 2, is an excellent method to strengthen your heart, improve VO2MAX, and enhance your aerobic endurance.

2. Intervals lasting 1–5 minutes at effort levels just above threshold effort (RPE 8/9).

3. Intervals lasting 5–20 minutes at effort levels just at or slightly below threshold effort (RPE 6-7).

4. An effective formula involves alternating 4 minutes of VO2MAX intensity with 4 minutes of jogging, ensuring nearly full recovery before the next set.

TL;DR:

• One workout per week in this zone is generally sufficient.

• Improving your VO2MAX will enhance your performance across all aspects of life.

• Investing in VO2MAX yields the best ROI in fitness training.

To make this actionable, I have put together a realistic fitness schedule including VO2MAX training:

➤ Green: Mobility training, 10 min, 2 x week.

A study by NHNE found that flexible people had a 50% less risk of dying.

➤ Red: Resistance training, 40 min, 3 x week.

30 to 60 minutes a week of resistance training exercise increased life expectancy by 10 to 17 percent.

➤ Orange: Daily movement (Part of daily life)

All-cause mortality is decreased by about 30% to 35% in physically active as compared to inactive subjects.

➤ Blue: Zone 2 cardio, 40 min, 2 x week.

It improves your body's ability to use energy sources more efficiently, with a lower recovery demand, lower cardiac strain, and less risk of injury.

➤ Yellow: VO2max, 20 min, 1 x week.

VO2max is the best integral function we have for exercise volume and intensity.

• Total time: 240 minutes approximately 

• Average: 4 hours x week

• 2% of your week

If this was helpful, please consider forwarding this email to someone you love.

Diego Carrete

Chief Executive Officer @ FIT LIFE FZCO

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