Primal Endurance

1. Ditch chronic cardio and embrace aerobic training

Chronic cardio can cause permanent damage to the heart by promoting chronic inflammation, and scarring/hardening of the arteries from repeated micro tears.

Redefine endurance training. The conventional approach to endurance training, characterized by frequent moderate-to-difficult intensity workouts with insufficient rest, is deeply flawed. This "chronic cardio" pattern can lead to burnout, excess body fat, and increased health risks.

Embrace aerobic training. Instead, focus on building aerobic capacity through comfortably paced workouts at or below your maximum aerobic heart rate. This approach, pioneered by Dr. Phil Maffetone, involves:

• Calculating your maximum aerobic heart rate: 180 - age
• Conducting the majority of workouts below this heart rate
• Avoiding the "black hole" of training just above aerobic maximum
• Gradually increasing speed at the same heart rate as fitness improves

By prioritizing aerobic development, you'll become more efficient at burning fat, improve endurance performance, and protect your health. This method has been proven effective by elite athletes across various endurance sports for over 50 years.

2. Balance stress and rest through intuitive training

The ideal training pattern is fractal, flexible, subject to change on the fly, and ultimately your responsibility.

Embrace periodization. Reject the notion of consistency in training and instead adopt a periodized approach that balances stress and rest. This involves:

• Starting each season with an aerobic base period (minimum 8 weeks)
• Introducing brief periods of high-intensity training (max 4 weeks)
• Following intensity periods with rest and aerobic rebuilding
• Observing an extended rest period at the end of each season

Listen to your body. Align workout difficulty with your daily levels of energy, motivation, and health. Use a 1-10 scale to assess these factors and match your training intensity accordingly. This intuitive approach allows for higher highs (breakthrough workouts) and lower lows (more rest), leading to better performance and reduced risk of burnout.

3. Adopt a primal eating strategy to become fat-adapted

Eating primally enables you to escape carbohydrate dependency and become a fat-burning beast!

Ditch processed foods. The first step in adopting a primal eating strategy is to eliminate the most offensive foods in the modern diet:

• Sugars and grains (which promote carbohydrate dependency and fat storage)
• Highly refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils (which cause oxidative damage)

Embrace primal foods. Instead, focus on nutrient-dense, satisfying foods that fueled human evolution:

• Meat, fish, fowl, eggs
• Vegetables and fruits
• Nuts and seeds
• Highly nutritious supplemental carbs (sweet potatoes, wild rice, quinoa)

This approach helps you become fat-adapted, allowing for easier fat loss, improved endurance performance, and reduced inflammation. Use the Primal Blueprint Carbohydrate Curve to guide your carb intake based on your body composition goals and activity level.

4. Explore ketogenic endurance training for peak performance

When you become keto- and fat-adapted, you are virtually bonk-proof.

Understand ketosis. Ketogenic endurance training involves strictly limiting carbohydrate intake (around 50 grams per day) to enter a state of ketosis. In this state, your body produces ketones, which can be used as an efficient fuel source by the brain and muscles.

Benefits for endurance athletes:

• Improved fat oxidation rates (up to 1.8 grams of fat per minute)
• Ability to perform for hours with minimal external fuel
• Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress
• Potential for significant performance breakthroughs

While ketogenic training requires careful implementation and may not be suitable for everyone, it represents a cutting-edge strategy for endurance performance. Even if you don't fully commit to a ketogenic approach, becoming more fat-adapted can still provide significant benefits.

5. Incorporate strength training for power and resilience

Strength training allows you to connect the dots and identify weaknesses that can cause your form to break down during an endurance workout.

Focus on explosive power. Endurance athletes should prioritize brief, high-intensity strength workouts that develop raw strength and explosiveness. This approach differs from traditional "blended" workouts that attempt to combine cardiovascular and strength training.

Two effective approaches:

1. Primal Essential Movements (PEM): Simple, effective exercises like pushups, pullups, squats, and planks that can be done regularly with minimal equipment.
2. Maximum Sustained Power (MSP) training: Involves lifting heavy weights for few reps with ample rest, focusing on functional movements like deadlifts and squats.

Benefits of strength training for endurance athletes:

• Improved ability to resist fatigue and maintain proper form
• Enhanced power output and muscular efficiency
• Increased bone density and connective tissue strength
• Hormonal benefits that promote recovery and delay aging

6. Harness the benefits of sprinting for endurance athletes

Nothing cuts you up like sprinting!

Integrate sprinting carefully. While it may seem counterintuitive, occasional short-duration sprint workouts can provide significant benefits for endurance athletes:

• Improved cardiovascular function and oxygen utilization
• Enhanced fat metabolism and body composition
• Increased resilience to physical and psychological fatigue
• Strengthened muscles, joints, and connective tissue

Guidelines for effective sprinting:

• Perform sprints only during high-intensity training periods
• Ensure proper warmup and cooldown
• Focus on consistent quality efforts (10-30 seconds duration)
• Allow for sufficient rest between sprints (30-60 seconds)
• End the workout when performance declines significantly

Remember that sprinting is a powerful stimulus, so it should be used judiciously and balanced with adequate recovery.

7. Prioritize sleep and complementary lifestyle practices

Sleep is the top priority for your fitness progress and preservation of health.

Optimize sleep habits. Quality sleep is crucial for recovery, hormonal balance, and overall health. Key strategies include:

• Minimizing artificial light and digital stimulation after dark
• Creating a cool, dark, and quiet sleeping environment
• Maintaining consistent bedtimes aligned with circadian rhythms
• Considering afternoon naps for additional recovery benefits

Incorporate complementary practices:

• Increase general everyday movement to combat sedentary lifestyle effects
• Engage in mobility and movement practices like yoga or Pilates
• Prioritize play and unstructured physical activity for mental refreshment
• Pursue well-managed "primal thrills" for occasional adrenaline rushes

By attending to these often-overlooked aspects of lifestyle, you'll create a solid foundation for endurance performance and overall well-being.

Last updated: January 22, 2025