How to Build Endurance | Huberman Lab Essentials

Andrew Huberman

Apr 17, 2025

Episode description

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain how to build endurance and describe targeted protocols to enhance different types of endurance.

I discuss how endurance—the ability to sustain effort—requires the coordination of physical and mental systems driven by energy availability, brain willpower, and specific training adaptations in the muscles, heart, lungs and neurons. I explain conditioning protocols designed to enhance four types of endurance, from long-duration steady state to muscular endurance and high-intensity intervals, and how each training style triggers unique adaptations in the body and brain, such as improved mitochondrial function and oxygen utilization. Additionally, I highlight the crucial role of hydration and electrolytes, which are essential for neural function and influence the brain’s willpower to sustain effort.

Read the episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/PH5df16

Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes. Watch or listen to the full-length episode: https://youtu.be/VQLU7gpk_X8

More Huberman Lab Essentials: https://go.hubermanlab.com/essentials

*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Huberman Lab Essentials; Build Endurance
00:00:50 Energy Sources, ATP, Oxygen
00:04:14 Neurons & Willpower, Glucose & Electrolytes
00:09:19 Heart, Lungs; Physiology & Performance Limiting Factors
00:10:35 Muscular Endurance, Protocol, Concentric Movements, Mitochondria
00:17:14 Long-Duration Endurance, Efficiency, Mitochondria, Capillaries
00:21:07 High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Anaerobic Endurance, Protocol
00:27:47 High-Intensity Aerobic Endurance, Adaptations
00:30:06 Brain & Body Adaptations, Heart
00:33:57 Hydration, Tool: Galpin Equation
00:35:38 Supplements, Stimulants, Magnesium Malate
00:36:27 Recap & Key Takeaways

#HubermanLab #Science #Health #Endurance

Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Calculate hydration needs using Galpin equation during exercise

The Galpin equation suggests drinking your body weight in pounds divided by 30 in ounces of fluid for every 15 minutes of exercise.

#exercise

#hydration

Vary HIIT rest periods to enhance performance and prevent injury

For high-intensity intervals, use short rest periods for simple movements like cycling, but use longer rest periods for complex movements like kettlebell swings to maintain good form and prevent injury.

#HIIT

Engage in long-duration endurance work to build capillaries

Long-duration endurance work is uniquely effective at building new capillary beds within muscles, which improves oxygen and fuel delivery.

#endurance

#muscle

Train for muscular endurance without causing soreness

To build muscular endurance, your training should not include movements with major eccentric loads, such as the slow lowering of a weight, which is a primary cause of muscle soreness.

#exercise

#muscle

Recognize performance as a neural-driven process

The debate over whether performance is mental or physical is silly because it's 100% driven by the nervous system.

#cognition

#nervous-system

Utilize magnesium malate to reduce muscle soreness

Magnesium malate is a specific form of magnesium that has been shown to be useful for reducing delayed onset muscle soreness, unlike other forms used for sleep.

#magnesium

#muscle

Engage in high-intensity training to strengthen your heart

High-intensity training causes an eccentric loading of the heart's left ventricle, which thickens the muscle and allows it to pump more blood per beat.

#exercise

#heart

Train for marathons using interval runs without full distance

You can effectively train for a marathon by repeatedly running shorter distances, like one mile with an equal amount of rest, without ever running the full distance before race day.