How to Build Strength, Endurance & Flexibility at Any Age | Pavel Tsatsouline
Andrew Huberman
Feb 10, 2025
Mindsip insights from this episode:
Breathe to enhance strength through pneumotatic reflex
You can instantly increase strength through the 'pneumotatic reflex' by properly creating intra-abdominal pressure, which acts like a volume knob for your nervous system's output to your muscles.
Build strength to enhance all athletic performance
Strength is the foundational quality for all other athletic attributes, and even endurance athletes improve their race times by adding heavy, low-repetition strength training.
Rethink farmer's carries for effective grip strength development
Contrary to popular belief, doing farmer's carries and dead hangs is not an effective way to build crushing grip strength.
Master Zercher squat for strength and midsection stability
The Zercher squat, where a barbell is held in the crooks of the elbows, is a highly effective exercise for building strength and reflexive midsection stabilization, even for those with shoulder or wrist issues.
Master endurance with the kettlebell mile challenge
A unique way to build endurance is the 'Kettlebell Mile,' where you run for a mile carrying a kettlebell (about 30% of your body weight) like a suitcase, switching hands as often as you like.
Train with Captains of Crush for full-body grip strength
The best product for direct grip training are the 'Captains of Crush' grippers from Iron Mind, and training with them is a full-body effort comparable to heavy squats.
Practice strength through greasing the groove technique
To 'grease the groove,' you practice a movement with a moderately heavy weight for low repetitions (half of what you're capable of) as frequently as possible while staying fresh, often with 10+ minute rests between sets.
Build endurance with anti-glycolytic training for strength without soreness
Use 'anti-glycolytic' training to build endurance by performing only 3 reps of an exercise you could do for 12+, resting one minute, and repeating for up to 15 rounds, which improves repeat strength without soreness.
Avoid training to failure to strengthen your nervous system
Consistently training to muscular failure is counterproductive as it promotes 'long-term depression' in neural pathways, effectively teaching your nervous system to be weaker.
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