Summary
Sean from Upside Strength interviews Dr. Inigo San Millan, professor at the University of Colorado and performance director for Team UAE (coach of Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar). San Millan discusses balancing his academic research with elite coaching and explains his approach to maintaining personal metabolic health through cycling 4-5 times per week at about 90 minutes per session. The conversation covers how mitochondrial function is the key metric to maintain with aging, with San Millan noting that training at least 4 times per week is the minimum to prevent mitochondrial decline. He explains that at age 50, his climbing times and average speeds remain similar to a decade earlier thanks to consistent zone 2 training. San Millan discusses the importance of balancing cardiovascular training with resistance training, noting that while both are important for longevity, mitochondrial function from cardiovascular work takes precedence at the metabolic level. He also touches on resistance-only trainers showing metabolic profiles similar to sedentary individuals.
Key Points
- Maintaining mitochondrial function through exercise is the primary goal for healthy aging -- it requires at least 4 sessions per week
- Cycling 4-5 times per week for 90 minutes maintains metabolic health; San Millan's lab data and climbing times are stable over a decade at age 50
- Zone 2 training improved mitochondrial function the most in both elite athletes and clinical populations with chronic disease
- High-intensity training is important but not sustainable as the primary training modality -- even elite swimmers spend hours doing low-intensity work
- Resistance-only trainers can have metabolic profiles resembling sedentary individuals; cardiovascular training is essential for mitochondrial function
- Zone 2 intensity matches the talk test -- a conversation you can sustain but with noticeable effort
- The same zone 2 principles that improve athletic performance also reverse metabolic dysfunction in type 2 diabetes, cardiac rehab, and oncology patients
Key Moments
Four sessions per week minimum to maintain mitochondrial function
San Millan explains that training at least 4 times per week is the minimum frequency to maintain mitochondrial function with aging. Training only once or twice per week leads to deterioration.
"From what I've learned in the last years, it takes 4 times per week minimum to maintain or improve mitochondrial function. As we age, we tend to reduce mitochondrial function. I think if you exercise only once or twice a week, you will deteriorate."
Metabolic health maintenance over a decade at age 50
San Millan shares that at age 50, his climbing times and average speeds remain similar to a decade earlier, demonstrating that consistent zone 2 training can maintain metabolic function across years of aging.
"I've seen 10 years earlier, when I was 40, and in a decade, my climbing times and average speeds are very similar in 10 years. I am very happy and blessed for that."
Cardiovascular training takes precedence over resistance for mitochondrial health
San Millan discusses how both resistance and cardiovascular training are important for longevity, but at the metabolic level, mitochondrial function from cardiovascular work takes precedence.
"Both are important, but I would say that at the metabolic level, mitochondrial function is definitely more important. That's where cardiovascular exercise comes in."
