Peter Attia Workout Routine: His Secrets To Live Longer

Peter Attia Workout Routine: His Secrets to Live Longer

Last Updated on October, 2024

We want to live longer. But what holds us back is the effort. Sometimes, we feel lazy thinking about following a fitness routine. 

But, we live only once. I repeat, ONLY ONCE! So, why not take this seriously this time?

I have found Dr. Peter Attia’s INSPIRATIONAL WORKOUT ROUTINE for you – From now on, you won’t skip workouts!

Quick Summary

Peter Attia recommends four primary focuses to incorporate into one’s exercise routine: stability, strength, aerobic efficiency, and anaerobic efficiency.

Attia recommends small, gradual improvements coupled with smart decisions and a focus on key areas such as diet, exercise, sleep, emotional well-being, and hormonal balance in order to achieve long-term physical and mental fitness.

Attia’s exercise routine includes 4 days of lifting and 4 days of cardio, with a commitment to never miss a lifting day and his recommended diet focuses on incorporating high quality proteins, good fats, and carbohydrates into the diet, while avoiding heavily processed foods.

What is Peter Attia’s Exercise Routine?

Peter Attia Exercise Routines Banner

If you are a health freak (like me), Peter Attia is a REAL INSPIRATION. He is a well-known fitness expert (medical doctor) and researcher specializing in helping people live longer and healthier through Medicine 3.0.

But what’s even more incredible is his famous podcast ‘The Drive’ and his book‘Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity.’ You will NEVER REGRET learning his exercise routine.

Peter Attia’s “Centenarian Decathlon” exercise routine concerns preparing for a fit life. It’s like making a personal to-do list of things you want to do as you age in this world (like hiking or carrying groceries)

Attia’s key fitness pillars (exercise routines) are highly motivating. TRUST ME, and I assure you it will add much POSITIVITY to your life.

Peter Attia Exercise Modals

Stability

Improving stability is all about being balanced and steady – to avoid falling, wobbling, or getting an injury.

It is essential for strength, aerobic, and anaerobic performance and for safe progress in other areas.

Dr. Attia recommends prioritizing stability training before engaging in strength training, emphasizing its importance in achieving optimal health and well-being.

Stability training controls over one’s body – enabling safer and more forceful STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT. 

Stability training, especially ‘Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization’(DNS), helps protect the risk of joint injury, particularly in Spain.

This supports lower body health and reduces the risk of heart disease.

a portrait picture of peter attia

Activities like toe yoga, core training, and balanced fitness routines improve stability. As per Dr. Attia, after building a stable foundation – you can move to strength training, which will enhance muscular mass and help manage physique weight. 

Stability practice is like a super glue for your balance – helping your muscles and joints stick together to create a STRONG body.

Check it out! Here are some workouts that will help you get more stable and balanced:

  • Stand on One Leg (focus on making it more challenging by closing your eyes using a wobbly surface).
  • Planks (assume a push-up position, but support your weight on your forearms and feel the burn in your core) – you will feel like a superhero!
  • Booty Bridge (have the ability to rest on your back, raise your hips, and contact your glutes – but not like a squat).
  • Resistance Band Moves (use stretchy bands for exercises like Leg raises and monster walks – to make your physique work harder).
  • Single-Leg Deadlifts (hold some weight and stand on one Leg while you bend over).

Strength (For Muscle Mass)

Dr. Peter Attia emphasizes that building muscle through strength exercises will BENEFIT your fitness and longevity (it helps maintain weight too)

Do you know the connection between muscle mass and metabolic wellness? Muscle efficiently metabolizes glucose, helping maintain stable blood sugar levels and preventing excess fat storage. 

Listen, Muscle loss begins as early as age 30, increasing after 65.

So, to stay HEALTHY and STRONG (conceal signs of aging), Dr. Attia notes regular strength training like weightlifting.

But most importantly, do it correctly to prevent injury.

peter attia at a gym doing workouts

Dr. says paying attention to building muscle when you’re young will make a BIG DIFFERENCE in the long run. (like an investment)

CAN YOU GUESS what ‘Blood Flow Restriction’ (BFR) is? It’s a training method where you wrap a band of cuffs around a limb (arm or Leg) to limit blood flow temporarily while exercising. This training promotes hypertrophy and strength. 

Try the following workouts for an impressive and longevity physique like Attia:

  • Squat (position yourself with feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees, shifting your hips back as if sitting in a chair. Keep your back straight and chest up – this is what squat means. This includes quadriceps, glutes, and calves too. 
  • Pull-ups (hang from a bar and pull your chin up to it – great for back and biceps).
  • Dumbbell Rows (take a dumbbell in each hand and pull them to your hips – best for grip strength).
  • Lunge (train your body to step forward, drop your back knee, and stand back up).
  • Deadlifts (get your hands on a barbell and lift it to the ground).

Aerobic Efficiency

Peter Attia’s emphasis on aerobic efficiency is all about getting your heart and endurance in peak form for your longevity lifespan.

Dr. points out that to try low-intensity, long-duration aerobic exercising habits into your FITNESS ROUTINE.

Aerobic efficiency will not only reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease but also enhance the ability for athletic performance.

Attia also endorses ‘High-Intensity Interval Training’ (HITT) as an effective method to boost overall fitness and cardiovascular health. (Wait, what?) Yes, Both different workouts serve different purposes in one’s fitness routine.

You can also try test sets (including ascending sets) for aerobic efficiency. E.g., walking on a treadmill. 

Follow these aerobic capacity workouts (secret sauce) to increase your heart rate and breathing for an extended time, keeping Dr. Attia’s inspiration in mind. TAKE MY WORD: they are suitable for emotional health, too.

  • Running.
  • Cycling.
  • Swimming.
  • Aerobic Dance (workouts like Zumba and hip-hop dances).
  • Brisk Walking.
  • Jumping Rope – this will trigger your childhood memories too.
  • Group Fitness Classes.
  • Cross-country skiing – an exceptional trainingwhich you will love over three hours.

Anaerobic Efficiency

Anaerobic performance is crucial to Dr. Attia’s holistic approach to fitness. Peter harnesses the power of anaerobic hours for energy and endurance. 

VO2 max is a notable training for anaerobic performance (not like zone 2), which is beneficial for meeting age longevity. Dr. notes:

  • 1-2 week sessions of 30 minutes leading set VO2 max training with 4 to 5-minute high-intensity intervals. 
  • Rest after each intensity interval. 
  • Repeat this cycle 4-6 times for better fitness.

GUESS WHAT? Oskar Svensson (a former downhill skier) achieved an exceptionally high VO2 max score of 96.7 at 18, the highest ever recorded and surpassing previous rumors. 

I have listed some awesome anaerobics for you to try. Check them and get ready to sweat and feel the burn:

  • Sprinting
  • Weightlifting
  • High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
  • Jumping Plyometrics (like box jumps and burpees)
  • Agility Drills (like ladder drills)
  • Calisthenics (squats, push-ups, and pull-ups)

What is Peter Attia’s Workout Schedule?

Peter Attia doing exercise in a gym

Dr. Peter Attia’s disciplined lifestyle has a well-organized exercise routine, effectively balancing cardiovascular and strength training throughout the week.

Attia recommends a training routine with four primary focuses: 

  • Stability (daily)
  • Strength (3 days a week)
  • Aerobic Efficiency (3 hours per week) 
  • Anaerobic Performance (2 sessions a week)

His schedule includes four days of lifting and four days of cardio, with a COMMITMENT never to miss a lifting day. (Are you feeling the goosebumps? Me too.)

Lifting Days (For Body Weight)

  • Mondays and Fridays: Stability exercises (10 minutes) and Lower body strength exercises (1 hour).
  • Wednesdays and Sundays: Stability exercises (10 minutes) and Upper body strength exercises (1 hour).

Cardiovascular Days

  • Cardio days are Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.
  • Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday: Stability exercises (10 minutes) and Zone 2 cardio (1 hour).

Saturday offers flexibility:

  • Option A: Stability exercise (10 minutes), Zone 2 cardio (1 hour), and Zone 5 intensity (30 minutes).
  • Option B: A vo2 max workout (1 hour) or more prolonged anaerobic cycling.

Commitment

  • Peter NEVER MISSES a weightlifting day and adjusts his schedule to ensure this.
  • He is flexible with the timing of weekend fitness routines, but weekdays usually involve morning sessions at around 7:15-7:30 AM. 

NOTE: Check out this article if you want a more detailed understanding of heart rate zones (including zone 2 and zone 5) and the physical activities you should follow under each zone. 

Peter Attia Supplements and Diets

Peter Attia’s supplements and diets emphasize a balanced mix of nutrition (including proteins, good fats, and carbohydrates – prioritizing whole and unprocessed foods). 

Diets Dr. Attia Suggests

Attia’s diet keynotes include: 

  • Limiting possessed foods (canned soups, breakfast cereals, frozen dinners, and snack bars).
  • Include fiber rich in foods (leafy greens and whole grains).
  • Consume quality protein – rich in nutrition (chicken breast, turkey, fish, and lean beef).
  • Consume good fats (avocados, nuts, and olive oil).

Supplements

Peter Attia Daily Supplements

Peter Attia Daily Supplements:

Peter Attia Sleep Supplements

Peter Attia Sleep Supplements:

Do you know? Peter suggests using Magnesium L-Threonate to have a quicker sleep onset and promote deep and restful sleep by acting on the central nervous system. It aids in magnesium absorption by crossing the blood-brain barrier. 

Occasional Supplements (For Early Sleep)

Occasional Supplements (For Early Sleep):

Prescription Supplements:

Check out each and every supplement Peter Attia takes advantage of HERE.

How to Incorporate Peter Attia’s Principles?

Create Clear Goals

To live longer like Attia, start with clear life goals, such as maintaining physical and mental fitness. Identify what matters most to you, set specific objectives, involve loved ones, and regularly review your 1 to 3 main goals (this will help to train your mind first)

Set a Plan to Achieve Those Goals

Now, make a plan. Research what helps you live longer – think about your diet, exercise, sleep, and mental fitness together (this has many benefits). Then, find gaps between your current lifestyle and your goals. Make a 1 to 3-year plan and start implementing.

Know the Importance of Small, Gradual Improvements

Think about your last ten years of life (not last week). Attia calls this the ‘Marginal Decade’. Visualize your fitness, activities, and risks. Make choices that benefit this point.

Take Smart Decisions

Use strategic understanding for longevity by consulting a longevity doctor like Attia by exploring advanced biomarkers, studying your family history, and monitoring the vital fitness point, data, hours, weight, force, and other variables. 

Concentrate on the Key Areas

Prioritize the key areas: diet (to lose weight), exercise, sleep – like kids (7-9 hours), emotional well-being, and hormonal balance. 

Further reading:

Conclusion

This is one of the best workout routines. However, as humans, we don’t feel motivated 24/7. That’s why Dr. Attia has podcasts for you to check and get back to the fitness routine. 

However, don’t make excuses this time. Because YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE! 

For a detailed understanding of Attia’s supplements and diets, READ the following articles:

  • Peter Attia’s Unique Supplement Choices And The Reason Behind Them. 
  • Peter Attia’s Diet Choice. 

FAQs

The four pillars of Attia’s Exercise program are stability, strength, aerobic efficiency, and anaerobic efficiency.

Attia’s weekly training duration is 3 hours.

To increase VO2 Max, interval training can be utilized, which involves pushing aerobic limits during exercise.

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Author
Linda Walter
I’m a fitness trainer and a health coach. My GOAL is to empower everyone to live a healthier life even after passing their prime. You can find more about me here.

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