The greatest predictor of lifespan is…
You’re in more control of your destiny than you think.
Most people are focused on being healthy for the current versions of themselves. You want the nice six-pack and bulging biceps. You’re pressured to fit into the smaller size. Whatever it is, the majority of behavior changes revolve around the expectation of quick results. Fewer, however, think about daunting words like ‘lifespan’ or ‘healthspan’ and consider the bigger picture.
If there’s one piece of advice I'd give as a kinesiologist and trainer, it’d be to focus on doing the right things to stay healthy, not just get healthy.
The greatest predictor of lifespan is V02max. Why? It’s the most valuable indicator of fitness and the work you’ve done to establish your current health status. Physiologically, it’s the maximum rate of oxygen consumption attainable during exercise displayed as…
VO2 = SV x HR x (a-v O2 diff)
SV = stroke volume (the volume of blood your heart is moving with each stroke)
HR = heart rate
a-v O2 diff = arteriovenous oxygen difference (how much oxygen the body is utilizing)
In layman’s terms, V02max reveals where your ceiling lies for utilizing oxygen to do physical work. On a bigger scale, it reflects your functionality and ability to live a robust, active life. Kind of important stuff.
“You can’t fake these metrics, and you can’t cram for the test” — Dr. Peter Attia
While there are many ways you can make changes to lead a healthier life, it’s now well-documented that the figures that change less readily are the most valuable of them all. In other words, the ones you have to work for over months, years, and decades.
There’s no mistake why V02max and grip strength are 1 and 2 in the demonstration of your longevity prowess. These are reflections of your discipline and activity over a long period. I’d argue that number 3 is a happy family and social life. Again, an area that takes work and sacrifice over years.
The great news is that regardless of where your key health metrics like V02max are at, the story isn’t finished and you hold the pen. As dramatic as it sounds, you’re in control of your destiny to a great extent.
Estimated V02 max chart
Here is an estimation of the various levels of V02max based on age and sex. In an ideal world, you should be sitting at ‘high’ or above on the table. While it’s good to know this chart exists, don’t get too obsessed over it. The mistake I see many health providers make is pushing clients to test for their scores and focus on getting their numbers as high as possible. There are two main reasons why I have a problem with this.
For one, fixating on a number can distract you from what the number means. Oftentimes I see clients hustle to reach a certain metric, and then plateau because they’ve achieved their goal without really understanding the ‘why’ in the first place. Two, it’s incredibly difficult to get an accurate test result unless you go into a lab. Sure, you can estimate this value, but I find it’s so much more productive to forget about the figure and focus on the habits that increase it.
As long as you’re building the right routines, you can rest assured that your V02max and general health is improving without you having to stress about the data.
As your resident kinesiologist, I want to help you do just that. Fortunately, you don’t have to train like an elite athlete to improve your outcomes. Even moderate, consistent cardio can move the needle in the right direction. In the next few minutes, we’ll look at some practical and accessible ways to foster better aerobic health in your everyday life. Not only will this extend your lifespan, but it’ll breathe more energy and wellness into every corner of your day. These habits have life-changing potential, so don’t take them lightly!
What exactly is cardio and how do I master it?
Cardiovascular exercise is one of the most misunderstood aspects of health and fitness. No, it’s not limited to your day hikes or bike rides. Cardio activity is accessible to everyone, regardless of one’s fitness status or time availability. You’ve probably done far more cardio work this past week than you’re giving yourself credit for.
Too often we get into this mindset that only organized, endurance-based activities like running, biking, or swimming are valid. It’s high time we realize that this type of training is far more flexible than that, including your activities of daily life and, yes, even weight training.
In its most simple form, cardio can be defined as any activity that requires an elevated heart rate/breathing rate. Using this definition, it’s pretty clear that nearly every moderate-to-intense activity technically falls under this umbrella. This includes but is not limited to…
swimming
running
biking
landscaping
HIIT circuit classes
landscaping
rowing
walking
various house chores
stair climbing
and so on…
For whatever reason, many people struggle with accepting that an activity outside of the ‘stereotypical cardio activity’ is still cardiovascular exercise in its own way. Sure, it’s not entirely focused on the aerobic energy-generating process, but you’re still training your heart and lungs. Why is this the case?
“Our muscles require oxygen to function, so when we start using them hard enough and for long enough, we start breathing faster to get more oxygen into the system and our heart starts beating faster to pump that oxygen out to the muscles for them to use. Anything that engages this process is cardio. It can be climbing a fight of stairs, hiking up a mountain, running a marathon, getting after it on the elliptical, and countless other activities.” — Matthew Boutte
When we lift weights or do yard work, we require the musculoskeletal system to work, thus increasing the demand on the cardiovascular system to deliver the necessary fuels to sustain this level of activity. Next time you go lift weights, just feel your pulse and you’ll know that cardio was completed!
Now, a valid argument is that some activities are more cardio-based than others. For example, a 2-hour long run is naturally going to be more effective than a weightlifting session if you’re looking to consistently maintain an elevated heart rate. While this is technically true, it’s crazy to think that these ‘other activities’ aren’t training the cardiovascular system at all. When it comes to your overall health, everything counts!
Whether your goal is to do more cardio or strength work, know that they are inseparable to some degree. As you’re exerting your body, the heart and lungs will naturally follow suit.
Why is it so important for us to get this in our heads?
My mission is to make improving this gold-standard lifespan metric of V02max as accessible and enticing as possible. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a marathoner to live a full, healthy life. Instead, focus on the activities that you enjoy and do them consistently. Better yet, find a community of people and keep each other accountable. As long as you’re achieving at least 150–200 minutes per week of moderate to intense work, you’ll be in a good place.
No, you don’t need to run every day to maintain your cardiovascular fitness.
Whether you’re moving to stay healthy and avoid chronic disease, or you’re serious about performance, please understand that doing other forms of cardio will help you and not hurt you. Instead of obsessing over the big three of running, biking, and swimming, find what inspires you to move. Most importantly, remember that micro-decisions throughout your day, such as taking the stairs or parking further from your workplace, will make an enormous impact on your long-term health.
In closing,
You control your destiny to a great degree. Prioritize aerobic activity like the medicine it is, and virtually every aspect of your wellness will improve with it. Invest time and energy in this area and you’ll reap the ultimate prize of an extended lifespan later on. It’s that powerful. Are you ready to take hold of your health like never before?
If you’re intentional, you can orchestrate your life to be a cardiovascular training exercise. It’s up to you to see just how far it can take you.
-DavidLiira.Kin
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