Andy Galpin: Professor of kinesiology at Cal State Fullerton and exercise physiologist who has trained pro athletes in the PGA Tour, NFL, NBA, and MLB. A leading voice on strength, conditioning, and performance programming.
What this episode covers
The fourth episode in Huberman's six-part fitness series with Andy Galpin focuses on how to combine training protocols into a coherent program. Galpin lays out his 10-step approach to program design, starting with setting a SMART goal, identifying your 'defenders' (obstacles), and allocating life energy across business, relationships, fitness, and recovery. He then builds a full year-long evergreen template organized into quarters that cycle through hypertrophy, fat loss, high-intensity cardio, and endurance, timed to seasons and life rhythms. The discussion closes with concrete three-day, four-day, and six-day weekly splits, plus guidance on de-loads, autoregulation, training while sick, and balancing discipline with the joy of training with others.
Recommended on this episode
The Naked Warrior
Pavel Tsatsouline
“I got really excited about some of Pavel Tsatsouline's work. He has a book, The Naked Warrior, which doesn't involve training naked”— Andrew Huberman
Also referenced (named, not recommended)
Assault Bike (Assault AirBike)
Assault Fitness
“This is a protocol I like to use a ton on the assault bike. It is simply a good warm-up, 10 minutes solid warm-up.”— Andy Galpin
VersaClimber
VersaClimber
“Now we're hopping on a StairMaster, a VersaClimber, more maybe get an assault bike going, something like that.”— Andy Galpin
StairMaster
StairMaster
“Now we're hopping on a StairMaster, a VersaClimber, more maybe get an assault bike going, something like that.”— Andy Galpin
Big reveals from this episode
- Galpin claims simply having a plan beats having none regardless of the program's effectiveness, citing research on training adherence.
- Describes a deception study from his lab showing goals set within ~5% of prior performance produced the best results; goals too easy or too hard made people quit.
- Frames the nine adaptations as a spectrum where adjacent goals (speed, power, strength) train together but distant ones (strength vs. endurance) interfere.
- Introduces the quadrant system (10 points across business, relationships, fitness, recovery) borrowed from Kenny Kane to expose real priorities.
- Presents a full year-long quarterly program: hypertrophy, then fat loss, then cardio/intervals, then endurance, an evergreen template to repeat for decades.
- Notes strength can be maintained on as little as five sets per week for eight-plus weeks while focusing on other adaptations.
- Galpin admits he prefers baths and Jacuzzis over saunas, surprising Huberman who says it's the first guest to say so.
- Galpin's rule for off-schedule fun workouts: do it if it won't cost more than three days of recovery, because lifetime memories are worth it.
Worth remembering
- The SMART goal framework stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.
- Endurance interferes with strength/speed mainly above ~30 minutes at higher than 60% heart rate, and can be offset by extra calories and recovery.
- Galpin's rule: recovery should be at minimum 20% of your total effort allocation (2 out of 10 points).
- He ran a nine-day (not seven-day) training cycle all season for an MLB player who hit all-time velocity PRs.
- Roughly 30-plus minutes per week in your top 10% heart rate (zone five) positively impacts deep sleep if done far from bedtime.
- Progression rule of thumb: increase intensity ~3% per week and never exceed 10% weekly volume jumps; 5-7% is ideal.
- Galpin cites a Tommy Wood paper on proprioception's role in staving off late-onset dementia and Parkinson's.
- 'Hypercaloric' for muscle gain means only 10-15% above baseline (e.g. 250-400 extra calories on 2,500), not doubling intake.
- Strength maintenance is achievable on as little as five sets per muscle group per week.
- Sets of 15-plus reps build muscle as effectively as 5-12 reps, but do not build strength.