“Science and science-based tools” may be Andrew Huberman’s bread and butter, but does his expertise measure up in the gym just as well as it does in the lab? Exercise and Sport Science PhD Dr. Mike Israetel says, “not quite.”
On Jul. 19, 2024, Israetel, a competitive bodybuilder, content creator, and professor at Lehman College in New York, publicly evaluated the merits and missteps of the Huberman Lab podcast mastermind.
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Let’s take a look at what Dr. Israetel has to say about Huberman’s workout routine and see if his claims are supported by real science after all.
Andrew Huberman’s Workout Routine Explained
Before we dig in, it’s important to understand that Israetel isn’t breaking down a specific, individual workout Huberman performs, nor is he seeking to discredit the Stanford professor altogether.
Instead, Israetel outlines certain aspects of Huberman’s exercise routine and provides his commentary as part of an ongoing “celebrity workout critique” series on YouTube.
1. Weighted Vests
Huberman remarks that he typically dons an eight-to-ten-pound weighted vest for his cardio workouts, which can last anywhere from 75 to 90 minutes. Weight vests are a convenient way of applying progressive overload — a workout principle denoting the importance of ever-increasing challenge — to cardio workouts.
“If you’re going to add a weight vest, make sure you’re used to jogging without added weight first,” Israetel recommends. “But it can be really good for you in the long term.”
The Science: One study from 2018 which involved having participants wear a weight vest for long periods during the day noted that a large portion of subjects experienced back pain. (1) The vest-wearing group also lost similar body fat compared to the control group.
2. Nasal Breathing
“Nasal breathing is almost certainly a waste of time,” Israetel argues against Huberman’s repeatedly-taken position that nasal breathing can offer several performance-related benefits, especially during cardio workouts.
Continuing, Israetel says: “If you can [breathe entirely through your nose] while you’re exercising, you are likely not working hard enough in the first place.”
The Science: One paper examining the effects of nasal breathing during cardiovascular exercise acknowledged it may be a suitable technique for reducing hyperventilation. However, the authors alleged “little difference” in performance metrics like power output. (2)
3. Leg Workouts
“On Monday, my goal is to train my legs,” said Huberman, prompting Israetel to furrow his brow a bit: “It’s not a huge deal, but I imagine his legs would be a bit tired if [Huberman] likes to do cardio on Sundays.”
“If you’re trying to maximize hypertrophy, you should try to work out your leg muscles when they’re fresh,” Israetel advises.
Huberman got specific about his leg workouts, saying he commonly employs multiple sets of “tib raises” — an exercise that looks like an inverse calf raise in which the tibialis anterior on the front of the shin contracts to pull the foot upward.
“Unless used in a rehabilitative setting, I think tib raises are a waste of time for most people,” says Israetel. “There’s nothing wrong with the exercise, but your leg training should focus on larger muscle groups.”
Huberman did not elaborate further on his inclusion of common leg exercises like squats or deadlifts, though he has in the past emphasized the importance of training the lower body and particularly the posterior chain.
The Science: Studies show that the tibialis anterior muscle plays “a large role” in the human gait cycle and can directly influence your running form. (3)
4. Rep Ranges
“Anywhere from 6 to 30 repetitions can result in hypertrophy if you train to failure,” noted Huberman, to which Israetel enthusiastically agreed. Huberman elaborated, saying he prefers to do most of his work in the five-to-10 rep range.
“If you’re looking to both increase strength and build muscle, the five-to-10 rep range is awesome,” Israetel adds. “But it can take a toll on your joints in some cases.”
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The Science: A landmark study from 2021 proposed a “new paradigm” for muscular adaptations to different rep ranges, arguing that proximity to muscular failure is far more influential than adhering to the stereotypical “hypertrophy rep range.” (4)
5. Heat and Cold Exposure
Huberman purported that he enjoys contrast therapy, or varied heat and cold exposure because it leads to increases in human growth hormone (HGH). Israetel flatly disagrees.
“I’ll spare you the expense: The amplification of HGH that you experience from [contrast therapy] is so tiny that it affects almost nothing,” Israetel says.
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Despite characterizing the hormonal benefits as “wildly exaggerated,” Israetel did concede that heat and cold exposure can help some folks enter a state of deep relaxation, which may tangentially influence muscle recovery by reducing stress levels.
The Science: A 2021 study on contrast therapy recorded significant reductions in cortisol levels in participants, but little change in hormones like testosterone or DHEA-S. (5)
6. HIIT
Huberman caps off his workweek with a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session, which he noted as only lasting about 15 minutes in total. “The goal is to get my heart rate as high as I can to increase my VO2 max.”
Huberman explained that his preferred HIIT workout style involves interval training on the assault bike; 20 seconds of high-effort pedaling plus 10 seconds of rest.
Israetel noted that training for fast-twitch muscle fibers and improving VO2 max are two opposing goals. “If you’re trying to train for your VO2 max, you should be doing challenging runs not interval sprinting.”
The Science: One paper from 2016 backs both Huberman and Israetel, saying, “similar adaptations can be achieved in low training doses at higher exercise intensities than higher training doses of lower intensity (endurance training).” (6)
7. Muscular Training
Huberman drew incredulity from Israetel regarding his stance on back exercises and workouts. Claiming that he suffers from a “genetic abnormality” that leads to excessive muscle growth in the area, Huberman noted that he only trains his back every other week — something Israetel is strongly against.
“Many people suffer from inadequate grip strength which limits their performance on back movements like pull-ups or chin-ups,” says Israetel. He recommends utilizing lifting straps to work around this issue and performing some dedicated grip exercises separately.
Regarding exercise order, Huberman explained that he prefers to train “small muscles” like the biceps, triceps, or rear deltoids separately from other muscles.
“There’s nothing wrong with this, but it’s not something I would copy,” Israetel offers.
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The Science: Separating “small” muscles or isolation exercises from a strength training routine could be considered a form of pre-exhaustion, which involves deliberately taxing accessory muscles to shift more load toward larger muscles during compound exercises.
Final Grade
Israetel took issue with Huberman’s exercise choices here and there, but the Renaissance Periodization founder says Huberman is hardly in danger of flunking gym class. “It’s very unique to his specific needs,” says Israetel.
“Most people would benefit more from a more generalized workout split,” Israetel continues, suggesting an upper-lower split that could be performed four days per week instead. All told, Israetel prefaced that exercise science is not Huberman’s area of specialty before declining to assign a letter grade.
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References
Normandin E, Yow D, Crotts C, Kiel J, Beavers KM, Nicklas BJ. Feasibility of Weighted Vest Use during a Dietary Weight Loss Intervention and Effects on Body Composition and Physical Function in Older Adults. J Frailty Aging. 2018;7(3):198-203. doi: 10.14283/jfa.2018.17. PMID: 30095153; PMCID: PMC6489119.
Recinto C, Efthemeou T, Boffelli PT, Navalta JW. Effects of Nasal or Oral Breathing on Anaerobic Power Output and Metabolic Responses. Int J Exerc Sci. 2017 Jul 1;10(4):506-514. PMID: 28674596; PMCID: PMC5466403.
Kimata K, Otsuka S, Yokota H, Shan X, Hatayama N, Naito M. Relationship between attachment site of tibialis anterior muscle and shape of tibia: anatomical study of cadavers. J Foot Ankle Res. 2022 Jul 12;15(1):54. doi: 10.1186/s13047-022-00559-y. PMID: 35821059; PMCID: PMC9277928.
Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Van Every DW, Plotkin DL. Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports (Basel). 2021 Feb 22;9(2):32. doi: 10.3390/sports9020032. PMID: 33671664; PMCID: PMC7927075.
Podstawski R, Borysławski K, Pomianowski A, Krystkiewicz W, Żurek P. Endocrine Effects of Repeated Hot Thermal Stress and Cold Water Immersion in Young Adult Men. American Journal of Men’s Health. 2021;15(2).
Scribbans TD, Vecsey S, Hankinson PB, Foster WS, Gurd BJ. The Effect of Training Intensity on VO2max in Young Healthy Adults: A Meta-Regression and Meta-Analysis. Int J Exerc Sci. 2016 Apr 1;9(2):230-247. PMID: 27182424; PMCID: PMC4836566.
Featured Image: @hubermanlab / Instagram
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