By Neil Wagstaff — Peak Fitness, Havelock North
One of my favourite books is called Outlive by Peter Attia. Peter’s recommendations align nicely with my beliefs on how our exercise and training week should be structured.
Training isn’t just about looking good for summer. It’s not about chasing random PBs. It’s about building a body that still works when you’re 80, 90, even 100 years old.
Attia calls this the “Centenarian Decathlon.” The idea is simple. Instead of training for today’s vanity metrics, train for the physical tasks you’ll want to perform independently at the end of your life. Carrying your shopping home. Getting off the floor without help. Climbing stairs. Lifting a suitcase when you go on holiday. Maintaining balance on a walk up the Peak. Dancing with your partner on your 90th birthday!
First, your aerobic engine becomes non-negotiable
Attia places enormous emphasis on Zone 2 cardio — steady, moderate-intensity work where you can talk, but not comfortably. This isn’t junk mileage. Done properly, it builds mitochondrial health, improves metabolic flexibility, and strengthens your cardiovascular system in a way that directly impacts longevity.
For most people, that means 3-4 sessions per week of 45-60 minutes. Brisk incline walking, cycling, rowing — it doesn’t matter what you choose, as long as the intensity is controlled. This is your foundation layer. Skip this, and you’re building on sand.
You also need some fizz in the week!
Once per week, you need to touch the ceiling with VO2 max training — short, hard intervals that push your upper aerobic capacity. Because VO2 max is one of the strongest predictors of all-cause mortality. In plain English: the fitter you are cardiorespiratorily, the longer you’re likely to live.
This might look like 4 rounds of 4-minute hard efforts with recovery between. It’s uncomfortable. That’s the point. We’re protecting your future capacity.
Next: strength training
If you’re not lifting, you’re ageing faster than you need to.
Muscle mass and strength are your insurance policies against frailty. I recommend compound movements, lower body strength, and grip strength — all strongly linked to independence later in life. Think squats, hinges, carries, presses, and pulling movements. Not for ego. Not for Instagram. For capability.
Two to three well-structured strength sessions per week is enough for most people if they’re done properly.
Stability and eccentric control
Ageing bodies don’t just lose strength — they lose the ability to decelerate and stabilise. Falls become catastrophic. So we train single-leg work. Step-down control. Rotational strength. Loaded carries. We build a body that can absorb force, not just produce it.
And finally — RECOVERY!
This isn’t a “more is better” model. It’s a “sustainable forever” model. Sleep is performance-enhancing. Progression is measured, not reckless. We avoid chronic inflammation and unnecessary injury risk. There are no hero workouts here — only smart, repeatable training.
A training week might look like this: – 3-4 Zone 2 aerobic sessions – 1 VO2 max interval session – 2-3 strength sessions – Integrated balance and stability work – Ruthless focus on sleep and recovery
Your training shouldn’t exhaust you. It should future-proof you.
Train for the 90-year-old version of yourself. Build aerobic depth. Protect strength. Maintain muscle. Own your balance. Recover like it matters — because it does. The goal isn’t just to live longer. It’s to stay dangerous for decades.
Neil Wagstaff is the owner of Peak Fitness in Havelock North. He has over 25 years experience in the health and fitness industry. www.peakfitnessandhealth.co.nz
