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# Endurance and strength training cheat sheet
- URL: https://www.petercai.com/endurance-and-strength-training-cheat-sheet/
- Published: 2023-09-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2023-09-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Description: A summary of advice and supplements for strength and endurance training.
- Author: Peter Cai
- Tags: #Import 2026-08-11 22:26

A summary guide of some information I've compiled because 1) I keep forgetting it, and 2) I want a place to send people who ask me about this stuff.

## Supplements that work

| Supplement             | What it does                                                                                                               | Dosage       | Frequency              | When to take it           | Notes                                                                          |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------ | ---------------------- | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Whey protein**       | Necessary for muscle protein synthesis.                                                                                    | 0.8-1g/lb    | Daily                  | Doesn't matter            | Dietary protein can reduce the supplementation required.                       |
| **Creatine**           | Increases muscle mass, strength, performance, and recovery.                                                                | \~5g         | Daily                  | Doesn't matter            | Women seem to benefit less from creatine supplementation than men.             |
| **Caffeine**           | Increases power output, anaerobic capacity, and endurance. Improves reaction time and reduces perceived exertion rate.     | 2-4mg/lb     | Skip during rest days. | 60min before exercise     | Tolerance builds quickly, so dosing needs to be "managed" if you're competing. |
| **Beta-alanine**       | Improves strength gains, muscular endurance, and performance in high-intensity exercise. Reduces neuromuscular fatigue.    | 3-6g         | Daily                  | Doesn't matter            | Causes (harmless) parasthesia in many people.                                  |
| **Citrulline malate**  | Improves performance through increased nitric oxide production, improves aerobic and anaerobic capacity, reduces soreness. | 8g           | Skip during rest days. | 60min before exercise     | Very sour, tastes like lemon juice.                                            |
| **Sodium bicarbonate** | Improves performance during repeated high-intensity aerobic exercise by negating effects of acidosis.                      | 100-130mg/lb | Skip during rest days. | 60-150min before exercise | Beware gastrointestinal side effects. I haven't personally used.               |

### Supplements to skip / avoid

- BCAAs
- Basically everything not listed here\*

\*Supplements that work (e.g., fish oil) won't be discussed here if they support general health (rather than performance).

## Endurance Training

- Warming up is important at all experience levels and can prevent injuries.
- Most training should be at a very easy effort level (below lactate threshold 1). Think 80% of workouts.
- Beginners can improve aerobic fitness with brisk walks 5-6 times a week; actually running isn't necessary, and the benefits come with less risk for injury.
- Time is more important than distance. 30-60min is a good baseline for easy training; shorter workouts aren't as effective.
- It can take 8 weeks for endurance improvements to be apparent.
- For trained individuals, high intensity interval training significantly improves VO2max, with results in as short as 2-3 weeks.
- About two 30min HIIT workouts a week is ideal, targeting a total of 30-40min per week at 90% HRmax.
- Because HIIT and workouts below LT1 are so effective, workouts in the "middle" (3 in the 5 zone model) should be minimized; polarized training offers the best return on effort, and minimizes injury and recovery times.
- It can take about 12 weeks to habituate the body to a given load.

| Common Name                  | Recovery | Easy                      | Endurance                 | Tempo  | Threshold | VO2max | Sprint |        |    |    |
| ---------------------------- | -------- | ------------------------- | ------------------------- | ------ | --------- | ------ | ------ | ------ | -- | -- |
|                              |          | Lactate Threshold 1 (LT1) | Lactate Threshold 2 (LT2) |        |           |        |        |        |    |    |
| 3 Zone Model                 | Zone 1   | Zone 2                    | Zone 3                    |        |           |        |        |        |    |    |
| 5 Zone Model                 | Zone 1   | Zone 2                    | Zone 3                    | Zone 4 | Zone 5    |        |        |        |    |    |
| Rating of Perceived Exertion | 1        | 2                         | 3                         | 4      | 5         | 6      | 7      | 8      | 9  | 10 |
| Time to failure              | All day  | 5+ hrs                    | 2-3 hrs                   | 1 hr   | 30-60min  | 15min  | 5-8min | 1-5min |    |    |
| Heartrate (approx)           | 50%      | 65%                       | 72%                       | 80%    | 85%       | 92%    | 100%   |        |    |    |
| Blood lactate (mmol/L)       | 0.7      | 1.0                       | 2.0                       | 2.5    | 3         | 4      | 5      | 15     | 20 |    |

## Strength Training

- Warmup sets are usually not necessary but don't hurt. Beginners probably benefit more.
- Unless you have a specific reason otherwise: 5-10 reps per set, 2-5 minutes rest.
- Initial strength gains for beginners mostly come from neuromuscular adaptations and motor unit synchonization, not from muscular hypertrophy.
- Most hypertrophy gains occur during the first sleep cycle immediately following a workout. Sufficient stimulus must be paired with adequate rest and nutrition - muscle protein synthesis is finicky and the process is easily interrupted. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep.
- For beginner / moderately trained individuals, 2-3 sets per workout at the correct intensity is sufficient stimulus. More volume is better for trained individuals, but not at the expense of intensity.
- Progressive overload is key. Beginners should aim to add 2.5lb per arm or leg each week if possible (or session, if you're a complete beginner). Never skip a weight increment since it just means you'll lose a "stairstep" of increased stimulus and hit a plateau sooner.
- Compound barbell exercises are great since they hit all the large muscle groups together. Pulleys are great because they keep constant tension throughout the exercise range of motion.

## Myths

Dispelling some popular myths that seem to be wrong or unsupported.

- The "interference effect" -- where doing cardio and strength training concurrently reduces gains -- is very likely overblown (or possibly nonexistent). Where this has been supposedly observed, overtraining or insufficient dietary intake are the likely causes.
- Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is sometimes correlated with - but not related to - gains. You can become sore without growing, and you can grow without soreness.
- Working out until you "feel the burn in your muscles" is a useless signal. What matters is correct intensity, volume, and form.
- There is no good evidence that stretching improves performance or reduces soreness. The impact on injuries is mixed.
- Timing and frequency of meals doesn't make any difference as long as you're 1) eating the correct macro composition + calories, and 2) you have enough energy to do your workouts.

## Sources

I made everything up