365 ‒ Training for longevity: A roundtable on building strength, preventing injury, protein, & more

In this special episode of The Drive, Peter hosts a strength & conditioning roundtable with three experts in the field—Gabrielle Lyon, Jeff Cavaliere, & Mike Boyle. Together they explore why maintaining muscle mass, strength, & power is essential for healthspan & longevity, & examine how resistance training supports metabolic resilience & injury prevention across the lifespan. The conversation covers practical strategies for getting started & staying consistent, the importance of a protein-centered diet tailored to age & activity level, & approaches to resistance training for peri- and post-menopausal women—including tendon care & optimal programming. They debate single-leg training versus heavy bilateral lifts, share knee-friendly lower-body options, & highlight exercises that belong in the “graveyard” due to poor risk-reward ratios. Finally, the group discusses youth sports specialization, emphasizing the long-term value of variety for developing lifelong athletes. View show notes here: https://bit.ly/4mvIHUN Become a member to receive exclusive content: https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/ Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/ 0:00:00 - Intro 0:01:17 - Personal career journeys & philosophies of each guest 0:06:58 - Why so few people engage in resistance training despite its benefits 0:18:06 - Mike’s method for training beginners 0:26:16 - How resistance training enhances metabolic health & body composition even in athletes 0:29:45 - The dominant role of nutrition in shaping physique & achieving low body fat & the synergistic effect of resistance training 0:40:25 - Why Jeff advocates for five meals a day, & why meal timing matters less than overall protein intake & caloric consistency 0:47:33 - Optimizing protein for every stage of life 0:56:05 - The advantages of unilateral lower-body training over heavy bilateral lifts 1:06:59 - Rethinking heavy squats & deadlifts: risk-reward, aging bodies, & the case for reverse lunges & other single-leg alternatives 1:17:56 - Adapting with age: Gabrielle on injuries, hip dysplasia, & the shift to smarter training 1:27:28 - Exercises that belong in the “iron graveyard” 1:34:03 - The downside of early sports specialization in children 1:43:42 - Advice for preventing an Achilles injury 1:52:45 - Shoulder pain: how to keep training the upper body when shoulder pain limits pressing movements 1:55:35 - Effective strength training strategies for women before, during, & after the menopausal transition 2:03:41 - Best practices for strength training & athletic development in children, & the pitfalls of early sports specialization 2:14:32 - How to foster healthy habits & an interest in fitness beyond playing sports 2:19:12 - Something each guest has changed their mind about in the last five years -------- About: The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, & all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 90 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, & much more. Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan & simultaneously improving their healthspan. Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com Connect with Peter on: Facebook: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDTW Instagram: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDIG Subscribe to The Drive: Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveApplePodcasts Overcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveOvercast Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheDriveSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheDriveGoogle Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor-patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and the materials linked to this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content on this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they have, and they should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions. I take conflicts of interest very seriously. For all of my disclosures and the companies I invest in or advise, please visit my website where I keep an up-to-date and active list of such companies. For a full list of our registered and unregistered trademarks, trade names, and service marks, please review our Terms of Use: https://peterattiamd.com/terms-of-use/