The Minimum Effective Dose: Lifting, Walking, HIIT, & Zone 2
"The idea of the minimum effective dose is to find the lowest dose that is still effective, to minimize risk and maximize efficiency."
—Arthur Jones
Whether you’re a powerlifter, marathoner, or couch potato, the odds are that there is some area of your fitness that is being neglected. For it, it changes with the season. In the winter I put my chips in lifting and HIIT and neglect Zone 2. In the summer it tends to be the opposite. While fluctuations are nice for periods, it’s important to at least hit the bare minimum of exercise in the areas you’re not focusing on.
I’ve done deep dives into each one of these four main areas of fitness based on the available research. Today, I’ll provide an outline for the least amount of work your body needs to feel in order for you to reap the rewards for HIIT, lifting, Zone 2 training, and walking.
What Is The Minimum Effective Dose?
The Minimum Effective Dose (MED) is a critical concept in various areas such as caloric intake, cardiovascular health, productivity, meditation, sleep, supplements, medications, sun exposure,, and more.
The Minimum Effective Dose is the smallest amount of treatment, stimulus, or effort needed to produce a desired result.
In the context of medicine, it helps avoid unnecessary side effects and expenses by using the minimum effective medication. In productivity, it's about finding the least amount of effort required to accomplish a task efficiently. However, it's most prominently recognized in the realm of exercise and fitness.
The Minimum Effective Dose Of Exercise
The Minimum Effective Dose (MED) of exercise is a concept that's at the core of efficient and sustainable fitness routines. It revolves around finding the least amount of time and effort that can be put into exercise to achieve the health benefits. It’s for those who are time-strapped or simply want to make sure that they are doing what they should for an efficient hormetic benefit to the body. On the spectrum of doing something too little to too much, the minimum effective dose is at the very beginning of that window.
It’s worth noting that the minimum effective dose workout is not the minimum amount of effort. In fact, the MED often means more effort. It’s also important to realize that the MED is not the optimal dose of exercise and does not provide the maximal exercise benefit. More is better and if you have the ability to do more then do more.
If there had to be a line drawn between healthy and unhealthy for fitness, the minimum effective dose is where that line transitions.
Less than the minimum is in the sedentary lifestyle realm and more than the minimum is what your body is craving on a weekly basis to operate in a more healthy and functional way.
Which Types Of Exercise Should You Do?
There are three main energy pathways that your body runs on, each serving a specific purpose.
Phosphagen System: This energy system kicks in during short bursts of intense activity, lasting around 10 seconds or less. It's what fuels those explosive movements, like short sprints, HIIT, or lifting heavy weights.
Glycolytic System: For activities that last between 10 seconds to about 2 minutes, the glycolytic system comes into play. Think of this as the system for moderate to high-intensity exercises like types of weightlifting or sprinting.
Oxidative System (Aerobic System): When it comes to exercises lasting longer than 2 minutes, such as steady-state running, cycling, walking, or rucking the oxidative system takes center stage. It's primarily responsible for endurance.
It’s important to tap into each of these areas of fitness. If you don’t then the parts of the body that govern that specific energy system waste away through atrophy. The “use it or lose it” adage stands tall here. While you need to do each of these exercises routinely for a balanced fitness approach, the best exercise you should do is often the one you’re not doing.
Now we move to the question of how much and how intensely you actually need to do each exercise. I’ve written more in-depth and science-based articles for each of these exercises so today we’ll explore them briefly. Think of this as your cheat sheet for an entry to the most efficient way to achieve holistic fitness.
The Minimum Effective Dose For Each Kind Of Exercise
Lifting
Why It’s Important: Strength training, often known as lifting, has a myriad of health benefits. It prevents conditions like osteoporosis, low back pain, and sarcopenia while improving factors such as insulin resistance, blood pressure, and glucose metabolism, reducing the risk of metabolic diseases like heart disease. Additionally, it enhances brain health, boosting memory, sleep quality, and mental well-being. Regardless of age, gender, or fitness level, incorporating strength training into your routine can significantly improve your overall health and physical appearance.
The Minimum Effective Dose: The Minimum Effective Dose of lifting is 40 minutes a week spread out over 2-3 sessions.
How To Do It: This does not mean doing 3 sets of 10 reps of bicep curls with your 5-pound dumbbells. These reps must be compound movements (bilateral, multi-joint movements like rows and squats) with heavy weights.
Pick one exercise from each category below (push, pull, legs) per day of lifting.
Warm up then do 2 sets of 6 reps of each exercise.
Use 70-85% of your 1RM. Do the last set of each exercise to failure (with good form).
Rest 1 minute between sets.
Do this 2 times a week.
Take at least 2 days off between these exercise days.
Total time: 20 minutes (including rest breaks and a 3-minute warm-up).
Push: Chest Press, Overhead Press, Incline Chest Press
Pull: Pullup, Bent Over Row, High Pull
Legs: Deadlift, Squat, Lunge
Workout Idea: One minute rest between sets with 60-85% of your 1RM (very heavy) with the last set to failure or drop sets.
Workout 1: Warm up then 2 sets of 6 of chest press, bent over rows, and lunges
Workout 2: Warm up then 2 sets of 6 of overhead press, pullups, and squats
Workout 3: Warm up then 2 sets of 6 of incline chest press, high pulls, and deadlifts
Gear: Lifting weights means having things that are heavy enough to challenge you. A kettlebell, pull bar, and resistance bands go a long way. You can get as advanced as you want with dumbbells, benches, and trap bars (this kind is great), but start simple and work your way up.
A great place to get your gear is REP Fitness which has reliable gear and decent prices.
Go deeper; The Minimum Effective Dose Of Strength Training
H.I.I.T.
Why It’s Important: HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is a form of exercise that involves alternating short bursts of intense physical activity with periods of active recovery or rest. The key characteristic of HIIT is the intensity of the exercise, which pushes you to work at or near your maximum effort during high-intensity intervals. HIIT improves VO2 max, glycemic control, strength, and endurance, and it has been shown to activate molecular pathways involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and antioxidant defense systems.
The Minimum Effective Dose: Given that HIIT is so versatile, the minimum effective dose can be applied in a few different ways as long as you hit the core concepts of HIIT (see below).
If you want to have the shortest possible workout….
Do 8x20 seconds of high intensity with 10 seconds of rest twice a week (Tabata)
If you want to do less frequent workouts….
Do 5x4 minutes of high-intensity work with 4 minutes of rest between sets every other week
If you want the least amount of high-intensity effort….
Do 30x4 seconds of high intensity with 15-30 seconds of rest between sets 3 times a week
The scientific literature on the minimum effective dose doesn’t provide us with the clearest picture but based on what is available, it seems that doing a truly high-intensity workout every other week lets you hit that minimum effect of the health and fitness benefits.
How To Do It: There are many different ways to get an effective HIIT workout if these three components are checked off:
Intensity: Performing exercises at a high-intensity level, pushing your limits during the work intervals. This intensity should be challenging and elevate your heart rate significantly.
Duration: HIIT workouts are typically shorter in duration compared to traditional steady-state cardio exercises. The total duration of a HIIT session can range from as little as 4 minutes to around 30 minutes, depending on fitness level and workout design. If you can do more than 25-30 minutes then you’re not pushing yourself hard enough.
Interval Ratios: HIIT workouts are structured using specific work-to-rest ratios with an emphasis on true rest when you’re not pushing it. Common ratios include 1:1 (equal work and rest intervals), 2:1 (twice as long rest intervals as work intervals), or even higher ratios. The choice of interval ratio depends on factors such as fitness level, goals, and workout intensity.
Workout Idea: You can do these with running, cycling, or circuit training with equipment (below). Just push hard with what you decide to use, rest as hard, and don’t overthink it.
Workout 1: Do 8x20 seconds of high intensity with 10 seconds
Workout 2: Do 5x4 minutes of high-intensity work with 4 minutes of rest between sets
Workout 3: Do 30x4 seconds of high intensity with 15-30 seconds of rest between sets
Workout 4: Do 20-30x(30 seconds high intensity/20 seconds low intensity).
Workout 5: Do 8x(2 minutes high intensity/2 minutes low intensity).
Gear: Just as the workouts can vary, so follow the gear. Here are some of my favorite gear for HIIT sessions. Choose your favorites, get creative, then rinse, wash, and repeat.
REP Fitness is a good place to look for reliable gear with decent prices.
Go deeper: What Is The Minimum Effective Dose Of HIIT?
Zone 2
Why It’s Important: Zone 2 training, also known as “steady-state” or “base” training, is a type of aerobic exercise that is performed at a moderate intensity. Exercise scientists generally divide up the intensity zones from 1 (think walking which you can do for long periods) to 6 (high-intensity sprints which you can only do for very short periods). Zone 2 primarily relies on the aerobic energy system by oxygen to create ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the molecule that provides energy to our muscles. This Zone 2 training improves mitochondrial efficiency, endurance, and fat metabolism.
The Minimum Effective Dose: The minimum effective dose of Zone 2 training is 3 hours a week, ideally performed at 45-60 minutes at a time.
How To Do It: Choose any endurance-based activity where you can maintain a generally consistent heart rate. This could be running, rucking, rowing, cycling, or ellipticalling. The talk test, the MAF method, determining 60-75% of your max heart rate, and measuring your lactate are all methods to know if you’re in Zone 2 (see here for details).
My favorite is the MAF method which establishes the ceiling of Zone 2 at 180 minus your age (some modifications based on experience—see the full breakdown here). This number represents the maximum heart rate at which you should be training to develop your aerobic system. During zone 2 training using the MAF method, you should aim to keep your heart rate within 10 beats below your maximum aerobic heart rate.
For example, if you are 40 years old, your maximum aerobic heart rate would be 180 - 40 = 140 beats per minute. To train in zone 2 using the MAF method, you would aim to keep your heart rate between 130-140 beats per minute.
Gear:
Heart rate monitor. Most smartwatches have a decent ability to track your heart rate. If yours is terrible, however, consider a heart rate monitor chest strap which are highly accurate.
Rucking. Rucking is basically just putting weight in a pack (called a rucksack) to increase the demand. This is by no means a requirement to get your minimum effective dose of walking in but it’s great for many reasons. I use the GORUCK rucksacks which are more comfortable than they look and have a lifetime guarantee (here’s a review of my favorite).
Cycling. Road bikes and mountain bikes are great but, unless you’re living in Kansas, you’ll be hitting some uneven terrain. Monitor your heart rate through this (set an audible threshold on your smartwatch so you don’t have to keep looking at your watch) or use a stationary bike.
Desk bike. Don’t have time to get that heart rate up because you’re stuck behind a desk? Try the FlexiSpot Desk Bike. I use this many a night when the kids are in bed and I’m writing an article. I love it. It’s smooth, durable, and can fold away easily.
Go deeper: The Minimum Effective Dose Of Zone 2 Training
Walking
Why It’s Important: Walking is as human to us as breathing. Even when we were in the womb we were using reflexes that would prepare us for that step-through gait. Walking has been shown to improve blood pressure, mood, joint pain, heart health, and it helps you live longer. Once we stop walking, walk less, or even walk slower then our health tends to decline quickly.
The Minimum Effective Dose: For walking, 8,000 steps per day is the minimum effective dose if you’re under the age of 60. If you’re over the age of 60 then the minimum effective dose is 6,000 steps per day,
How To Do It: One foot in front of the other. I’m only half kidding as the average American gets less than 4,000 steps per day. Spread your steps throughout the day. Research has shown that even if you get adequate exercise one day but fail to move enough throughout the rest of the day then you’re not as healthy. Also, walk faster. Walking at a pace that is at least moderate in intensity, or 100 steps/minute, is correlated to greater health benefits.
Gear: Much of the beauty in walking is in its simplicity.
Shoes. The most important concern, when it comes to gear for walking, is the footwear, and better often means less. I’m an avid proponent of minimalist shoes for a host of reasons including less joint stress, less injury, and improved balance. My favorite brand is Xero Shoes which are comfortable, durable, and come in a lot of styles.
Rucksack. Throwing some weight on your back is a supplement and not a necessity but it will give you more bang for your buck with each step. As mentioned above, I use the GORUCK rucksacks which are more comfortable than they look and have a lifetime guarantee (here’s a review of my favorite).
Go deeper: The Minimum Effective Dose Of Walking: Do You Really Need 10,000 Steps?
What is your favorite way to hit the minimum effective dose of your least favorite type of exercise? Leave it in the comments below.
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