Your 2026 Body Blueprint — Part 4: The Cardio You Actually Need After 40 (VO₂max, Zone 2, and Longevity)
Legendary Life | Transform Your Body, Upgrade Your Health & Live Your Best Life
Ted Ryce
4.8 • 848 Ratings
🗓️ 5 January 2026
⏱️ 32 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
You don't need to become a marathon runner or chase elite VO₂ max numbers to live longer—but ignoring your cardiovascular fitness after 40 comes with serious consequences.
In Part 1 of this New Year Series, Ted explained what actually happens to your body as you age. In Part 2, he broke down why weight loss alone doesn't equal health. And in Part 3, he showed why strength and muscle are non-negotiable for longevity.
In this episode, Ted turns to the missing piece most people overlook: cardiorespiratory fitness.
He cuts through the confusion around VO₂ max, cardio zones, and endurance training to explain what really matters for your heart, arteries, and long-term resilience. He breaks down how your cardiovascular system actually ages, why high-intensity workouts alone can backfire, and how to build an aerobic base that supports recovery, performance, and longevity—without turning your life upside down.
If you're over 40, lift weights, and consider yourself "active" but haven't intentionally trained your cardiovascular system, this episode will show you why that's a mistake—and exactly how to fix it in a sustainable way.
You'll learn:
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Why lifting weights alone isn't enough to protect your heart after 40
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Why VO₂ max is one of the strongest predictors of longevity and early death
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The biggest cardio mistakes men over 40 make that accelerate aging
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Why high-intensity workouts alone can backfire if you skip aerobic training
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How to build heart health in a time-efficient, sustainable way in 2026
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And much more...
What Ted discusses in this episode:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:30) Understanding VO2 Max and Its Importance
(04:35) How Cardiovascular System Ages
(07:08) Ted's Journey into Cardiovascular Training
(10:07) The Importance of Aerobic Base and Zone Training
(21:11) High-Intensity Interval Training Explained
(24:37) Reversing Heart Aging: Key Study Insights
(26:00) Testing Your Aerobic Performance
(28:58) Strength and Cardio: A Balanced Approach
(29:45) Conclusion and Next Episode Preview
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Cardiorespiratory fitness needs to be tested because it's such an important |
| 0:11.0 | biomarker and mark my words. |
| 0:13.6 | Cardio-respiatory fitness is something the doctor of the future will test because it's |
| 0:20.0 | so important in terms of how much inflammation you have, |
| 0:24.8 | your resistance to getting sick and so much more. So if you have low reserve or low cardiorespiratory |
| 0:32.4 | fitness, you're fragile. Even if you lift weights and if you have high reserve, you're more durable. |
| 0:39.3 | Hey guys, it's Ted here. |
| 0:40.9 | Let me ask you something. |
| 0:42.1 | You've got the money, the success, the career. |
| 0:45.0 | But when you look in the mirror, do you see a tired, out-of-shaped guy staring back at you? |
| 0:49.5 | And you're tired of the weak body, the way your clothes fit, and your lack of confidence about the way you look. |
| 0:55.0 | This can end now. In my program, Lean After 40, I've created a four-phase system that helps |
| 1:02.1 | high-achieving men lose 20 pounds in just 10 weeks while building muscle, while getting you to feel |
| 1:08.7 | 10 years younger. And here's the kicker. It's only going to take you |
| 1:12.1 | two hours a week in the gym. This plan is fully customized to your situation. And if you don't know me, |
| 1:17.5 | well, I've worked with guys like Robert Downey Jr., Ricky Martin, Sir Richard Branson, plus |
| 1:22.4 | thousands of CEOs and business leaders worldwide. But here's the deal. You need to earn at least 100k annually |
| 1:29.1 | because my program, it's a premium program. I work with entrepreneurs, executives, and high-performing |
| 1:36.4 | professionals. So if that's you and you want to shortcut the process to getting yourself in the |
| 1:41.8 | best shape ever, book a body audit call now at |
| 1:45.3 | legendary life podcast.com slash apply. And look, there's no pressure on the call. At this point in |
| 1:50.6 | my career, I'm only looking for ideal clients. It's got to be a win for both of us. |
... |
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