Zone 2 Training: Is it worth it?

You see it all the time on people’s IG stories or Strava profiles, and you might have even heard professional, or endurance athletes talk about Zone 2 training. But what is it, and is it really required?

What Is Zone 2?

It’s a heart rate zone (roughly 60-70% of your max) where you can hold a conversation while exercising. Think steady runs, cycling, or rowing at an easy pace. There are 5 heart rate zones, 1 being the slowest and easiest, 5 being the most intense and demanding. Given that it’s low intensity and low impact, you should be able to sustain this for a long time.

Why It Matters

It helps to build a larger aerobic base so that you can sustain effort for longer, with less fatigue. Aerobic training also enhances mitochondrial function by increasing their number and efficiency, which helps to improve overall energy production and metabolic health.

Effectively, having more mitochondria increases a cells and persons energy production capacity which in turn improves endurance.

How To Do It

• Aim for 1-2 Zone 2 sessions per week.

• Sessions can be 30-60 minutes, depending on your schedule.

• Use a heart rate monitor to stay in range or follow the “talk test.”

These sessions work well if you’re feeling particularly fatigued that day, or on rest days.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, Zone 2 isn’t flashy, it can be quite boring. But if you can spare the time (or if you’re feeling beat up from training but still want to go to the gym and do something), it can start to build a solid foundation of elite performance and long-term health.

Just think, the wider the base, the higher the peak.

By Moz Neumann