Build Your Base with Zara Piergianni This Off-Season!

The off-season is a great opportunity to build your aerobic base. Aerobic training is the cornerstone of great endurance performance – something we all need in HYROX!

A Little Bit of the Science

Aerobic training is easy, repeatable efforts where we primarily use fat as fuel and make key adaptations to improve endurance. This can include running, biking, rowing, or mixed-modal training.

The aerobic part refers to the goal of driving your aerobic threshold (LT1) higher over time. To make those adaptations, you need to remain within your LT1 (or Zone 2 heart rate range) during training — which often means leaving your ego at the door!

Heart rate zones will differ from person to person depending on gender, age, fitness level, and other factors. While it’s often seen as the “un-sexy” training on Instagram, this is what helps you become more comfortable and recover faster when switching to high-intensity work.

Off-Season Aerobic Workout

This workout also gives you a great opportunity to focus on stroke rate, pacing, technique, and breathing.

Workout:

1. 1000m Row – 250m Ski – 1000m C2 Bike
2. 750m Row – 500m Ski – 1000m C2 Bike
3. 500m Row – 750m Ski – 1000m C2 Bike
4. 250m Row – 1000m Ski – 1000m C2 Bike

Final Tip

Keep your heart rate within Zone 2 or your LT1 threshold — or simply move at a pace where you could still hold a conversation.

Enjoy!