![]() ![]() Instead, let’s talk about what it should feel like. Unless you’ve actually gotten your heart rate up to a maximum effort level, and know what that number is, you don’t really know your max heart rate. Even though “zone 2” is defined in terms of heart rate, I don’t recommend that beginners calculate it from heart rate percentages at first. ![]() The best way to know if you’re in zone 2 is to pay attention to your effort, and how it feels. As long as you have the time for it, it’s like a cheat code for aerobic gains. ![]() Once you’re used to it, you can do zone 2 work on your “rest” days without defeating the purpose of a rest day. You can work up to doing an easy zone 2 session every day, in addition to your regular training, and feel fine. They’re great in small doses, but they kind of have to be in small doses.īy contrast, easy pace work is basically free. More time-efficient forms of cardio and conditioning like HIIT, hill sprints, or CrossFit WODs are great for your aerobic fitness, but those workouts have to be high intensity, and you’ll be pooped afterward. Importantly, zone 2 training is very low fatigue. ![]() It’s heart-healthy, and even people with medical conditions that limit their ability to exercise can often do low intensity cardio safely. (And no, cardio does not kill your gains.)Īnd for people who are just exercising for health, zone 2 cardio is the perfect “moderate” exercise we’re all supposed to get at least 150 minutes of per week. As long as you’re eating enough, adding cardio into your routine should make you able to do more work in the gym, not less. It increases our work capacity, letting us get more work done in total. Your heart and your lungs get more efficient at taking in oxygen and moving blood to your muscles, and your muscles become able to store more carbohydrates (in a form called glycogen) so that more of the carbs you eat are at the ready when you start a run or ride.įor runners, easy pace should make up most (some say 80%) of your weekly mileage, and the fitness you build doing easy running is what allows you to benefit from, and recover from, harder efforts like interval training.įor people whose main sport is more strength oriented (meatheads like myself), zone 2 cardio strengthens the same body systems that help us recover between sets, and even between reps. You get more mitochondria to power each muscle cell-you have thousands of mitochondria per cell-and you produce more of the enzymes that turn food into usable energy. When you do cardio at this kind of easy pace, your body adapts by growing more capillaries (tiny blood vessels) to get oxygen and nutrients to your muscles more efficiently. You don’t stop a zone 2 session when you get tired, you stop it because you set out for a 30 or 45 or 60 minute session, and your time is up. To be clear, it’s still work-it’s not the same as sitting around resting-but it should feel like you could keep going forever if you wanted to. You can do zone 2 cardio by running, cycling, swimming, rowing, brisk walking, rollerblading, or churning away on the elliptical. It means holding that 70% level the whole time you’re exercising. If you’re aiming for a heart rate of 70%, that doesn’t mean doing intervals at 90% and then resting at 50%. The hallmark of zone 2 training is that it’s relatively slow, and it’s done at a steady pace. How to Delete Your Twitter Account If Elon Musk Was Your Last Strawĥ0 of the Most Controversial Films Ever Made ![]()
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