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You’re Not Really Training in Zone 2 (You Just Think You Are)

Zone 2 training is the new high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Everyone today is hyping the benefits of long, slow workouts, which is quite a change from a decade ago when everyone was hyping the benefits of short, fast workouts. Except for me. My book 80/20 Running came out a decade ago. In it, as you may know, I hyped the benefits of long, slow workouts, not because it was trendy to do so but because it wasn’t. Having known since high school that time spent in Zone 2 is the key to unlocking endurance fitness (although we didn’t call it Zone 2 back then), I wrote 80/20 Running to save athletes from the “go hard or go home” mentality that predominated in 2014.

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Featured

 Is ‘Zone 2’ the Magic Effort Level for Exercise?

Enthusiasts claim that these long, slow workouts could be the key to longevity and better health. Here’s what the science actually says.

 What Is Zone 2 Cardio, and Does It Live Up to All the Hype?

Fitfluencers who once pushed HIIT as king are now embracing a gentler approach.

 Why Easy ‘Zone 2’ Workouts Became the Biggest Thing in Fitness

The jargon-y term might make this type of training sound extremely complicated, and its loudest proponents tend to be the type of guy who enjoys tracking (and Tweeting about) the time spent in this sometimes-elusive state, with the most advanced watches, chest straps, and tracker-embedded underwear. But it’s actually just exercising at a relatively low intensity for a long period of time. Experts who spoke to GQ broke down the mechanisms behind this type of training and why pretty much any guy stands to benefit from adding it to their fitness regimen.

 Why You Should Be Exercising Slower To Get Fitter Faster, According To The Experts

If you’re someone who uses cardio-based training, such as running, cycling, swimming or rowing as your main fitness activity, and you’re training for a race or just keen to improve your performance, then it’s likely you’ve wondered what the best way to get faster is. It’s something I spent years working on as a keen marathon and ultramarathon runner, and more recently, while helping others as a personal trainer and running coach. When I explain that the best way to get faster for a race or event is to take it slower while training, it still surprises 99 per cent of people I tell. But it’s a tried and tested method, not just by me, but many elite athletes, including Olympic swimmers and rowers, as well as marathon and Tour De France winners.

Articles of Interest

Zone 2

Zone 2 is the third of four pillars in my framework for exercise: aerobic exercise. Zone 2 is defined as the highest metabolic output/work that you can sustain while keeping your lactate level below two millimole per liter.

A Guide to the Biggest Thing Missing From Your Fitness Routine: Zone 2 Training

In Zone 2, your exercise intensity is at a level in which you are stimulating your cells’ mitochondrial function the most. You can meet your body’s demand for ATP using only fat and oxygen in your mitochondria. If you were to go a bit harder, your body would start using more carbs in your cells’ cytosol to create ATP through the process of glycolysis.

The heart rate secret: what it reveals about our health – from sleep and alcohol to fight or flight

There are more and more ways to monitor our heart rates, but what do the numbers really mean? Here is everything you need to know.

The Slow and Low Exercise Elite Athletes Swear By

Low-intensity Zone 2 workouts can benefit all exercisers without leaving them breathless.

What Is Zone 2 Cardio, and How Do I Actually Do It?

If you have the time for it, "LISS cardio" is a cheat code for fitness gains.

What Is Zone 2 Training, and How to Do It Right

Everyone from Peter Attia to the Global Cycling Network is talking about zone-based fitness training. It’s gaining popularity as a way to optimize your workouts and train like an endurance athlete, all while making sure you don’t work too hard. So we contacted a global expert to determine whether it’s worth the hype. What is Zone 2 training, and how can you do it effectively— no matter your fitness level? Dr. Stephen Seiler is a professor at Norway’s University of Agder, and for decades he’s been researching the concept of the “polarized training” that separates training styles by lactate range and heart rate.

Workouts don’t have to be so hard. Here’s how low-intensity training transforms your body.

Low-intensity Zone 2 workouts may sound simple, but they can improve metabolic health, help regulate blood sugar, and enhance endurance in the long term.

Zone 2 Cardio: The Cardio And Health Benefits And How To Do It During Your Workouts

The training technique may feel easy, but it comes with huge payoffs.

Zone 2 Training: Benefits, Science, and How-To Guide

Zone 2 training is promoted as your go-to training intensity, whether you’re a professional athlete or simply looking for exercise health benefits. Zone 2 training gained popularity when the coach of Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar revealed that his athlete spends 80% of the training days in zone 2.

Zone 2 – A Comprehensive Look

When I wrote Training for the New Alpinism and Training for the Uphill Athlete, the fitness industry and popular media weren’t talking much about Zone 2 training. The spotlight was firmly focused on high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Now, attention has shifted to Zone 2 training, or aerobic base training, as I prefer to call it, for reasons I will discuss later. However, misrepresentations, inaccuracies, and oversimplifications are running rampant. Each type of training has an intended effect and a specific way to apply it to the individual athlete. Understanding these nuances will produce more effective training and, ultimately, better performance. In this article, we’ll take a comprehensive look at Zone 2 training.

Resources

Zone Two

Founded by Gabe Estrada and a team of health enthusiasts, Zone Two emerged from a shared passion for active living and a commitment to both performance and longevity. After injuries reshaped his athletic journey, Gabe discovered the power of Zone 2 training—a method that emphasizes “slower to go faster,” enabling sustainable fitness while enhancing overall well-being. Inspired by this approach, he created Zone Two to help others achieve their best, both now and in the long run.