Zone 2 Heart Rate
When you are training for an athletic event, it’s always about pushing further, faster.
The Zone 2 Heart Rate, is all about gaining more capacity, by dialing it back, and doing less for longer.
It seems counterintuitive from the surface level. Here you are, training for an endurance event, and you should… slow it down?
When working out, your heart goes through different zones. You start in resting, then it goes up from zone 1 to 5.
Zone 2 typically falls within the 60 - 70% of your maximum heart rate. For most people, this feels like a comfortable, conversational pace. The research states that most of your workouts (to the tune of 60-75%) should stay at this comfortable, conversational heart rate.
Wait what? I shouldn’t be going all out every day?
Nope. If you work out 5 days a week, then 4 of those 5 days, you should be actually enjoying it, having a conversation, a real smile on your face. With only one being where you push it further.
There are several key benefits for doing this:
You grow your aerobic base (creating a more efficient heart, lungs and muscles)
Improve your ability to burn fat (don’t we all just love that?)
Increases your muscular endurance (you can do more before you start getting tired)
Promotes your ability to recover faster (you aren’t so miserable the next day)
Reduces injury risk (and all of us over 40 say amen!)
So Coach Casey, why are you talking to us about heart rates?
You can apply this same concept of zone 2 training to your life.
Slow down to speed up - focusing on maintaining a consistent, comfortable pace of forward momentum in your life, will get you farther, faster.
Consistency is key - adding daily and weekly comfortable routines builds consistency and results over time.
Make it enjoyable - you should not have to grit your teeth and endure your life. How about instead, let’s make 60-75% of your activities things you enjoy?
Monitor and adjust - to train in Zone 2, you have to be aware of where your heart is at all times. You need to do this with life too and this is where coaching can help!
Zone 2 training is an invaluable tool for endurance athletes and life. By focusing on sustainable effort, you’ll build a strong foundation, look good while you are doing it, and actually enjoy this wild ride called life.
So before you start the next adventure, be it athletic or not, remember, slowing down is the fastest way to get ahead.
For all the science, learn more in this article from the experts: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/zone-2-training-for-endurance-athletes/