Why this exercise trend might be the sweet spot for weight loss and cardiac health.
You may have heard online trendsetters talking about “Zone 2 training” and wondered what it is and if you should try it. Influencers are touting it as a way to increase your endurance and reduce the likelihood of injury while helping you lose weight and improving your heart health. Does the trend live up to the hype? Let’s take a closer look.
What is Zone 2 training?
“Zone 2 training” may sound like a new buzzword, but the concept has been around a long time. It essentially is a way of defining moderate aerobic exercise using heart rate zones.
There are five heart rate zones, with Zone 1 representing a light effort (aka, a slow walk) and Zone 5 representing your maximum heart rate when exercising at peak intensity (say, sprinting). Zone 2 is sometimes called the fat-burning zone, and experts say it is the sweet spot for big benefits for your heart health and overall fitness.
Many types of activities fall into this training, including:
- Walks that are fast enough to get your heart rate up but allow you to carry on a conversation
- Bike rides in which you break a sweat but don’t start to feel tired until the end
- Moderately paced sessions on an elliptical or cardio machine of your choice
- Steady lap swimming
Suitable for almost everyone
There are clear upsides to Zone 2 training. First, it spares your body from the wear and tear on your joints that comes from intense exercise. It also builds the base-level fitness needed to improve your body’s capacity to perform more high-intensity exercise. This “less is more” approach may sound counterintuitive, but even athletes training for marathons and other long-distance disciplines have popularized the 80/20 rule: Spending 80% of their training time in these moderate-intensity, longer-duration workouts and 20% of their time on high-intensity activities.
Some fitness coaches use a pyramid to explain the idea. Your fitness routine needs a strong base to support the more intense types of exercise you might aspire to at the peak. Zone 2 workouts help you improve your baseline endurance, and the next time you try more intense exercise, you may be surprised to find that it feels easier and you perform better.
How do I find my Zone 2?
Heart rate zones differ depending on your age, fitness level and other factors. One popular formula says to start with the number 220 and subtract your age. That’s your max heart rate at the top of Zone 5. Next, calculate 60–70% of your max heart rate. That’s Zone 2. This article from the American Heart Association offers a handy reference chart for targeting moderate exercise.
If you are into gadgets, many fitness watches calculate individual heart rate zones for you. Some brands sell chest straps with sensors that offer more accurate readings than those on your wrist. And if you really want personalized numbers, you can work with a fitness trainer or coach who can test your heart rate during specific conditions to calculate your heart rate zones.
Plus, there is always the low-tech, low-cost option of monitoring how you feel. During these exercises, you should be able to carry on a conversation without becoming out of breath.
Is this training right for me?
If you’re new to exercise, start by introducing Zone 2 workouts, but skip anything more strenuous at first. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends adults get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week, which breaks down to 30 to 60 minutes a day, five days a week. (This is in addition to strength training twice a week, so don’t completely ditch your dumbbells.)
After several weeks of workouts, you can try adding in one or two workouts a week that are more vigorous, aiming for activities that test your limits and get you above that 80% max heart rate threshold (Zones 4 and 5).
While you should consult your doctor before starting a fitness regimen, the good news is that these routines are some of the most accessible types of exercise. They generally include: walking, jogging, using cardio machines, swimming, cycling, aerobic group exercise and the like. Choose activities you enjoy that will keep you coming back for more.
If you’re more experienced at exercise, play around with introducing these workouts into your routine with a focus on longer (but still moderate) activities. At first, you may need to fight the urge to speed up. Remind yourself that you are building your baseline endurance and setting yourself up for long-term success. Give it a few weeks before deciding whether or not these workouts are right for you.
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