Boosting Your Heart Health With Zone 2 Training

How to Reap the Zone 2 Training Benefits

When it comes to working out, you may have heard the term ‘zone 2 training’ being thrown around. But what exactly is it, and why is it so important for your heart health?

With the help of Dr. Adrienne Lufkin, Physical Therapist at Reload, we explain all you need to know about zone 2 training, including zone 2 cardio benefits and how to do zone 2 training effectively.

What is zone 2 training and why is it important?

Zone 2 training refers to a heart rate intensity level between 60-70% of your maximum heart rate, based on a zonal scale from zone 1 (50% to 60% of maximum heart rate) to zone 5 (90% to 100% of maximum heart rate).

In other words, it’s a moderate-intensity exercise that you should be able to participate in a conversation without pausing. During this intensity, you stimulate your cells’ mitochondrial function. This produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an organic compound that provides energy to your body, enabling processes such as nerve impulses and muscle contraction. Without sufficient ATP, your body’s ability to function is severely impaired.

Zone 2 training benefits

“Incorporating more of zone 2 training into a 150-minute per week exercise target is one of the types of cardio that will have a really valuable impact on your heart health; and also, from a performance standpoint, your aerobic fitness and your ability to recover from higher intensity workouts,” says Adrienne.

Here are four of the major benefits of zone 2 training:

Mitochondria efficiency boost

As we mentioned above, training in zone 2 stimulates your mitochondria to create more ATP – because zone 2 training enables you to exercise for extended periods.

Additionally, as the body adapts to spending more time in zone 2, it will get better at burning fat for energy, leading to improved overall energy levels and a better-functioning metabolic system.

Improved performance and endurance

In addition to the benefits of increased ATP production, zone 2 training also leads to improved performance and endurance. When the body becomes more efficient at burning fat for fuel, it has a steady source of energy that lasts for longer periods of time. This allows you to exercise at a faster pace for longer, leading to improved athletic performance and endurance. It’s about optimizing your body’s energy production and pushing your limits even further. 

Increased work capacity and faster recovery

Extending beyond improved performance and endurance, zone 2 training has been shown to increase work capacity and lead to faster recovery. 

By spending more time in zone 2, you can recover more quickly between sets and between workouts, allowing you to perform at a higher level for longer. 

Additionally, zone 2 training can serve as an ‘active recovery’ workout, providing the body with a gentle, yet effective form of exercise that promotes healing and reduces the risk of injury.

Better cardiovascular health

Zone 2 training also has a positive impact on cardiovascular health, because regular stimulation of the mitochondria through zone 2 exercise leads to a stronger and more efficient heart. Your heart will require fewer pumps to circulate blood, reducing the strain on the cardiovascular system. 

Zone 2 training also allows the vascular system to expand, providing oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. The result? Reduced risk of heart disease and a more robust circulatory system. 

How to do zone 2 training successfully

Being in zone 2 training is about how you are training, and the intensity at which you are training. To do it successfully, you must get in the zone of a heart rate of 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate.

To determine if you’re in zone 2, there are three commonly used methods:

1. The heart rate method

To use this method, you need to know your maximum heart rate (MHR) and use it to calculate your target heart rate range for zone 2. Your MHR can be estimated as 220 minus your age. You’ll need a heart rate monitor.

2. The Maffetone formula 

A more sophisticated approach, the Maffetone formula considers your fitness level and recent training history. It involves subtracting your age from 180 and then adding or subtracting adjustments based on factors such as your current fitness level, training history, and health status. The result is your target heart rate for zone 2 training – which you can then measure using a heart rate monitor.

3. Lactate measurement

Lactate measurement involves collecting a small sample of blood during exercise to measure the amount of lactate in your bloodstream. If your lactate level is below a certain threshold, it means that you’re in zone 2. This method is more accurate than the heart rate method, but it is also more invasive and requires specialized equipment.

Specialist equipment. Heart rate monitors. Complex calculations. If only there was an easier way to maintain zone 2 training…

The talk test

“I think the talk test is the simplest and most accessible way to monitor yourself in zone 2 training,” says Adrienne. “You want to be huffing and puffing, but you also want to be able to have a conversation.

“The way I typically describe this is that, let’s say you are going to do your cardio exercise. That might be a walk, a jog, or a bike ride… whatever. Somebody calls you. If you answer that call, it should be apparent to them that you are exercising… by hearing your breaths and based on you having to take breaths mid-sentence. “However, you should be able to fully participate in the conversation.

“If someone can’t tell that you are exercising, it’s not intense enough. If you can’t participate in the conversation, then the intensity is too high.”

This is a test that Adrienne uses herself. While on a long run preparing for a half-marathon, she phoned her mom. It was important to check up on her mom, but staying on the phone for the first couple of miles allowed Adrienne to check on her training zone.

Zone 2 training is not black and white

Zone 2 training is a critical aspect of fitness and heart health, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. 

While there are guidelines and methods to monitor this type of training, they are just that ─ guidelines. 

To truly reap the benefits of zone 2 training and ensure you’re engaging in it correctly, it’s important to seek the help of a professional. A physical therapist or personal trainer who has helped athletes to understand this concept and built personalized plans for clients to help boost their heart health with zone 2 training.

The bottom line is that if you’re serious about optimizing your heart health and maximizing the benefits of zone 2 training, make sure you get professionally assessed.

Our Physical Therapy Evaluation begins with understanding what your story is, who you are, and where you want to go in the future. We’ll look at your physical capabilities now, and learn what is holding you back from achieving your fitness goals. Then we’ll make a plan with you to get you to where you want to be.

To benefit from better general and heart health, take the first step now – book a Physical Therapy Evaluation with Reload today.