The Amazing Healthspan Benefits of Zone 2 Training
"Hey Paul, ya' got a minute? In one of your emails you mentioned that you've really increased your 'Zone 2 training'. I'm curious. What is Zone 2 and should I be doing more of it too?"
Since that post, several questions have bubbled up. So, I thought I'd dive in deeper to explain what it is and expand upon the many healthspan benefits we derive from Zone 2 training.
Before I do, I want to acknowledge we have not built ANY Zone 2 training into the programming our local "Mainstream" members follow. This is an omission that I'd like to resolve and have been searching for an effective way to build it into our MidStrong Functional Training Method. More to follow.
Let's start with what it is. When we speak of"zone training", we are referring to the physiological changes our bodies undergo as they adapt to increasing degrees of exercise intensity.
This is a particularly "sciency" topic that delves deep into physiology, cellular anatomy, and biochemistry. I'll do my best to keep it simple, but I'll barely scratch the surface. To create a forum where we can explore this in more detail, Jules and I are hosting an evening webinar on Thursday, December 1st where we can dig in deeper and field your questions about this important topic.
Zone training is often confused with the better known Heart Rate Training. The two correlate somewhat closely, but are distinct.
OK, let's dive in...
There are 5 or 6 total zones, depending on the expert you follow, but the differences aren't meaningful to our discussion (we're going to stick with the 5-zone model).
Zone 1 is the easiest, lowest level of exertion and intensity. Think of Zone 1 as a leisurely walk on a flat path or gardening. Zone 1 is enjoyable.
Zone 5 is the max effort we can sustain for a very brief time. Think of riding a bike up a steep hill, needing to stand in the pedals and grind in the lowest gear just to keep from stalling out, and then maintaining that level of intensity while the burn in your legs becomes almost unbearable and your heart feels like it's about to pound out of your chest. Zone 5 is very uncomfortable.
Zone 2 is the level of intensity at which we begin breathing a bit more heavily but feel we can sustain that effort for a long period of time and still maintain a conversation. You'll know that you're exercising but the intensity is quite bearable and, once we become conditioned to it, quite enjoyable.
Technically speaking, Zone 2 is the level of exertion at which we are still utilizing fatty acids as fuel and relying on slow-twitch muscle fibers. We move up into Zone 3 when we begin burning glucose (blood sugar) and recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers. It is in Zone 3 that we produce lactate, a byproduct of the utilization of glucose as fuel.
As it equates to HR zone training, for most us, Zone 2 will be somewhere around 65-75% of our max HR. But HR zone training involves a wide swing in variability based on each individual and their present degree of conditioning, stress, sleep, illness, etc. It is hard and very uncomfortable to capture a truly accurate max HR.
The longevity and healthspan benefits of Zone 2 training are profound. Because this post is already getting lengthy and borderline too sciency, we'll dive much deeper into those in upcoming posts.
Until then, as your Healthspan Coach, I vigorously encourage you to make time in your week to add an hour or more of Zone 2 training. Don't overcomplicate things. Break it into three 20-min sessions. Get outside if the weather permits. Find a hilly place to do a brisk walk or ride your bike or jump in the pool for a swim. Keep it simple. Make it fun. Just do it.
And we'd love for you to join us for the first of a monthly webinar series that we are launching called Healthspan Secrets Unveiled where we will dive much deeper into Zone 2 training and be available for you to ask questions. Here's a link to the Facebook event so you can register. Please invite your friends and relatives. This is FREE and open to the public!
I'll be back in a couple days with a LONG list of the awesome benefits that Zone 2 training delivers.
Work it. Live it. Keep it.
MidStrong is for life.