Cardio workouts that feel less hard, but bring greater gains?
Whowouldntwant to make that swap?
Am I just in terrible shape?!
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Like so many things in the fitness world, the zone 2 cardio movement isnt exactly black and white.
Heres what to know about these low-key sessionsand how you’re able to make them work for you.
What the hell is zone 2 training, anyway?
So if youre 35, a general max heart rate would be around 185 beats per minute.
If youre part of a program like OrangeTheory and Peloton, those have their own tabulations too.
There are tons of health and performance benefits to zone 2 training.
And their benefits all have to do with the way your cardiovascular and metabolic systems respond over time.
Your heart will become stronger and more efficient at pumping blood through your body.
Youll sprout new capillaries, tiny blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood into your muscles.
Inside those muscles, your mitochondriathe energy factories that turn oxygen into fuelwill become more plentiful and powerful.
Now, you’ve got the option to reap most of these rewards fromanytype of aerobic exercise.
Theres also a psychological benefit to this bang out of training.
You might feel a sense of bliss or a runners high, almost like youre floating.
Zone 2 is soul fuel, Farias says.
But zone 2 training can also stress the hell out of you.
One of the biggest frustrations?
Thats especially true if yourenew to fitness, orcoming back to a routineafter some time away.
Whats more, theres some fluidity to the numbers here.
That can be exacerbated by social media and the accompanying comparison game.
But its important to keep in mind that everyones zone 2 is different, and also always changing.
So whats the best way to use zone 2 training?
But you might want to be a little more flexible with its execution.
You also might need to make a conscious effort to bring your intensity down another notch or two.
For instance, dont be afraid to userun-walk intervals, especially at first.
after you snag the feel of moderate intensity down, goodget ready to refer back to it often.
Give yourself some timeand graceto let it feel easy.
Dr. Olenicks advice: Dont stress out about zones at first.
Its a lot more important to find activities you enjoy and do them regularly.
Focus on getting started, and getting consistent, and getting more in.
Then worry about refining later.
After all, you cant grow capillaries or mitochondria overnight.
These are all slow processes that take time, she says.
But every cardio session is a small vote toward this.
