Get In The Zone (2)

Vol. 12

Calling all Office Athletes!!! We’re gathering our community for the Sky:30 fitness challenge. This fitness challenge includes:

• Personalized 1:1 goal setting & workout programming

• Online coaching & accountability sessions

• Deep insight into your fitness data to make your fitness goals efficient, attainable, & fun!

We are one of the few online personal trainers tracking Zone 2 Cardio for our Office Warriors. Learn more & sign up to get early access here.

In This Article, We…

1. Introduce what Zone 2 cardio even is.

2. Dive deeper into the numerous studied benefits of Zone 2 cardio.

3. Deliver a real, actionable framework to include this kind of movement into your routine.

Last week, we covered how to calculate and train at your Lactic Threshold along with the numerous benefits of training at this threshold.

If you’re like, a normal person (like us), you probably think that cardio is boring and hard. You either avoid it altogether or try to get it over with as quickly as possible by doing high-intensity intervals.

But what if we told you that there’s a better (and easier) way to do cardio that can improve your endurance, health, and even your speed?

Introducing Zone 2 Cardio

The secret weapon of many elite athletes and coaches. In this article, we’re gonna explain what Zone 2 cardio is, why it’s so beneficial, and how you can incorporate it into your training.

The Cardio Sweet Spot

Zone 2 cardio is a type of aerobic or steady-state cardiovascular training that involves keeping your heart rate at 60-70% of your maximum HR. Also known as a “conversational” pace due to the fact that you should be able to have a nice chat while you’re training in this zone.

I Don’t Know My Max HR

Until today you didn’t. Below is a simple formula to give you an idea of what your max HR is based on your age:

Max HR = 220 - (Your Age)

What’s All The Fuss About?

Zone 2 cardio has many benefits for your fitness and health, such as:

• Improving your aerobic endurance. Zone 2 training adapts your body to use oxygen more efficiently and burn fat as fuel. This means you can run longer and faster without getting tired (compared to lactate threshold training) or hitting the wall.

• Increasing your mitochondrial density. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of your cells that produce the aerobic energy for your body. Zone 2 cardio stimulates the growth of new mitochondria and improves their function. This means more energy and better recovery.

• Reducing your risk of injury and overtraining. Zone 2 cardio avoids the high impact and intensity that can cause muscle damage, inflammation, and stress hormones. This means you can recover faster and prevent injuries that can derail your progress.

• Enhancing your mental health. By doing Zone 2 cardio, you’re releasing endorphins and serotonin, the feel-good hormones that can boost your mood and reduce anxiety and depression. This means you can enjoy your workouts more and have a positive outlook on life.

Still not convinced? Check out this podcast episode from Andrew Huberman with guest Andy Galpin on how to Lose Fat and Gain Endurance.

How To Achieve Zone 2 Cardio And Where To Find It

Zone 2 cardio can be done with any cardiovascular exercise that you enjoy, such as running, cycling, swimming, rowing, brisk walking, rollerblading, or churning away on the elliptical. The key is to monitor your heart rate and stay within your Zone 2 range, which is 60-70% of your max HR. Your watch also will show you where to find your heart rate zones.

• Apple Watch

• Garmin (see this video for how to navigate to it)

• FitBit

• Whoop

To get the most out of Zone 2 cardio, you should aim to do it at least 3x times a week for 30 to 60 minutes per session.

Next week, we’ll talk about how to create a training plan involving Zone 2, Lactate Threshold, and Vo2max training.

We are also tracking, building plans, and improving your zone 2 cardio as part of our Sky:30 fitness challenge. click the link here to learn more & sign up for The Sky:30 Fitness Challenge + FitReview.

- JT & Phil

Want to learn more?

Something we missed or misspoke?

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Reply to us here and we’re happy to chat and help you learn more about your wearable.