Experts Explain Area 2 Moving, Incorporation and How to Maximize Profits

This is why Zone 2 training should be a staple in any workout program.

Zone 2 training is how runners build fitness, which is essential for improving speed and endurance for race day. Jason Fitzgerald, USATF-certified trainer and founder of Strength Running, says: “It’s a base run that helps build your aerobic engine, so that more difficult steps are manageable.

“Basically, zone 2 is the area of ​​the body where blood lactate levels are stable,” he continues. At this easy pace, your body has enough time to remove lactate (a substance left in the muscles from energy production) from your blood.

Once blood lactate levels begin to rise, you move into higher training zones. In the lactate zone, or anaerobic threshold, “this is the point where your blood lactate starts to rise so fast that you’re in an unstable state—you’re producing so much lactate that you can’t get rid of it,” Fitzgerald he says. This behavior creates a burning sensation in your legs that eventually causes too much fatigue to continue at that pace.

Intense running boosts your body’s ability to clear lactate, so you can handle faster speeds. But adequate Zone 2 training helps you maximize the benefits of power running.

That’s because Zone 2 training increases the number and size of mitochondria in your cells, Fitzgerald continues. Mitochondria are the places inside cells that produce the energy—also known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—your muscles use when they run. With more mitochondria comes a stronger supply of energy that you can draw on, enabling you to run further without getting tired.

Having more mitochondria also helps you maximize your results from high-intensity training, such as VO2 max-boosting interval training (points 4 and 5). Fitzgerald says: “Exercise at VO2 capacity will make the mitochondria work better.” As mitochondria continue to function more efficiently, your energy will improve your speed even more.

“Zone 2 running also offers the advantage of not being too hard on your body, making the recovery time faster than intense training like speed training,” Kunz says. This allows you to run faster than you could if you were training at higher heart rate zones.”

Finally, getting in the habit of working in Zone 2 helps you be more efficient at using fat as fuel, which takes longer to burn and can help you go longer.

There are several ways to determine your zone 2 heart rate. If you’re a tech-savvy runner, use a smart watch or other device to check that your heart rate is staying within a certain percentage. 60 to 70 of your maximum heart rate for Zone 2 training, Kunz says.

You can use different formulas to calculate your maximum heart rate (220 minus age is the most common), but there’s often too much variation for the numbers to be accurate, Fitzgerald says. Instead, he recommends tracking your heart rate throughout the exercise and using your highest heart rate to determine your size, then estimating your 2nd place from there. .

If you choose not to monitor your heart rate while running, keep monitoring your effort. “[Zone 2] it’s a simple, controlled, conversational effort where you can often speak in complete sentences,” Fitzgerald says.

Using rate of perceived exertion (RPE), which is a way to measure how hard your body is working during physical exercise can also be a useful technique without technology. The scale goes from 0 to 10, with 0 being no effort and 10 being high. Stay at a 4 out of 10 on the RPE scale to get into zone 2, Kunz says.

Most runners should use 80 percent of their zone 2, while new runners can benefit from spending 90 percent in zone 2, says Fitzgerald. Devote the rest of your training to areas 3 to 5.

You’ll see zone 2 fit into your training plan with easy runs and long runs, which usually make up the bulk of your weekly distance.

Another issue in point 2 is the time commitment. “You need a higher volume of zone 2 stimulus to see results,” says Fitzgerald.

The optimal length of a Zone 2 session depends on your fitness level and exercise goals. “If you’re training for a 5K, a 25- to 35-minute segment will be one of your most frequent workouts. For longer races, such as half-marathon and marathon training, a your 2nd one might be 40 minutes or more,” Kunz says.

In general, you’ll start to see positive changes from consistent zone 2 training (aerobic) for two to four weeks, Fitzgerald says. However, it may take longer if you are healthy.

“Aerobic training is one of those things where you’ll continue to see results 10 years after you start running,” says Fitzgerald. “The key is to increase your mileage or time.” used in area 2 and spraying more difficult times in areas 3 to 5 so that your progress does not stop.