Diving into Zone 2 Training
What?!?! You’re telling me to not exercise too hard? The Benefits of Zone 2 Training
Here at Functional Elements, we always strive to teach our training motto: Train For LiFE. We preach that training should improve life performance and function. But what if I were to tell you that the inverse should also be true: life can mimic training. What do I mean? Sometimes we just want to relax, unwind, ortake a nap to rejuvenate ourselves so we can hit the restart button and be more productive. Training can work the same way. The old adages of “put the pedal to the metal” and “no pain, no gain” can hurt your overall performance and function. This is where Zone 2 training comes into play.
To understand Zone 2 training, we need to go into some physiology. To simplify, your body has different energy systems, some are more aerobic and some anerobic. Aerobic activityrequires (or should require) the use of fat as the main source of energy. Aerobic activity is performed at lower heart rates and longer duration. Performing for longer duration is the key in order to tap into your stored energy source, fat. Anaerobic activity requires glucose (and later glycogen) as the main source of energy. Anaerobic activity is performed at higher heart rates and shorter duration.
Zone 2 training should be an aerobic activity. It involves training at a lower heart rate for an extended period. One of its greatest benefits is improving mitochondrial function. If you can remember back to your grade school science days, you willrecall your science teacher describing the mitochondria as the powerhouse of our cells. This is because it breaks down food into usable energy for cells. This energy is called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The mitochondria drive the production of ATP and proteins. As in all things in life, you must practice toimprove. Zone 2 training increases the number of mitochondria, improves mitochondrial efficiency, and improves metabolic flexibility (the ability of your mitochondria to utilize fat and glucose as an energy source). At lower heart rate activities, your main source of energy should be fat, not glucose. Poor functioning mitochondria will result in metabolic inflexibility, the inability to utilize fat versus glucose. This can also lead to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and Metabolic Syndrome.
By improving mitochondrial efficiency, fat can be used as an energy source more efficiently, preserving your glycogen stores longer. Glycogen, which breaks down into glucose, serves as the main fuel source for anaerobic activity. A substrate of this is the production of lactate. High lactate production combined with poor functioning mitochondria, can cause fatigue, which is why lactate is often seen as the devil in terms of exercise. But high functioning mitochondria can produce more transport protein that can turn lactate into usable energy. Thus Zone 2 training improves your ability to clear lactate and use it as fuel. This is another reason why Zone 2 training is important. It can improve your performance at other training zones (3-5), but the inverse is not true. Higher training zones do not improve lower training zone fitness.
This is where heart rate comes into play. During Zone 2 training, lactate is produced but you don’t want it to build up too much. Being able to keep your heart rate at 60%-80% of your heart rate max ensures lactate not to build up. Wearing heart rate monitors can be helpful to determine this. If you don’t use a heart rate monitor, one way to monitor your heart rate between 60%-80% is “perceived effort”. During Zone 2 training, you should be ableto hold a conversation. At the top range of Zone 2 training, it may be a little harder to hold a conversation without having to pause to breath. When you are unable to hold a conversation, that may be a sign your heart rate is above 80% of your heart rate max, and you may have moved into Zone 3. Another way of monitoring heart rate is to be conscious of your breathing. During Zone 2 training, you should be able to maintain nasal breathing.
How much Zone 2 training should you do? Benefits can be seen performing Zone 2 training 2-4 time per week for 45+ minutes per session.
So yes, it is beneficial to not go as hard. As we always say, variety is the spice of life (and training too). Incorporate more Zone 2 to your training regimen. Your quality of life will improve, and your body will thank you for the nice change of pace.
As always,
GIVE YOUR BODY WHAT IT NEEDS, WHEN IT NEEDS IT.
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The Functional Elements 14-day 360° gives you everything you need, over 14 power-packed days.
J. Antonio Muyco III, CSCS, PPSC, PPSC*KB, CFSC
