Zone 2 Cardio - Debunked? | What is Zone 2 Cardio with Mark Sisson

I think the focus on zone 2 is about telling people that they don't have to go hard all the time. People are more likely to push too hard than too easy. It's usually paired with the understanding that most of your training should be zone 2. So zone 2 training is about taking it easy and not digging yourself into a hole.

Mark's a good guy, a smart guy, and obviously very fit. And the general idea of "moving around" a lot is certainly good for your physical health and certainly much better than being sedentary. And of course, the more you do, the better you will feel, and the healthier you will get and stay. And you don't need precision metrics to do all of that. But I do find the dismissiveness and sneering at "Zone 2" a bit much. The reality is there is quite a bit of real science supporting the benefits of working out at levels appropriately gauged your max heart rate. There's a reason that high performing athletes such as marathoners, Olympic level rowers, top level soccer players, and Tour de France level cyclists use Zone 2 as a key training tool among other obvious work out techniques: it is PRECISE in giving the you level of exertion you need to maximize aerobic fitness. So yeah you don't need to be scientific in that regard to get the benefits of "moving around" and being physically active and if you don't want to, that perfectly fine, or if you say it's not that essential if you consistently do basic stuff that's OK, too. . But pooh-poohing a clearly valid scientific approach to exercise is not helpful.

Though their tone is very dismissive of zone 2, the general idea of getting lots of low intensity exercise is what they're advocating for much of the video.

I'm 69 y.o. I can carry on a normal conversation aka zone 2 with my heart rate at 155 bpm. My lactate threshold heart rate is about 175. I routinely hit 180 bpm if pushing it on the bike. I bike and swim almost every day. Formula's simply don't work for those that have always been into fitness training and have a frisky heart. My resting heartrate isn't that low at about 52 bpm. Sometimes it dips in the high 40's but quite rare. I am a proponent of zone 2. I used to train with the fastest bike riders in my town and was always in zone 3 and 4 and found myself more exhausted. I still believe at age 69, my max heartrate is around 190 bpm but don't go there because I don't want to find out the consequence. Lower sugar aka limited carbs, intermittent fasting aka routinely 17 hrs fast, 7 hour window eat, good rest and sleep and lots of zone 2 with occasional HIIT thrown in for strength, light weights etc is I believe the key to longevity. People place me in my 50's for age.

Personally I think it’s quicker and easier to say zone 1 or 2 rather than “low level cardio activity “ what a mouthful 😂

Yeesh. Not a single mention of the mitochondria which is the entire reason for zone 2 (the zone before lactic acid kicks in ) It takes a half hour to get back to mitochondrial training the monent to switch to lactic acid. Thats why zone 2 matters. Not generic overall "health". What was the point of this video? Utterly ridiculous

Two points. At 72, #1 I remember it used to be called "LSD" Training- "Long-Slow-Distance" #2 If you are relatively fit, a better formula to use is 210-1/2 your age. This gives you a higher heart rate threshold.

The point of many coaches on the 80/20, zone 2 stuff is many do their zone 2 to hard, and don't do the 20% (zones 4/5) hard enough. You need to be rested enough from your 2 training to hit the hard days hard!

A little petty because "primal" didn't take off like Zone 2 has.

I love the concept of listening to our bodies. Rest days are ok. Having soent years tracking numbers, I am ditching the HRM and fitness watch for now! 😊

Mark, I think that you were also on vacation, enjoying a new beautiful environment, eating food that even though they had more carbs, were more from farms, from better soil, and NO stress and maybe unplugging from social media. Most probably had great sleep too from all the walking :). Many factors to be metabolically healthy. Time for all of us to slowdown…its not a bad thing

If you ignore the oddly dismissive tone on "zone 2" they are actually in favor of zone 2 training. But they aren't very clear in distinguishing it from "chronic cardio" which I understand is essentially over training at higher sustained HR. I wish they were more clear on that. Also, Mark and Brad, bring back primal con!

I’m 48 5’11 205lbs. I’m here to learn from your experience. I work out 5 days a week. I do strength training, hiking and walking and the treadmill (with the incline at max) , I listen to my body. I do need to work on my endurance training 🤷🏻‍♂️ I like to push myself physically. It’s very rewarding to see my body respond to each workout, rest days 👍💪🏼

I think the main point is: - professional athletes will get appropriate expert training - amateurs don't need much information, they just need to move If "zone 2" is what motivates you to move, why not. As long as we don't substitute moving with watching YT vids about Z2 or debunking it.

What's zone 2 in RPM on a stationary exercise bike?

I think the issue with the zones is that people tend to think that the zones are like body switches when instead they are like faders. Point blank, it isn’t that you get “no angiogenesis” in zone 3…..it’s just not as optimal as zone 2. Looking at the zones through the lens of “what is optimal” is absolutely essential for those looking to get the most bang for the buck when investing the time in exercise. If I have 90 minutes today to do exercise, I want to make every minute count to achieving the goal I am after.

Zone 2 is the max I ever do to get in shape. I can do longer distances and longer training sessions. I even last longer at work than people who do high zones for lower amount of time. Also.. it doesn't destroy me knees so I can train harder in lifting

When it come to being active , people think of walking, going to gym or running!!! Most do walking, it is easy, less injury, less stress on body, time flexibility, ….. But there is also slow jogging, ( nobody talk about 😲) which is as easy as walking but it puts you in zone 2 or higher faster, it is running at speed of walking, much more beneficial than walking, it will raise your heart rate faster which is the goal of doing exercise !!! Doing 40 minutes slow jogging twice a week is more beneficial than same time in gym or walking!!! At 58 started slow jogging last year, now I do three to four runs a week 10 to 15k, 👍🏻🏃🏽‍♂️☀️🫀

Wisdom comes from experience and this guy is giving you the blueprint to becoming better physically....becoming intuitive about training and recovery comes from years of studying your personal performance through years....great video...

Thank you for these great examples and the good advice.