We refer to exercise at 65% of your max heart rate as “zone 2” training.
Here’s a video to explain the value of Zone 2, how to know if you’re in Zone 2, and how often to do Zone 2 exercise:
But if you’re already working out, how do you add Zone 2 into your training week?
If you’re a personal training client (or semiprivate training client) at Catalyst, your coach will prescribe “blocks” of Zone 2 throughout your week. A “block” is 30 minutes of steady-state training. Just follow their instructions – they have a plan for you, and they’ll put Zone 2 right in that plan.
If you’re a group client at Catalyst, you’ll need to add Zone 2 exercise between your workouts. You can also ask the coach how to ‘scale’ the workout to get a Zone 2 benefit. Wear a heart rate strap to class and a watch to display your heart rate, and the coach will help you stay in Zone 2.
If you come to group classes 3x per week, try to dedicate at least one workout to Zone 2, and go hard on the others. Plan your ‘easier’ days for the end of the week.
If you’re not a client at Catalyst yet, click here to chat about it.
On your own, you can buy a heart rate monitor and a watch to display your heart rate. Test your maximum heart rate on your own (or use a formula from this video). Try to maintain a Zone 2 heart rate for at least two “blocks” per week (uninterrupted exercise of 30 minutes in that zone.)
Zone 2 makes you more metabolically flexible. You can use fats for fuel. When you burn fat, you reduce bodyfat. If you’re always going full out, you can actually train your body to burn less fat during exercise. Use Zone 2 if fat loss is your goal!