Zone 2 Running: Breakthrough Results (It's Not Hype)

Summary

The video emphasizes the importance of Zone 2 training for runners, which involves running at 60-75% of one's max heart rate to build aerobic endurance and efficiency. It explains how this approach can lead to faster race times and prevent injuries. The speaker shares personal experiences and recommends tools for accurately tracking heart rate, suggesting chest straps over wrist-based devices. The video also addresses the challenge for new runners and encourages a balanced training approach combining heart rate, effort, and pace.

Takeaways

• 🏃‍♂️ Zone 2 training is a crucial part of running, targeting 60-75% of your maximum heart rate for building aerobic endurance.
• 🚶‍♀️ Easy running in Zone 2 allows for more miles, faster recovery, and increased efficiency in burning fat for fuel.
• 🏆 The speaker recommends spending 75-90% of training mileage in Zone 2 for optimal progress.
• 📈 Traditional max heart rate calculation (220-age) is not always accurate.
• 🧠 A more accurate formula for max heart rate is 21-(0.64*age), but a max heart rate test is the best for precision.
• 💡 GPS watches with heart rate tracking are common, but chest straps provide more reliable data for heart rate monitoring.
• 🔍 Zone 2 training is not just about the numbers; it's about listening to your body and adjusting to conditions.
• 🚫 Downside: Newer runners might find focusing solely on Zone 2 frustrating and counterproductive initially.
• 🤓 Training should be a combination of heart rate, effort, and pace to maximize running potential.
• 🌟 Zone 2 training may feel slow initially, but it's essential for long-term improvement and consistency in running.
• 🏞️ The speaker emphasizes the importance of easy running as part of a balanced training regimen.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to discuss the importance of Zone 2 training for runners, explaining what Zone 2 is, its benefits, how to find it, and the tools to track it.

What percentage of max heart rate defines Zone 2?

Zone 2 is typically defined as 60 to 70% of one's max heart rate, with some flexibility to go up to 75%.

Why is Zone 2 training beneficial for runners?

Zone 2 training helps build a strong aerobic engine, allowing runners to cover more miles, recover faster, and become more efficient at burning fat for fuel, ultimately leading to improved performance and faster race times.

How much of a runner's training mileage should be spent in Zone 2?

It is recommended that 75 to 90% of a runner's training mileage should be spent in Zone 2, focusing on easy, aerobic running.

What is the traditional formula to estimate max heart rate?

The traditional formula to estimate max heart rate is 220 minus one's age.

What is a more accurate formula to estimate max heart rate?

A more accurate formula, especially for older individuals, is 21 minus 0.64 times one's age.

What is the best way to determine one's max heart rate?

The most accurate way to determine one's max heart rate is through a max heart rate test, either in a lab or using a reliable tool at home.

What type of heart rate monitoring device is recommended for runners?

A chest strap heart rate monitor is recommended over wrist-based devices for more accurate heart rate tracking during running.

Are there any downsides to Zone 2 training?

There are minimal downsides to Zone 2 training, especially when it is properly balanced with intensity training. However, for new runners, focusing too much on staying in Zone 2 can be frustrating and may hinder habit formation.

How does Zone 2 training affect running performance?

Zone 2 training helps improve running performance by building aerobic endurance, allowing for greater volume and consistency in training, which leads to faster race times and reduced risk of injury.

What other training methods complement Zone 2 training?

Effort-based training and pace-based training can complement Zone 2 training, providing a well-rounded approach to maximize a runner's potential.

Outlines

00:00

🏃‍♂️ The Importance of Zone 2 Running

This paragraph discusses the significance of Zone 2 running in improving one's running speed and endurance. The speaker shares their personal experience of constantly pushing themselves and the realization that this approach was hindering their progress. The concept of Zone 2 is introduced as a heart rate range (60-75% of max heart rate) that, when utilized in training, helps build an aerobic engine, leading to better fuel efficiency, faster recovery, and increased mileage. The speaker emphasizes the importance of easy running and spending 75-90% of training mileage in Zone 2 to avoid overtraining and burnout, which ultimately leads to better race performances.

05:01

📏 How to Calculate Your Zone 2

The paragraph explains how to determine one's Zone 2 heart rate. It starts by discussing the common formula of subtracting age from 220 to estimate max heart rate, but points out its inaccuracy. The speaker recommends a more accurate formula based on the Hunt study, which involves subtracting 0.64 times one's age from 21. However, the most precise method is conducting a max heart rate test, either in a lab or using a reliable tool at home. The speaker shares their personal experience with a Garmin device and a heart rate strap, achieving a max heart rate of 184. The paragraph also addresses the limitations of wrist-based heart rate monitors and advocates for the use of a chest strap for more accurate readings.

10:02

🚫 Potential Downsides of Zone 2 Training

This paragraph explores the potential downsides of Zone 2 training. The speaker asserts that, when properly implemented with the right balance of intensity, there are minimal downsides. However, for new runners, focusing too much on staying in Zone 2 can be frustrating and may hinder the development of a consistent running habit. The speaker suggests that beginners should initially run by feel and effort before introducing heart rate monitoring. The paragraph also discusses the psychological aspect of running in Zone 2, acknowledging that it may initially feel slow but emphasizes the long-term benefits of this training approach for improving running performance.

Keywords

💡Zone 2

Zone 2 refers to a specific range of heart rate, typically 60% to 70% (and sometimes up to 75%) of one's maximum heart rate. It is considered the ideal training zone for building aerobic endurance, allowing runners to run longer distances, recover faster, and become more efficient at burning fat for fuel. The video emphasizes the importance of Zone 2 training for becoming a faster runner and achieving consistency in running performance.

💡Aerobic Engine

The term 'aerobic engine' metaphorically describes the body's cardiovascular and respiratory system's ability to efficiently deliver oxygen to muscles during sustained physical activity. In the context of the video, training in Zone 2 is likened to building a strong aerobic engine, which enhances endurance and running efficiency.

💡Heart Rate Monitoring

Heart rate monitoring involves tracking an individual's heart rate during exercise to optimize training intensity and ensure that the runner is working within their target heart rate zone. The video highlights the use of heart rate monitors, such as chest straps, as more accurate tools for tracking heart rate compared to wrist-based devices.

💡Max Heart Rate

Max heart rate is the highest number of heartbeats per minute that an individual can achieve during maximum physical exertion. It is a critical factor in determining the Zone 2 heart rate range. The video discusses various methods to estimate max heart rate, including the common formula of 220 minus age, and emphasizes the importance of accurate max heart rate testing for better training results.

💡Easy Running

Easy running refers to running at a low intensity, focusing on maintaining a comfortable, conversational pace. The video stresses the significance of easy running in a runner's training regimen, particularly when aiming to improve speed and endurance without risking injury or burnout.

💡Training Volume

Training volume refers to the total amount of running an individual does, typically measured in miles or kilometers. The video emphasizes that increasing training volume through easy, Zone 2 running is essential for building aerobic endurance and improving race performance.

💡Injury Prevention

Injury prevention involves采取措施 to minimize the risk of physical harm during sports or exercise. In the context of the video, running within Zone 2 is presented as a strategy to avoid overtraining and the associated injuries that can come from constantly pushing the body too hard.

💡Effort-Based Training

Effort-based training is a method of exercise where the intensity is determined by how hard the activity feels to the individual, rather than by specific metrics like heart rate. The video suggests that while heart rate monitoring is beneficial, runners should also listen to their bodies and use effort-based training to gauge their intensity levels.

💡Pace

Pace refers to the speed at which a runner completes a certain distance, often measured in minutes per mile or kilometers. The video discusses the importance of understanding and maintaining an appropriate pace, especially within Zone 2, to ensure effective training and avoid overexertion.

💡Consistency

Consistency in running refers to the regularity and steadiness in training habits, which is crucial for improving performance and achieving goals. The video highlights that consistency was a struggle for the speaker due to always running at a high intensity, but finding and maintaining a consistent Zone 2 pace helped overcome this issue.

Highlights

The importance of easy running for becoming a faster runner is emphasized, with Zone 2 training being the key.

Zone 2 is a specific percentage band within your max heart rate, typically measured as 60 to 70%, with a suggestion to extend it to 75%.

Zone 2 training helps build your aerobic engine, enabling you to run more miles, recover faster, and become more efficient at burning fat for fuel.

The recommendation to spend 75 to 90% of your training mileage in Zone 2 for optimal results.

Learning to slow down is crucial for runners to achieve a breakthrough and build up the necessary aerobic endurance.

The common issue of runners not being able to maintain consistency due to constantly running at fast paces, leading to fatigue and injuries.

The transition from running by effort to heart rate monitoring brought significant improvements in training.

The basic formula to estimate max heart rate is 220 minus your age, but it's not very accurate for many people.

A more accurate formula for max heart rate estimation is 21 minus 0.64 times your age, as suggested by the Hunt study.

The most accurate way to determine max heart rate is through a max heart rate test, either in a lab or using a reliable tool at home.

GPS watches and heart rate tracking devices are common, but chest straps provide more accurate heart rate readings than wrist-based devices.

Zone 2 training is not without downsides, particularly for new runners who may find it frustrating to maintain a consistent running habit.

The importance of combining heart rate, effort-based training, and pace to train effectively and become the best runner possible.

The reality check that Zone 2 training may initially feel slow, but it's essential for long-term improvement and building a sustainable running pace.

The psychological challenge of Zone 2 training, which can be more difficult than racing due to the need for self-discipline and pacing.

The advice for new runners to focus on building a running routine first before implementing Zone 2 training.

The potential for Zone 2 training to lead to significant gains in running performance, including faster race times.

Transcripts

so are you the type of person who thinks

that you need to always be running hard

to get faster if so I totally understand

this is how I was for a very long time

and it got me somewhat far until it

didn't and it really hurt my progress as

a runner um and I didn't understand that

that's why it was happening and why I

was really struggling to find

consistency in my running and so that's

kind of where this leads us of talking

about Zone 2 today because if you've

heard other videos of mine you know that

I shout from the rooftops of how

important easy running is if you want to

become a faster runner so in this video

I'm going to break down what zone 2 is

why it is the key to becoming a faster

runner how to find your Zone 2 what

tools to track it and that big big

question is it for you so first things

first what is Zone 2 so zone two is

basically a certain band of percentage

within your max heart rate and it's

measured typically as 60 to

70% I'm okay with bumping this up to 75%

it gives a little bit more wiggle room

and it's still a really great place to

be but in technical terms it is supposed

to be 60 to 70% of your max so think of

Zone 2 training as building your aerobic

engine so by doing this type of training

and staying in this Zone you're going to

be able to run more miles recover faster

and become more efficient

at burning fat for fuel and that leads

us into why does Zone 2 matter if you've

watched enough of my videos then you

know that I recommend that you're

spending about 75 to 90% of your

training mileage in zone 2 or making

those easy miles so whether you're

basing that off of effort or heart rate

the majority of your running should be

easy paced in fact learning to slow down

was the number one thing that I needed

to learn as a runner to finally have a

breakthrough because it allowed me to

get in the volume that I needed to get

to the point where I was having that

aerobic endurance built up high enough

that I'm actually getting faster in my

races as well the reality is is before

that I never was able to have enough

consistency in my running because I was

running fast all the time I never ran

back to back days I would get overly

fatigued I was really really tired I

would get injured and so because of all

of those setbacks I just never was able

to build up the consistent volume that I

needed to get to the level of training

and racing that I wanted to be at so

initially I started doing this by effort

which made a ton of difference but when

I started doing this by heart rate and

trying to stay in zone two by monitoring

my heart rate I saw even more gains

after that in fact basically my entire

year of training last year was very

focused on making sure my easy runs were

all staying in that zone 2 Band and

that's when I got my fastest marathon

times last year at the Houston Marathon

and what is now my PR of 329 at the

Boston Marathon at the age of 43 so what

you need to think of this as is that

hard runs are a recipe for injury and

burnout and by making sure you are in

zone 2 you are avoiding overtraining

that can lead to those injuries and

burnout that you want to

avoid okay so here's the important part

and now that you know that zone 2

running is really important and that's

where you should be spending the

majority of the time you need to know

how to find your Zone to and I think

most people are not taking the necessary

time to figure this information out

correctly I think it is a huge

opportunity and the reason for that

mostly is because I think the tools that

people are using are not the best tools

which we'll talk in a minute and I also

think that people don't know what their

max heart rate is and so they really

can't have accurate information at all

from that so what we think of as the

basic way to find maximum heart rate is

taking 220 minus your age so if you're

40 years old that would mean that your

max heart rate is 180 so if we're

talking about 60 to 70% of your max

heart rate for that 40-year-old you are

then taking 60 to 70% of 180 and that

ends up being your Zone to that you want

to stay in or maybe a little bit more

than that if you bump it up to

75% the problem with this is this

formula is really not that accurate for

many people and then they just end up

having these numbers that they really

don't know if that's accurate or not so

there is a more accurate formula that I

would recommend that you try I think

this is especially better for people as

you get older and that's what the hunt

study has come out with with so this

formula offers a slightly better

estimation and in order to find this

number you take 21 minus

0.64 times your age and that's going to

give you a slightly better number than

just the 220 minus your age but it's

still flawed and so really the most

accurate way to get your max heart rate

is to do a max heart rate test so you

can pay money and get this done in a lab

so if you're someone who really wants

accuracy I would recommend that you go

this route but you can also do a max

heart rate test on your own with a good

tool and it's going to give you pretty

darn close to what your max heart rate

is and we're really not looking for

Perfection here with Zone 2 training

anyway in fact I caution people to get

too hung up on perfect perfect numbers

but if you can do this max heart rate

test and you have the right tool then

you're going to get pretty darn close to

the numbers that you need to be focusing

on so I just got finished doing a max

heart rate test so I used this Garmin

4un 55 so I want to see how it matches

with my heart rate strap which was

connected to my Phoenix so what was

showing on the Phoenix was actually the

heart rate monitor so basically what I

did was I think I warmed up for like 17

or 18 minutes then you're supposed to do

1 mile at Tempo pace and then you're

supposed to do continuous qu mile where

you just start building the pace little

by little I got pretty fast at that

point and then the last point mile is

just supposed to be all out I went just

a little bit past that I was seeing mine

like fluctuating and the highest that I

saw from the heart rate monitor was 184

I was watching laat Pace on this one so

I'll have to check back on that one

anyway it was definitely hard

psychologically a lot harder than I

think like doing a 5K race so I'll

definitely be interested to find out

this summer when I race um how it

Compares okay so what is that best tool

now most people are using their GPS

watches that have heart rate tracking

and they have gotten a lot better most

of you guys are probably using a garment

or an Apple Watch and depending on which

model or year some do better than others

however we really can't trust risk based

heart rate I've worked with enough

athletes now I look at their graphs

every single day and I just know that

there's way too much Nuance going on

daytoday with heart rate that it doesn't

make sense to be using wrist-based

device if you want to be tracking your

heart rate so what you need to use is a

chest strap they actually have a new one

from Garmin just for women so if you're

thinking that it's going to be really

uncomfortable that might be a way to go

I will place the links to the ones that

I recommend below I think mine's great

it gets a taking a little bit used to um

the one I have from Polar but yeah if

you want to be training by heart rate

you really have to have a tool that's

going to give you accurate

information so are there any downsides

to Zone 2 training so so the answer is

not really I mean if you are really

spending that kind of 75 to 90% of your

time in zone to and making sure that you

have a little bit of that intensity

involved in your training as well then

you're going to be building a lot of

gains now of course there's some Nuance

here and everybody's a unique individual

at very different levels and so it's not

going to be the same for everyone but if

you are implementing a lot of easy

running into your training that's really

a best practice for being the best

runner that you can be it also really

keeps you honest I hear a lot of people

say well it's fine I can just run by

feel but the reality is is a lot of us

are saying that we're in the easy paced

Zone that we're running by feel it feels

fine or I can talk when they're really

not in the easy Zone at all in fact um

Matt Fitzgerald talks about it in his

books 8020 running and run like a pro he

calls this habitual pace and we just

sort of get in this pace that we are

used to running all the time that we've

sort of deemed as our easy Pace when

it's really not and so I just love that

you know going by zone two training just

really keeps you honest when maybe the

weather is warmer if you're running a

lot of Hills or if you're more fatigued

is that you know if you're staying in

that zone too then it's right where you

need to be for that day the one major

downfall that I see is for people who

are newer Runners that if they are

really trying to build up a running

habit and they're very focused on

staying in zone 2 it's not going to work

very well and it's going to get

incredibly frustrating and that's

because when you're a newer Runner if

you do any running at all it's going to

spike your heart rate really really

quickly so if you are in this category I

highly recommend that you just go by

feel and effort first build that running

routine get kind of that solid base of

running first and then you can start

doing the zone 2 training that's going

to be so valuable for you so here's the

reality check guys doing Zone 2 training

for the very first time is probably

going to feel ridiculously slow for a

while it can be very humbling and

honestly if it feels humbling you're

probably doing it right it takes time to

transition to but I really believe that

if you give this the proper go that you

will find that it helps your training

immensely that you see the gains in your

running that you've never been able to

see before that you're running faster

than ever before as well because you're

getting the volume and time on feet that

you were never able to previously when

you were running too hard all the time

it's really all about finding that pace

that feels like you can stay at and run

forever so I just like Zone 2 in

particular as a big part of easy running

but I also don't think it's the only

thing that you should be utilizing I

very much believe that a combination of

using heart rate to find that zone 2 ALS

Al effort-based training and also using

Pace sometimes is the best way to train

to your maximum capability and become

the best runner that you can be so if

you aren't sure about how to use these

in combination Pace heart rate and

effort I definitely recommend that you

check out the next video right

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