Zone 2 training can improve heart health, recovery time and burn more fat — plus, it’s easy to do for most people.
Your heart rate is categorised into five zones during exercise according to intensity, with some variety to the benefits of each. Here L360 breaks down the five zones and how to calculate your own heart rate while exercising and reveals everything you need to know about zone 2, as popularity of this sweet spot grows amid a multitude of benefits.
What are the five heart rate zones?
Indicating how hard your heart is working, the five heart rate zones are based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate. They’re categorised as below:
- Zone 1: This is very light exercise. Your heart rate will be about 50-60% of your maximum, and you should be able to maintain this for a longer period and easily have a conversation while exercising. Out of carbs or fat, 85% of the calories you burn are fat, but you’ll be burning less calories than higher heart rate zones.
- Zone 2: This is light exercise, at around 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. Some 65% of the calories you burn are fat and you should be able to talk but may need to catch your breath as well.
- Zone 3: This is your moderate exercise zone, with your heart rate at around 70-80%. You’re burning more carbs than fat (only 45%) and talking will be difficult.
- Zone 4: Things are getting hard here with your heart rate at 80-90% — you could talk if you had to, but you won’t want to. You’re no longer burning fat for fuel and can probably only keep this intensity up for around 15 minutes.
- Zone 5: This is your maximum effort exercise, with your heart rate between 90% to full capacity. Again, you’re not burning fat. You can’t talk and can only keep this up for a few minutes — this is the zone you’d want to be in if you’re giving your all during high intensity interval training.
Read more: This fitness technique could be the secret to transforming your running
What’s zone 2 heart rate training?
Zone 2 training, sometimes called low-intensity steady-state (LISS), is a light form of cardio exercise — such as walking, running or cycling — that burns mostly fat without exhausting you.
The exercise should feel easy for the majority of the time, but that doesn’t mean it’s without its benefits (more on that below).
Read more: Exercises that burn the most calories for women revealed
@jordan_morgan_ Zone 2 cardio and fat loss 🙌 #fatloss #zone2 #cardio #training #workout #coach #fitness ♬ original sound – Jordan Morgan | Fitness Coach
How to calculate your maximum heart rate and find zone 2
To find your zone 2, you must first calculate your maximum heart rate. This will be 220 minus your age. To reach zone 2, which is between 60% and 70%, multiply that number by 0.6 for your zone 2 minimum and 0.7 for your zone 2 maximum — and aim to stay somewhere in between. Examples below:
Age 20:
- Maximum heart rate: 220 – 20 = 200
- Minimum zone 2 heart rate (60% of 200): 200 x 0.6 = 120
- Maximum zone 2 heart rate (70% of 200): 200 x 0.7 = 140
Age 25:
- Maximum heart rate: 220 – 25 = 195
- Minimum zone 2 heart rate (60% of 195): 195 x 0.6 = 117
- Maximum zone 2 heart rate (70% of 195): 195 x 0.7 = 137.2
Age 30:
- Maximum heart rate: 220 – 30 = 190
- Minimum zone 2 heart rate (60% of 195): 190 x 0.6 = 114
- Maximum zone 2 heart rate (70% of 195): 190 x 0.7 = 133
Age 35:
- Maximum heart rate: 220 – 35 = 185
- Minimum zone 2 heart rate (60% of 185): 185 x 0.6 = 111
- Maximum zone 2 heart rate (70% of 185): 185 x 0.7 = 129.5
Age 40:
- Maximum heart rate: 220 – 40 = 180
- Minimum zone 2 heart rate (60% of 180): 180 x 0.6 = 108
- Maximum zone 2 heart rate (70% of 180): 180 x 0.7 = 126
Age 45:
- Maximum heart rate: 220 – 45 = 175
- Minimum zone 2 heart rate (60% of 175): 175 x 0.6 = 105
- Maximum zone 2 heart rate (70% of 175): 175 x 0.7 = 122.5
Age 50:
- Maximum heart rate: 220 – 50 = 170
- Minimum zone 2 heart rate (60% of 170): 170 x 0.6 = 102
- Maximum zone 2 heart rate (70% of 170): 170 x 0.7 = 119
Read more: The clever way to calculate how many steps a day you need to lose weight
@georgiahillis It gets better 👏🏼🏃🏼♀️🫶🏼 Trust the process #zone2 #zonetraining #running #marathontraining #mindset #runningtips #CapCut ♬ origineel geluid – hanna
Six benefits of zone 2 heart rate training
Adam Clark, a fitness expert from Rugbystuff.com, breaks down the benefits of zone 2 cardio…
1. Improves aerobic base
“This means that you’re able to train more often or increase the intensity at which you exercise. As your aerobic capacity improves, harder workouts will begin to feel easier as your cardiovascular system will have grown stronger.”
2. Lowers resting heart rate
“If you have a larger aerobic base, your body is better equipped to manage higher exercise intensities. This can improve your resting heart rate and improve your overall cardiovascular health.”
3. Increases mitochondrial function and density
“Mitochondria generate chemical energy for your body by using oxygen. Zone 2 training can increase the amount of mitochondria that your body has and how efficient these are, as the training generates oxygen production by using oxygen and fat for fuel.”
4. Improves the body’s fat and carbohydrate use
“Zone 2 training can help your body to better use fats and stored carbohydrates. As it works different energy systems in your body, your body becomes better at changing between fuel sources. This improves your body’s overall efficiency and can improve metabolic health.”
5. Improves recovery
“When your body has a better aerobic capacity, it’s able to provide muscles with more oxygen during and after exercising. This means that it’s easier to flush out lactic acid, which is responsible for muscle soreness, meaning that you’ll be able to exercise again faster and potentially challenge your body more.”
6. Better mental health
“Zone 2 cardio can improve mental health, as aerobic exercise has been found to boost self-esteem and decrease anxiety and depression.”
Read more: ‘I tried the Oura Ring 4 for three months — is it worth the hype?’
How to do zone 2 training
“Any activity can count as zone 2 training,” says Adam. However, it’s usually cardio, such as running, walking, cycling or gym machines like the stairmaster, as you need to maintain the heart rate which possible during strength training. Although he adds, “Walking is usually too low of a level activity for the majority of people, but it can be pushed into zone 2 if you’re walking with a backpack.”
Adam recommends choosing an activity you’re already good at, and “are able to participate in for long periods of time without causing your heart rate to rise too high or cause aches and pains”.
Or, start with short periods and build up. “Aim for at least 20 minutes of zone 2 training per exercise session per week and proceed to gradually increase this time over a few weeks until you’re able to complete 45 to 90 minutes of training,” advises Adam.
The best way to determine if you’ve reached zone 2 is by tracking your heart rate during exercise, this can be done with wearable tech like fitness watches, rings or even heart rate monitors that can be worn around the chest.
Feature image: Freepik
