For those who are wondering what kind of exercises might help get you into certain zones: Level 1 = a relaxing casual walk, perhaps heading out for your morning black coffee after waking up, before you get something to eat to keep your fasting going & targeting body fat storages. Level 2 = a fast paced walk, with different small degree inclines involved. You should feel your body getting warmer, breaking a slight sweat and breathing more, but still able to have a conversation. Level 3 = Slow jogging, moderately fast cycling or climbing up and down hills. You'll be breathing more intensely, feeling some gentle muscle burns and taking pauses if trying to converse. Level 4 = Can barely converse. You're running / cycling fast, you can feel your body really hard pressed by the activity, which only seems to feel more drastic as each minute passes. Level 5 = You're cycling or sprinting as fast as you literally can! Everyone, get out the way!! This is like one of those life or death situations! GO! GET TO DA CHOPPA!

Level 2 is perfect for me. Eight solid months of zone 2 cardio, basically walking ended up losing 40 kgs. Sensible eating involved with veges and meat, eggs was a part of it. Enjoiyed z2 as it allows me to burn fat without the stress of higher levels of fitness and risk of immune system being overwhelmed. Walking is the most underrated activity

This is really informative and interesting! One of the biggest things that have helped me loose weight has been a custom meal plan from Next Level Diet. I use it every week and I love it!

Fabulous breakdown of all the exercise zones! Thanks

This video is one of the best on the internet for this subject, period. Well done!

You have a video for almost every health related thing I’ve ever been curious about. Watched ya for years. Really appreciate your work ethic.

Amazing illustration! Made a seemingly difficult subject very easy to understand. Many thank you’s. 😊

The train analogy was very helpful, thank you! Always putting out great videos.

Very well explained. I didn't know about the cardio zones. Been neglecting low intensity. No more.

I spent 1.5 years doing HIIT workouts on my spin bike and saw almost no fat loss. This helps me understand why.

I like to do zone 2 touching into 3, 3 days a week zone 1 into 2 the other 3 days. Its all about calories burned and intervals because if the exercise burns a ton of calories it also is burning a lot of fat even though you are burning more carbs. More importantly is the cardio vascular benefit and endurance

Pretty simple ..vary workout intensity focusing more on the lower levels with periodic shifts up depending on recovery ..don't get caught up in over worrying about a specific " zone" so many variables at play there you could create more stress from that in and of itself

Great video. This is the best explanation of this stuff I’ve heard

Epic breakdown. Thank you, Thomas.

Excellent video Thomas. Well explained

Very good video. Thanks Thomas!

Amazing articulation. This is such useful information

Great content as usual Thomas!

Good video, much needed. Thanks!

What an excellent video, Thomas!

Brilliant video Thomas 🙏

I tend to mix 4 or 5 with a moderate amount of 1. I like 4 and 5 because they are time efficient, and 1 because going for a walk is a nice way to relax.

Hi , and thanks for all the informative videos

This was actually a really helpful breakdown! Thanks 👍

Good content today. Love this topic. Was needing to read up on it myself but this is a great primer. Appreciate the video

THIS WAS ONE OF YOUR BEST VIDEOS EVER

So they’re all good, just for different things. Great video!

Great Video Thomas. Question: What is the best way to determine each of the five zones for an individual? Thanks!

Getting my lazy bag of bones off the couch and doing ANY zone of cardio is considered a win for me!

Okay I can’t wait to hear this!

I really think you must be my twin brother-your content and your portrayal of the info is EXACTLY what I love. Referencing and citing all that you do-God that must take forever! This nerdy mind thanks you.

Can you make a video giving us exercising examples for each zone please?

Brilliant and informative.

Been doing long morning walks and switched it up recently to mostly yoga sculpt classes (with added heat and weights, little bit of hiit cardio mixed in) and noticed a dramatic change in only a couple weeks.

I loved this. Thanks man 😊

Excellent channel. If you need another topic how about injury prevention?

I do zone 4 everyday when I go fast hiking to Runyon Canyon, for me at least helps me burn more fat than zone 1-2 and also very time wisely.

Love the content here. Absolutely high value!

Very helpful Content 👌

Really love the video. About 95% of your videos are nutrition, good to see some on exercise. Unless you have a separate channel for fitness?

Very informative! I usually walk or do step aerobics. Would you consider step aerobics zone 2?

Great video, but you should have itemized Zone 1 - Zone 5 in terms of V02 Max. Maybe you can add this in youtube annotations at the beginning of the video

As a T2 diabetic, I've found zone 3 heart rate (70-80% of max heart rate) for a half hour is the fastest way to get my glucose down significantly. Between 40 and 80 points.

You just answered the a question I've been finding answer for many days

It'd be nice to mention what each zone actually means in terms of heart rate/intensity. I know there is Google, but this could've been a top-notch video

Here's what I do (in anyone cares 🙂) 1.) Eat no carbs (only fat to burn), 2.) Do HIIT up to vo2 max... or just good 'ol hardcore spin, or similar. 3.) Do your cardio fasted and in the morning when your insulin levels are at their lowest. If you are in decent shape, you'll be shredded within a month. If not in decent shape and you have a bit more to lose... you'll be shredded soon, just have patience and be consistent. Here's a rule I go by... try "it" (whatever that may be) for 30 days (how long it takes to change a habit). If you don't like it after 30 days, quit... and lose all you worked for, for the last 30 days.

This was definitely one of your better videos. And should be taught to us more. The more we hear the better we retain. Thanks

I do mostly zone 3 only, while fasted, and it keeps me pretty lean all year. I keep calories around maintenance. It's not easy cardio but I only do it 3 days a week and never on lifting days.

This was great! Very easy to understand and follow, thank you!

Talk about unintended consequences, anyone else run the zones on their treadmill while Thomas was narrating? 😂 Thanks Thomas for quickly dipping back into Z4!

Thomas this is great! From Craig.

Please give some examples of these zones

super helpful

Very helpful to understand. All summer I was doing 30min of zone 4. Now I’m doing about an hour of zone 2 to see what the energy outcome is.

Nice vid

Would be good to touch on lactic threshold. Im always working on my breathing and keeping my heart rate as low as i can because once i start hitting into the 80% and above heart rate i start getting the i need to puke feeling. So doing an hour and 20-30 minutes of circuit/interval type exercise can get very hard by the time you get to the end of the second set if the lactic acid starts building up.

Hi Thomas - corresponding heart bpm at each zone would be useful...

What are some examples of exercises in the different cardio zones??

So what would be a good workout plan on this? Every other cardio session switch 2 to 4? Or maybe every other week switch? Have a zone 2 week then zone 4. Thanks for the great information

Should have explained what each zone is (% HRM) or whatever as you talked about them.

Thanks

I love your example about the coal train, so much more easy to understand

Can you do an update on figuring out your heart rate for each zone. 😊thank you

My understanding is that your body has two major energy systems. One burns fat. The other burns carbohydrates. Both combine with oxygen to recharge the ATP molecules your muscles use during exercise. Lower intensity exercise predominantly use the fat burning system. As you ramp up intensity towards zone 4, your body uses less and less fat, and more and more carbs to replenish those ATP molecules your muscles use. In zone 5 your body is switching into some anaerobic and building up lactic acid. BUT, when you stop exercising, your body goes back to using fat (and carbs too) to recharge those glycogen stores and getting rid of the lactic acid. So it's not a simple on/off, but more of a ramp down of one, and a ramp up of another system. Both systems are always working to some degree. And in both cases, you are burning calories. Higher intensity exercise always burns more calories per hour. But if you want to exercise longer, a lower intensity is easier to maintain for a longer workout and burns a higher percent of fat.

please provide workout examples for each zone otherwise I have no frame of reference for each zone.

Okay that makes sense when my apple watch says I’m in zone 2 for bike at the gym zone 2 for some many minutes or zone3 if I’m really zoned in!!

Ive dropped 20 lbs in one month 4 times. Best way is 3-4 mile runs 5-7 times a week. No walking. Of course with diet

I think MAF180 Method relates to this. Train at 180-your age (+ or-5 depending on your fitness state.

Zone 3 probably good for older people as circulation loss is a hallmark of premature aging.

What are some examples of various exercises for each specific Zone? Especially if a person doesn't want to have to keep stopping, and checking their heart rate during said exercise to figure out what "Zone" they're in.

I’ve known since I was a kid that sprinting in the best exercise. Just look at athletes that compete in short bursts of speed. Skaters, as well. Wayyy back in 1990 I had a dog and we would race sprints across our yard that was around 50 or 60 yards and I would race her from fence line to fence line. 🎉

Zone 2 is the best for long term sustainable and healthy fat metabolism

Coming from the endurance/ultra endurance side of things the bulk of training happens in Z2. All day pace, many hours and miles so that you can get a little faster but maintain that same HR. Z4 is the cherry on top, so you can push up a climb, pass someone if needed, etc. And Z1 is for recovery. A lot of people get amped up trying to be fast or beat their friends on a run or ride but it ultimately hurts their results and is known as a dead zone or junk miles. Fun to see the fitness/fat loss perspective on this, that isn't as big a thing for skinny cyclists, runners, etc. ;)

Great video but what are examples of each zone of exercise?

How do you know how much vo2 are you using to know what zone I’m in

What is a way to measure which zone we are in? Heart rate monitor/tracker? What is the heart rate for each zone? Thanks

What should be the ideal zone for weight lifting?

The best zone is the one that works for you. It's not one size fits all.

Thomas you just described Orange theory fitnesses workouts game to a tee

A general suggestion on how much time should someone spend in each zone to maximize benefits? Specially for zone 2 and 4?

Hi. The zones mentioned in this video are based on VO2 max. Are they analogue to the HR zones? Those are the ones I know for myself.

What up Thomas

this video assumes you know what "zone" means and I feel like I skipped a day in class I needed a quick glossary at the front I picked it up by the end but I was definitely lost for a bit

How much more prone to rhabdo are you on a keto diet? When I run through the wall after 90-120 mins on a long run if I don’t take on carbs my sweat immediately shifts to smelling like ammonia.

Thank you very much. I want to ask can I use weight training to reach zone 2? Is it true that the body only starts to burn fat after 20 mins in zone 2? If yes, can I do 20+ min of resistant training, then doing zone 2 cardio to jump in for fat burning?

Are the zones you're discussing referring to Heart Rate Zones or Output Power Zones?

So if you want to train in both 2 and 4/5 in a single workout do you do 2 before or after?

if you want to try to cover all bases, do some jump rope for 15 minutes per day.

They should get rid of zone 5 or rename it because you can not stay in zone 5 for long time. Most people who do or attempt to do zone 5 training end up most of the time in zone 4.

Zone 1- 0% carbs, 100% fat Zone 2- 25% carbs, 75% fat Zone 3- 50% carbs, 50% fat Zone 4- 75% carbs, 25% fat Zone 5- 100% carbs, 0% fat

Thats for great video

I've lost 100 lb over the last year. I was 297 lb and I'm officially down to 197. I want to get to 185 and then I'll start maintaining. I had been walking in my neighborhood but for the past couple of weeks I've started walking on the treadmill at the gym. I put the incline on about 9 and I walk at a speed of 3.2. I do that for 1 hour and it burns nearly 700 calories. I do that everyday before I weight lift. I'm at the gym at 5:00 a.m. by the way. Haha

Cross country skiing you go different kinds of hills up and down so you go automatically all the zones many times using all your muscles. Its superior training method I think.

Great vid! Could anyone tell me from Australia how much shipping cost is for electrolyte offer? I couldn't find it in cart easily. Sweatin' my arse off at gym in qld humid weather here...ha!

I recently heard about a zone 2 exercise of 12-3-30. I'm wondering if this is an efficient form of exercise for fat loss. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Just curious, what do you think about rigorous working out, the extreme weightlifting, there's evidence showing this isn't healthy long term, not 100% on this, but I wonder if lighter weights would be better. A lot of long distance runners and bodybuilders are dropping dead early, but it may be bad diets and steroids, not sure. There's some though, a body carrying tons of muscle on it puts more stress on the heart when its active, again I do not know what is going on, but some people are saying this, maybe you have a video or studies on it.

Yes. Very well. But what does it actually mean cardio zone? And what are zones one, two...? How do I get into such zone how do I know I'm in it?

The intro had me rolling lmao 🤣😭🤣😭🤣

Can we combine zones? Like start with 4 and continue with 2?

Zone 1=50% of (220-age) Zone 2= 50-65% of (220-age) Zone 3= 70-80% of (220-age) Zone 4= 80-90% of (220-age) Zone 5=95-100% of (220-age) Am I understanding this correctly? Considering cases of young, healthy people that die suddenly while running at high intensities, I’ll just stick to mostly zone 1-3.