What Is Zone 2 & How Can You Find Yours?

Рет қаралды 578,859

Күн бұрын

Zone 2 training has become a bit of a buzz phrase in cycling ever since we found out it was a method Tadej Pogacar used to great effect for his Tour de France victories. But what exactly is it and how can you find and apply it to your regular training? Si tells you all you need to know, and also finds out his own Zone 2!
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:18 - What is zone 2?
01:58 - How do you find zone 2 without technology?
03:46 - Why is zone 2 different for everyone?
04:37 - How to scientifically find zone 2
07:56 - Si's results!
10:48 - Conclusions
Useful Links:
Ride with us at the Global Bike Festival: gcn.eu/GBF2023
Adventure Documentaries, Exclusive Shows & Live Racing on GCN+: gcn.eu/plus
Download the GCN App for free: gcn.eu/app
Visit the GCN Shop: gcn.eu/3for2offer
Join the GCN Club: www.gcnclub.com/
Have you used zone 2 in your training, and has it been effective? Let us know down below!👇
Watch more on GCN...
📹 Riding Slower Could Make You Faster! 👉 gcn.eu/zone2
📹 Watch our Editor’s Choice Playlist 👉 gcn.eu/editorschoice
📹 Or why not check out our Features Playlist 👉 gcn.eu/gcnfeatures
🎵 Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
Wooboy - Young Community
Amalthea - Van Sandano
Aurora Borealis - Chill Cole
Claire's Destiny - Ryan James Carr
Cold Midnight - Squiid
Crevasse - Aiyo
Fortune Favors - Ballpoint
Heart Goes Numb (Instrumental Version) - Coma Svensson
Message Between Worlds - William Benckert
Rioverde - Vendla
#gcn #cycling #roadbike #zone2 #cycingtraining #burnfat #training
Photos: © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Bettiniphoto / www.bettiniphoto.net/
The Global Cycling Network (GCN) is the largest online cycling channel in the world, bringing together a global community of road cyclists to celebrate everything that’s great about the world of cycling.
Our videos bring fans compelling daily content including expert tutorials, techniques, training, racing, cutting-edge bike tech, unparalleled behind the scenes event coverage, humour, entertainment, and more.
Presented by ex-pro riders, GCN offers a uniquely qualified insight into the world of cycling, and most importantly it’s fuelled by our passionate and enthusiastic fans - everyone who makes up the GCN community. We also bring the latest and greatest tech to your attention, showcase the best places in the world to ride and get exclusive access to events and races.
Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside Cycling
Thanks to our sponsors:
Castelli Clothing: gcn.eu/Castelli
Giro Helmets: gcn.eu/Giro
Pinarello Bikes: gcn.eu/Pinarello
Zipp Wheels: gcn.eu/Zipp
Topeak Tools: gcn.eu/Topeak
Canyon Bikes: gcn.eu/-Canyon
Pirelli Tyres: gcn.eu/Pirelli
Orbea Bikes: gcn.eu/Orbea
Vision Wheels: gcn.eu/Vision
Wahoo Fitness: gcn.eu/Wahoo-Fitness
Park Tool: gcn.eu/-parktool
Elite Bottles: gcn.eu/EliteBottles
Whoop Fitness: gcn.eu/Whoop
Komoot: gcn.eu/komoot
Selle Italia: gcn.eu/SelleItalia
SIS: gcn.eu/ScienceInSport
Zwift: gcn.eu/Zwift
Shimano Wheels: gcn.eu/Shimano
Shadow Stand: gcn.eu/ShadowStand
DMT Shoes: gcn.eu/DMT
Muc-Off: gcn.eu/MucOff
Watch our sister channels:
GCN Tech - / gcntech
GCN Racing - / gcnracing
Global Triathlon Network - / gtn
GCN Italia - / gcnitalia
GCN en Español - / gcnenespanol
GCN auf Deutsch - / gcnaufdeutsch
GCN en Français - / gcnenfrancais
GCN Japan - / gcnjapan
GCN Training - / gcntraining
Global Mountain Bike Network - / gmbn
GMBN Tech - / gmbntech
Electric Mountain Bike Network - / embn

Пікірлер: 881

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Have you used zone 2 in your training, and has it been effective? Let us know down below!👇

@hendriksiering9077 Жыл бұрын

i usually train 2/3 in zone 2 and 1/3 in higher zones!

@douglasbooth6836 Жыл бұрын

Doing 9 hours of zone 2 a week at the moment. Lactate testing is the best. Power is not a good method but hr is. Your body doesn’t know what power you are putting out it does know how hard your training. I’m doing all my zone 2 at 2700 meters altitude. Heart rate still the same but power well down. If you have no idea a good guess is 180 minus your age. Not perfect but without testing it’s the best. If you are on a ketogenic diet it will put the tests all wrong. Lactate should be below 1.9.

@yuckz0ne Жыл бұрын

What is Simon's FTP currently? So we can kind of set the graph at 8:30 in a relation to ourselves.

@mikes1976 Жыл бұрын

@@yuckz0ne Yes, please! Also resting HR and Max HR. Great vid, lots of useful info, can't wait to put it into practice.

@brankododig1585 Жыл бұрын

Great video! Yes and yes, respectively. The mistake I was doing for quite a while was doing my Z2 a bit easier than I should; training in Z2 when I'm well rested is maintaining about 200W at around 130 bpm, at which I can breathe through the nose and hold a conversation but you could tell I'm training if you tried which is about right. I used to do my easy training rides at about 170-180W average which is a bit on the easier side for me. One or sometimes two hard sessions per week and the rest strictly Z2 is really working well - did all my races better and stronger this year than last.

@tgoelles 7 ай бұрын

We used chewing gum as a cruise control. If you are able to chew normally all fine, if you want to spit it out because it feels like it blocks your breathing you are too fast. Always used it on my own because lack of proper conversation testers ;)

@MrSkierish Жыл бұрын

when Si´s zone 2 is your FTP 💀😅

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Hahaha he's a fit chap 🙌

@drift13b Жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same thing. Hahahaha this fat man sweats chocolate milk while he’s talking at an output twice my ftp

@rodrigofaria4498 Жыл бұрын

My thoughts exactly hahaha

@avcn365 Жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same thing... 250watts ☠️

@mtbfarriersterny8017 Жыл бұрын

I know right!! 🫣😂

@RebekahWegener Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for this video and all the research you put into it! I have a mitochondrial mutation and zone 2 riding every day is really helping. I started out as a study participant for research to see if zone 2 training would help people with mito mutations and it has been so good that I just kept going and am now planning to ride from Rostock to Salzburg to help raise awareness for mito diseases.

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Great stuff Rebekah! That's really great, good luck with the ride 🙌

@Astraeus73 Жыл бұрын

Really interesting Rebekah, so does this condition negatively affect your energy production? Presumably zone2 helps to mitigate the effects of your illness and stabilise your energy levels?

@RebekahWegener Жыл бұрын

@@Astraeus73 great question! yes it does quite significantly impact my energy production. The study was looking at whether zone 2 would help stabilise this and allow for regular exercise to improve fitness. The idea being that it would prevent further degeneration. It seems to be working so it might eventually lead to a replicable program for people with mito disease.

@MadSocietyContentCreation Жыл бұрын

@@RebekahWegener What a great way to use your particular circumstances to help improve the lives of others as well. Well done to be in that study, and keep putting in the work!

@JanneRasanen2 Жыл бұрын

Viel glueck mit fahren Rebekah!

@Benemax Жыл бұрын

Back in the 90's I used to be a Triathlete and one of the big names in training at the time was a guy called Dr Phillip Maffatone. His method was used by many of the big names of the time, like Mark Allan, 5 times Ironman Hawaii winner, Mike Pigg and many more. At the time almost all training was HR based and Maffatone had a simple method to work out your aerobic maximum zone, essentially Z2. This was 180-your age with a couple of qualifiers to add or subtract 5 heart beats to your zone depending on your fitness/health at that time. I found this to be pretty accurate in subsequent years compared to testing with modern methods. He also promoted 80% training time in Z2 or Maximum Aerobic Function (MAF) and 20% of training being dedicated to intervals and higher intensities. The stated aim of this training method was to increase mitocondria and red blood count. Sounds very much like Inego San Milans method only 30yrs earlier.

@TheRst2001 Жыл бұрын

Thanks , a nice and simple method. 180-52 = 128 plus minus 5 is similar to what I've just started out for 1hr cycle low intensity of around 115 to 120bpm . So I can kinda like this one will check it out for more detail cheers

@ginnel_snicket Жыл бұрын

After listening to Dr. San-Millan on two favourite sources - GCN & Peter Attia - I'm sold, for both general health and bike fitness. Excellent video on zone 2 - well done.

@alicejwho Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for this. I'm almost 57yrs old and on my ride yesterday I could still have a conversation at 165bpm. I was wondering how on earth that could be zone2, but now I know! BTW my max hr is around 187bpm and my resting hr is around 50bpm sometimes lower.

@luciouspontorro3741 Жыл бұрын

I REALLY think it would be helpful to spend a decent amount of time showing a rider talking while riding below Zone 2, at low/mid zone 2, at Upper Zone 2, and then how there talking changes as they move to Zone 3. Zone 2 may be the most important training tool we have so giving regular people the most specific videos on how to find it is critical imo. Great video But just thi k they needed to specifically show the different examples pkes of what talking is like in different zones

@earltebockhorst1698 Ай бұрын

I've watched all Simon's Zone 2 GCN KZfaq videos. I've also watched other Dr. San Millan videos on Zone 2 and the health benefits. I'm 74 and have been following these talk procedure for 7 months. I feel great and my fellow cyclist can't believe how fast I am. I also like Simon's video on Zone 4 and Anaerobic Capacity

@rodp7803 Жыл бұрын

I was not aware that the top of zone 2 goes up as you get fitter. Also, I didn't know that if you get above zone 2 that it would take 30 minutes to get back into the correct metabolic state! Very good to know!

@timvanmonero2720 Жыл бұрын

well, if your Z2 goes to 150BPM and you ride 5 minutes at 151 BPM, it's not like you're on carb power now. but once you shift to 160 bpm, it might take a while. if you wanted to ride 180bpm, you're having a problem now. also, metabolic shift not to forget. ride 4 hours in Z2 and it becomes diffiult to not be above 150bpm for your Z2 power ;-)

@jackotamo Жыл бұрын

@@timvanmonero2720 exactly. First hour of work is not the same stress as hour 4 at the same work.

@vlogsbyakkas343 Жыл бұрын

Zone 2 has improved my fitness, massively! I feel strong and fit - My recovery is so much better than before 👍

@pakamac Жыл бұрын

A great video Simon. I am curious about applying it to cyclists of advanced years (I am 83).

@Karan19880 2 ай бұрын

Guys can anyone help me i actually only got 50% of the video so please anyone can help me to know about all zones and which training zone to ride please anyone who knows it reply 🙏

@tompriestner9007 Жыл бұрын

Just please… more… of … this … stuff !!! So so helpful and would love to see an analysis of how to create a working plan given your targets. E.g. should I be doing under overs; vo2 4 minute sets; sprints etc)

@gordonmcculloch8763 4 ай бұрын

I echo much of the comment already posted. I have been trying to get to grips with "zone 2" for a while and a while ago concluded that I was wasting my time keeping to my HR based Z2 level having spotted information about relative perceived exertion. This video brilliantly gets over what you need to do to work out your metabolic Zone 2 and is backed up by proper scientific data. Excellent!

@Windband1 2 ай бұрын

Yes, this is very interesting! What I'm finding out through these vids is that proper Zone 2 is quite a lot higher than just my "Zone 2 HR Chart reading". I can breathe through my nose into my lower Zone 4 HR reading... I haven't tried the conversation test yet...

@Rallyeron Жыл бұрын

I think the main question that needs to be answered Si, is does that 230w - 260w relate to your Z2 from your FTP?

@unclefreddy2009 Жыл бұрын

Any answer to this? Seems like a simple answer to get

@vancelray Жыл бұрын

Tested my zone 2 level. I hit zone 2 when I'm sitting at my desk watching GCN videos. I should be awesome next season!!

@captainstars9265 Жыл бұрын

Thanks ! Helps alot

@brennocarlozaninigiansante5308 Жыл бұрын

Jonathan is an absolute legend! Its fantastic you're doing these science videos with him again

@erlendsteren9466 Жыл бұрын

I have been searching for my zone 2, and last week I went all the way to the fysiotherapist with Vo2 test and lactate-test. The answer was that zone 2 was a lot harder than I had calculated based on persentage of pulse. This test put zone two so high that I realized i had much more zone2 riding than I had imagined. The week before I was performing the talk-test which also implicated that zone 2 was on relatively high pulse. I was able to sing "Nobody knows (Paul Robson)" riding a 5% steep 1 kilometer climb when the pulsewatch was roughly 140-145. I am 61 years old, with max pulse 178, zone 2 from 129-147. Treshold pulse 156-160. VO2-using 78%. The fysiotherapist asked if I had did very much treshold-riding because 78% VO2 is very high. Maybe I have. Going to work in 48 minutes is maybe in zone 2 for almost half an hour, and escalates to threshold and beyond in the final climb, the last 15 minutes. Conclusion, if you really want to pinpoint zone 2 this lactate test gives good answers.

@lucianocaldas69 Жыл бұрын

Good quality stuff! Thanks

@lgarcia67 Жыл бұрын

I’ve been practicing like that for a while and it is very effective. I don’t know if you mentioned this in the video, I do not recall it; it one of the other benefits of practicing in that zone is the fact that you are always on aerobic breathing. Since you are aerobic the muscles don’t have to strain themselves and the athlete does not get injured much if ever. Also, since the by product of anaerobic respiration is lactic acidosis then you are not in pain after training and recover very fast. For this reason you can train almost on a daily basis. Consistency is what makes great athletes not going hard today and then you don’t train for days because you are in pain or injured

@michaeldwilson1471 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the great information!

@MrHarshilsharma Жыл бұрын

Great content!

@skiprogers226 Жыл бұрын

I have been implementing more and more Z2 training in my yearly riding plan. Your video was excellent, Si, especially your summary comments. This is a well done video, thank you!

@fhowland Жыл бұрын

Very informative video! Thanks !

@Tex735 Жыл бұрын

Great video and really good insight. My problem is trying to stay in zone 2. It's just too damn easy to drift up into zone 3 without realizing it...

@BogotaEnglish Жыл бұрын

Ride longer, that will draw the line and teach you self control ;)

@bradley5431 Жыл бұрын

@@BogotaEnglish thanks man i have the same issue. It is about we can't be patience lol.

@MrTedJourney Жыл бұрын

@@bradley5431 If you have a Garmin, and probably any other make, you can set an alert based on heart rate zones. so set it to go off as you go into zone 3 and it will beep!!

@bradley5431 Жыл бұрын

@@MrTedJourney wow good idea bro thanks!

@Tex735 Жыл бұрын

@@MrTedJourney I do, and it does... LOL!! After about 3 hours, zone 2 starts to feel a little more like work though so I'm good. Just have to keep an eye on it when i'm fresh.

@XxxxTxTxxxX Жыл бұрын

Great video !!

@suelloyd9895 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this follow up to your interview with Inigo. The application of that conversation is great!

@jackietaylor1345 Жыл бұрын

Possibly one of the most informative cycling videos I've watched, great stuff GCN 👍

@willjones7132 Жыл бұрын

Great video, self estimate, and closing statement! One of the best GCN videos I've seen.

@stevenking9357 Жыл бұрын

Excellent topic, thanks for the video.

@ziekgelkoff731 Жыл бұрын

Awesome content!

@samorourke8837 Жыл бұрын

I’m glad this is all coming to light again.. when I was a junior it was ALL about base miles to build up aerobic base and it seemed I / we all forgot that - I was guilty of being the time crunched cyclist mentioned in your videos and going nowhere fast and getting demoralised. Even when I ran I followed the 80:20 rule but never seemed to use it in cycling.. I’m glad these videos have emerged again as it’s opened up the nugget of information my brain had somehow forgotten/thought was irrelevant..!!

@117Oblivion117 Жыл бұрын

Delivering food on a bicycle is also Z2 training. Just cycling along for a few hours, knowing how to pace yourself so you won't burn out. Using my hardtail for the extra resistance, quite fun!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Sounds like fun 🙌 Just getting out an riding is going to do you a world of good!

@Popa_Bogdan_Light_Drawing Жыл бұрын

Thank you!!!

@stephen_pfrimmer Ай бұрын

Thank you so much for this Simon.

@gisellevanderlaan2576 Жыл бұрын

Very useful and practical information!

@nicholasmciver5457 Жыл бұрын

fantastic video! it was very helpful that you compared inigos conversation test to a metabolic test, as i've just started learning about zone 2 polarized training. more like this please!

@timmclaughlin1787 Жыл бұрын

After watching a bunch of youtube videos on Zone 2 training I think that this video is the best one by far. Thank you for the video GCN!

@danielsaninllano1173 Жыл бұрын

This guys has the best videos! Tks a lot. Very helpful!

@jefry11 Жыл бұрын

Excellent practical simple recommendations about zone 2 training

@lowlifescum Жыл бұрын

I feel like the conversation test can be best explained as if you have to take a breath after every sentence to maintain talking

@HughDWallace Жыл бұрын

Something to bear in mind for those using a heart rate monitor and breathing effort: I'm a runner and a cyclist and while I'm rubbish at both but I've been recording my heart rate data for nearly 20 years. I've found that when I'm on the bike I can record much higher heart rates while being able to carry on a conversation than I can when running. I'm not sure if this means that my running Zone 2 and my cycling Zone 2 are therefore different with respect to my heart rate but I need to gauge my effort by different means on a bike than when I run.

@NILSZWARTDOEK Жыл бұрын

Do you have an answer for this? I have the same problem to find my Z2 for running.

@HughDWallace Жыл бұрын

@@NILSZWARTDOEK I don't, nor do I particularly care so haven't looked into it. My suggestion is to have a look at the MAF Method by Phil Maffetone who (I believe) pioneered this idea.

@georgibg Жыл бұрын

Running is a weight-bearing sport unlike cycling.

@HughDWallace Жыл бұрын

@@georgibg I'm not quite sure of the point you are making in relation to heart rate zones? Could you please elaborate? Thank you. 🙂

@robpalmer3919 Жыл бұрын

different zones for each activity , will vary over time as sports specific fitness / adaptions occur

@marklapointe48 Жыл бұрын

The final remarks at the end were just as helpful as the rest of the video. Really great job and thanks!

@philtomlinson8220 Жыл бұрын

I read Breathe by James Nestor earlier this year. Stick with the nose breathing, the longer you do it, the better you get at it. There are said to be many advantages, including improving the efficiency of your oxygen uptake, and even expanding your lung capacity. Great book, well worth a read.

@TrkJustin Жыл бұрын

I was a mouth breather, started swimming, had to learn how to breathe through my nose. It helped in every sport.

@rickardwinblad5613 Жыл бұрын

If we think about it rationally; 1) both nose and mouths leads the air down to the lungs via the same route. The nose can take a smaller amount of air/minute and the path is hindered via nose hair which works as a filter for particules. The mouth on the other hand has a much clearer path down to the lungs. 2) Life is efficient. If there would be advantages as to get better oxygen uptake, humans would breath through the nose when things get tough. But we don't, because it isnt as effective. 3) lung capacity doesnt decrease or increase depending on which way your air takes. Based on this, I wouldn't consider the book as great, nor that it would be worth reading.

@yatharthchaturvedi2874 Жыл бұрын

@@rickardwinblad5613 Ever heard the word "Efficiency"? Getting more output with the same amount of Input. Wonder how your body learns it?

@96golfcl Жыл бұрын

Now that is good cycling content. Thanks Si and team.

@nnderu Жыл бұрын

Very informative. Thank you. I’m really chuffed to see that Z2 training helps to build my endurance. I’ll keep at it.

@elite_online_rowing_coach 8 ай бұрын

Well done!

@SmokeyVlogs Жыл бұрын

Cool thank you

@ramansharma6986 10 ай бұрын

Another cracking video. Clear, clinical and easier to absorb than an SiS gel. Worked out that I am probably training at Zone minus 2. Ground breaking. Keep making the classy vids: love ‘em.

@starlitshadows Жыл бұрын

I just finished the podcasts with Peter Attia and Inigo last night. Watching this vid is the perfect finish to that because you showed an example of low zone 2 convo. Something I've been looking for is actual examples of a zone 2 talk test. Right about what I thought it was too. Great vid GCN.

@kathryneader1264 Жыл бұрын

Ha! I just finished the same podcast and then found this video for more guidance.

@charliephk Жыл бұрын

Great explanations, both verbally and graphically!

@geoffreyhoney122 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely love this content! More Si the Scientist! I'm not a racer, but I AM interested in fitness on the bike. This confirms what I have always suspected. I used to use the talk test for running. Great that it works/translates to cycling! Si is right also that you can't forget the other 20%. You have to do some HIIT too and I do. Glad the science confirms my intuition! Mitochondria Rule!

@user-ml1hu3jr8l Жыл бұрын

Thanks, great vid, very useful. 👍👍

@niccoloaurelius1587 11 ай бұрын

This video helped me more than any other to understand what zone 2 is and how to find it. Really excellent explanation regarding RPE...it was so clear to see how accurate the RPE was to all of the scientific testing.

@dmytryemery Жыл бұрын

This video was perfect for me. I watched the previous interview and read a bit online, but couldn't quite make sense of the differences. My heart rate monitor said zone 2, my power meter said zone 1, and my effort felt like I was being lazy. The explanation around 4 minutes really cleared stuff up for me. Thanks Si!

@SuperDodoe Жыл бұрын

Thank you'z!! You're da best!

@bradwilliams4921 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video. I am not an athlete but rather a 49 year old male who is about 40 to 50 pounds overweight. I just recently learned about Zone 2 training and have been trying to find Zone 2 on a treadmill that has a power meter and heart rate monitor. I was considering switching to an elliptical machine to help preserve my joints but I think now I will begin working on a stationary bike. It would be nice to be able to monitor lactate to insure that I am remaining in Zone 2. Best wishes.

@pj9375 Жыл бұрын

Great final two points 👍👍

@miksalcuni Жыл бұрын

Thank you Simon 🤙

@kurthessler300 Жыл бұрын

Very good video. But always better if you clarify in what type of training zone model you based your z2. Is it in a 5 zones model or 3 zones model. Zone 2 in 5 zones model correspond to Z1 in a 3 zone model. Just before LT1. The clarification is really needed and people needs to understand it. I also beleive that heart rate is correlated to the zone you train on. Power is an output but heart rate is a physiological limit where chemical reaction changes at different values of heart rate.

@Mr_Blogberry Жыл бұрын

Quite simply one of the best and most useful videos I've seen on YT. Would be great to see you build from this with science backed advice for those of us who want to lose weight or improve riding performance through cycling. Probably 2 different approaches needed, bit would be great to see.

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Great suggestion! Glad to see you enjoyed this video 🙌

@simondawson8493 Жыл бұрын

GCN is great for some science, but if I am allowed to advertise a different channel as well, look at Dylan Johnson in the USA for science based stuff around polarised training and a lot more besides. www.youtube.com/@DylanJohnsonCycling

@itsianwood Жыл бұрын

Very good!!!

@martinmorris6485 Жыл бұрын

thanks interesting stuff, will check out my own levels , have been riding like this quite a bit anyway for over forty years , good to know the science behind the effect and watch for the peaks very useful. Not been in competition for years but like to keep at a comfy level of bike fitness, yoga has very positive effects too, pre and post ride stretches are very good ...cheers

@mikkywhites397 Жыл бұрын

well done!

@rachelharvey71 Жыл бұрын

This was great content thanks Si. Really informative and delivered with gravitas 😊 Zone 2 here I come 😅

@Life-gm2sj Жыл бұрын

This is great info. This year I have pushed hard almost every ride (setting route pb’s) of my 1500 miles and was wondering why the fat isn’t burning off as it has in the past. Long slow winter rides with occasional sprints it is!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Winter miles and summer smiles! 🙌

@soysanto9939 Жыл бұрын

Save the sprints for the end. It takes 20-30 minutes to get back to zone 2.

Жыл бұрын

@@soysanto9939 This seems to be the most useful takeway and the way on how to find your z2 :) Next summer, everyone will smile :)

@ThePowerPCHub Жыл бұрын

This was super helpful. I’ve been struggling to find my “Zone 2” for quite a while in training, with my heart rate being higher than I feel it should be for how the perceived effort is feeling. But knowing that it can fluctuate from person to person and that it isn’t just a simple % of your max HR is really good to know!

@thisandthat1233 Жыл бұрын

The heartrate can also change over time because of training. Perhaps even some daily variation. It's not set in stone.

@aquamarine99911 10 ай бұрын

@@thisandthat1233 Yeah, it definitely varies from day to day, depending on last night's sleep and who knows what else. Without all the tests available to me, I still use % of HR max as a reference point, and vary between 70% and 80% of HR max, averaging around 75%. I just make sure that I'm breathing through my nose consistently, and can talk normally/sing. I notice that I seem to be in Zone 2 at a higher HR lately, and I attribute that to my 1x weekly HIIT session. Peter Attia trains in Zone 2 at >80% of max HR.

@alexm1841 Жыл бұрын

At 04:18 you make a lot of sense. I do a lot of low heart rate training and I ran track in college. My watch has all of my information and says that my zone 2 is 118 - 147, but I can hold a somewhat comfortable conversation at 155-165 and I run marathons at 165-175 bpm

@kenstaaahh Жыл бұрын

Love these kind of videos!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it 🙌

@kakarot2430 Жыл бұрын

I wish I would hear this information back in 2017. At that time all I do was smashed all my soul on every ride. I changed from HIIT to another HIIT..., just a year, my performance went stagnant.

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Time to chill it out and enjoy the ride 🙌

@deadlift8551 Жыл бұрын

Good video, another way of measuring Zone 2 with the conversation method - if you are talking to someone on the phone they should be able to tell that you are exercising, without being totally out of breath 👍

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Great little idea to have in your head whilst out on the bike.

@WattsOnTheUp Жыл бұрын

@@gcn ...but terrible idea to have in your hand whilst out on the bike.

@BRC76 Жыл бұрын

Great video. GCN at its non commercial best. I know - “if we didn’t have a commercial model we couldn’t do this”!! But this is why I started watching GCN all those years ago. Thanks Si.

@michaelevans5558 Жыл бұрын

Great video. I used to think that most group rides or organized zwift events could be done in Zone 2. However, it seems that Z2 training is much more intentional due to the fact you can not leave the zone and come back to it instantaneously.

@chrisduffy8993 Жыл бұрын

"Zone 2" is sub ventilatory threshold workloads. That's quite a broad definition and I appreciate your taking the time to explain that it's the upper limits of that sub-vt pace that riders should be targeting in these sessions. Imo, many riders understand Z2 to mean "super easy" and they don't t see positive training benefits in the time they have. With that in mind it might be helpful for many athletes to understand these metrics relative to commonly used training metrics like FTP (even if imprecise).

@yaksok Жыл бұрын

Great to see concepts in TFTNA crossing over to cycling!

@RhymesWithPorridge Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this one!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

No worries! Glad you enjoyed it 🙌

@chellovlogs Жыл бұрын

Appreciate the video, didn't know much of zone two before, will try to focus more on that!

@JanneRasanen2 Жыл бұрын

You might be surprised how low a gear you need to use. The cadence should not be very fast or slow.

@user-uq9fp7vy3l 7 ай бұрын

Brilliant video. Easy to follow bit really informative, without being at all patronising. Thank You……

@mariuscpeter Жыл бұрын

It's my 4th week of Z2 training and I can say, I love it. I do "feel" my legs after 45-60 minutes in Z2 and I noticed that with every workout I need to push one extra W to stay in the zone. I use my HR Z3 (137-157bpm) given by my Garmin devices and I can say that that's the zone by using conversation method.

@fararrarara6769 Жыл бұрын

for me its mid z3 hr or 73-78% maxhr

@mariuscpeter Жыл бұрын

@@onzeit1822 nope. Here is where I can have a conversation but I don't really want to. And that's how it's described

@horkaichan8880 Жыл бұрын

Great and informative video!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@jeremymitchell8470 Жыл бұрын

Awesome video! I was pleasantly surprised to find that the upper end of zone 2 is probably a little higher than what I had originally researched. This makes my commute that much more important to my waistline!

@tinus2801 Жыл бұрын

Very interesting stuff guys! Keep the scientific info coming our way..🤓

@CorySlykerman Жыл бұрын

Thankyou Si! Best video I've seen from GCN yet! Congrats!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Ollie was riding in this one, although we're sure Si would love to take some of the credit 🤣 Great to hear you loved the video 🙌

@michaelevans797 Жыл бұрын

Extremely helpful, thank you will try this out when I get going again 👍

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Go get em Michael 💪

@michaelevans797 Жыл бұрын

@@gcn Thanks, plan to get started after I have got this week out the way 🤞👍💪🙏

@teachermark5816 Жыл бұрын

great stuff. i had instinctively gone to the top of power z2, bottom of z3, and listening to music and singing shows me i am indeed in my actual z2. my power meter z2 is too easy below around 70% of that zone.. however, mt ftp (around 200) is so low i have trouble staying in z2 going up any hills 😀

@paulwestwood3895 Жыл бұрын

What a really interesting video. Zone 2 here I come. Thanks

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Enjoy 🙌

@notmyrealname6272 Жыл бұрын

The video I’ve been waiting for ❤

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Hope you liked it 🙌

@nils_on_wheels Жыл бұрын

Such an interesting science. Awesome video as always!! Thank you so much!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

No worries Nils! Glad you liked it 🙌

@elmichaelz Жыл бұрын

Great presentation, Si. One small fact to make this topic more easily digested (pun intended): oxygen is required in the mitochondria to convert fat into energy (ATP). Zone 2 to Zone 3 simply means that your exertion is exceeding your respiratory system's ability to take in oxygen, which is why the conversation metric works. If you can't talk you are going too hard to bring in enough oxygen to metabolize fat as fuel. Lactate then becomes the metabolic byproduct, and if you don't keep consuming carbs in that state you will bonk.

@ozrobmit Жыл бұрын

Don't you also need oxygen to me convert carbs to energy too?

@elmichaelz Жыл бұрын

@@ozrobmit The whole process of converting fuel to energy in animals is called cellular respiration. Carbs come in many forms (saccharides), but all contain glucose which is the primary fuel for all cells. Glucose can be metabolized in muscle cells with oxygen (aerobic: CO2 + H2O byproduct) or without (anaerobic: lactic acid byproduct). Fats easily become metabolized when glucose runs low (after glycogen stores have been depleted), but only in the presence of oxygen. This means zone 2 (abundant oxygen through breathing) can be maintained for long periods, and the more you train in zone 2, the more you build that capacity. Therefore if you are going zone 3 and up for too long you must keep eating carb rich foods or you bonk. Proteins can even be converted to energy in this process, and this needs oxygen too, but I think this only occurs in starvation. Look up cellular respiration at khan academy if you want a deep dive.

@photovideo215 Ай бұрын

Dang, Ive been doing it all wrong. Thank you for the great info!!

@garysladek9110 Жыл бұрын

Thanks GCN, a very informative video. Now, possibly a video on the Zone 5, 20 percent of training. Again thanks.

@NWakeford Жыл бұрын

Massive Flex by Si, leaving those awesome VO2 numbers out there (especially considering not a max piece)!!!

@gf8154 Жыл бұрын

Top quality GCN content. More like this please. Incidentally how did your Zone 2 relate to your FTP?

@bleckb Жыл бұрын

Si’s zone two is my FTP! 😂

@scottdawson6104 Жыл бұрын

Extremely useful and something I suspected all along that you can't use the age old HRZ estimate method based off age/max HR. I always rode harder than the calculated Z2 but always felt like it did more good that way and critically still sustainable for 4-5 hours. Reassuring and also useful for me to go and refine it. Cheers.

@woutervl Жыл бұрын

Haven't finished the vid yet, but a different zone calc is (%(maxbpm-resting bpm)+restingbpm). So for example if Z2 is 60-65%, and your max is 190, resting is 45bpm, the lower end of the zone would be 0.60*(190-45)+45=132bpm and the higher end would be 139bpm. I've felt this to be more accurate personally :)

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Glad we could help you refine your training a bit more Scott! 🙌

@woutervl Жыл бұрын

@@philbond87 that's great to hear! I've stumbled upon it last week, bought a book about HR-based training in a secondhand store and came across it. Immediately after sharing my discovery, my girlfriend told me she knew about it for years, but never bothered to tell me hahaha I'm going to try both methods as well, to see if they also match for myself!

@woutervl Жыл бұрын

@@philbond87 apparantly it's called 'heart rate reserve', which I guess means something like 'usable heartrate range'.. My garmin device has the option to use that instead, so I turned that on just now :)

@rayrick77 Жыл бұрын

@Wouter, Dylan Johnson has a video with Stephen Seiler on Zone 2 (or Zone 1 in a three zone model) training, and he also quotes that formula.

@kirkbeatty6845 Жыл бұрын

Great science Si... Don’t sell yourself short, it looks like you still have plenty of performance to lose as you get older! LoL 😅 I’m 54 and have been working hard to slow my regression. It’s inevitable and once you accept it it’s quite fun to work on slowing it down actually, new inspirations and motivations! So maybe I missed it but I thought you said we cannot use our FTP Z2 power range? If that is the case I’m just wondering what your FTP Z2 power range is, compared to what this test identified your Z2 as. I am a long time viewer, around 5 yrs, GCN+ subscriber and major fan of what you and so many others have built this channel into, keep up the amazing work! Respectfully, Kirk from Wa. USA

@Z-u-m-a Жыл бұрын

Very interesting, thanks. Issue I personally see is the hills around here mean I'm usually either puffing my way up or taking it easy-ish on the way down. A lengthy 'zone 2' section would be bliss :)

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Good point! Hills really but a blocker in zone 2, you might have to slow right down and spin up to stay in the zone 🤔

@pierrex3226 Жыл бұрын

You can with the right gearing. 34-34 should get you up most hills without falling to slow motion cadences.

@Z-u-m-a Жыл бұрын

@@gcn Definitely something to think about - spinning away instead. Some horrid sections though... Probably just my lack of fitness 🥵

@TheMoodyedge Жыл бұрын

Good vid.

@nickh3533 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for posting this video, I've been doing what I thought were Zone 2 rides for the last few weeks just using what Strava says my zone 2 heart rate is which is (104 to 138) but I guess I wasn't pushing hard enough!