Zone 2 - The Foundation : Developing Aerobic Endurance, Improving Carbohydrate & Fat Metabolism
No Long Post - Short and to the point!
Zone 2 is THE WAY to develop Aerobic Endurance, the foundation to all sporting performance
Poor Aerobic Endurance impairs recovery from efforts and sessions
Aerobic Endurance = the foundation for your house. Poor foundations limit the height of your house
Improves Mitochondrial Efficiency and Density - the furnaces for Carbohydrate and Fat metabolism
Heart rate is a more sensitive indicator of Zone 2 than Power on a bike due to cardiac drift
Can sustain this intensity indefinitely providing fuel adequately
As percentage of Functional Threshold Power (FTP) = 60-75% (thought to sit closer to 65%)
As percentage of Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR) = 83-88% LTHR
As percentage of Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) = 60-70% LTHR
As Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) = 5-6/10 where 10 is Max Effort
Allows you to be fresh enough to undertake higher intensity training sessions
Improving Aerobic Endurance goes beyond sporting context - correlated with increases in longevity (also known as life span) and decreased risk of all-cause mortality
Volume and duration dependent on training time and individual athlete
Coincides with Fat Max Zone - Where the percentage of fat utilised / burned is highest relative to Carbohydrates and Protein. Does not mean highest number of calories utilised per hour.
Looking to improve your overall fitness or want to smash your upcoming events/races?