Zone 1 = Slower than 129% Zone 2 = 114 to 129% Zone 3 = 106 to 113% Zone 4 = 99 to 105% Zone 5 = 97 to 100%. He has worked with many elite athletes and teams in sports including track and field, running, triathlon, rowing, basketball and cycling; including eight professional cycling teams. Whether achieved through Endurance workouts or through more time-effective Sweet Spot training, some training for aerobic conditioning should occur throughout the entire cycling season, especially during base and build phases. This is why traditional endurance base training is so time-intensive and requires lots of very long workouts. This is key in athletic performance as by improving fat utilization we preserve glycogen utilization throughout the entire competition. Base training is the first phase of an athlete’s season and lays the groundwork for more intense and specialized training later on. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Training effects come quite slowly through Endurance riding. Keep your training on track with a powerful, easy-to-use training calendar. The Endurance zone is commonly known as Zone 2 and includes riding from 55% to 75% of a cyclist’s FTP. With regular Zone 2 training your speed will start to increase while keeping your heart rate down. I ask this cause most zone 2 exercises are really the same then. Great group of coaches who really relate to young athletes. In this freshly edited edition of Two Min Thurs, we go over the mysterious training and exercising zone called, ZONE 2. They all target a percent of ftp and not based on your LT1 which may be a better target to base off of . Endurance athletes are typically good at going hard on the hard days but have a hard time going slow on the easy days. https://trainingpeaks.com/blog/zone-2-training-for-endurance-athletes TrainerRoad Software. However, aerobic adaptation occurs in both zones. Very similar data across many different sports has been described by coaches worldwide as well as in the scientific literature. As you increase your intensity from Endurance towards Tempo and into Sweet Spot, you’re sliding on that continuum a bit, and you recruit some type 2a fibers, shift fuel demands towards sugar from fat, and increase the amount of fatigue you generate. While each one is effective in its own way, there is a massive difference in the time required to achieve aerobic adaptations. At the same time, the training effect is minimal as compared to Zone 3 or 4 training. If you have a power meter, this is 59-75 percent of your Functional Threshold Power (FTP). Fast twitch fibers are also divided in two subgroups called Type IIa and IIb. Problem with Zone 2 training is that you do not recover properly. This is when Type I muscle fibers play the key role of lactate clearance. How can I use this data? While training in all zones is needed, zone 2 training should be one of the most important parts of any training program. Lactate is the byproduct of glucose utilization which is utilized in large amounts by fast twitch muscle fibers. “Luckily, Sweet Spot base training can trigger most of the same benefits in dramatically less time.”. However, lactate needs to be cleared or else it will accumulate. We recommend fueling your Zone 2 workouts with carbohydrates. I have been there, done that mysel. At higher exercise intensities beyond 75% of VO2max, ATP generation needs to be faster in order to maintain muscle contractile demands. The Endurance zone is completely aerobic and relies on slow-twitch (type I) muscle fibers. This type of base training can certainly be effective, but it’s neither convenient nor practical for most athletes. That said, we still offer our Traditional Base plans if you prefer a more endurance-centric approach! Posts about zone 2 training written by ian. Zone 2 should feel pretty easy as well, at least in the beginning. In addition, these easy training sessions help build capillary pathways that transport oxygen to your muscles and carry waste (lactate) away from your muscles. Type IIa muscle fibers kick in and eventually as intensity keeps increasing Type IIb will finally be recruited. The science behind Zone 2 training illuminates why this is true. It is often called the “molecular unit of currency” for the cells and needs to be synthesized constantly during exercise. The easiest answer is to follow your training plan, which is designed to progressively challenge you with the most effective workouts possible. This pace is fairly light, and it is commonly denoted as a “conversational” effort. Essentially, it makes the lactate line … The Endurance zone can be used to add volume to a training plan without adding much extra fatigue. Whereas Sweet Spot Base assumes you have a limited schedule like most non-professional cyclists, which compensates for the lack of duration with an increase in intensity. Slow things down to focus on technique, while practicing race-specific nutrition at endurance racing-specific heart rates. Because Zone 2 is not as immediately productive as higher intensities, low-volume athletes should prioritize training at more productive workloads that can bring the same adaptations in less time. They talk about how to program zone 2 training, including intensity, frequency, and duration, and metrics for tracking improvement. In conjunction with higher intensity efforts, Zone 2 is the foundation from which to begin to build threshold fitness. Benefits of Training In Zone 2. Our 18 week sweet spot training plan utilizes a fatigue dependent training plan design described above to help athletes achieve all the benefits from sweet spot and zone 2 ‘base’ training. Your body becomes a FAT BURNING MACHINE! Lyndel Link . “For the past 18 years working with professional and elite endurance athletes like cyclists, runners, triathletes, swimmers and rowers I have been able to see that zone 2 training is absolutely essential to improve performance.”. You Need Zone 2 Exercise In zone 2 heart rate exercise you’ll preferentially use fat for fuel, making this a very effective way to lose body fat; There are several ways to know whether you’re in zone 2; Exercise in zone 2 for 150 minutes per week for body fat loss: Not only will this ensure you’re fueled for subsequent workouts, but it will also help fend off muscle damage. Just two or three of these workouts each week can bring measurable and motivating fitness gains. Beyond this intensity, ATP cannot be generated by the aerobic glycolysis, so ATP needs to be generated through the anaerobic mechanism also called substrate phosphorilation. In addition to the normal aerobic benefits of Endurance training, Baxter can help improve pedaling efficiency. When you train in Zone 2, you metabolize fat as fuel, both during the workout and throughout the day. Remember it’s impossible to train in Zone 5 for very long, meaning that the aim of most training programs is to make your scope to go into zone 5 less. The importance of Zone 1 and Zone 2 Training Zone 1 and 2 training is important because the benefits of these workouts. You may even see cardiac drift towards the end of this workout. If you say most of the same benefits, can you elaborate on those benefits which SST cannot provide in comparison to Zone 2? Required fields are marked *. Fats and carbohydrates (CHO) are the two substrates mainly used, with some contribution from protein. CHO are stored in the form of glycogen in skeletal muscle (about 80%) and in the liver (about 15%). Besides fat utilization, type I muscle fibers are also responsible for lactate clearance. By Improving aerobic capacity this improves your ability to maintain a faster pace for a longer period of time. Aim for 75% of max heart rate. Zone 2 in adaptive training. Even extremely high-volume athletes have a limit to how many hard workouts they can productively handle each week and the rest of their time is spent at low-intensity. Skeletal muscle is composed of 2 kinds of muscle fibers- Type I, also known as slow twitch, and Type II, or fast twitch. Here is one of the many articles on Heart Rate based training, though the percentages that define the zones are somewhat different from what I have (my zone 2 is 60-67% according to garmin.connect site). Almost everyone training with a goal and a purpose has some form of structured training which is based on different training zones, intensities and workouts spread through a week or a training block, something that could also be called microcycle and macrocycle. Dr. Iñigo San Millán, Ph.D., is the Director of the Exercise Physiology and Human Performance Lab at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and also Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Sports Medicine Departments at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.'Dr. Why is TSS Reduced Between Training Phases? Type IIb muscle fibers have a little mitochondrial density and a very high capacity to use glucose as well as ATP stored in these fibers for instant anaerobic energy. If (like most of us) your training time is limited, sweet spot has more bang for the buck. If you have spare time, feel free to add some extra endurance riding for additional aerobic conditioning, but be careful to never cause so much fatigue as to interfere with your regularly scheduled workouts. Zone 2 is steady training just coming above the easy zone, It’s not moderate or anything above. 100 different training plans and over 2,000 different workouts that are used to automatically build a custom plan for your goals and experience. To know this, we first need to have some understanding of basic bioenergetics and muscle metabolism. Luckily, Sweet Spot base training can trigger most of the same benefits in dramatically less time. Incorporating zones into your training guides certain workouts to be intentionally slow for endurance adaptations (Zone 2) while other workouts are meant to be very hard to push your maximum capacity (Zones 4 & 5). Simply put, slow twitch fibers are used at slower speeds and fast twitch at faster speeds. Type IIa fibers have a lower mitochondrial density and a higher capacity to utilize glucose. Fat cannot synthesize ATP fast enough so CHO utilization increases and starts being the predominant energy substrate as the rate of energy synthesis derived from CHO is faster than that from fat. See your hard work pay off and understand your performance with powerful analysis tools. If you are racing in events that are longer than about 2 or 3 hours and shorter than about 6 or 7 hours you will spend a lot of time in zone 3. The New Cardio: Zone 2 Work. Cycling Base Training: Why and How to Build Your Aerobic Base. Apart from its aerobic effects, long rides in Zone 2 can be useful for practicing and reinforcing movement patterns and pedaling technique. Increased aerobic capacity enhances your ability to sustain a sub-threshold pace for a longer period of time. Let’s take a look at the details of this oft-overlooked training zone. Generally speaking, zone 2 occurs at about 60–70% of a person’s max heart rate. This is less likely to make someone want to throw up a little in their mouth. This is true for hard workouts too, as endurance often fills the gaps between more challenging intervals. Zone 2 training increases mitochondrial density as well as MCT-1 transporters. Zone 2 workouts proved an excellent opportunity to hone your nutrition strategy and train your GI system to handle carbs. By training Zone 2 we will not only improve fat utilization and preserve glycogen but we will also increase lactate clearance capacity which is key for athletic performance. Type I muscle fibers have the highest mitochondrial density and capacity and therefore are very efficient at utilizing fat for energy purposes. For example, if your FTP is 240w and you complete Pettit, you can expect to burn 535 kJs or calories. Zone 3: Moderately Hard – 80% to 87% of max HR. Each muscle fiber has different biochemical properties and thus different behaviors during exercise and competition. Highly recommend!!! This is the place to go for your baseball and performance training! Skeletal muscle needs to synthesize Adenosine Triphosphate, or ATP, for muscle contraction. Too good an article not to post. Keep at it and you’ll reap the benefits later. When you know your zones, you can start applying them. Perceived effort: 1 – 2 out of 10. In most TrainerRoad training plans, we use Sweet Spot workouts to build aerobic fitness because they require much less time than Endurance training. Baxter is a bit more dynamic, with frequent cadence-based pacing changes. So how much Endurance is right for you? Sweet Spot training is more all-inclusive and can get you more fit in less time. Training in this zone builds mitochondria in slow twitch muscle fibers, which improves the overall endurance and speed. Training in zone 2 and zone 3 will push your functional threshold upwards. Daniel Lockyer 01 Jan 2020 • 2 min read I spent most of 2017 and 2018 running with little structure or knowledge of pacing. Rumor has it he also runs a famous cycling instagram account, but don't tell anyone about that. Zone 2 training. However, even hard events like criteriums include a surprising amount of time in Zone 2. Training Zone 2 / Endurance / Base. My son has improved his skills dramatically due to their guidance and leadership. Thus, the biggest emphasis on aerobic training does come in the early season. An endurance athlete should never stop training in zone 2. Zone 2, in particular, is especially important for endurance athletes considering this is where the bulk of training occurs. 60-70 per cent: this is a very comfortable effort used for warm-ups and cool-downs. Hey Tomas, great question, and I’m encouraged to know you’re reading the blog closely enough to think to ask it! Zone 1. Since the Endurance zone is almost completely aerobic , it should come as no surprise that riding in this zone can improve aerobic conditioning. You build endurance, durability and strength. Training in this zone will boost endurance and the efficiency with which you use fat and carbohydrates as fuel. Sitting between the Active Recovery and Tempo zones, Zone 2 is a natural endurance pace, as its name suggests. The work done in the lower zones, will widen your range of those zones, and that will help to push your zone 4 upwards. The foundational role of aerobic fitness is also why the Endurance zone is so closely associated with base training. Setting your training zones is based on finding out your maximum heart rate is and, from that, working out the zones. The two conclude with insights about … Almost everyone training with a goal and a purpose has some form of structured training which is based on different training zones; while training in all zones is needed, zone 2 training should be one of the most important parts of any training program. Essentially, going slowly lets your body use fats as fuel and as you increase the pace you increase the demand for CHO. There is nothing inherently wrong about training in zone 3 so long as it is beneficial for your race goals. By quantifying their training I have seen that their time dedicated for zone 2 training is somewhere between 60-75% of their entire training time. Easy is a low-intensity zone used to establish a strong aerobic base and to aid in recovery from more intense sessions. The ideal training plan should include 3-4 days a week of zone 2 training in the first 2-3 months of pre-season training, followed by 2-3 days a week as the season gets closer and 2 days of maintenance once the season is in full blown. Training in heart rate zone 2 is an essential part of every exercise program. Additionally, they provide a detailed overview of all things related to magnesium supplementation. Over 9,000 reviews in the App Store. When I first started, I kept trying to PB my 5km time literally every single run. This means lots of sustained endurance riding in a traditional base approach. It stays between 55% and 80% FTP, venturing slightly above Endurance pace but not for long enough to add fatigue. This is why TrainerRoad’s high-volume plans add endurance workouts instead of adding additional hard days, and why pros that train as much as 25 hours a week actually spend most of their time riding at Endurance pace. Focus: Recovery. Zone 2 heart rate can be approximated when your heart rate is within 70-83% of your maximum heart rate. Instead, we'll refer to cardio as Zone 2. Sean Hurley is a bike racer, baker of sourdough bread, and former art professor. They begin with a detailed definition of zone 2 and continue by discussing the importance of adding it to your exercise regimen. Depending on the level of fitness of an individual, and up to 55-75% of VO2max intensity, ATP synthesis (energy) is generated from fat and carbohydrates, although CHO’s are used at small rates during low and moderate exercise intensities. Zone 2: Steady – 73% to 80% of max HR. But if you regularly ride and race bikes, you probably train at this pace more often than you realize, and it can carry some significant benefits. The majority of exercise intensities generate ATP through aerobic metabolism, also called oxidative phosphorilation. Your heart gets a workout, becoming stronger and larger, therefore allowing it to pump more blood with each beat through your body. The Training Process that Makes Cyclists Faster. The exercise intensity or metabolic and physiological stress as well as muscle fiber recruitment pattern will dictate the energy system and substrate that is activated, which will then correlate with different training zones. Mid- and high-volume plans also use endurance workouts to add volume and facilitate recovery on days between more intense workouts. Most cyclists ride at this pace all the time, even during intense races and group rides. Mentioning aerobic training or calling cardio "cardio" is an instant buzzkill, and it's half the reason most people avoid it. Unfortunately, many novice or young athletes barely train or are prescribed zone 2 training and therefore don’t develop a good “base”, thinking that the only way to get faster is by always training fast. ATP is a nucleotide responsible for the energy processes in human cells. You're … At the other end is more glyolitic, partially fast-twitch, high-fatigue, and increasingly anaerobic high-intensity riding above Threshold. There are two effective and proven ways to strengthen your aerobic base fitness—traditional Zone 2 training or Sweet Spot training. In fact, if you look at the expected performance outcomes of training in Endurance and Sweet Spot, they are almost the same with the main difference being Sweet Spot has a proportionately stronger effect, with more resultant fatigue and required recovery. '. Zone 1 and 2 training is important because the benefits of these workouts. The main benefit form zone 2 heart rate or zone 2 power is that it builds aerobic base and endurance. This makes Zone 2 a beneficial training zone for refining body composition. The right balance of Endurance training depends on your training phase, available training time, and specific goals. Join for the latest training, racing, and software updates from TrainerRoad. Announcing Adaptive Training - A revolutionary new way to get the right workout, every time. Even if you take in 80g of carbs with two SiS gels and a bottle of GO Electrolyte mix, you have only eaten 318 Calories—meaning you’re still in a calorie deficit from the ride. Training in the upper end of this zone is thought to enable you to delay fatigue caused by lactic acid. Type I muscle fibers contain a transporter called MCT-1 which are in charge of taking up lactate and transporting it to the mitochondria where it is reused as energy. I would recommend somewhere around 5-6/10 on the RPE scale. As mentioned previously, many endurance training plans lean heavily on Zone 2, even though this effort feels like a light jog. This is based on your wording saying most which means not all, right? I have continued to use his foundational expertise on training zones for our work at Coached. Your email address will not be published. Over and over again I see runners go right into the Zone 2 trap. Traditional Zone 2 training assumes you have almost unlimited time to ride at a slow pace. Sweet Spot training can stimulate similar adaptations in much less time. There is a bigger emphasis on developing mitochondrial density at lower intensities, whereas higher intensities have more effect on development of mitochondrial function. Think of it this way- effort levels run across a continuum. Low, zone 2 heart rate cycling, swimming, rowing, and running are also key to improving performance and minimizing the risk of developing stress-related injuries. A lot of my time was spent injured from ramping up too quickly, and running too quickly. zone-2 is best done for longer blocks, if you are after winter base miles to increase endurance then half an hour commute isn’t enough. Answers to your most technical and unique training questions. Two of the best-known TrainerRoad endurance workouts are Pettit and Baxter. This is the zone that improves your general endurance: your body will get better at oxidizing – burning – fat and your muscular fitness will increase along with your capillary density. In this training zone we stimulate Type 1 muscle fibers, therefore we stimulate mitochondrial growth and function which will improve the ability to utilize fat. The capacity of an athlete to exercise ultimately depends on the ability to transform chemical energy into mechanical energy. Training zone 2 is your all-day endurance pace. The purpose of each training zone is to elicit specific physiological and metabolic adaptations in order to improve performance. He is a connoisseur of cycling socks, and a deep believer in the power of periodized, science-based training. Make the most of your hard work with an optimized indoor training experience. The more capillary pathways that you can build, the more efficient you will be. Check out over 1,700 stories and FTP improvements for how TrainerRoad has helped athletes get faster and explore everything we have to make you a faster cyclist at TrainerRoad.com. ATP generation is achieved by two mechanisms- anaerobic and aerobic metabolism.