Here me out: it’s time to get serious about your Zone 2 cardio. ICYDK, Zone 2 cardio refers to a type of steady-state aerobic workout that’s typically performed at an easy to moderate level of intensity, says Melissa Kendter, CPT, a functional training specialist and UESCA-certified run coach.
For some, it’s easy to skip over this zone and jump right into something with more intensity—and where your heart is more elevated. But, especially for endurance athletes like runners, swimmers, and cyclers, spending more time in Zone 2 can make a big difference in your performance.
Here’s why: “It sort of lays the foundation because it really creates this strong aerobic base and that ultimately makes you a better everything,” says Martha Gulati, MD, a cardiologist who specializes in women’s heart disease. “If you’re an athlete, it makes you better by improving what we call either exercise capacity, aerobic capacity, or VO2 max.”
But everyone (not just marathoners) stands to benefit from it. “I think for everybody it can be important and foundational to being stronger and fitter no matter what you’re doing,” Dr. Gulati says. And, some good news? You can try the cardio method with just about any type of workout that can keep your heart rate consistently elevated, Kendter says. That means Zone 2 cardio can be running, walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, rowing, skating, and elliptical training. Even rollerblading and walking your dog can count.
Zone 2 cardio training may be a lower-intensity sesh, but it comes with major benefits for your health and performance. Here’s what to know about the workout style and how to add it to your routine.
Meet the experts: Melissa Kendter, CPT, is a functional training specialist, UESCA-certified run coach, and creator of EvolveYou app’s Commit Programs. Martha Gulati, MD, is a cardiologist who specializes in women’s heart disease.
What is Zone 2 cardio?
This training method will typically get your heart rate between 60 to 70 percent of your heart rate max, says Kendter. It’s designed to keep your heart rate at a fast, but sustainable rate. At that level, you’ll feel like you’re breathing a bit harder than usual but still able to carry out a conversation, she adds.
Benefits Of Zone 2 Cardio
- It improves heart health. Zone 2 cardio can be classified as an aerobic workout, per the CDC, which means that your heart is putting in the work to keep your body moving. As you train in Zone 2, your body utilizes oxygen to create the energy needed to fuel your muscles, says Kendter. Moderate intensity aerobic activity can lower your risk of heart disease and even heart attacks, according to the National Institutes of Health. Some of the many contributing factors? It can help lower blood pressure, raise good cholesterol, and manage blood sugar.
- It improves performance and power. Zone 2 might be a lower form of intensity than three, four, or five, but it can also help you perform better at these higher intensities, says Kendter. Here’s how it works: Aerobic exercise increases the number and size of mitochondria (which use oxygen to create energy) and causes your muscle capillaries (which supply your muscles with oxygen-rich blood) to grow, per research in Statpearls. Thanks to your body’s improved ability to deliver and use oxygen, you’ll see a boost in performance in other aspects of your fitness routine, she says. “It then helps to improve your power output at higher intensities, your efficiency, and your overall strength,” she adds.
- It builds your endurance. Similarly, consistently hitting Zone 2 cardio can help you build up your aerobic base, which is basically the baseline for just how long you can run, bike, or do any other aerobic activity, says Kendter. Through repeated Zone 2 sessions, you’ll increase your cardiovascular fitness, improve your body’s capacity to generate energy from oxygen and deliver it to your working muscles, and boost your ability to perform steady-state work for a long period of time, she explains. In other words, the more volume you have training in Zone 2, the longer you’ll be able to run, swim, or bike without feeling winded.
- It’s less likely to cause burnout and overtraining compared to more intense modalities. Zone 2 cardio is challenging enough to drive meaningful adaptations, but it’s not so taxing on your body that it’s difficult to recover from, says Kendter. Thanks to this just-tough-enough intensity, you’re less likely to experience total fatigue and overtraining with Zone 2 cardio, she says. “Becoming a more agile, well-rounded person is really about building your [aerobic] base in that Zone 2 training,” she notes. “Because if you do hard efforts all the time, you’ll overdo it. That’s when it can lead to overtraining, injuries, or eventually a drop in motivation just because your body burns out.”
How To Know If You’re In Zone 2
Whether you’re running, rowing, walking, or biking, the best way to tell if you’re working in Zone 2 is to simply look at your heart rate, says Kendter. Remember, your heart rate should be 60 to 70 percent of your HR max.
Traditionally, to estimate your HR max, all you have to do is subtract your age from 220, but that might not be the best approach for women, says Dr. Gulati, who has a different calculation based on research she conducted. “For women specifically, I don’t believe 220 minus your age,” she says. “We actually wrote the formula for women looking at 6,000 women, but 220 minus your age came from male data.”
Instead, Dr. Gulati proposes this formula for women to find their heart rate max: 206 – (0.88 x your age). Then, you’d want to determine what 60 and 70 percent of that max is to find your Zone 2 cardio range.
How to calculate your Zone 2 cardio range, using Dr. Gulati’s formula:
- Lower threshold: 0.6 x (206 – age x 0.88)
- Upper threshold: 0.7 x (206 – age x 0.88)
For example: If you’re 25 years old, your Zone 2 training heart rate should be roughly 110 to 128 beats per minute, which you can monitor using a heart-rate monitor, chest strap, or similar tracking device.
If you’re gadget-free, you can also use the talk test—talking aloud while exercising—to determine your intensity. “You should be able to hold a conversation during Zone 2 training,” says Kendter. “You shouldn’t be gasping for air.”
And, you don’t have to speak out loud to test your range either. “I always say you should be able to inhale for three to four counts and exhale for three to four counts, and that means that you’re in the proper zone,” says Kendter. This method is ideal for cardio beginners, as their heart rate will naturally be a bit higher even when they’re working at a lower intensity, she adds.
At some point during your workout, you might notice your heart rate jumping out of the zone or it becoming more difficult to talk, which could be due to dehydration, a sudden increase in the workload, or environmental factors, like an increase in temperature, says Kendter. In this case, slow yourself down to stay in Zone 2. “If you need to stop and walk or take a break from whatever you’re doing, take a break and then come back in a minute,” she says. “Or just slow it down until your heart rate lessens or you’re able to talk or breathe normally again.”
Heart Rate Zones, Explained
Wondering about the other heart rate zones too? Here’s what’s going on during every stage—because chances are, you’ll be in each of them at one point or another, even on your journey to nail Zone 2 training.
Does Zone 2 training burn fat?
Zone 2 cardio training is often called the “fat-burning” zone, and that’s true to an extent, says Kendter. “It’s your body’s way of utilizing fat as an energy source so that you’re able to run longer, walk longer, swim longer, or cycle longer,” she says. “It’s not actually burning fat off your body. That’s a big misconception.”
Is Zone 2 training good for weight loss?
Zone 2 cardio can help you achieve your body composition goals (read: weight loss), says Kendter. “Because you can do it daily, Zone 2 training will absolutely improve your body composition because you’re moving your body more,” she explains. Not to mention, you’re more likely to stick with physical activity—such as lower-intensity Zone 2 cardio—that feels enjoyable and sustainable, so you may see more progress in the long run.
But, Zone 2 training doesn’t target body fat specifically, and higher-intensity activities generally burn more calories per minute than their lower-intensity counterparts. Those higher intensity activities can be a better option for weight loss, as a result.
Still, when it comes to using Zone 2 training for weight loss, there are a few unique perks to this style of cardio, says Dr. Gulati. Since it’s building up your endurance, you’re able to sustain a workout for longer, which can also rack up the amount of calories you burn. And, as a lower-intensity workout, it might be an easier entry point than something like a HIIT workout.
Why is Zone 2 training important?
Zone 2 cardio training offers a handful of health benefits (see above). It supports your heart health, improves your endurance so you can bike around town for hours on end without feeling exhausted, and boosts your body’s ability to deliver and utilize oxygen during exercise. Plus, it’s relatively easy on the body, so you won’t feel burnt out if you do it consistently.
While anyone can benefit from spending some time in Zone 2, it’s a must for any endurance athlete.
How long should a Zone 2 training workout be?
Generally speaking, a Zone 2 cardio workout should be at least 20 to 30 minutes, and you can gradually progress to 60-minute sessions as your fitness improves, says Kendter.
How often should you do Zone 2 cardio per week?
If cardio isn’t your jam, you don’t have to do it every day of the week. Instead, try to incorporate Zone 2 training into your routine twice a week to score the cardiovascular and performance benefits, suggests Kendter.
Whether you decide to bike, hike, or rollerblade, just remember to keep your heart rate steady and your effort low enough that you can still belt out the latest Taylor Swift album.
Can you do Zone 2 cardio every day?
Yes, you absolutely can. Zone 2 cardio is low-intensity, so you’re able to do it every day without any serious repercussions, says Kendter. “If you’re training for a marathon, an Ironman, or just improving your fitness, you can definitely go for a brisk 20- or 30-minute walk every single day—and that’s Zone 2 training,” she says.
Olivia Luppino is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. She spends most of her time interviewing expert sources about the latest fitness trends, nutrition tips, and practical advice for living a healthier life. Olivia previously wrote for New York Magazine’s The Cut, PS (formerly POPSUGAR), and Salon, where she also did on-camera interviews with celebrity guests. She’s currently training for the New York City marathon, inspired by her many colleagues at WH who have run it.
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