Hanging Out in Zone 2
HANGING OUT IN ZONE 2
I’m on a Watt bike in my local gym. My heart rate (HR) monitor reads 110, roughly seventy percent of my maximum heart rate (MRH) of 160. At 55 rpm and 80 watts, it is a steady, comfortable pace, although I can feel effort. It is not relaxed. I am breathing through my nose and at the upper end of being able to have a conversation. I am gently gripping the handlebars and twisting from side to side, engaging my arms, hips, and whole upper body. I have tuned out all other activity in the gym and close my eyes. I am concentrating on the sensations and feelings of my movement and respiration and try to empty my mind of thought and thinking.
I follow this 20-30 minutes on the bike with 10-20 minutes on the rowing machine and then about 10 minutes of treadmill walking, all at the same intensity level. This happens four or five times a week.
After working out for 40-60 minutes I am pleasantly tired but not exhausted. I could have kept going. If I’m inclined, have the time, and have enough gas in the tank, I will do some yoga or strength work with weights.
Sometimes instead of hitting the gym I take a long walk (at 100 to 120 steps a minute, roughly 3.5-4 mph, with or without our dog Lola) or take a long bike ride outdoors. In the summer I might spend time on a paddleboard. If pressed for time, I can run in place for 30 minutes in my house or take a brisk walk to somewhere I’m going instead of driving or taking public transport.
I should add that I am 73 years old and had a METS score of 13.5 on my last stress test, for a V02 max of 47, which puts me in the top 2% for men my age.
This Is Zone 2 Training – The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Health
What is Zone 2 training? Often referred to as aerobic training, Zone 2 training is characterized by a moderate level of cardiovascular exertion that you can sustain for a substantial amount of time.
Zone 2 training is the most important component of the many movement-focused activities I do to promote my health. Why? The one-word answer is circulation. The more blood I can move through my body at an elevated but steady pace the more I get all the benefits of circulation: increased immune function, mitochondrial health, lower blood pressure, increased insulin sensitivity, fat burning, and more. I also get the benefit of a better mood, a clear head, and more strength, stamina, and resilience.
Our evolutionary ancestors had another way of practicing Zone 2. It was called survival. They had to move to eat, either hunting or foraging – walking, running, throwing, pulling, pushing, and climbing – while encountering danger and obstacles along the way.
Based on archeological evidence and modern hunter-gatherer societies, our ancestors may have walked 10-15 miles a day. During our roughly two million years of that activity, our bodies became what they are today: rugged survival machines.
Modern life has removed the need to move that much, but our bodies still crave it. Not moving that much, pursuing comfort, comes at a terrible price to our health. A sedentary lifestyle has an outsized and convincing relationship with all-cause early mortality as well as mid- to later-life health issues. This only accelerates as we get older.
Movement and Exercise are Nonnegotiable
Movement and exercise are hands-down my biggest allies and friends in my practice to increase healthspan and lifespan. More than half of what I do is Zone 2 work. The other parts are yoga, strength training, high-intensity work, and as much movement in daily life as I can come up with. Complemented by healthy eating habits and working on my attitude and spirit, movement is the health component that matters most.
It isn’t always easy to start moving, but once I do everything becomes better, whether it’s my outlook and mood or just feeling good taking care of myself. The health benefits are tangible, not only on my medical and test charts but in the energy, strength, flexibility, and vitality I feel every day.