The Zone 2 Training Blueprint: (Part 1 of 3)
Why Consistency Can Be More Beneficial Than Longer Sessions
If you’re looking for a smarter, more effective way to build endurance, improve heart health, and boost overall fitness without feeling like you’re dying after every workout, Zone 2 training might be the missing piece in your routine.
Some people prioritize high effort training all the time, and there’s more than one way to reach a destination, but Zone 2 is low-impact, easy to sustain, and it forms the foundation of elite endurance training.
However it’s one of the most overlooked and misunderstood aspects of fitness and health.
Different coaches are going to have different approaches and it all depends on the lens by which you’re looking at exercise through.
One of the most common questions I hear is:
“Is it better to do a few really long Zone 2 sessions per week, or does the total amount of time I spend in Zone 2 matter more?”
The answer is not absolute: Depending on the person, goals and objectives, total weekly volume can matter more than the length of individual sessions.
But we should note that simply doing one or two monster-long Zone 2 workouts per week may not bring the outcomes you personally desire. Although it has the benefit of keeping your heart and tissues under stress for more time in a given session, it takes away from the ability to remain more consistent and requires more recovery.
What can really drive results is spending enough time in Zone 2 over the course of the entire week. This way you have more touch points.
I always say this with my strength training clients. If you are too sore to move the next day and need 3 days to recover from a strength training workout, then you’re losing the days in between. If you’re an athlete and you’re so sore that you can’t run the next day then you’re losing time that could be spent improving. If you’re too sore to perform then you’ve lost performance as opposed to improved it.
What is Zone 2 Training?
Zone 2 training refers to exercising at a low to moderate intensity, where you can comfortably hold a conversation while moving. You should feel like you’re working, but not pushing yourself too hard. This type of training builds a specific aspect of your heart’s muscle. Remember, that training is meant to elicit specific adaptations. What good is a powerful heart that isn’t able to take in volume? Your output is only as good as what you’re able to bring in.
How to Tell If You’re in Zone 2
Breathing Test: You can talk in full sentences without gasping for air.
Heart Rate Range: About 60–75% of your max heart rate (For an estimate, subtract your age from 220 and multiply by 0.6–0.75).
Heart Rate Monitor: Use a wearable watch or chest strap for more accuracy.
Perceived Effort: 3–4 out of 10 It should feel easy to moderate.
Think of it as the “all-day pace.” You could walk briskly, jog lightly, or cycle at a steady pace for a long time without burning out. This is what we as humans were built for as hunter gatherers.
Who Uses Zone 2 Training—and Why?
1. Elite Athletes
If you look at the training logs of elite endurance athletes marathoners, cyclists, triathletes, rowers you’ll notice something surprising: 80% or more of their training is in Zone 2.
✅ Tour de France cyclists ride for hours in Zone 2 to build a massive aerobic base before adding in high-intensity work.
✅ Olympic marathoners like Eliud Kipchoge spend most of their training time at an “easy pace” which, for them, still looks fast to the rest of us, but physiologically, it’s Zone 2.
✅ Ironman triathletes build endurance by logging long, slow miles in Zone 2 saving high-intensity work for key sessions.
Why? Because Zone 2 is where endurance is built. It strengthens the heart, increases oxygen efficiency, and builds the stamina needed to go fast without breaking down.
2. Strength Athletes & General Fitness
You don’t have to be an endurance junkie to benefit from Zone 2.
✅ Powerlifters and CrossFit athletes use Zone 2 to improve their work capacity so they recover faster between sets and can train harder without burning out.
✅ Everyday fitness enthusiasts use Zone 2 for heart health, longevity, and fat burning without the joint stress of high-impact training.
✅ Busy professionals and parents love Zone 2 because it’s a low stress way to improve fitness you can walk, cycle, or jog without feeling destroyed afterward. And as a parent, I’d argue that in such a high stress environment, you’ll benefit more from low stress inputs that counter your high levels of stress hormones.
Why Total Weekly Zone 2 Volume can be More Beneficial Than One Long Session
Many people think that a couple of really long workouts are the key to endurance. While longer sessions do have their place, what’s way more vital is how much total time you spend in Zone 2 each week.
Here’s why consistency and total weekly volume can be more beneficial than one-off long efforts:
✅ Your body adapts to repeated exposure – The more time you spend in Zone 2 each week, the more efficient your heart and muscles become at using oxygen.
✅ Less fatigue, easier recovery – Spreading your training across multiple sessions reduces burnout, making it easier to stay consistent over time.
✅ You’ll be more consistent – Life gets busy. Fitting in 30–45 minutes most days is much easier than committing to just one or two monster-long workouts.
✅ Longer sessions still have value – Occasional 75–90-minute Zone 2 workouts can help build mental and muscular endurance, but they shouldn’t be your only focus.
A Simple Way to Structure Your Zone 2 Training
Here’s an easy-to-follow weekly plan:
Pro Tip: If you’re short on time, even 20–30 minutes a day adds up. It’s better to be consistent than to go all-in once a week and burn out.
What’s Next? How Does Zone 2 Impact VO2 Max?
Now that we’ve established why total time in Zone 2 is the key to endurance, you might be wondering:
Does Zone 2 training actually improve my VO2 max (a key measure of cardiovascular fitness)?
In Part 2, we’ll explore:
✅ What VO2 max is and why it matters
✅ How Zone 2 training helps (and its limits)
✅ How to combine Zone 2 with high-intensity training for maximum results
Stay tuned!
Sources & Further Reading
🔹 Seiler, S. (2010). What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.
🔹 Murias, J. M., Kowalchuk, J. M., & Paterson, D. H. (2018). Mechanisms for increases in VO2 max with endurance training. Sports Medicine.
🔹 Maffetone, P. (2014). The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing.
This is really helpful. I want to do more Z2 training, and I like how you've suggested scheduling it with varying activities throughout the week.