Your channel is a goldmine for running advice that's moved my running forward exponentially. I hope this channel continues on beyond your pro career. You have a gift of constantly learning and distilling it into very concise advice that's free of the usual BS.
You covered it great at the start their Steven your zone 2 pace 3:40 per km is my threshold LT2 pace and my HR will be in the 170s, but as you said your 20 years in. Thank you for the motivation, inspiration and information.
This is such a great channel - as a former competitive runner now in his 50's I am still learning from Stephen - some of best educational running content on RUclips - keep it up.
Great video as always, I was following MAF and my zone was 129-139. Booked in at Bath Uni for a VO2 max and Lactate Threshold test and my zones were refined to 141-151, chuffed I had this done as I'm working in the correct zones for me. Hopefully get a pr on my April Marathon 🤞
I've been running in Zone 3, quite by accident. I have had knee problems and decided to slow down. I happened to notice my watch was showing this the few times I happened to look at it. My next run, I experimented by taking the exact same route and ran how I remembered feeling. Again, zone 3. Both times, I felt great and my knees didn't hurt. Now, I actually pay attention to the watch and mostly practice zone 3, with an occasional zone 5. It has been 3 weeks and I've already noticed improvement and strength. Researching what I ignorantly thought was new (at least, new to me), I found this channel and video. I am excited because I have so much more to learn and wonder what my full potential can be. Thanks for the quality information and video!
i try to do at least 50 minutes in zone 2, i think the Karvonen formula along with the talk test are the best parameters to look at to remain in the right area. And by the way zone 2 is not a walk in the park , it can be tyring too , especially after 40 minutes up to 90 or more...
It's so motivating and both crazy to see how someone's Zone 2 could be this speed...... We mortals often struggle to stay in Zone 2 because jogging has different motion/form and the slowness really has nothing fun in it especially if you do it several times a week. My Zone 2 speed currently lays at about 5:00/km, and that's also my changing point for jogging/running. With this change of form, at about the same RPE or just few beats of HR, I'll be in 4:40/km and everything feels much better, even though that's the edge of Z2. It's so jealous to see you guys could just running at such high speed while stay zen. So much motivation! Just wish one day I could do the same. :)
Zone 2 is underrated and it’s such a good base going forward into your distance runs for marathon training blocks - patience and faith people!! Thanks keeping the videos coming Stephen your content is thoughtful, instructive and constructive for the ‘average’ runner much appreciated 😊
Good Video , at age of 59, almost two years jogging , I find Zoon 2 running works very well for me, three time a week, 50 to 60 minutes runs at average 6 minutes pace per Km. I enjoy running for my health , like to raise my heart rate! Zoon 2 is perfect, less injuries, longer runs( over 50 min), more fun. 👍👍👍
Greetings from Germany and thank you for sharing your insights! The other day I watched the marathon in Doha 2019 (it's somewhere here on youtube) but what I saw (and my personal experience) confirms what you're saying. It's not about speed - most competitive long distance runners don't have an issue with speed - it's more about maintaining that speed, and zone 2 training plays a big part in that. You can see it in that marathon quiet well, because something very peculiar happend in that race - one runner (Ayala) was the fastest, he could maintain that for a while, but after an hour he had to stop (I initially thought he would win the race). So, after watching your videos (and my own experience): You either have speed or you don't. Sure, you can improve your speed with intervalls, strength training and a lower weight, but most pro runners don't need to improve their speed, however, quiet a lot struggle with maintaining it for the whole race. So, if one has speed, focusing on slow zone2 runs and adding strength training is the best advice - intervalls should be enough for speed testing/speed training.
Hello Stephen, I enjoy watching your videos and your accent is pretty cool :) You said that your zone2 is anywhere from 140-150bpm, why does Garmin classify heart zone over 145bpm as a zone3? I used to own another watch and ran normally at 150bpm but now I always try to do easy runs not over that 145 bpm. Could you explain shortly? Thanx, Vladimir
As a general rule of thumb, if I'm feeling particularly hungover, I make it a zone 2 day. Maybe zone 3. If I'm only moderately hungover, I'll do a speed sesh. Works for me 😮
The interesting bit here is that recent research is actually showing a slow trend away from Zone 2 running, or rather just running in Zone 2 (easy) and hard efforts. Inspired by the Norwegian training schedule we're actually seeing the reintroduction of that medium effort.
I learned about the zone 2 the hard way. Ran 7 marathons last year as a beginner, and since I was using a training plan for advanced beginners, it didn't explain/incorporate zone 2. Being a fat runner (94-96 kg / 210 pounds), I didn't lose any weight since most of my runs were in zone 3-5. But I also live in Norway, and it's kinda difficult to stay in zone 2 with all the hills and mountains. Currently training for the full Ironman in October, so I had to buy a heart rate monitor (my Garmin Enduro 2 is good, but not as good as a chest HRM). Trying to stay 80% in zone 2, and I definitely see improvements. Will be running a marathon this week and then another one in April. I really wonder how it will go this time :)
you don't need to be running in zone 2 to lose weight from running. weight loss is determined by your calorie balance, not which substrate you oxidize for energy during exercise. if you don't burn glycogen while running then your glycogen reserves will still displace fat oxidation for energy during rest. this idea that you need to be burning fat instead of glycogen during exercise to lose weight is a prevalent misinterpretation of exercise science.
LOL you must have some iron knees I guess??? Can't imagine 7 marathons with 95KG... I'll be in a wheelchair. Also you make me remember that famous story of how the "Norwegian method" works for elite athletes -- "I once trained on a local trail where I met an Olympian runner, who is walking on that hill to stay in that zone 2". I think you should do the same. ;) By the way you should focus more on RPE and using HR as a fact-check afterwards. HRM won't help you stay in that zone better, but rather yourself. And again because the sheer amount of work needed to just "running" (at your weight), you might have problem just running at zone 2 in any proper form. Since you mentioned IM, zone 2 biking I guess?
My Garmin defines zone 2 as 60-70 percent of HR max, which for me is a very easy effort (sub 127 bpm). But when you say zone 2, you are meaning an effort faster than easy but slower than marathon, like a “steady” effort? More like 70-80 percent of HR max (what my Garmin defines as aerobic/zone 3)? I’m a 2:37:10 marathoner. I’m guessing a zone 2 as you’re defining it might be a 6:40ish pace for me (which is typically around 140 bpm)? 🤔 Just trying to figure out what that fat burning zone might be for me. Thoughts? Thank you for all the wonderful content.
I'm no expert and much slower than you but I was struggling with the same question and ended up using several methods and they all kind of converged to the same numbers for me. First make sure to test for your actual max HR, not 220-age. On Garmin you can use the HRR (HR reserve = Max HR - Resting HR) method that is more accurate I believe than just using max HR and take the 60%-70% range of your HRR (RHR + 60-70%HRR) You can also do the Maffetone method: 180-age for the top of your Zone 2 Other methods are percentages of your Threshold HR or of your HR @ FTP (if you also cycle). Use as many methods as you can and stick to a range that is at the intersection of all of those and you should be fine.
Your videos are much more interesting to watch when you give useful advices while in the background you run in the diverse scenery because man can observe and learn from watching good running style..👍 Last video taken with drone just before Dublin marathon was the best!👏
Hey Stephen, I've got a few questions: 1. do you ever do zone 2 in a fasted state to "force" your body not to use carbs? If so how frequently? 2. you mentioned getting a lab test to determine your zone 2. Can a v02 max test tell you this or is it more about lactate?
Brk U just ran 10 miles in leas than an hour I would run just 6 miles .. Hence, the reason why i dont look at weekly milage anymore .. i look at time I try to get about 5 hours of zone 2 every week with one hard run .. tempo. Speed endurance or intervals A next thing js that inigo san milan is referencing to cycling .. so 3 x 45 mins of zone 2 . Cycling is easier than running .. so we as runners will have to do a bit more to equal that for us
Stephen love the videos! Hope all is going well in your current training. Is what you call steady a pace between Marathon and Easy Pace - maybe 40 to 60 seconds slower than marathon pace? One of the more confusing things is that some systems have 3 total zones and some 5 zones. What I fine gets me really fit is when I build up towards a large percentage of my long runs being in the 30-50 seconds slower than marathon pace.
I've got a question for you. On this run, I saw your HR was about 147 to 150. Is that zone 2 for you? When I did my vo2 max test, the data they gave me said my vt1 was at 126 bpm. Is this massive swing a difference in our relative fitness levels, variation from person to person, or something else?
Hi, I love your channel. I have a couple of questions on zone 2 training. My garmin watch has my zone 2 at 147-157 bpm. My lthr is 175 and max is 197. Does it matter if I'm training at the higher end of zone 2? Also does it matter if I sometimes creep over in the next zone when going up hills for example.
Is the Zone 2 that Garmin provides anywhere near correct. You say a BPM of 140-150, mine says my upper limit of Zone 2 is 132BPM... I am training towards a half-marathon on my plan currently looks like this: M: Off T: 45mins Zone 2 W: 4x7.5mins LT2 pace Th: 45mins Zone 2 F: 4x5mins VO2Max pace S: Off Su: Long Run (8-16 miles, beginning in Zone 2 and then going to add some HM pace miles in there as the race approaches) Is there anything that I haven't thought of?
I have heard fat burning uses more oxygen so should be avoided in races as it decreases performance, do you know if there is any truth in that or is this just another false myth circulating? And thanks for another great vid.
Hey Sculli, super apt video for this time of year. What would you say about adding strides? For the amateur runner using the winter to build a base back from no running, before starting club workouts in spring (looking at injury prevention priority) Also, mitochondria boosting with Z2 training will assist with lactate clearing at higher intensities I've heard? You've clearly honed a healthy mitochondrial function over a lot of consistent years of training to be 3:30/k still under LT and
What I think is zone 2 for myself is 6 miles in 50-55 mins. If I feel my glycogen levels are recovered by tommorows run then I reckon I paced it correctly enough.
Hello Stephen! Cheers from Colombia 🇨🇴 always great to see your videos. I have a cuestión: I’m training with POWER nor pace or heart, but my zone 2 power takes my heart a little bit too high above Z2 but my power IS on the Z2 always. Should I slow my power/pace to get my heart to a really zone 2 training, or should I stay on power Z2? Thank you!!!
Is there any research showing that you can really train your body to change energy systems in this way? Because you could also posit that it's increasing things like vascularisation, the number of alveoli, muscular physiology, etc that is the training adaptation.
Stephen Seiler is really your go-to guy on this one. I have been doing 5 zone 2 runs per week (out of 6 or 7) for about 2 years now, with ONLY zone 2 December through February. When I started, my top end zone 2 pace was 9:15 per mile…and I was a 3:08 marathoner at the time. I’m now at 7:50 per mile top end zone 2 and I’m a 2:49 marathoner. I haven’t changed the amount of miles I run, and I actually run more miles SLOWER than before, yet I am faster AND I don’t bonk at the end of the marathon like I did when I was a 3:08 guy. The toughest thing about zone 2? Leaving the ego at the door. It’s humbling….and it doesn’t feel good getting humbled.
Hey question! I just ran on a treadmill for 10 miles. My heart rate was at 128 bpm around a 8:13 pace (my heart rate would be a bit higher outside). Is it necessary to keep my heart rate this low for any training? (My heart rate typically struggles to get high on the treadmill though)
Great video. Do you know if there is any way on strava or Garmin to check your Heart rate zone on a weekly basis to check you spent the right amount of time in zone 2 overall?
Any one have any experience as to whether this is also the case for someone who only wants to focus on 5k-10k distances? Does this only really matter for distances above the time you can spend in threshold?
HR has a lag of around 12min from the beginning of your run. Use power instead (I use a Stryd). Notwithstanding that the info in this video is very useful. Want to run fast?….run slow.
@@LR6092The 80/20 rule of thumb says you do. 80% of training days Z2, the other 20% are Z5 (in a 5zone model). That is base training, according to Stephen Seiler, Inigo San Milan, Norwegian method, all kinds of sources. . It will increase toward 70/30 or 60/40 leading to a race, then taper off a week before a race.
When you talk about lab tests to get these numbers, what are they called? I'm interested in getting into a lab for this but don't even know where to start looking. Thanks!
When doing a vo2max test they will also measure your ventilatory thresholds and lactate (some may not do lactate because of needles) and based on these you ll get your zones accurately
In the lab/field test you're looking for the 1st lactate turn point LT1. That is the 1st inflection point when plotting lactate vs running speed. Just need a lactate meter and a track or treadmill to figure it out.
Oh, forgotten to say you should select "Karvonen by MHR&RHR" instead of "basic by age" and then insert data from your connect app to get it accurate. Hope that helps. 🍀
Yes. Some universities have exercise science labs where you can pay for testing. Probably some sports med clinics too that have testing facilities that you can pay for testing.
@@youssefchuaib5105 His point is that pro runners can run at a higher bpm in zone 2 than amateur runners, which is why you shouldn't calculate zone 2 based on % max heart rate. Zone 2 is around max 1.9 mmol of lactate in the blood and pros can exert much more power before lactate rises because of highly developed slow twitch muscle fibers. What dr. inigo says is that the "talk test" is pretty good at telling you where your zone 2 is. It means you should be able to hold a conversation but the other person will know that you are exercising.
@@youssefchuaib5105this is incorrect. Working out zones based on max heart rate has been shown to be flawed. Working them out based on heart rate reserve (karvonen method) or based on a recent lactate threshold test is much more accurate. I realised this recently and it’s revolutionised my running
@@thorgod0824 that’s what I’m saying. If u run zone 2 for 30 50 60 mins it’ll still have a benefit. I think people just want to do that while hitting the same amount of X miles
Your channel is a goldmine for running advice that's moved my running forward exponentially. I hope this channel continues on beyond your pro career. You have a gift of constantly learning and distilling it into very concise advice that's free of the usual BS.
Nice to see a smile on your face again. Great content
10 mile in 57 min in zone 2 is crazy! beastly
The best I can do it 8km.
You covered it great at the start their Steven your zone 2 pace 3:40 per km is my threshold LT2 pace and my HR will be in the 170s, but as you said your 20 years in. Thank you for the motivation, inspiration and information.
Great video, well explained. I have been running 90% zone 2/Maf for the last 2 years with great results. Age 63 using Max HR 130.
This is such a great channel - as a former competitive runner now in his 50's I am still learning from Stephen - some of best educational running content on RUclips - keep it up.
Watching elite runners run is a beautiful example of the body working so efficiently as it was meant to. Wonderful stuff
I like the split screen with talking on one side and running on the other. I get the explanation and the vicarious run at the same time.
Great video as always, I was following MAF and my zone was 129-139. Booked in at Bath Uni for a VO2 max and Lactate Threshold test and my zones were refined to 141-151, chuffed I had this done as I'm working in the correct zones for me. Hopefully get a pr on my April Marathon 🤞
being doing zone 2 for a while now - dont have to walk as much now, lol good for injury prevention in your 50s
Never get to run in zone 2 😅
I've been running in Zone 3, quite by accident. I have had knee problems and decided to slow down. I happened to notice my watch was showing this the few times I happened to look at it. My next run, I experimented by taking the exact same route and ran how I remembered feeling. Again, zone 3. Both times, I felt great and my knees didn't hurt. Now, I actually pay attention to the watch and mostly practice zone 3, with an occasional zone 5. It has been 3 weeks and I've already noticed improvement and strength. Researching what I ignorantly thought was new (at least, new to me), I found this channel and video. I am excited because I have so much more to learn and wonder what my full potential can be. Thanks for the quality information and video!
i try to do at least 50 minutes in zone 2, i think the Karvonen formula along with the talk test are the best parameters to look at to remain in the right area. And by the way zone 2 is not a walk in the park , it can be tyring too , especially after 40 minutes up to 90 or more...
It's so motivating and both crazy to see how someone's Zone 2 could be this speed...... We mortals often struggle to stay in Zone 2 because jogging has different motion/form and the slowness really has nothing fun in it especially if you do it several times a week. My Zone 2 speed currently lays at about 5:00/km, and that's also my changing point for jogging/running. With this change of form, at about the same RPE or just few beats of HR, I'll be in 4:40/km and everything feels much better, even though that's the edge of Z2. It's so jealous to see you guys could just running at such high speed while stay zen. So much motivation! Just wish one day I could do the same. :)
Stephen scullion so it is. Good content from the Ulsterman!
Zone 2 is underrated and it’s such a good base going forward into your distance runs for marathon training blocks - patience and faith people!! Thanks keeping the videos coming Stephen your content is thoughtful, instructive and constructive for the ‘average’ runner much appreciated 😊
Your description of a zone 2 run with jogs sounds like it would come out of the Van Aaken book. Really enjoying your channel, thanks
Good Video , at age of 59, almost two years jogging , I find Zoon 2 running works very well for me, three time a week, 50 to 60 minutes runs at average 6 minutes pace per Km. I enjoy running for my health , like to raise my heart rate!
Zoon 2 is perfect, less injuries, longer runs( over 50 min), more fun. 👍👍👍
My jaw just hit the floor...then I realised you mean 6 mins per km, not miles. Did you ??
@@61js yep, 6 min per Km 🏃🏽♂️👍🏻
THANK YOU for talking km in addition to miles 🎉🎉
Such a good video! Never considered doing a steady run for 45 mins during long run then picking up pace
Greetings from Germany and thank you for sharing your insights! The other day I watched the marathon in Doha 2019 (it's somewhere here on youtube) but what I saw (and my personal experience) confirms what you're saying. It's not about speed - most competitive long distance runners don't have an issue with speed - it's more about maintaining that speed, and zone 2 training plays a big part in that. You can see it in that marathon quiet well, because something very peculiar happend in that race - one runner (Ayala) was the fastest, he could maintain that for a while, but after an hour he had to stop (I initially thought he would win the race). So, after watching your videos (and my own experience): You either have speed or you don't. Sure, you can improve your speed with intervalls, strength training and a lower weight, but most pro runners don't need to improve their speed, however, quiet a lot struggle with maintaining it for the whole race. So, if one has speed, focusing on slow zone2 runs and adding strength training is the best advice - intervalls should be enough for speed testing/speed training.
Great advice, thank you Stephen 🙏🏼
Interesting stuff, the production quality has really improved so much over this past year.
Hello Stephen, I enjoy watching your videos and your accent is pretty cool :) You said that your zone2 is anywhere from 140-150bpm, why does Garmin classify heart zone over 145bpm as a zone3? I used to own another watch and ran normally at 150bpm but now I always try to do easy runs not over that 145 bpm. Could you explain shortly? Thanx, Vladimir
Heart rate zones are relative. Don't compare yours with those of a world class runner.
Zone 2 running is otherworldly if you do it right. I am loving the benefits - both in my hard sessions and my general health. Great video as always
As a general rule of thumb, if I'm feeling particularly hungover, I make it a zone 2 day. Maybe zone 3.
If I'm only moderately hungover, I'll do a speed sesh.
Works for me 😮
The interesting bit here is that recent research is actually showing a slow trend away from Zone 2 running, or rather just running in Zone 2 (easy) and hard efforts. Inspired by the Norwegian training schedule we're actually seeing the reintroduction of that medium effort.
I learned about the zone 2 the hard way. Ran 7 marathons last year as a beginner, and since I was using a training plan for advanced beginners, it didn't explain/incorporate zone 2. Being a fat runner (94-96 kg / 210 pounds), I didn't lose any weight since most of my runs were in zone 3-5. But I also live in Norway, and it's kinda difficult to stay in zone 2 with all the hills and mountains. Currently training for the full Ironman in October, so I had to buy a heart rate monitor (my Garmin Enduro 2 is good, but not as good as a chest HRM). Trying to stay 80% in zone 2, and I definitely see improvements. Will be running a marathon this week and then another one in April. I really wonder how it will go this time :)
you don't need to be running in zone 2 to lose weight from running. weight loss is determined by your calorie balance, not which substrate you oxidize for energy during exercise. if you don't burn glycogen while running then your glycogen reserves will still displace fat oxidation for energy during rest. this idea that you need to be burning fat instead of glycogen during exercise to lose weight is a prevalent misinterpretation of exercise science.
LOL you must have some iron knees I guess??? Can't imagine 7 marathons with 95KG... I'll be in a wheelchair. Also you make me remember that famous story of how the "Norwegian method" works for elite athletes -- "I once trained on a local trail where I met an Olympian runner, who is walking on that hill to stay in that zone 2". I think you should do the same. ;) By the way you should focus more on RPE and using HR as a fact-check afterwards. HRM won't help you stay in that zone better, but rather yourself. And again because the sheer amount of work needed to just "running" (at your weight), you might have problem just running at zone 2 in any proper form. Since you mentioned IM, zone 2 biking I guess?
My Garmin defines zone 2 as 60-70 percent of HR max, which for me is a very easy effort (sub 127 bpm).
But when you say zone 2, you are meaning an effort faster than easy but slower than marathon, like a “steady” effort? More like 70-80 percent of HR max (what my Garmin defines as aerobic/zone 3)?
I’m a 2:37:10 marathoner. I’m guessing a zone 2 as you’re defining it might be a 6:40ish pace for me (which is typically around 140 bpm)? 🤔 Just trying to figure out what that fat burning zone might be for me.
Thoughts?
Thank you for all the wonderful content.
Im struggling with the exact same question🙋♂️
I'm no expert and much slower than you but I was struggling with the same question and ended up using several methods and they all kind of converged to the same numbers for me.
First make sure to test for your actual max HR, not 220-age.
On Garmin you can use the HRR (HR reserve = Max HR - Resting HR) method that is more accurate I believe than just using max HR and take the 60%-70% range of your HRR (RHR + 60-70%HRR)
You can also do the Maffetone method: 180-age for the top of your Zone 2
Other methods are percentages of your Threshold HR or of your HR @ FTP (if you also cycle).
Use as many methods as you can and stick to a range that is at the intersection of all of those and you should be fine.
Same question
You might have to change the settings on your Garmin . 🤔
From everything I’ve read and heard, the standard zone 2 is actually zone 3 for Garmin devices.
Your videos are much more interesting to watch when you give useful advices while in the background you run in the diverse scenery because man can observe and learn from watching good running style..👍
Last video taken with drone just before Dublin marathon was the best!👏
Hey Stephen, I've got a few questions: 1. do you ever do zone 2 in a fasted state to "force" your body not to use carbs? If so how frequently? 2. you mentioned getting a lab test to determine your zone 2. Can a v02 max test tell you this or is it more about lactate?
Thank you Stephen! keep the info coming! amazing advice!
Brk
U just ran 10 miles in leas than an hour
I would run just 6 miles ..
Hence, the reason why i dont look at weekly milage anymore .. i look at time
I try to get about 5 hours of zone 2 every week with one hard run .. tempo. Speed endurance or intervals
A next thing js that inigo san milan is referencing to cycling .. so 3 x 45 mins of zone 2 .
Cycling is easier than running .. so we as runners will have to do a bit more to equal that for us
Stephen love the videos! Hope all is going well in your current training.
Is what you call steady a pace between Marathon and Easy Pace - maybe 40 to 60 seconds slower than marathon pace?
One of the more confusing things is that some systems have 3 total zones and some 5 zones.
What I fine gets me really fit is when I build up towards a large percentage of my long runs being in the 30-50 seconds slower than marathon pace.
Could you update your post please tell us do you use min/mile or min/km? Thanks!
I've got a question for you. On this run, I saw your HR was about 147 to 150. Is that zone 2 for you?
When I did my vo2 max test, the data they gave me said my vt1 was at 126 bpm.
Is this massive swing a difference in our relative fitness levels, variation from person to person, or something else?
Yeah variations in person, level, age etc. Don't compare your numbers to others, it's pointless.
@AranenDen surely at a population level, we can reasonably compare averages and expectations for improvement, couldn't we?
Scullion says at 6:45......his Z2 is in the 140to150HR
Hi, I love your channel. I have a couple of questions on zone 2 training. My garmin watch has my zone 2 at 147-157 bpm. My lthr is 175 and max is 197. Does it matter if I'm training at the higher end of zone 2? Also does it matter if I sometimes creep over in the next zone when going up hills for example.
Is the Zone 2 that Garmin provides anywhere near correct. You say a BPM of 140-150, mine says my upper limit of Zone 2 is 132BPM...
I am training towards a half-marathon on my plan currently looks like this:
M: Off
T: 45mins Zone 2
W: 4x7.5mins LT2 pace
Th: 45mins Zone 2
F: 4x5mins VO2Max pace
S: Off
Su: Long Run (8-16 miles, beginning in Zone 2 and then going to add some HM pace miles in there as the race approaches)
Is there anything that I haven't thought of?
@stephen Whats your zone 2 HR range roughly if you can share? And how old are you now?
I have heard fat burning uses more oxygen so should be avoided in races as it decreases performance, do you know if there is any truth in that or is this just another false myth circulating? And thanks for another great vid.
Thank u Scullion
Hey Sculli, super apt video for this time of year. What would you say about adding strides? For the amateur runner using the winter to build a base back from no running, before starting club workouts in spring (looking at injury prevention priority)
Also, mitochondria boosting with Z2 training will assist with lactate clearing at higher intensities I've heard? You've clearly honed a healthy mitochondrial function over a lot of consistent years of training to be 3:30/k still under LT and
Is Zone 2 important for 5k/10k or is it more applicable for marathons / halfs where you're running out of gas?
What I think is zone 2 for myself is 6 miles in 50-55 mins. If I feel my glycogen levels are recovered by tommorows run then I reckon I paced it correctly enough.
I have been running at zone 4 daily for a year and I see big improvement . So would zone 2 be better ?
Hello Stephen! Cheers from Colombia 🇨🇴 always great to see your videos. I have a cuestión: I’m training with POWER nor pace or heart, but my zone 2 power takes my heart a little bit too high above Z2 but my power IS on the Z2 always. Should I slow my power/pace to get my heart to a really zone 2 training, or should I stay on power Z2? Thank you!!!
Are you using Stryd's zone 2?
@@georgibg Yep! Always Stryd zones.
Is there any research showing that you can really train your body to change energy systems in this way? Because you could also posit that it's increasing things like vascularisation, the number of alveoli, muscular physiology, etc that is the training adaptation.
Stephen Seiler is really your go-to guy on this one. I have been doing 5 zone 2 runs per week (out of 6 or 7) for about 2 years now, with ONLY zone 2 December through February. When I started, my top end zone 2 pace was 9:15 per mile…and I was a 3:08 marathoner at the time. I’m now at 7:50 per mile top end zone 2 and I’m a 2:49 marathoner. I haven’t changed the amount of miles I run, and I actually run more miles SLOWER than before, yet I am faster AND I don’t bonk at the end of the marathon like I did when I was a 3:08 guy. The toughest thing about zone 2? Leaving the ego at the door. It’s humbling….and it doesn’t feel good getting humbled.
I don't doubt that low intensity cardio is effective, I just question the "just so" logic about energy systems @@quengmingmeow
Hey question! I just ran on a treadmill for 10 miles. My heart rate was at 128 bpm around a 8:13 pace (my heart rate would be a bit higher outside). Is it necessary to keep my heart rate this low for any training? (My heart rate typically struggles to get high on the treadmill though)
Great video. Do you know if there is any way on strava or Garmin to check your Heart rate zone on a weekly basis to check you spent the right amount of time in zone 2 overall?
Check your stats after each run
Is there any way to get some decent zone 2 in WITHOUT spending 2 hours at it?😂
As a decent intermediate runner...
Any one have any experience as to whether this is also the case for someone who only wants to focus on 5k-10k distances? Does this only really matter for distances above the time you can spend in threshold?
HR has a lag of around 12min from the beginning of your run. Use power instead (I use a Stryd). Notwithstanding that the info in this video is very useful. Want to run fast?….run slow.
Is Steady the same as aerobic threshold or is it slower?
When should I add this kind of training? Im on base building right now. Should i prioritize Z2 now, or should I wait for later on
Zone 2 is the stereotypical base training, what are you doing for base if not easy running?
@@thorgod0824 Z1 doubles. 1h before lunch, 1h before diner. Strides, 60m hill sprints and pliometrics
You don't do sprints and strides in base building. Or practically never
@@LR6092The 80/20 rule of thumb says you do. 80% of training days Z2, the other 20% are Z5 (in a 5zone model). That is base training, according to Stephen Seiler, Inigo San Milan, Norwegian method, all kinds of sources. . It will increase toward 70/30 or 60/40 leading to a race, then taper off a week before a race.
Hey, what is the test we need to look at booking to find out the zones? Thanks
Think its called an OBLA test. (onset blood lactate accumulation)
Any contacts for getting a lab test done in Belfast Scully?
When you talk about lab tests to get these numbers, what are they called? I'm interested in getting into a lab for this but don't even know where to start looking. Thanks!
When doing a vo2max test they will also measure your ventilatory thresholds and lactate (some may not do lactate because of needles) and based on these you ll get your zones accurately
I think its called an OBLA test. Onset Blood Lactate Accumulation.
In the lab/field test you're looking for the 1st lactate turn point LT1. That is the 1st inflection point when plotting lactate vs running speed. Just need a lactate meter and a track or treadmill to figure it out.
You easy run pace is faster than my pb 1 mile 😂
Same
What's your HRmax, if I may ask?
Around 185-8
Is there a difference between this zone 2 and 'easy'?
Some persons will say zone 2 and easy is the same while others will say zone 2 and easy as zone. 1 for recovery
Zone 2 is “easy pace” zone 1 is “recovery” I like to think of zone 2 as the area where the body is actually getting aerobic gains
Do you know your lactate in Z2. Under LT1?
Would be 1.0, absolutely under LT1
Ran hundreds of runs tracked by garmin, which in turn calculates my HR zones I trust are accurate.
It will only be accurate if you've entered the zones manually based on a percentage of your max HR which you will need to know.
How do you input them manually? Never knew about this 😮
Great video Stephen, but am i right in assuming that zone 2 is staying within the blue zone on my garmin watch?
It's probably a stupid question 😅
Oh, forgotten to say you should select "Karvonen by MHR&RHR" instead of "basic by age" and then insert data from your connect app to get it accurate. Hope that helps. 🍀
As always, it depends, but for me personally, I find that my zone 2 sits in the green zone on the Garmin Watch.
I'm the same so... just find running to stay in the blue to difficult
When we're saying if you're not gonna go in to the lab; literally a public place that can test your zone 2???
Yes. Some universities have exercise science labs where you can pay for testing. Probably some sports med clinics too that have testing facilities that you can pay for testing.
Are u zone 2 with 149 bpm ? Really ? Whats your zones ?
Yes he's at the upper level of zone 2 at 149bpm yes. Do the calculation. His max hr is 190 or so.
@@Cloud007. how ? Isn't zone 2 between max heart rate's %60 to %70 . if his max. heart rate 190, %70 would be 133bpm. I didn't understand.
@@Cloud007. max zone 2 shoold be arround 133 for a 190 max heart rate so i reaaly dont understand his data i hope he answers @stephen
@@youssefchuaib5105 His point is that pro runners can run at a higher bpm in zone 2 than amateur runners, which is why you shouldn't calculate zone 2 based on % max heart rate. Zone 2 is around max 1.9 mmol of lactate in the blood and pros can exert much more power before lactate rises because of highly developed slow twitch muscle fibers. What dr. inigo says is that the "talk test" is pretty good at telling you where your zone 2 is. It means you should be able to hold a conversation but the other person will know that you are exercising.
@@youssefchuaib5105this is incorrect. Working out zones based on max heart rate has been shown to be flawed. Working them out based on heart rate reserve (karvonen method) or based on a recent lactate threshold test is much more accurate. I realised this recently and it’s revolutionised my running
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Stick to YOUR Zone 2. NOT basing it on Scully's.
Coffe every day? Sorry ❤
It's a waste of time if you're time pushed
I mean if you have a 30
Min zone 2 run wouldn’t u just cover whatever ur effort covers ?
That’s cap zone 2 is great in even 30 minutes
@@thorgod0824 that’s what I’m saying. If u run zone 2 for 30 50 60 mins it’ll still have a benefit. I think people just want to do that while hitting the same amount of X miles
Mostly yeah, you'd get better return from a faster short session
No it's not. You can only run fast every day for so long before you'll be injured. 99% of running should be zone 2