Do You Need Zone 2 Training in Your Workout?
A minute ago high-intensity interval training (HIIT) was king. Now that gut-it-out-and-get-the-glory work might need to share the crown with slow and steady efforts, thanks to what they do for your body, your longevity, and maybe even your mind.
These are the famous zone 2 workouts—keeping your heart rate between about 70 and 80 percent of its maximum—that runners, smart gymgoers, and everyone with a podcast is talking about these days. Think of zone 2 as the range between easy and moderate cardio, where you can carry on a conversation but someone on the other end of a phone would know you’re not sitting down. (Find out more on how to know you’re in the zone by checking out the chart below.)
What happens in zone 2 powers up your endurance, your lifting routine, and your general performance as a human being, proponents say. It may even help fend off cancer and diabetes. Here’s what to know about the zone.
Excerpted from Men’s Health
