I like the sound of your hub man! Anyway, the hardest part is to identify your Zone 2 so that you can maintain it without the need of a monitor or any sort.
How much zone 4-5 should we do in a week? What’s too much? What’s a good ratio of high intensity training to zone 2 such that you get improved fitness. And what’s good for a 20y.o vs a 50 y.o?
I believe the indoor trainer is the only place you'll get a consistent long enough time to be at zone 2 for benefit, keep the outdoors to mixing it up and enjoying the moment. Good video.
I’m an older lifelong cyclist, and I bought an ebike after suffering a pulmonary embolism and permanently losing part of my left lung. I quickly learned that it allows me to separate my terrain from my workout intensity. So I do a lot of “epic” mountain bike rides, which keep my enthusiasm up, but can easily adjust zone with the assist level lever. I try to keep to the 80:20 rule or roughly 80% zone 2 and 20% sub and super threshold, which works very well for me. A bonus is I get to go places I never could on my analog Mtn bike or road bike, that are amazing and sparsely travelled.
The “life is too short” statement is the best I have ever heard. It needs to be proclaimed more. Thanks for the video. You have given me one more reason to be on the bike. Enjoy the weekend, enjoy the ride.
100% I was looking into power meters and stuff but realised that I don’t want to be looking at screen every 2 minutes, kinda defeated the purpose of riding for me. Completely understand it for those training for races and stuff but for a casual rider I just feel it becomes too much and moves more away from the reason why I started riding.
But that doesn't matter as long as it's fun! But my experience is that if I don't go so hard, I'm not so exhausted, so I get on my bike more often and have even more fun.
What did you mean by the last sentence? Were Coppi and Bartali aware of zone 2 training? Old school like Contador or Nibali was about "lactic acid" which doesn't exist in muscles. Zone 2 is about lactate, which was only "discovered" by Dr. Iñigo PhD advisor a few years ago.
Love to see this. We used to go between Zone 1 and Zone 2 for over 90% of training in Biathlon and Nordic Ski training. The rule was exactly what was in the video. If you can't finish a full sentence on one breath, you're working too hard. Intervals were then hard...VERY hard.
Totally agree about letting your body tell you where Z2 is. One bonus of tech however is that it can remind you faster than it takes your body to get out of breath. I try to do most of my commutes in Z2 and when I first got a power meter I realised I was going far too hard on hills. You have to slow down A LOT on hills to stay in Z2!
Tech can really help with training, but hopefully this video will allow people to learn how to train in zone two without all the tech. Thanks for the comment!
Agree when you see what a small half of percent does to your power if you are a heavier riders you see it is hard to eyeball it correctly. So easy to go out of zone 2. Power meter for weather and inclines is god sent. Found out I cannot ride in zone 2 up climbs over 10%.
Thank you for that last comment. I’ve literally said the same thing in our discussions about training. I’m cycling for fun, no one’s paying me for my results. I’m not going to miss fun rides to do a ton of zone 2 because it’s the in thing. I’ll do it when it suits me unless of course someone starts paying me to ride zone 2. 🤣
How about your body thanking you for training your metabolic health? Seems pretty short sighted to prioritise something as childish as “fun” when there are quantifiable and objective benefits to just spinning on a trainer indoor in a controlled manner. Your body doesn’t care about your feelings or mental health; it only cares about the stimuli that you give it. Doing thing for fun is a waste of time .
@@yutiros5174 He's trying to improve his life expectancy so he can live longer to avoid all fun stuff and keep on doing things to improve his life expectancy. Doing things for fun? Are you crazy?! :D
@@irfuelAlso, your body does absolutely care about your mental health. Stress and other mental anguishes destroy your body on a physical level. I don't know what this guy is about.
These training protocols are all great, but in agreement with lots of other people here - just soak up the joy of cycling and experience of being in the moment and engaging with nature and the environment 😊
Z2 training on my bike is glorious! I get to do it alone. As a pegged left introvert, it's a great time to evaluate my performance and figure stuff out. I love being with my teammates, but social interaction drains me. Maybe do a video on what Andyc ultra cycling called a soul ride. He's right. I have tons hills around me. I train on hill climbing alot. The day I took my bike to ride around a flat lake was magically re-energizing. It would be fun just for you to talk about that briefly and then just show quiet footage of a ride, the countryside, or I think it's called the Bath loop.
Fantastic video. I must confess I’m old school and do it purely for the enjoyment. I don’t own any computer stuff. It’s come to the point where group rides are the others just comparing who’s got the best equipment and spouting out numbers for the whole ride - I’m left out. However, when I beat them up the hills then the excuses start filtering out at the top 😂
I'm a long dormant bike commuter that's been suddenly inspired to do some epic bike packing trips. At my age, 68, it may be a little questionable, but I'm training for the distances and loads and can see that zone 2 training is going to be key. I live in a place with tons of options between long flat road rides and big climbs in the dirt. I've completely altered the way I ride now for zone 2. The flats are perfect for staying exactly where I want to be in zone 2, and I now avoid grinding up the really steep stuff in the mountains unless it's right at the end of the ride. Also in the climbs, I no longer challenge myself to stay on the bike in the really steep sections and have no qualms at all about getting off and pushing to keep me constantly in Z2. And I now do some interval training close to the end of every third or fourth ride. I just give myself a mile or two of of moderate riding to clear out any lactate buildup before the end of the ride.
Great work. I am getting older now and worry about how long I will be able to keep cycling, so I am always pleased and inspired by people (even) older than me who are still going at a good level. 👍
Guys he is just showing off his all the bikes he has lol This is very informative for me since I have started on a road bike 4 months ago and have been training on my own and I still don't have any sensors of bicycle computer due to financial status so keep up the good work. Love your team❤❤
Si's comments about hitting a plateau in fitness describe my situation, too. The five hours a week isn't going to change, but I need help with a plan to get the most out of those five hours.
Appreciate the info on how long the impact is of going out of Zone 2. I abuse that on every ride bc there is a mile long incline that I like to be strong on. I will now give it up unless I am going all out that ride. More important to drop the fat for climbing this summer than to go fast now. :)
Excellent video. I have found myself too fixated on Zone 2 training, often wondering if I'm going to easy or too hard. This video provides a well needed perspective for me. Thanks.
Love the video! Zone 2 on a trainer is quite good whilst watching the football! Agree on variety - with only 5 hours / week, it’s hard to fit in much Zone 2.
really like this video. rather than simply stating the obvious, which GCN have a tendency to do, Sci discusses the nuances of z2 training, which I completely agreed with. thanks for the intellectual input into the video Sci
My best Zone 2 training aid is my old 9-speed, 3x mountain bike. The gearing really allows you to control your heart rate when you're riding up a slightly uphill grade at a blistering 7-8 mph!
@@DR_1_1 True, but the point of my comment was that the wide range gearing on an old mountain bike (or an e-bike for that matter) is a tool to help regulate heart rate.
A nice video. Thanks Si. I like zone 2 indoors, but outdoors just go with how I feel an enjoy the ride. I think it is worth remembering that some zone 2 advice maybe based around experiences with pros and I am definitely not that, so you advice of life is too short is very worthwhile
Electronic devices are great, apps are great, analytics are great. Still, the main goal of thoughtful training is to develop *intuition* by understanding our body. 🙏🏻😌
Um, no, that can be useful, but the main goal of thoughtful trading is to get fitter and improve athletic performance. Electronic devices are tools that make doing that easier.
I started racing bikes in the 1970's. Back then, we spent a large amount of time doing "base training". It's now called Zone 2 and is still based on RPE.c Slow enough to breath through your nose was our threshold - just like you mentioned. You also nailed the concept that have been the same for 50 years: In a group ride, only a small number of riders are getting Zone 2 benefits. Many are working too hard (me, back in the day 🤣) while others take it too easy in the draft. Zone 2 training is easy but not as easy as it looks.
Brilliant, Si. You nailed it. I love Zone 2 and do a lot of it, but I’ve noticed I also need some harder sessions to actually see improvement. It’s like zone 2 increases my potential and then some higher-intensity work unlocks that potential.
Stellar content again Science Si and GCN!!! Love this recap and reframing of the amazing Zone 2 video you did with Dr. Inigo San Milan! This adds perspective to the whole situation which is appreciated. I have recently, due to time and the fact that I can't stand the indoor trainer, dropped the Zone 2 ball by just doing HIIT. Time to add some time and spice in my training by reintroducing more zone 2. Off to ride my bike and so thankful for these insightful videos! More of this content please!
Good to see going too easy mentioned! A lot of people use zone 2 to justify put in very little effort. I think this whole "going out of zone 2" is overstated, fair enough if you do a 5 min threshold effort, but HR going into low tempo range every so often isn't going to kill your ride.
It has taken 6 years of cycling trainings and getting a lot of experience to understand this. At the beginning I did all of my workouts as hard as I could and I was completely overtrained after 2 seasons. And now at the beginning of the season I'm fitter and much stronger than at my fitness peak 3 years ago :)
Over the years I've enjoyed dozens of GCN videos. The one thing that makes me envy the guys who do these videos is how comfortable they look on the bikes they ride, even when the saddle is miles above the handlebars! Simon manages to chat with his back apparently at a 'normal' angle and his shoulders un hunched. Oh how I wish I could find the geometric dimensions personal to me that would enable me to ride without resulting neck and shoulder pain. Bike fits don't work because they are generic, formulaic, 'in the opinion of the bike fitter' processes. Hey ho keep doing the videos guys.
Love it. I recently bought a garmin watch, you know, to data-ify my training. I had resisted for years as I've always figured listening to my body is more important. But I find this vid has a lot of common sense, and may just be the meeting place of the fitness watch and the self-check-in, where we can start to deeply understand the Garmin's levels and what those numbers mean for each of us, uniquely.
I think the best bit of advice here is about not obsessing with gadgets. I came to cycling from a running background, back in the days when there were no HRMs or GPS watches. I ran at my best, and was happiest, once I had learned to mix 80% running at conversation pace -- having conversations actually -- with 20% of intense work.
This is a nice condensed, simplified and clearly delivered explanation of Zone 2 and general fitness and seems to collaborate with the current science im aware of. As a 50 yr old recreational cyclist pushing fir big improvements this year have been doing more zone 2 and am much more conscious of where it is, and avoiding big pushes into zone 3+ especially nearer the start of the ride. Haven’t seen huge benefits yet, but steady does it. I’m not having any less fun on the bike going slower personally. It’s all good, lucky to be doing it. 😃
Awesome content! I am a lifelong endurance athlete. In running we use to call it LSD (long slow distance) which is now labeled zone 2. I have always loved these training sessions best as I too am in introvert and these sessions allow me to free my mind. I also love the intermittent all out hard intervals. It is the variety in training and in life that brings the most satisfaction and fitness. Thank you for another quality video and a reminder to always listen to your body first, then the tech.
Thanks for this Si it really larified things for me. Following your breathing through the nose and taking in senteces guidance, I got focused on the indoor trainer. With a daily 50 minute session being careful to stay in zone 2 since watching this I'm already seeing the benefits - droping 2kg in weight with no real change in diet and my energy levels have increase, just feeling better all round! Wife thinks I'm losing it because she hears me talking to my self when I check I can do whole sentences!
Years ago I was told to ride slow for a long ride to get fit. My best 100miler was preceded by a slow 80 mile ride 10 days before. Hard to ride that slow but forced myself. Payoff big time in last 20 of the 100miles I felt great and picked it up into a head wind before looking back and had 15 riders on my wheel. Best compensation after turning 68😜
Good video . I do all my training on an erg rower . 2hrs a week at zone 2, 30/45 mins high intensity. I switched to this 6 months ago . Very strict veggie diet ( 160 gms protein per day ) I am 63 . Vo2 max measured by professional body 48.3. It works . PS I also combine two weights sessions .
I will go by the "life is too short", it's summer now. I can jump up on the turbo doing the correct numbers during bad weather, fall and winter. Next summer i will hopefully be an equally happy but faster cyclist.
I have found that zone 2 with my power meter on the trainer gives me a consistent heart rate reading to where I have pegged the physiological response of the zone to be for me. Outdoors, the power meter gets me really close, but it usually ends up being an endurance ride versus a zone 2 ride because of the elevation and also lots of stop and go due to traffic.
Great video! I am definitely guilty of getting sucked into thinking Z2 is everything. This simple and straightforward perspective is wisdom at its finest!
Wonderful closing comments. I used to the MAF training alone, all the time. Now I do Z2 on the trainer and when I go out with the boys and things get spicy, I’ll smile and bite! I loved the don’t nail training but get life wrong comment, spot on!
I have been working at getting more zone two work in. I find putting them in between Zwift events to be helpful. Sort of like a recovery. I purposefully have been signing up for events that really on paper should be beyond my ability. I may be last, or near last, but I’ve shown up and completed
Thx for talking about this. Just going by heart rate, I am even out of zone 2 when coming downhill. I just try to take it very easy to start with, then I just don't care, do what feels fun.
Very interesting, I might struggle with zone 2 rides as it’s very hilly near me in all directions. Like the idea of a couple of hours zone 2 on the trainer though. Top tip.
At 8:55, Si states that he is not currently riding in Zone 2 and that he’s out of breath. And yet, he is speaking in complete sentences. So, in my mind anyway, this video has still left some confusion about non-technical ways to gauge one’s Zone 2. In my own case, the level of exertion (heart rate) at which I get out of breath is significantly higher than a Zone 2 calculated from VO2 max tests.
Zone 2 on my Garmin is zone 1 if I take into account the info here. Thanks a lot, so glad to know it’s not about tech as I thought that I’m not getting accurate readings because I don’t have power meter. I wish you demoed zone 2 while riding, talking to the camera so we have an idea how it sounds.
80-20 rule for me. At 57, I dedicate ~ 80% of my time in Z2 and the rest in Z3-4 with HIIT. I managed to improve my overall VO2 max with a regular regimen of this training formula. But ABSOLUTELY, the key is to enjoy the rides and to have fun out there.
To increase my endurance and VO2Max in cycling, I do cross training by running and skiing (cross country skating). Ask people from Norway and they will tell you. You can do it on roller skis in Britain. Very efficient.
Nice balanced video, I'm a heavy rider who does long rides at weekend in hilly region of Scotland so zone 2 is probably the base level but you need to skip out of that for the climbs, and, the fun fast techy descents , needs to be fun as you say
Made plenty of mistakes in the past with zone but getting better on Zwift and on the road… but still overshoot due to the fun of accelerating too much or pushing in short climbs 🤣
Thanks for this vid, I'm new to cycling but not to fitness and have been paying some attention to zone 2 training, honestly it didn't make sense to me and well I guess get it somewhat but after trying to figure it out I decided I'm not wasting my time dickering around, I'm 59 and started riding because running was becoming to hard. I'm just going to ride as long or little or as hard or light as I want. Cheers love the vid.
Going back to the Millan stuff, he's really talking about something that approximates to Peter Keen's Level 2 (70-80%) of max heart rate rather than Z2 power (56 - 75% of FTP). Appreciating that his measurement was being able to hold to conversation/breathing (how long a conversation, who's listening, who's speaking, length explanations, short sentences or single words etc etc). Level 2 HR is a broader 'zone' the Z2 power, easier at the bottom and quite a bit harder at the top. Putting the variability of HR and FTP measurement aside, Millan and you guys are still talking about building a fitness base before putting 'performance' on top of it by separating out the sessions. Great stuff, something we've been doing for years because we know it works. I think the danger is revisiting the metabolic approach but not busting the myth that fat is used as the fuel source in Z2 and carbohydrate/glycogen above that. We know that isn't correct.
Commuting by bike is a great way to fit some Zone 2 riding into your schedule. Commutes are usually solitary, or at least not competitive, and hopefully you have a route to work without any major hills. Also doing the same route repeatedly really helps with the "listen to your body" part, because you can tell the difference in your effort from day to day and week to week in the same stretch of road. It also helps with the boredom. On weekends or group ride days you can mix things up and do something fun but you still got your hour or two of steady pacing in.
Z2 still enables you to go fast, but only on downhills, and for this reason I as a descent freak like z2 training. 😁😁 If you come across a descent that's too steep or too twisty then it's still not the end of the world if you have to stop pedalling for 10-20 seconds on occasions, I think a tough climb is a lot bigger issue where you are forced to go up to z3 or z4 for long-long minutes.
Zone 2 indoors only - on the rollers, because it feels like riding …. Always with a sprint at the end - has been working for me - and I’m fit enough to play on the group rides
I think what I’ve learnt recently is how much my own zone two changes according to tiredness and other factors and that first tip about not relying on tech really applies here. My zone two wattage is really quite different sometimes and listening to my body is the only way to get it right. Having said that the fittest and fastest I ever was was before I knew any of this and did two rides a day one of which was definitely more like zone 3 and the other 4/5. Yeah. Covid times. 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
This year I have fully swapped over to let's just ride & enjoy it. No more data for me. It would most of the time take the enjoyment out, either during or after the ride. Ride how I feel like riding whenever I do. Stop for photos & ride whatever technical route id like. Just dont for get your lights.
it always comes back to the old Fausto Coppi quote he used when asked "how do i get faster/stronger/better at cycling", where he replied, "Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike.".
I've done lots of Z2 training, 3/4 of my weekly training was Z2, it was pushed by my coach......after a few weeks i got board of it but kept doing it......after 6 months my FTP dropped by 41 wats.....I blame it on too much Z2 and not enough on high intensity training...My balance was wrong as far as i was concerned... I then changed my way of training, and do 1 Z2 a week for 90 mins and the rest VO2 plus threshold and sweet spot I'm now getting stronger again and starting to enjoy my training again.... So as you said life is too short do what makes you happy, that is all that matters.....Just keep cycling and enjoy it :)
This is what I have done, during work days, when I don’t have time to get out on my bike. I just do zone 2 on my trainer, three times per week. Normally 60 to 90 minutes depending how I am on time and I just watch a movie or something that interest me. Weekends are for fun, long, fast and social rides. That works for me.
I’m glad Si comments on the importance of training load as well if you’re only doing 5-6 hours per week and want to improve your speed and fitness, there must be significant amounts of Z4-Z5 intensity in the training plan. The 80:20 training structure does not apply here. I wish this point was reiterated more often.
Heart rate works just fine if you have the experience and have followed your rides. Zones are different in different sports and you want to go lower if in doubt. Cycling has lower numbers than running and for accurate readings you would have to take blood tests. I dont think it really matters that much, if you can do the amount of training you want in a week and do not accumulate fatigue, you are training just fine for hobby level. It gets more and more important the more you train. 8h a week vs 20h a week and you really start to understand that 80% 20% ratio for pro-level better.
Yeah this. If you ride less than 8h / week just do whatever you want. It will have benefits. You're not riding every day so you have time to recover. If you go a lot higher than that you need z2 to manage fatigue levels / recovery / injury risk
Hi. Thanks a lot for this video. My exprience earlier this zear is that my Zone 2 ride (1st of thi kind) was so boring that I gave up after only 35min. THe profile was mostly flat and my avg. speed was only 24-25 km//h. One point can be that I have definetly relied on my Garmin (which calculates the Zone 2 on my max. HR). And I have know that connection of Z2 with my feelings (breathing). So may be that I can go a little harder strictly according to my feeling as I was feeling as I was doing nothing :-).
The hilly country in eastern Pennsylvania makes riding in Zone 2 extremely hard for me. I'm old and a bit too heavy etc and there are 6 - 12% hills every couple of miles on 99% of the roads around my house. I have to ride up a couple hundred feet from 9 - 12% to get to my house. The other problem is that going hard sometimes is fun and provides a challenge that keeps me on the bike. I'm retired and time isn't really a limiting factor.
As a guy just trying to improve shape, without any cycling ambitions, I prefer a rowing machine for indoor Zone-xyz-training. Uses more / different muscles for a change and trains breathing and metabolism AT LEAST as effectively as a spinning machine.
I have been riding for 2 years and wanted a Garmin computer for paying attention to the numbers. Now that I'm learning about these zone training, I think I will keep it simple. But I do feel as if I need more leg muscle at 43 years old.
Results makes sense snd nice summary. Plenty of more detailed exercise physiology that explains the results. For those interested a good source is Joe Friel's work and publications.
Good way to stay in Z2 on solo rides: Whistle. Pick whatever ear-worm tune is in your head, or playing on your (open-ear) headphones, and whistle along to it. If you can manage to mostly whistle along you're in zone 2. ;) Or sing, whatever - maybe quietly is better on that one, for most of us.
Aside from the absolute precision offered by an indoor trainer, or the controlled pace of a solo ride, my trick to getting Zone 2 training is to lead a novice'C-level' group ride. As there's rarely enough volunteers to lead this group, I'm helping out the club, while still working on on Z2 and/or active recovery. Even if the pace falls to Z1, all I have to do is over-gear on some hilly sections to raise my heart rate to raise my HR. I also use my Z2 rides to spend time with my wife, and she thinks I'm being patient by not dropping her. Keep the last tip a secret 😉
Totally agree with the statement at the "life is too short segment"! Well said Si! One question I was hoping you would answer: is there a minimum time you need to train in zone 2 to start getting some benefits? When I have just 30 minutes to ride I tend to go to a high intensity, because I think that you need at least 1 hour at zone two to get some benefit. But I have no idea where I got this from, and maybe I'm totally off?
I actually bought a lactate meter (not because I'm soooo worried about being fast, but because I've always been kind of a science nerd and I've always been curious what's actually going on in my body) and I was surprised how low my power is at my current zone 2... So surprised that I will redo the test in a few days. Before the meter arrived I was using the breathing/conversation method, and I felt comfortable doing 30 watts more than what my lactate says. In the test at that power my lactate was 5 mmol/L (too high). But... perfect thank you for this video. After watching many videos with Tadei's coach, I was still left wondering how I'd work zone 2 into my week and if it reeeeeeally is that beneficial compared to what I usually do. I remain skeptical that you can be a faster rider with that heavy of a zone 2 plan like Tadei's coach claims, with 20% zone 4+ training, and the rest zone 2. My plan is do a few mornings on the trainer in zone 2 and when I'm outside, I'll do whatever I like which is usually climb/suffer.
🤔What training tips would you like us to teach you about?
Let us know 👇
I like the sound of your hub man! Anyway, the hardest part is to identify your Zone 2 so that you can maintain it without the need of a monitor or any sort.
How to make your own trainings plan optimized for a specific event.
How to maintain zone 2 in a traffic-gridlocked city
Just stay true to the zone two, no slipping, none - whatsoever.
How much zone 4-5 should we do in a week? What’s too much? What’s a good ratio of high intensity training to zone 2 such that you get improved fitness. And what’s good for a 20y.o vs a 50 y.o?
I believe the indoor trainer is the only place you'll get a consistent long enough time to be at zone 2 for benefit, keep the outdoors to mixing it up and enjoying the moment.
Good video.
100%
I'd rather eat my own poo than do a 2h zone 2 ride indoors. I have no problem doing 3h zone 2 rides outdoors.
Indoor trainers are for elites and influencers
@@irfuelAgreed! 👍
@@playerforty4621 weird to use an exclusionary comment to accuse people of being elitists :|
Si is still the best GCN presenter.
Says his mum
I appreciated the lack of comedy!
😂😂No, it's Dan 'The Boss' Lloyd. It used to be Matt, but now it's Lloydy. Dr Bridgewood's a close second.
Dan is the kind of a person you never invite to a party because he would bore the shit out of all the other guests 😂
@@SilverSniper75 He's my kind of guy. Airheads bore the shit out of me.
I’m an older lifelong cyclist, and I bought an ebike after suffering a pulmonary embolism and permanently losing part of my left lung. I quickly learned that it allows me to separate my terrain from my workout intensity. So I do a lot of “epic” mountain bike rides, which keep my enthusiasm up, but can easily adjust zone with the assist level lever. I try to keep to the 80:20 rule or roughly 80% zone 2 and 20% sub and super threshold, which works very well for me. A bonus is I get to go places I never could on my analog Mtn bike or road bike, that are amazing and sparsely travelled.
This is what got me from being a turd from 20-30 to being a cycling man. I love my EMTB still.
The “life is too short” statement is the best I have ever heard. It needs to be proclaimed more. Thanks for the video. You have given me one more reason to be on the bike. Enjoy the weekend, enjoy the ride.
100% I was looking into power meters and stuff but realised that I don’t want to be looking at screen every 2 minutes, kinda defeated the purpose of riding for me. Completely understand it for those training for races and stuff but for a casual rider I just feel it becomes too much and moves more away from the reason why I started riding.
More reasons to get the bike! We like the sound of that! Glad we could help 🚴
Same
Yep, enthusiasm pushes me out of zone 2 and into 3 and 4 far too often. Zone 2 is tough!
Me too. There is a sneaky mental game to zone 2 training. On paper it sounds like it should be easy, but in reality it takes a lot of focus!
But if you do a 3h ride there is no way you will be doing that in zone 4 ;)
The discipline it takes to STAY in Zone 2 can't be underestimated! It's so easy to push just a little bit too hard on a small climb.
@@christopherharmon9336 That's why I run a 34 in the front and a 36 in the rear. To keep spinning at 8 km/h uphill :D
But that doesn't matter as long as it's fun! But my experience is that if I don't go so hard, I'm not so exhausted, so I get on my bike more often and have even more fun.
Finally! A training video that does not advocate for algorithms and gadgets. This is just old-school training.
What did you mean by the last sentence? Were Coppi and Bartali aware of zone 2 training? Old school like Contador or Nibali was about "lactic acid" which doesn't exist in muscles. Zone 2 is about lactate, which was only "discovered" by Dr. Iñigo PhD advisor a few years ago.
Nothing wrong with kicking it old school! We hope these tips help you out 🙌
Love to see this. We used to go between Zone 1 and Zone 2 for over 90% of training in Biathlon and Nordic Ski training. The rule was exactly what was in the video. If you can't finish a full sentence on one breath, you're working too hard. Intervals were then hard...VERY hard.
Totally agree about letting your body tell you where Z2 is. One bonus of tech however is that it can remind you faster than it takes your body to get out of breath. I try to do most of my commutes in Z2 and when I first got a power meter I realised I was going far too hard on hills. You have to slow down A LOT on hills to stay in Z2!
Tech can really help with training, but hopefully this video will allow people to learn how to train in zone two without all the tech. Thanks for the comment!
Agree when you see what a small half of percent does to your power if you are a heavier riders you see it is hard to eyeball it correctly. So easy to go out of zone 2. Power meter for weather and inclines is god sent. Found out I cannot ride in zone 2 up climbs over 10%.
haha yes even on a bridge i get from 25 kmh to not even 10 sometimes
Love the style of GCN videos. Not over technical with information. Beneficial to all levels and make newbie’s like me feel part of the community. 👍
Great to hear! What other videos would you like us to make?
Thank you for that last comment. I’ve literally said the same thing in our discussions about training. I’m cycling for fun, no one’s paying me for my results. I’m not going to miss fun rides to do a ton of zone 2 because it’s the in thing. I’ll do it when it suits me unless of course someone starts paying me to ride zone 2. 🤣
How about your body thanking you for training your metabolic health? Seems pretty short sighted to prioritise something as childish as “fun” when there are quantifiable and objective benefits to just spinning on a trainer indoor in a controlled manner.
Your body doesn’t care about your feelings or mental health; it only cares about the stimuli that you give it. Doing thing for fun is a waste of time .
@@87togabito your life seems fun
@@yutiros5174 He's trying to improve his life expectancy so he can live longer to avoid all fun stuff and keep on doing things to improve his life expectancy. Doing things for fun? Are you crazy?! :D
@@irfuelAlso, your body does absolutely care about your mental health. Stress and other mental anguishes destroy your body on a physical level. I don't know what this guy is about.
i'll give you 10 cents
These training protocols are all great, but in agreement with lots of other people here - just soak up the joy of cycling and experience of being in the moment and engaging with nature and the environment 😊
That's true, cycling should be about enjoyment 🙌 This doesn't need be casual rides, some people love the feeling of structured training 🥵
For sure, it’s all good - whatever floats your boat ⛴️ 😊
Z2 training on my bike is glorious! I get to do it alone. As a pegged left introvert, it's a great time to evaluate my performance and figure stuff out. I love being with my teammates, but social interaction drains me.
Maybe do a video on what Andyc ultra cycling called a soul ride. He's right. I have tons hills around me. I train on hill climbing alot. The day I took my bike to ride around a flat lake was magically re-energizing.
It would be fun just for you to talk about that briefly and then just show quiet footage of a ride, the countryside, or I think it's called the Bath loop.
Just did a 3 hour zone 2 training today! Was really nice and fun, a much needed change after a lot of intense workouts.
Awesome! Did you ever struggle to stay in zone 2?
Fantastic video. I must confess I’m old school and do it purely for the enjoyment. I don’t own any computer stuff. It’s come to the point where group rides are the others just comparing who’s got the best equipment and spouting out numbers for the whole ride - I’m left out.
However, when I beat them up the hills then the excuses start filtering out at the top 😂
I'm a long dormant bike commuter that's been suddenly inspired to do some epic bike packing trips. At my age, 68, it may be a little questionable, but I'm training for the distances and loads and can see that zone 2 training is going to be key. I live in a place with tons of options between long flat road rides and big climbs in the dirt. I've completely altered the way I ride now for zone 2. The flats are perfect for staying exactly where I want to be in zone 2, and I now avoid grinding up the really steep stuff in the mountains unless it's right at the end of the ride. Also in the climbs, I no longer challenge myself to stay on the bike in the really steep sections and have no qualms at all about getting off and pushing to keep me constantly in Z2. And I now do some interval training close to the end of every third or fourth ride. I just give myself a mile or two of of moderate riding to clear out any lactate buildup before the end of the ride.
Great work. I am getting older now and worry about how long I will be able to keep cycling, so I am always pleased and inspired by people (even) older than me who are still going at a good level. 👍
Guys he is just showing off his all the bikes he has lol
This is very informative for me since I have started on a road bike 4 months ago and have been training on my own and I still don't have any sensors of bicycle computer due to financial status so keep up the good work.
Love your team❤❤
Dont worry about sensors, but if you sre going to buy anything start with HR. Hope youre enjoying the road bike journey
I've never thought of Zone 2 training like this. A real sweet spot it turns out. Thanks, Si, for the illumination.
Si's comments about hitting a plateau in fitness describe my situation, too. The five hours a week isn't going to change, but I need help with a plan to get the most out of those five hours.
Appreciate the info on how long the impact is of going out of Zone 2. I abuse that on every ride bc there is a mile long incline that I like to be strong on. I will now give it up unless I am going all out that ride. More important to drop the fat for climbing this summer than to go fast now. :)
Excellent video. I have found myself too fixated on Zone 2 training, often wondering if I'm going to easy or too hard. This video provides a well needed perspective for me. Thanks.
Have you guys ever made a video on dry roads?
Only when Maron tries to make a video about riding in the rain.
Love the video! Zone 2 on a trainer is quite good whilst watching the football!
Agree on variety - with only 5 hours / week, it’s hard to fit in much Zone 2.
really like this video. rather than simply stating the obvious, which GCN have a tendency to do, Sci discusses the nuances of z2 training, which I completely agreed with. thanks for the intellectual input into the video Sci
Listening to your body over your cylcing computer is the best advice !
My best Zone 2 training aid is my old 9-speed, 3x mountain bike. The gearing really allows you to control your heart rate when you're riding up a slightly uphill grade at a blistering 7-8 mph!
Heart rate is not always a good indication of the effort, the heart can be pounding heavily, but at a lower pace sometimes...
@@DR_1_1 True, but the point of my comment was that the wide range gearing on an old mountain bike (or an e-bike for that matter) is a tool to help regulate heart rate.
A nice video. Thanks Si. I like zone 2 indoors, but outdoors just go with how I feel an enjoy the ride. I think it is worth remembering that some zone 2 advice maybe based around experiences with pros and I am definitely not that, so you advice of life is too short is very worthwhile
Electronic devices are great, apps are great, analytics are great. Still, the main goal of thoughtful training is to develop *intuition* by understanding our body. 🙏🏻😌
Um, no, that can be useful, but the main goal of thoughtful trading is to get fitter and improve athletic performance. Electronic devices are tools that make doing that easier.
I started racing bikes in the 1970's. Back then, we spent a large amount of time doing "base training". It's now called Zone 2 and is still based on RPE.c Slow enough to breath through your nose was our threshold - just like you mentioned. You also nailed the concept that have been the same for 50 years: In a group ride, only a small number of riders are getting Zone 2 benefits. Many are working too hard (me, back in the day 🤣) while others take it too easy in the draft. Zone 2 training is easy but not as easy as it looks.
70s guy here too, though we called it LSD. No, not psychedelic drugs, long slow distance.
Long steady distance
Brilliant, Si. You nailed it. I love Zone 2 and do a lot of it, but I’ve noticed I also need some harder sessions to actually see improvement. It’s like zone 2 increases my potential and then some higher-intensity work unlocks that potential.
This is how I feel about it too.
80:20 rule.
I was always taught that eighty percent of your training should be low intensity, the remaining 20 at higher intensity.
Stellar content again Science Si and GCN!!! Love this recap and reframing of the amazing Zone 2 video you did with Dr. Inigo San Milan! This adds perspective to the whole situation which is appreciated. I have recently, due to time and the fact that I can't stand the indoor trainer, dropped the Zone 2 ball by just doing HIIT. Time to add some time and spice in my training by reintroducing more zone 2. Off to ride my bike and so thankful for these insightful videos! More of this content please!
Glad you enjoyed it! We will see what other videos we can do like this seeing as you found it so useful ♥️
Good to see going too easy mentioned! A lot of people use zone 2 to justify put in very little effort. I think this whole "going out of zone 2" is overstated, fair enough if you do a 5 min threshold effort, but HR going into low tempo range every so often isn't going to kill your ride.
It has taken 6 years of cycling trainings and getting a lot of experience to understand this. At the beginning I did all of my workouts as hard as I could and I was completely overtrained after 2 seasons. And now at the beginning of the season I'm fitter and much stronger than at my fitness peak 3 years ago :)
Guys, please make a video on BLOCK PERIODISATION, Si seems like the perfect candidate .
Over the years I've enjoyed dozens of GCN videos. The one thing that makes me envy the guys who do these videos is how comfortable they look on the bikes they ride, even when the saddle is miles above the handlebars! Simon manages to chat with his back apparently at a 'normal' angle and his shoulders un hunched. Oh how I wish I could find the geometric dimensions personal to me that would enable me to ride without resulting neck and shoulder pain. Bike fits don't work because they are generic, formulaic, 'in the opinion of the bike fitter' processes. Hey ho keep doing the videos guys.
Love it. I recently bought a garmin watch, you know, to data-ify my training. I had resisted for years as I've always figured listening to my body is more important. But I find this vid has a lot of common sense, and may just be the meeting place of the fitness watch and the self-check-in, where we can start to deeply understand the Garmin's levels and what those numbers mean for each of us, uniquely.
I love your attitude on this topic. I 100% agree!
I think the best bit of advice here is about not obsessing with gadgets. I came to cycling from a running background, back in the days when there were no HRMs or GPS watches. I ran at my best, and was happiest, once I had learned to mix 80% running at conversation pace -- having conversations actually -- with 20% of intense work.
This is a nice condensed, simplified and clearly delivered explanation of Zone 2 and general fitness and seems to collaborate with the current science im aware of. As a 50 yr old recreational cyclist pushing fir big improvements this year have been doing more zone 2 and am much more conscious of where it is, and avoiding big pushes into zone 3+ especially nearer the start of the ride. Haven’t seen huge benefits yet, but steady does it. I’m not having any less fun on the bike going slower personally. It’s all good, lucky to be doing it. 😃
Awesome content! I am a lifelong endurance athlete. In running we use to call it LSD (long slow distance) which is now labeled zone 2. I have always loved these training sessions best as I too am in introvert and these sessions allow me to free my mind. I also love the intermittent all out hard intervals. It is the variety in training and in life that brings the most satisfaction and fitness.
Thank you for another quality video and a
reminder to always listen to your body first, then the tech.
Thanks for this Si it really larified things for me. Following your breathing through the nose and taking in senteces guidance, I got focused on the indoor trainer. With a daily 50 minute session being careful to stay in zone 2 since watching this I'm already seeing the benefits - droping 2kg in weight with no real change in diet and my energy levels have increase, just feeling better all round! Wife thinks I'm losing it because she hears me talking to my self when I check I can do whole sentences!
Love the final tip! Life is too short
Yesterday, I ended a lovely zone 2 ride with a hot sprint at the end. Just opened it up on that last road full tuck.
Years ago I was told to ride slow for a long ride to get fit. My best 100miler was preceded by a slow 80 mile ride 10 days before. Hard to ride that slow but forced myself. Payoff big time in last 20 of the 100miles I felt great and picked it up into a head wind before looking back and had 15 riders on my wheel. Best compensation after turning 68😜
I only use my indoor trainer for zone 2, live in a region where it's impossible to fine a route flat enough to stay in zone 2.
Good video . I do all my training on an erg rower . 2hrs a week at zone 2, 30/45 mins high intensity. I switched to this 6 months ago . Very strict veggie diet ( 160 gms protein per day ) I am 63 . Vo2 max measured by professional body 48.3. It works .
PS I also combine two weights sessions .
I will go by the "life is too short", it's summer now. I can jump up on the turbo doing the correct numbers during bad weather, fall and winter. Next summer i will hopefully be an equally happy but faster cyclist.
I have found that zone 2 with my power meter on the trainer gives me a consistent heart rate reading to where I have pegged the physiological response of the zone to be for me. Outdoors, the power meter gets me really close, but it usually ends up being an endurance ride versus a zone 2 ride because of the elevation and also lots of stop and go due to traffic.
Great video! I am definitely guilty of getting sucked into thinking Z2 is everything. This simple and straightforward perspective is wisdom at its finest!
great advice at the end. All was great but the end was best :) Zone 2 is killing me softly
Wonderful closing comments. I used to the MAF training alone, all the time. Now I do Z2 on the trainer and when I go out with the boys and things get spicy, I’ll smile and bite! I loved the don’t nail training but get life wrong comment, spot on!
I have been working at getting more zone two work in. I find putting them in between Zwift events to be helpful. Sort of like a recovery. I purposefully have been signing up for events that really on paper should be beyond my ability. I may be last, or near last, but I’ve shown up and completed
Thx for talking about this. Just going by heart rate, I am even out of zone 2 when coming downhill.
I just try to take it very easy to start with, then I just don't care, do what feels fun.
Great video! Younger days we over trained. Good zone 2 x 2 days a week big benefit for me as i get older..lol..
Very interesting, I might struggle with zone 2 rides as it’s very hilly near me in all directions. Like the idea of a couple of hours zone 2 on the trainer though. Top tip.
At 8:55, Si states that he is not currently riding in Zone 2 and that he’s out of breath. And yet, he is speaking in complete sentences. So, in my mind anyway, this video has still left some confusion about non-technical ways to gauge one’s Zone 2. In my own case, the level of exertion (heart rate) at which I get out of breath is significantly higher than a Zone 2 calculated from VO2 max tests.
Zone 2 on my Garmin is zone 1 if I take into account the info here. Thanks a lot, so glad to know it’s not about tech as I thought that I’m not getting accurate readings because I don’t have power meter.
I wish you demoed zone 2 while riding, talking to the camera so we have an idea how it sounds.
Such a great videoo! With that closing message!! Enjoyyyy the rideeee!
80-20 rule for me. At 57, I dedicate ~ 80% of my time in Z2 and the rest in Z3-4 with HIIT. I managed to improve my overall VO2 max with a regular regimen of this training formula. But ABSOLUTELY, the key is to enjoy the rides and to have fun out there.
See dozens of video about Zone 2 … this is great … and life is too short😊
To increase my endurance and VO2Max in cycling, I do cross training by running and skiing (cross country skating). Ask people from Norway and they will tell you. You can do it on roller skis in Britain. Very efficient.
Nice balanced video, I'm a heavy rider who does long rides at weekend in hilly region of Scotland so zone 2 is probably the base level but you need to skip out of that for the climbs, and, the fun fast techy descents , needs to be fun as you say
I love thes advices Si. And I like too go at different intensities. Fun is important.
Made plenty of mistakes in the past with zone but getting better on Zwift and on the road… but still overshoot due to the fun of accelerating too much or pushing in short climbs 🤣
Thanks for this vid, I'm new to cycling but not to fitness and have been paying some attention to zone 2 training, honestly it didn't make sense to me and well I guess get it somewhat but after trying to figure it out I decided I'm not wasting my time dickering around, I'm 59 and started riding because running was becoming to hard. I'm just going to ride as long or little or as hard or light as I want. Cheers love the vid.
Nice one Si, enjoyed that. Life and a job really do get in the way of bike riding! Guaranteed snot bomb as soon as director shouted "cut!"
Thanks Si! Great few points for a relative newbie to cycling :)
Going back to the Millan stuff, he's really talking about something that approximates to Peter Keen's Level 2 (70-80%) of max heart rate rather than Z2 power (56 - 75% of FTP). Appreciating that his measurement was being able to hold to conversation/breathing (how long a conversation, who's listening, who's speaking, length explanations, short sentences or single words etc etc). Level 2 HR is a broader 'zone' the Z2 power, easier at the bottom and quite a bit harder at the top. Putting the variability of HR and FTP measurement aside, Millan and you guys are still talking about building a fitness base before putting 'performance' on top of it by separating out the sessions. Great stuff, something we've been doing for years because we know it works. I think the danger is revisiting the metabolic approach but not busting the myth that fat is used as the fuel source in Z2 and carbohydrate/glycogen above that. We know that isn't correct.
I ride my bike to explore, be free and have fun which puts me in a happy zone😁
Commuting by bike is a great way to fit some Zone 2 riding into your schedule. Commutes are usually solitary, or at least not competitive, and hopefully you have a route to work without any major hills. Also doing the same route repeatedly really helps with the "listen to your body" part, because you can tell the difference in your effort from day to day and week to week in the same stretch of road. It also helps with the boredom. On weekends or group ride days you can mix things up and do something fun but you still got your hour or two of steady pacing in.
very good advice!!! been riding 30 years
Z2 still enables you to go fast, but only on downhills, and for this reason I as a descent freak like z2 training. 😁😁 If you come across a descent that's too steep or too twisty then it's still not the end of the world if you have to stop pedalling for 10-20 seconds on occasions, I think a tough climb is a lot bigger issue where you are forced to go up to z3 or z4 for long-long minutes.
Zone 2 indoors only - on the rollers, because it feels like riding …. Always with a sprint at the end - has been working for me - and I’m fit enough to play on the group rides
Excellent video!, Old school GCN, 9 crappy videos one incredibly good one!
I think what I’ve learnt recently is how much my own zone two changes according to tiredness and other factors and that first tip about not relying on tech really applies here. My zone two wattage is really quite different sometimes and listening to my body is the only way to get it right.
Having said that the fittest and fastest I ever was was before I knew any of this and did two rides a day one of which was definitely more like zone 3 and the other 4/5. Yeah. Covid times. 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
This year I have fully swapped over to let's just ride & enjoy it. No more data for me. It would most of the time take the enjoyment out, either during or after the ride. Ride how I feel like riding whenever I do. Stop for photos & ride whatever technical route id like. Just dont for get your lights.
it always comes back to the old Fausto Coppi quote he used when asked "how do i get faster/stronger/better at cycling", where he replied, "Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike.".
I've done lots of Z2 training, 3/4 of my weekly training was Z2, it was pushed by my coach......after a few weeks i got board of it but kept doing it......after 6 months my FTP dropped by 41 wats.....I blame it on too much Z2 and not enough on high intensity training...My balance was wrong as far as i was concerned... I then changed my way of training, and do 1 Z2 a week for 90 mins and the rest VO2 plus threshold and sweet spot I'm now getting stronger again and starting to enjoy my training again.... So as you said life is too short do what makes you happy, that is all that matters.....Just keep cycling and enjoy it :)
Great advice in the end! Very informative!
I love zone 2 for volume.
This is what I have done, during work days, when I don’t have time to get out on my bike. I just do zone 2 on my trainer, three times per week. Normally 60 to 90 minutes depending how I am on time and I just watch a movie or something that interest me. Weekends are for fun, long, fast and social rides. That works for me.
70 yrs old I ride 12 hrs /week on average. 1-2 HIIT Z5 workouts and 1 hard tempo ride per week plus a bunch of Z2
I’m glad Si comments on the importance of training load as well if you’re only doing 5-6 hours per week and want to improve your speed and fitness, there must be significant amounts of Z4-Z5 intensity in the training plan.
The 80:20 training structure does not apply here.
I wish this point was reiterated more often.
Heart rate works just fine if you have the experience and have followed your rides. Zones are different in different sports and you want to go lower if in doubt. Cycling has lower numbers than running and for accurate readings you would have to take blood tests. I dont think it really matters that much, if you can do the amount of training you want in a week and do not accumulate fatigue, you are training just fine for hobby level. It gets more and more important the more you train. 8h a week vs 20h a week and you really start to understand that 80% 20% ratio for pro-level better.
Yeah this. If you ride less than 8h / week just do whatever you want. It will have benefits. You're not riding every day so you have time to recover. If you go a lot higher than that you need z2 to manage fatigue levels / recovery / injury risk
Hi. Thanks a lot for this video. My exprience earlier this zear is that my Zone 2 ride (1st of thi kind) was so boring that I gave up after only 35min. THe profile was mostly flat and my avg. speed was only 24-25 km//h. One point can be that I have definetly relied on my Garmin (which calculates the Zone 2 on my max. HR). And I have know that connection of Z2 with my feelings (breathing). So may be that I can go a little harder strictly according to my feeling as I was feeling as I was doing nothing :-).
Thanks for sharing
The hilly country in eastern Pennsylvania makes riding in Zone 2 extremely hard for me. I'm old and a bit too heavy etc and there are 6 - 12% hills every couple of miles on 99% of the roads around my house. I have to ride up a couple hundred feet from 9 - 12% to get to my house. The other problem is that going hard sometimes is fun and provides a challenge that keeps me on the bike. I'm retired and time isn't really a limiting factor.
As a guy just trying to improve shape, without any cycling ambitions, I prefer a rowing machine for indoor Zone-xyz-training.
Uses more / different muscles for a change and trains breathing and metabolism AT LEAST as effectively as a spinning machine.
I have been riding for 2 years and wanted a Garmin computer for paying attention to the numbers. Now that I'm learning about these zone training, I think I will keep it simple. But I do feel as if I need more leg muscle at 43 years old.
Always some great info for us regular humans 😊
Seems like something that would be perfect for pedaling some sort of an under-desk cycle while doing computer work or making work phone calls.
Results makes sense snd nice summary. Plenty of more detailed exercise physiology that explains the results. For those interested a good source is Joe Friel's work and publications.
Good way to stay in Z2 on solo rides: Whistle. Pick whatever ear-worm tune is in your head, or playing on your (open-ear) headphones, and whistle along to it. If you can manage to mostly whistle along you're in zone 2. ;) Or sing, whatever - maybe quietly is better on that one, for most of us.
Aside from the absolute precision offered by an indoor trainer, or the controlled pace of a solo ride, my trick to getting Zone 2 training is to lead a novice'C-level' group ride. As there's rarely enough volunteers to lead this group, I'm helping out the club, while still working on on Z2 and/or active recovery. Even if the pace falls to Z1, all I have to do is over-gear on some hilly sections to raise my heart rate to raise my HR. I also use my Z2 rides to spend time with my wife, and she thinks I'm being patient by not dropping her. Keep the last tip a secret 😉
Siborg is the GCN GOAT.
Good Alan Partridge style intro … nice work Si.
This vid was spot on, very good advice, hopefully no one listens to it ;)
Best advice ever! 🙌
Totally agree with the statement at the "life is too short segment"! Well said Si!
One question I was hoping you would answer: is there a minimum time you need to train in zone 2 to start getting some benefits? When I have just 30 minutes to ride I tend to go to a high intensity, because I think that you need at least 1 hour at zone two to get some benefit. But I have no idea where I got this from, and maybe I'm totally off?
I generally see 40 minutes as the minimum for a 'useful' Z2 ride.
Yeah I've heard 45min but to be honest, 90min is ideal.
I actually bought a lactate meter (not because I'm soooo worried about being fast, but because I've always been kind of a science nerd and I've always been curious what's actually going on in my body) and I was surprised how low my power is at my current zone 2... So surprised that I will redo the test in a few days. Before the meter arrived I was using the breathing/conversation method, and I felt comfortable doing 30 watts more than what my lactate says. In the test at that power my lactate was 5 mmol/L (too high). But... perfect thank you for this video. After watching many videos with Tadei's coach, I was still left wondering how I'd work zone 2 into my week and if it reeeeeeally is that beneficial compared to what I usually do. I remain skeptical that you can be a faster rider with that heavy of a zone 2 plan like Tadei's coach claims, with 20% zone 4+ training, and the rest zone 2. My plan is do a few mornings on the trainer in zone 2 and when I'm outside, I'll do whatever I like which is usually climb/suffer.