If it feels hard, tense, or rushed at all, in any way, downshift, or go more lightly, but keep going. No momentum carrying punches. You're trying to train your ability to slightly deflate from a slightly inflated effort, smoothly. Hold a rate you can continue all day, as long as you drink and eat. You'll find you are in your smallest gear, quite a bit, but you can ride it forever. Soon, you'll just be pedaling all climbs. Ride your first climb like you got 10 more, and are not warmed up. Ride every climb like the first climb. Don't make it hard, make it easy. You'll still avg the same, and feel great the whole time. Feel free to anaerobically drill giant gears downhill like a rocket, but for a moment here and there. When you downshift, consider 2 gears, and slowly let the rpms come down (along with your HR for 2 seconds) and catch it with the old softshoe. Make people wonder what's wrong with you. 😝
First I only did Zone 2 riding indoors on my training bike. Second, used Rouvy to select fairly flat roads. Third, used my heart rate not watts. Worked great. 4) Kept my cadence between 90-95. 5) Most rides were about 90 minutes. Had great results. By avoiding outdoors didn't have to worry about hills and creeping into zone 3. This method made training in zone 2 simple. Now that I'm riding outdoors I don't focus on zone 2. Will focus on zone 2 when the weather turns cold.
Something you may not find on Strava or Zwift: talk to an old, lifelong cyclist, or long distance touring cyclist. Zone 2 is what we're all about. One trick for staying in the zone during hill climbs: ride a bike with a triple chainring crankset and a wide range cassette. I'm 69, and live in the mountains of west Texas. Without my 30-tooth granny ring and 32- or 34-tooth cassette, it would be impossible for me to ride most of the roads within 25 miles of my home, while keeping my heart rate at 150-155bpm and breathing through my nose. Another trick for staying in zone 2: ensure that you can carry on a conversation with a fellow rider. As we oldsters are fond of saying: "Age and treachery can overcome youth and ability!" Ride smartly, ride safely, ride for life! 😁
There are roads and riders who need triple chainring cranksets. Old school Shimano 8, 9, and 10 speed systems allowed the use of MTB rear derailleurs and cassettes with road br'ifters, and made it possible to pull an 11-34t or 11-36t cassette with a 50-34t twin chainring crank. However you can get closer ratios with a triple chainring crank, plus higher top speed with 52-39-30t triple, all while keeping a hill-flattening granny gear. Happy Trails!😁
@@robertbachmann1573 No idea what my heart rate is. I ride at an exertion level that allows me to breathe through my nose, or chat with a fellow rider. I'm not fast, average speeds around 13-14mph for 20-30 mile rides. Making circles with my feet, enjoying the scenery! 😁
This may sound sacrilegious to roadies but Specialized's e-bikes have a smart control feature that can keep you in zone 2 by automatically adapting the motor output based off your heart rate monitor. It's not just for zone 2 either as you can set the heart rate at any desired target range. You could speak to your friends at EMBN and see if they'll lend you one for a video to see if that makes the difference to the spikes you naturally get on hills and junctions.
@@josephreilman8527 Ironically, the comment you’re posting on provides a really good “purpose” for an e-bike. You know who owns e-bikes? Professional cycling teams. Why? They put a fast amateur on it to replicate professional climbing velocities and let their pros work with different road surfaces and inclines. A person getting 50+ watts is more realistic and they’re now everywhere. They’re better than cars or motor scooters. This explanation for e-bike use is very compelling. Another is for a slower person to keep up with faster ones while still working on their fitness, thus learning some group skills. I could go on. I don’t own an e-bike, although I’ve been repeatedly accused of having one when commuting on my Brompton… But they do have some serious upsides, this one being a very strong one. Kinda accentuates the purpose. 😅
Zone 2 mania… if you are over 40-ish this is basically a rebranding of base miles. Back in the day the spring training always started with weeks or a month of slow, steady rides . It’s interesting to see modern methods validating what those old Italian coaches knew by instinct.
Yes and no. It allows us to optimize our base rides now that we have a better understanding of how the different energetic systems work, and why it does matter that you don't let your ego do the talking and make every ride kind of hard instead of truly staying in Z2. Knowing the why of something helps people like me accomplish the how. when I trained for the Garret County Gran Fondo, I rode hard every ride. I could put out tons of power (for me anyway) but when I got to the mountains with no real mitochondrial function I burned through my glucose faster than you can imagine and bonked massively.
I love my zone 2 rides, they are 1.5 hours long and I make it a point to leave my phone tucked away just for an emergency. Just me, nature and my thoughts. Not a single worry on my mind, therapeutic
I'm not sure what's best for cycling, but breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth (less resistance) works very well for me. Can keep stable, deep breaths up to over 170 heart rate. And I haven't been cycling for very long.
One easy way to avoid/minimise elevation changes and steep climbs is to follow a body of water. River, canal, whatever. Rivers and canals usually will have paths close to the banks. You might need a gravel bike though, as often these paths are unpaved. (But any bike can be a gravel bike if you are brave enough, and when the weather has been reasonably dry for a couple of days, anything over 25mm should be fine). You're off public roads, no cars, nice scenery... For example, If I follow the Isar river downstream from Munich, I can ride for way over 100-150 km without ever having to climb more than 10m at a time and I'm on public roads with (limited) car traffic for maybe 20km of those. Former rail tracks converted to cycle paths are another safe bet. Side note: Do I see a Concept2 row erg behind Manon? Anybody willingly using one of these machines must be completely mad. These machines were devised by the devil himself. Now I'm terrified of Manon. (Yes, I row on water...)
On the indoor trainer I like to be in ERG mode at a wattage I know will keep in in the zone. Then adjust as needed if it's too easy or hard. This way you can basically just zone out (so to speak) watching TH-cam videos
On Zwift I set the trainer difficulty to 0, I find it less boring than ERG mode but still easy to stay in the right power zone. I use the companion app to monitor it and put something to watch on the TV
If you have low enough gearing, you can stay in zone 2 on hills. On my gravel bike I run a 34T chainring and a 9-52 cassette so way below 1:1 for lowest gearing.
I've been accidentally jumping on the zone 2 bandwagon even before it got hitched up! My big goal for the year changed about five years ago from riding sportives to long distance bikepacking (thanks to Si's video of bikepacking Morocco). So to mirror the mantra "train how your target will be like" I switched out my training to be long slower easier rides. I'm fortunate also to live in Brussels so flat riding on ravels (dissused raillines) and canalside or riverside paths is easy - even for 300+Km rides....
@@gcn I do want to get a 200 mile ride in this summer... But all my training is for a bikepacking trip along the Baltic coast (to Hel in Poland where GCN have visited - but with a friend who goes there every summer) and then after a ferry from Gdansk to Stockholm to then bikepack across Sweden to my In laws place on the west coast.... It'll be about 1500Km total taking two weeks to ride. (I've already completed other goals this year - the 147Km Paris Roubaix challenge and 6OOkm bikepacking the Netherlands in a long 4 day weekend)
Thanks for these gems Manon! And thanks for persevering! I can't take riding indoors on the trainer any more. That's why I'm a year round outdoor rider even in a Canadian winter! I'll use the nose breathing technique for sure but I'll save the Niagara Escarpment for my HIIT!😜 Love this content! Please keep it coming!
So, after a few false starts I took inspiration from your Zone 2 training and have been approximating it on my trainer. Basically my old Colnago on a bike stand with a resistance roller. If I get to the end of this week, I will switch to the road. Now here is where I thought you might get something back from me. I live in Sydney and there are 3 big parks with a road running around the periphery of about 4k within the park. They are undulating but no steep hills. They are a circuit but no traffic lights and the intersections are easy to navigate because the traffic crossing the road has to give way. If you are looking for a steady outdoor ride, I would recommend this approach. Find that park and do laps. There may even be coffee shops in the centre.
Move to the Netherlands (any place but Limburg for this). If I don't specifically look for a hilly route, ill probably have like 25 meters of elevation for a 100km ride 😅
A few years ago I rode across the Netherlands without ever seeing Zone 2. Why? Dutch mountains! A big storm hit on the first night of our tour; the following day I did six hours of hard Z3 at 18km/h into a massive headwind!!!
Absolutely right. I noticed the importance of taking deep breath when I found my BPM drops by nearly 10bpm while I can still keep the same pace of power output. But the tricky bit is a deep breath requires more core muscles strength and for me that’s another new training.
Great zone 2 training advice, thank you. I try to do mine indoors listening to the amazing Inigo San Milan vlog on zone 2 benefits. What could possibly go wrong!
Remember that when you go out of zone 2, you build up lactate. You don't return to Z2 until you clear it. But that means it's a sliding scale. If you have a bit of a climb, if you manage it well you should be able to clear lactate fairly quickly and get back into Z2 for real. That 20-30 minute thing you hear about is when you do something like go absolutely all out like a VO2Max interval and you build up a TON of lactate. So you absolutely can do Zone 2 outside, as long as you leave your ego home. Mitochondrial function improvements also help lactate clearance, so the more you ride in zone 2 the faster you can get back into Zone 2 when you hit these type of things.
Nose breathing is a great discipline to use. Combine with diaphragm (tummy) breathing, not chest breathing, then constrict throat on outbreath through nose - dragon breathing from yoga. Then see how far you can push it, you'll find you can use it well beyond zone 2! Great tips. Thanks
Nose breathing is a great technique for finding your zone 2, have you ever tried the conversation method? Holding a conversation should keep you in Zone 2 🙌
On my rides, I usually end up in zone 3 at least, only when my legs are tired (e.g. after a weekend with two rides in zone 5 with an estimated recovery time of 4 days) I ride in zone 2. Maybe there are win-win benefits when you alternately ride in zone 2 and to some strengh training (squats with a barbell).
I either try to count to 18 or I sing the alphabet. I find that once I cross into zone 3, the change in breathing isn't gradual; I rapidly go from counting to 18 down to 9. For the alphabet, if I can get to P without a breath (remember, singing, not reciting, so hold the notes like you normally would). However, beware of Heart Rate. I've seen 10 BPM difference in my Z2 threshold based on several factors, including fatigue and most importantly heat. If it's hot, I can be 10BPM higher and still be in zone 2 because my body is working to dissipate heat but that doesn't change what energetic system you are using.
This is a wonderful and informative series. I initially thought Zone 2 was nonsense, but after doing for a few weeks, it has definitely boosted my endurance. Tks!!!
I am legitimately curious why you thought Zone 2 was non-sense. It is used by pros but non only that it's the embodiment of "to become better? just ride the damn bike".
I find that I can do 95% of my outdoor ride in Z2 if I want to for a 50km ride. It takes a lot of downshifting while going up hills and really making sure you don't drop 500+ W.
All good tips. One from me - don't watch the Cav documentary when doing a Zone 2 turbo, bits took me right out 🤣 and @3:18 if you're going through Sandford, watch out for them swans...
Great! Just when I’m trying to figure out this Z2 thing you go off your diet and start running and hiking and leaving zone 2 on your ride 😂 A couple of things that are confusing me and some new things just now after I looked at your last ride. 1. You’re talking about zone 2 HR, not power, in your videos, correct? I hadn’t even considered that you might mean power. 2. My Z2 is HUGE and you talked about your range being small. That also makes me wonder if you mean power zones, plus that _would_ be harder to stay in on hills. I also haven’t tested myself in many years, so the range I’m using may be totally wrong. My lower end is easy while the upper end is close to not wanting to talk much and nose breathing is harder. 3. It does feel like a better workout though when I’m in Z2 HR. As you said. I really have to pay attention to breathing and not drifting off into endurance, especially after traffic lights and as it gets dark and SQUIRREL! 🐿️
Seems to me that the only ways to stay in Z2 is to either ride flat routes, which isn't easy if you live in a hilly region, find the flattest routes you can which even hilly regions tend to have and just do as many loops as you need to to get in the desired distance or time riding, which gets boring really fast, or stick to a trainer, which, well, ditto. But most people aren't going to do Z2 only workouts or programs, which even if you live in flat regions is really boring. So it's almost a phantom problem for most people.
I've been riding at the top of my zone 2 on my non-interval days for about 8 months. Riding to HR outdoors. A combo of HR and power indoors. Wahoo has my Z2 at %81 of my max HR or 151 bpm. I've been riding at 145-148 on average and typically use local bike paths because there is no stopping for traffic. Though many small undulations with the path going under roads and freeways that would often cause me to go above Z2 on most of them. I've had some days where Ive struggled to complete interval workouts and started feeling really fatigued overall. I did more research and found that a lot of people don't prescribe high Z2 all the time. Last 3 weeks Ive been doing more mid Z2. 135-140. And if there are small climbs I may go up to 143-148. It's a different feeling on the bike and when I get off. I feel more like I am looking at surroundings and enjoy the ride rather than in a more focused and a slightly more intense mindstate. Not sure how this will effect my FTP results but I am less tired and hitting my intervals much better than I was before. So we'll see.
I have had a very similar experience. The high Z2 work really improves your efficiency and power per heart rate but if you do a lot of it you won’t hit your intervals as you should. I now do blocks. My Z2 block will be 5 days a week, 3 days back-to-back high Z2 and 2 days with a longer easier ride and one high intensity ride eg VO2 max or over under. That high intensity ride won’t be as good as it could be with more rest and I accept that. Then I have a block where I dial down the Z2 towards the bottom and do two high intensity sessions per week - usually one just below threshold but long (eg 6x10) and one very high quality VO2 max, spaced out so they don’t interfere with each other. Over the past few years the high Z2 training has got my power at high Z2 to around 280-290W and Garmin estimates my VO2 max at 77-79 . Thats up from mid 60s. Absolutely key thing in both blocks is that you are recovering properly so you can sustain it. If you’re feeing tired going into the next week you’ve overdone the effort or under done the recovery (sleep, nutrition, stress).
@@jeremyleake6868 Yeah one mistake I was making was cutting intensity in half on a recovery week as well. What I'm finding is its better for me to just cut it out altogether. Just to do some low to mid zone 2 the first few days of a recovery week and gradually ease back into it. As far as training weeks I've kept one short high zone 2 day, one longer low to mid Z2 and another moderate length low to mid Z2. I usually do a longer threshold effort day. Typically 2 x20's or a full hour just under. I also usually include a VO2 day where I try to get 20-25 min or I will do some over-unders or occasional 30/30's. It really feels like my training is becoming a bit more polarized. More focus on quality interval days and a bit easier the other days to recover and get in volume. Trying to listen to my body more as well. If I feel good after an interval day I may push a little harder on the Z2 for instance. But I'm going to take your advice on not being to tired going into the next week. That may be fine heading into a recovery week but one thing a proper recovery week showed me is I felt a lot better 3 or 4 days in and motivation came back strong. I'd prefer to keep more of that throughout a block.
@@starlitshadows agree with all of that. Whatever our training is, and many of us are prone to push harder, do more, train when tired, we only get faster and better if our bodies are absorbing it.
I did loads of zone 2. For me it meant 190-200 watts on turbo or 125 heart rate. I built up to 90 minute turbo power sessions. I allowed for cardiac drift. As heart rate eventually drifted up I dropped 5 watts. Always stayed zone. Eventually I was holding 225 watts for 125 heart rate.did a forty minute turbo tacx Neo session at 285 watts.. took 60 hours total of strict z2. on road then felt very strong in the middle areas. Still found hills tough but then I'm 90kg.
In urban area is quite difficult to stay there, sometimes I hit 500-600 watt after a stop, if there are flyover I go easily over 200 watt... so yeah, planning the route is quite important. As I'm training for bikepacking I'm try to stay in Z2 in all different terrain, so for climb you must have very easy gearing... so shift down till you are in Z2
As I understand it, the theory goes (from Dr Iñigo San Millán) that zone 2 training is encouraged/used in order to fortify endurance ability. Zone 2 is specifically thought to increase the number and size of mitochondria in slow twitch skeletal muscle, and so, increased ability or power output on longer bike rides. So, in order to test zone 2 properly, I would have thought it would be necessary to do longer rides before and after the training period to try to gauge if there were any physiological changes, no? (mind you, simply training for 6 weeks is going to increase fitness, irrespective of zones, so I'm not really sure how the endurance ability changes can be properly tested)
FOR ALL NEWBIES OR PEOPLE GETTING BACK ON THE BIKE AFTER A LONG LAYOFF: The information I'm about to share is regarding polarized training, where there are only three zones. Endurance, sweet spot, and VO2. You want to spend 80-90% of your training in zone 1, the rest in zone 3 doing intervals, and very little time in the sweet spot zone. That being said, read on to learn how to begin: There are three levers when it comes to training: Frequency, duration, and intensity. Spend the first six weeks in zone 1 just dedicating yourself to riding a certain number of times per week. 3 or 4 times is fine, but whatever you decide on, stick to it. Frequency is important to build habit/routine. These rides can be as little as 30 minutes, but closer to an hour is better. Just do what you can to start with, and by the end of the six weeks, you will see an improvement. Now, for the second six weeks, you're going to pull on the duration lever. Keep to your frequency, but make at least one of those rides 90 minutes, or perhaps even a little more if you can. Keep in mind, these are all still done in zone 1. Leave your ego behind and remember that you're building mitochondria which will be invaluable to your performance later on. If you race up a hill or do an interval that takes you into zone 2 or 3, it will take you more than 20 minutes of riding in zone 1 to reset your body's systems. So don't waste time doing it. You're going to slog up hills, but who cares, this is YOUR training, you're not out to impress anyone. Now then, you've spent 12 weeks pulling on the frequency lever and the duration lever, and now you can ride for at least 90 minutes in zone 1, time to pull on the intensity lever. Once a week is all you're going to need, unless you're young and very fit, in which case you can probably do 2 of these sessions per week, as long as it doesn't total more than 20% of your total training. Find a local hill, or if you're training indoors find an interval training session where the intervals are 30 seconds. Do hill repeats or 30 second intervals and give yourself a minute or two in zone 1 and then repeat. Don't do these until you're ready to fall off the bike, but until your legs are full of lactate. It may take only a few, or it may take 6 or 7, but you'll know. Now you're ready to pull all three levers every week, and have 3 or 4 zone 1 sessions where at least one of those is 90 plus minutes, and one good, hard interval session per week. I guarantee that if you follow this type of training, you'll notice HUGE gains within 3 to 4 months and you'll be well on your way to being a local legend, or you'll just enjoy riding your bike and you'll be so much healthier, which is the whole point of this, right? Best of luck!
you can stay on zone 2 by 220 less your Age, then u get the BPM, using your smart watch set it to cycling at stay in your BPM, the best is use a stationary bike or spin bike.
No difference, really. Everyone’s Z2 HR and wattage is different, but the physiological response is pretty much the same. Some people have fast hearts, some slow (compared to the average). It’s genetic and age-discounted. At 66, my Z2 HR is around 125-135 bpm, which is high for most 66 year-olds, my max HR being 182. NBD, my Z2 is, as they say, what it is. I just ride there a lot!
Will you do a final follow up on this GCN? Touching on questions received rather than just tips of how to make it easier? For example, if you do go into zone 3+, what is the current scientific thought on how long it takes your body to return to zone 2 (essentially fat burning)? It's not by all accounts a simple switch.
I practice speaking a foreign language (Português) or listen to an audiobook. If I can't speak in phrases or can't focus on the book I'm going too hard. Constant pressure on the pedals. Pre down shift on hills
Love this video. The idea of my head unit beeping at me if I am out of my zone is absolutely brilliant. I’m going to see if my Garmin has that feature too. Love to see more videos on this!😊
Do it in erg mode. No chance to cheat, only thing you need to focus on is to not going completely insane doing zone 2 indoor. It is best bang for your buck in how much time you spend in the power zone you are training also constant pressure!
I hear if one leaves zone two for a moment, they instantly get lupus. The absolute key to living well is to stay within 0.5 beats per minute of your target HR.
how do you stay in zone 2? just getting on the bike I want to hammer it down the road. Cant even do it on Zwift when there are sprints and KOM's that im neve going to beat but just neeeeed to try! 😀
Keep in mind that if you are going to have to raise your power above zone two, do it at the end of the session because the benefits stop for at least 1/2 hour after a harder effort… ie. that zone 2 doesn’t count!
You'll be surprised how long it takes the body to settle back into zone 2. Of course it's not worth stressing about but it's good to try and keep it chilled for as much as possible 🙌
I still dont understand what the big deal is with going above zone 2. So you have 5 minutes on a workout outside of zone 2 due to hills. Why would that be bad?
It takes the body around 30 min to reset back to training in Z2. If you go up above Z2 and your muscles start using glycogen as an energy source, it can take away a big chunk of your Z2 adaptation in a session. As i understood it in Sis video, its okey to accelerate out of a traffic light etc but if you start producing the smallest amounts of lactate its basically game over for 30 min.
@@EverythingWasGreat 30 minutes to switch back to fatburning? That must depend or how long time you have gone too hard, and at what intencity. Myself I think its good to get a lot of miles in zone one and two, and I try to do it on the first hour of my rides. An ideal week for me has some hours in zone two, and also a lot of time in zone 3,4,5 and trying to reach maximum heartrate. Today I will try to go easy the first hill allowing to stay in zone two for the first hour, and go at variable speed the second hour.
@erlendsteren9466 GCN had a video with Si that interviewed an expert in the field and on the subject of Z2, i recommend that you watch it instead of listening to my non-expert interpretation. He talked about weekly dosage of the different zones and the possibility of combining Z2 and 4 in one session, like you mentioned (Z2 first and then Z4 intervalls in the end of the session). 👍
@@EverythingWasGreat I think ive seen some video like that, maybe it was interview with dr. Inigo San Milan or a Norwegian trainer for the best triatlethes. Does theories actually fits the classic ideas in Norwegian training from end of previous millenium where it was advices to go slow, long and easy for a couple of days a week combined with some hard effort days.
What about dropping far below Zone 2 on hilly rides, on the downhill sections? I can go slow uphill, but I can go fast enough (gears, safety, leg speed..) down, to keep my heart rate up..
@GCN I find it really hard to stay in zone 2, I get of with a good start but then other bikers pass me and I find it almost impossible not to hook on and join. It feels so much nicer to go faster. But got a question. I am a long distance backpacker and avid walker and most of that is in Zone 2 for hours. Is that having the same effect and is that as effective as doing zone 2 on the bike?
For me the hardest difficulty to overcome about Z2 training is boredom, 20 minutes controlling that and you start to focus on things as your seat or your shoes.
They are all almost the same zones. Just split differently. With 3 zones its top of the first zone. In the rest, 5,6,7,8, zone 2 is always zone 2. Its always before first lactate threshold.
My understanding is that the real issue is not exact power numbers but objective is physiology and what fuel system you are burning. Confusing as that will change over time on a long ride and over weeks as you get fitter, but just slightly dropping a little in an out of max zone 2 for under 60 secs wouldn’t make any difference to your physiology. So I am presuming that your actual HR is going to be the real key data and that will be different on a given day and at end of a 4 hr ride than at the start. Is it right to say then that you need at least an hour in zone 2 to drive adaptation but also a max length that is not too long?
Your understanding is correct. The lower zones (2-4) are mostly* about energy source utilization and the impact on other metabolic functions. A big crossover, however, happens in the transition from zone 4 to zone 5. This is where the body enters the anaerobic zone. For all intents and purposes, this level of effort is time-constrained. Idk if there is a length of time needed to drive short term (i.e. while exercising) adaptation. An hour would certainly be sufficient to derive exercise value from any zonal workout though. The maximum length in zone 2 is practically unlimited. Sleep and hydration (not just water but essential salts and minerals) are more limiting factors because most people’s bodies hold mind boggling high energy stores in the form of fat. Heart rate is a key data point to capture. Moderate variations in resting heart rate are common. Variations at the top end are more the result of overall training load over closely spaced workouts. These might have an impact on energy conversion (aka zones) during a ride but they’ll likely be fairly modest. *The general view is that fat is used as an energy source for low intensity workouts, and glycogen is used at higher intensities. People assume this is a binary thing… it’s fat OR glycogen. But I don’t believe it’s that simple because energy demands at the individual muscle level will likely necessitate different metabolic pathways.
Manon’s top of zone 2 is 150-155bpm?! 😂. After my last Wahoo ramp test mine that’s top of zone 4 for me. I’m 59 and over the last decade I’ve watched my maximum heart rate fall and fall. I can thrash myself until I’m almost vomiting and only once got to 170bpm in the last year. A decade ago 180bpm was easily achieved
Are you supposed to prioritize HR or power? I have been riding Zwift routes freely and staying in Z2 HR but my power goes in and out of Z2 throughout the ride. Should I be trying to keep both in Z2?
HR for sure. Power can differ depending on fatigue etc and should be flexible. HR and nose breathing are the things to keep an eye on. Religiously sticking to a z2 power when you secretly know you’re drifting out of zone two feeling/HR is pointless.
I have seen mixed suggestions but many recommending HR for Z2. Though I have seen some folks discuss there being a benefit to the heart rate drift on longer rides. But physiologically you will be in a different zone and therefore induce more fatigue. Probably best to use that sparingly and use HR most of the time.
I do Z2 training on a spin bike at home to heart rate and effort. I also catch up on my phone calls with friends and family. Keeps me breathing in the "talk test" but does make family wonder what i'm doing?!?
I realize this isn't a zone 2 question but I was hoping to get some help. I spend a lot of time on Zwift, I use the Wahoo Kickr Bike to train. I don't own an outdoor bike, I have spent all my time on the Kickr. I've been training on it for many years now. I'd like to venture outside but I have no idea where to start. I just want to get a beginner bike that will get me started. I'd prefer to spend under $1500 (US Dollars, I am in the US). Would you have any recommendations?
If I were in your position, I’d get an aluminum framed road or gravel bike. The frame will be heavier than carbon but the components at this price point will be pretty good for the transition. This is especially true in today’s market conditions, with softer bike sales driving some pretty good deals. Set aside $100-150 for different tires (the rubber fitted to bikes at modest price points is sometimes lacking). Spend time learning how to set the saddle and bar height etc. Then simply go riding. Don’t be discouraged by speed etc., because wind and road resistance will likely feel greater in the real world than your trainer.
Why is it when I look at your graph zone two looks like more like 80 beats a minute instead of 155. It seems on the graph in the beginning of the video to get to 155 your inzone four.. Where am I going wrong on this?
Will an FTP test on Zwift confirm my zones? Would a HR monitor make it more accurate? I've guessed at my zone 2 based on ability to hold conversation, but would like to check with a power meter. An online calc (based on FTP of 220w) says my zone 2 is 143-180. It definitely feels like I'm much nearer the bottom of that range!
I stay in heart rate zone 2. It lines up nicely with my power zone 2 however I try to stay at the top edge of heart rate zone 2 which means that as time goes on I may have to dial down power by a few watts as the heart rate will eventually creep up and start dipping into zone three. This is easy to do on the smart trainer in erg mode.
My Garmin Edge told me to do 90 mins at Zone2 , which I proceeded to do. Looking at the results afterwards,my Garmin told me I had done enough to maintain my fitness, but to get fitter I had to work harder! So basically called me a lazy bastard for doing what I was told! Go figure 😂😂😂
The obvious thing is that if you go from not much cycling at all to cycling consistently, your overall health is going to improve. The hardest part of cycling consistently is making the time for it.
Yes quite easily. First find your max HR by doing an all out effort for a couple of minutes up a steepish climb after well warmed up. Painful!!!! (but only after you're reasonable fit, and if older like me have checked your heart out etc with your Dr). Zone2 is generally around 60 to 70% of ones maximum HR. Its also called ventilatory threshold(basically breath threshold). In Z2 you can hold a conversation quite easily and speak in whole sentences with maybe the odd break for a breath. If one starts breathing moderately and above one switches to burning predominately more carbohydrates which is a different energy system. Generally Z1: 50 to 60% Z2: 60 to 70% Z3: 70 to 80% Z4: 80 to 90% Z5: 90 to 100% of ones maximum HR.
TH-cam is playing unskippable inappropriate ads at the start of the videos. This is unacceptable and means I will be reducing my viewing of the GCN channel until i changes.
Your training isn’t going down the drain if you get into zone 3 for a bit during a ride. Stop worrying about it, if you have a hill in your route, take it easy, climb it at a steady face and forget about zones for the length of it, no need to find an alternative route that is flatter.
You didn't talk about zone2 an group rides 😢. From my experience, they don't go together at all. In most group rides I'm mostly in recovery zone an tempo/threshold.
Anybody know how to set the alarm on wahoo bolt v2 as stated here? I cannot find a way to set anything based on bpm! Or perhaps it has to be based on power, in which case, I cannot do that.
Do you have some top tips on how to stay in zone 2? Share in the comments 💬
Train by HOURS, not DISTANCE or SPEED. 3 hours of Z2 on a fat bike (Doing 20km) is the same as 3hrs of Z2 on the road bike doing 80km.
If it feels hard, tense, or rushed at all, in any way, downshift, or go more lightly, but keep going. No momentum carrying punches. You're trying to train your ability to slightly deflate from a slightly inflated effort, smoothly. Hold a rate you can continue all day, as long as you drink and eat. You'll find you are in your smallest gear, quite a bit, but you can ride it forever. Soon, you'll just be pedaling all climbs. Ride your first climb like you got 10 more, and are not warmed up. Ride every climb like the first climb. Don't make it hard, make it easy. You'll still avg the same, and feel great the whole time. Feel free to anaerobically drill giant gears downhill like a rocket, but for a moment here and there.
When you downshift, consider 2 gears, and slowly let the rpms come down (along with your HR for 2 seconds) and catch it with the old softshoe. Make people wonder what's wrong with you. 😝
Just use an e-bike to maintain speed while staying in Z2 uphill.
Is zone 2, power zone 2, or heart rate zone 2? Or both same time? They can differ right?
First I only did Zone 2 riding indoors on my training bike. Second, used Rouvy to select fairly flat roads. Third, used my heart rate not watts. Worked great. 4) Kept my cadence between 90-95. 5) Most rides were about 90 minutes. Had great results. By avoiding outdoors didn't have to worry about hills and creeping into zone 3. This method made training in zone 2 simple. Now that I'm riding outdoors I don't focus on zone 2. Will focus on zone 2 when the weather turns cold.
Something you may not find on Strava or Zwift: talk to an old, lifelong cyclist, or long distance touring cyclist. Zone 2 is what we're all about. One trick for staying in the zone during hill climbs: ride a bike with a triple chainring crankset and a wide range cassette. I'm 69, and live in the mountains of west Texas. Without my 30-tooth granny ring and 32- or 34-tooth cassette, it would be impossible for me to ride most of the roads within 25 miles of my home, while keeping my heart rate at 150-155bpm and breathing through my nose. Another trick for staying in zone 2: ensure that you can carry on a conversation with a fellow rider. As we oldsters are fond of saying: "Age and treachery can overcome youth and ability!" Ride smartly, ride safely, ride for life! 😁
It can certainly be tough trying to stay in zone 2 when you're going up hill! Do you think that the triple chain-set should come back?
There are roads and riders who need triple chainring cranksets. Old school Shimano 8, 9, and 10 speed systems allowed the use of MTB rear derailleurs and cassettes with road br'ifters, and made it possible to pull an 11-34t or 11-36t cassette with a 50-34t twin chainring crank. However you can get closer ratios with a triple chainring crank, plus higher top speed with 52-39-30t triple, all while keeping a hill-flattening granny gear. Happy Trails!😁
@@gcn
Yes! I dream of a close ratio 12 speed cassette with a triple chainring crankset!
69 y old doing zone 2 ride at HR of 155 bpm?
@@robertbachmann1573
No idea what my heart rate is. I ride at an exertion level that allows me to breathe through my nose, or chat with a fellow rider. I'm not fast, average speeds around 13-14mph for 20-30 mile rides. Making circles with my feet, enjoying the scenery! 😁
This may sound sacrilegious to roadies but Specialized's e-bikes have a smart control feature that can keep you in zone 2 by automatically adapting the motor output based off your heart rate monitor. It's not just for zone 2 either as you can set the heart rate at any desired target range. You could speak to your friends at EMBN and see if they'll lend you one for a video to see if that makes the difference to the spikes you naturally get on hills and junctions.
wait that sounds sick I didn't know that existed
Sounds very interesting and useful. Thanks!
Cover your mouth when yawning kid did your parents not teach you any manners?
Or just have discipline and a power meter. Most people aren't going to buy an ebike for a workout. Kinda defeats the purpose
@@josephreilman8527 Ironically, the comment you’re posting on provides a really good “purpose” for an e-bike. You know who owns e-bikes? Professional cycling teams. Why? They put a fast amateur on it to replicate professional climbing velocities and let their pros work with different road surfaces and inclines. A person getting 50+ watts is more realistic and they’re now everywhere. They’re better than cars or motor scooters. This explanation for e-bike use is very compelling. Another is for a slower person to keep up with faster ones while still working on their fitness, thus learning some group skills. I could go on. I don’t own an e-bike, although I’ve been repeatedly accused of having one when commuting on my Brompton… But they do have some serious upsides, this one being a very strong one. Kinda accentuates the purpose. 😅
Manon, come to east flanders, Strava just congratulated me on my epic climb of 2 full meters! :D
Zone 2 mania… if you are over 40-ish this is basically a rebranding of base miles. Back in the day the spring training always started with weeks or a month of slow, steady rides . It’s interesting to see modern methods validating what those old Italian coaches knew by instinct.
Yes and no. It allows us to optimize our base rides now that we have a better understanding of how the different energetic systems work, and why it does matter that you don't let your ego do the talking and make every ride kind of hard instead of truly staying in Z2.
Knowing the why of something helps people like me accomplish the how.
when I trained for the Garret County Gran Fondo, I rode hard every ride. I could put out tons of power (for me anyway) but when I got to the mountains with no real mitochondrial function I burned through my glucose faster than you can imagine and bonked massively.
It's still being developed by old Italian coaches lol. Like pogacars coach who made the term zone 2 so popular
Absolutely when I was a teen cyclist (40 years ago) our coach would force us into granny gears for hours on end.
I love my zone 2 rides, they are 1.5 hours long and I make it a point to leave my phone tucked away just for an emergency. Just me, nature and my thoughts. Not a single worry on my mind, therapeutic
Just had an "ah ha " moment, breathing through the nose (mouth closed) is one of the better cycling Zone 2 "tips" I've heard. Thank you
I’ve found im still happy nose breathing at threshold but maybe it’s a side effect of being a flute player?
@@billeterk Sure, and between my 20's thru 40's that really wasn't an issue. Mid 50's upwards as my VO2 max has dropped, my mouth has opened.
I'm not sure what's best for cycling, but breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth (less resistance) works very well for me. Can keep stable, deep breaths up to over 170 heart rate. And I haven't been cycling for very long.
One easy way to avoid/minimise elevation changes and steep climbs is to follow a body of water. River, canal, whatever. Rivers and canals usually will have paths close to the banks. You might need a gravel bike though, as often these paths are unpaved. (But any bike can be a gravel bike if you are brave enough, and when the weather has been reasonably dry for a couple of days, anything over 25mm should be fine). You're off public roads, no cars, nice scenery... For example, If I follow the Isar river downstream from Munich, I can ride for way over 100-150 km without ever having to climb more than 10m at a time and I'm on public roads with (limited) car traffic for maybe 20km of those. Former rail tracks converted to cycle paths are another safe bet.
Side note: Do I see a Concept2 row erg behind Manon? Anybody willingly using one of these machines must be completely mad. These machines were devised by the devil himself. Now I'm terrified of Manon. (Yes, I row on water...)
On the indoor trainer I like to be in ERG mode at a wattage I know will keep in in the zone. Then adjust as needed if it's too easy or hard. This way you can basically just zone out (so to speak) watching TH-cam videos
Erg mode is a real blessing 🙌
On Zwift I set the trainer difficulty to 0, I find it less boring than ERG mode but still easy to stay in the right power zone. I use the companion app to monitor it and put something to watch on the TV
If you have low enough gearing, you can stay in zone 2 on hills. On my gravel bike I run a 34T chainring and a 9-52 cassette so way below 1:1 for lowest gearing.
I've been accidentally jumping on the zone 2 bandwagon even before it got hitched up! My big goal for the year changed about five years ago from riding sportives to long distance bikepacking (thanks to Si's video of bikepacking Morocco). So to mirror the mantra "train how your target will be like" I switched out my training to be long slower easier rides. I'm fortunate also to live in Brussels so flat riding on ravels (dissused raillines) and canalside or riverside paths is easy - even for 300+Km rides....
That sounds awesome! 300km is a big ride 🙌Have you got anything lined up for this year?
@@gcn I do want to get a 200 mile ride in this summer... But all my training is for a bikepacking trip along the Baltic coast (to Hel in Poland where GCN have visited - but with a friend who goes there every summer) and then after a ferry from Gdansk to Stockholm to then bikepack across Sweden to my In laws place on the west coast.... It'll be about 1500Km total taking two weeks to ride. (I've already completed other goals this year - the 147Km Paris Roubaix challenge and 6OOkm bikepacking the Netherlands in a long 4 day weekend)
Not bad all in all for a 60yr old....
E-bikes are great for Z2 in hilly areas. I just use the motor on (steep) inclines to keep my HR down while still maintaining an enjoyable pace.
That's actually brilliant and sure beats doing Z2 between four walls!
Yeah I do the same!
That's a great point! Another point to the Ebikes ⚡
Why not just ride a moped then you don't have to ever pedal and can get even fatter?
Thanks for these gems Manon! And thanks for persevering! I can't take riding indoors on the trainer any more. That's why I'm a year round outdoor rider even in a Canadian winter! I'll use the nose breathing technique for sure but I'll save the Niagara Escarpment for my HIIT!😜 Love this content! Please keep it coming!
So, after a few false starts I took inspiration from your Zone 2 training and have been approximating it on my trainer. Basically my old Colnago on a bike stand with a resistance roller. If I get to the end of this week, I will switch to the road. Now here is where I thought you might get something back from me. I live in Sydney and there are 3 big parks with a road running around the periphery of about 4k within the park. They are undulating but no steep hills. They are a circuit but no traffic lights and the intersections are easy to navigate because the traffic crossing the road has to give way. If you are looking for a steady outdoor ride, I would recommend this approach. Find that park and do laps. There may even be coffee shops in the centre.
Move to the Netherlands (any place but Limburg for this). If I don't specifically look for a hilly route, ill probably have like 25 meters of elevation for a 100km ride 😅
A few years ago I rode across the Netherlands without ever seeing Zone 2. Why? Dutch mountains! A big storm hit on the first night of our tour; the following day I did six hours of hard Z3 at 18km/h into a massive headwind!!!
We have the entire Mid and parts of the Southwest here in the USA, I’ll go for 20+ miles with only 40 feet of elevation change!
Absolutely right. I noticed the importance of taking deep breath when I found my BPM drops by nearly 10bpm while I can still keep the same pace of power output. But the tricky bit is a deep breath requires more core muscles strength and for me that’s another new training.
Nose breathing and erg mode do it for me. Zwift should also put out a jersey that says ZONE 2 RIDER on the back!
Great zone 2 training advice, thank you. I try to do mine indoors listening to the amazing Inigo San Milan vlog on zone 2 benefits. What could possibly go wrong!
Remember that when you go out of zone 2, you build up lactate. You don't return to Z2 until you clear it.
But that means it's a sliding scale. If you have a bit of a climb, if you manage it well you should be able to clear lactate fairly quickly and get back into Z2 for real. That 20-30 minute thing you hear about is when you do something like go absolutely all out like a VO2Max interval and you build up a TON of lactate.
So you absolutely can do Zone 2 outside, as long as you leave your ego home.
Mitochondrial function improvements also help lactate clearance, so the more you ride in zone 2 the faster you can get back into Zone 2 when you hit these type of things.
I love videos/video series like this
We loved creating this one 🙌 Thanks to Manon for putting in the time 👌
Nose breathing is a great discipline to use. Combine with diaphragm (tummy) breathing, not chest breathing, then constrict throat on outbreath through nose - dragon breathing from yoga.
Then see how far you can push it, you'll find you can use it well beyond zone 2!
Great tips. Thanks
Nose breathing is a great technique for finding your zone 2, have you ever tried the conversation method? Holding a conversation should keep you in Zone 2 🙌
I don't ride indoors, however I am lucky enough to have a road e-bike as well as my lovely Road bike. I think of my e-bike rides as a zone2 rides.
On my rides, I usually end up in zone 3 at least, only when my legs are tired (e.g. after a weekend with two rides in zone 5 with an estimated recovery time of 4 days) I ride in zone 2. Maybe there are win-win benefits when you alternately ride in zone 2 and to some strengh training (squats with a barbell).
I either try to count to 18 or I sing the alphabet. I find that once I cross into zone 3, the change in breathing isn't gradual; I rapidly go from counting to 18 down to 9. For the alphabet, if I can get to P without a breath (remember, singing, not reciting, so hold the notes like you normally would).
However, beware of Heart Rate. I've seen 10 BPM difference in my Z2 threshold based on several factors, including fatigue and most importantly heat. If it's hot, I can be 10BPM higher and still be in zone 2 because my body is working to dissipate heat but that doesn't change what energetic system you are using.
This is a wonderful and informative series. I initially thought Zone 2 was nonsense, but after doing for a few weeks, it has definitely boosted my endurance. Tks!!!
I am legitimately curious why you thought Zone 2 was non-sense.
It is used by pros but non only that it's the embodiment of "to become better? just ride the damn bike".
@@ZratP cause you are riding at low output - most people want to go harder when riding. but zone 2 does work!
6:23 - drifting to the top-end of zone 2 more specifically. You can still be in the upper third but not be able to nose breathe.
I find that I can do 95% of my outdoor ride in Z2 if I want to for a 50km ride. It takes a lot of downshifting while going up hills and really making sure you don't drop 500+ W.
It can be hard to really go for it on the hills, takes a lot of self restraint 👀
Great video! Thanks for fantastic content!
All good tips. One from me - don't watch the Cav documentary when doing a Zone 2 turbo, bits took me right out 🤣 and @3:18 if you're going through Sandford, watch out for them swans...
Where you sprinting along? 👀
@@gcn the drama!
Great! Just when I’m trying to figure out this Z2 thing you go off your diet and start running and hiking and leaving zone 2 on your ride 😂
A couple of things that are confusing me and some new things just now after I looked at your last ride.
1. You’re talking about zone 2 HR, not power, in your videos, correct? I hadn’t even considered that you might mean power.
2. My Z2 is HUGE and you talked about your range being small. That also makes me wonder if you mean power zones, plus that _would_ be harder to stay in on hills. I also haven’t tested myself in many years, so the range I’m using may be totally wrong. My lower end is easy while the upper end is close to not wanting to talk much and nose breathing is harder.
3. It does feel like a better workout though when I’m in Z2 HR. As you said. I really have to pay attention to breathing and not drifting off into endurance, especially after traffic lights and as it gets dark and SQUIRREL! 🐿️
awesome video thanks!
Seems to me that the only ways to stay in Z2 is to either ride flat routes, which isn't easy if you live in a hilly region, find the flattest routes you can which even hilly regions tend to have and just do as many loops as you need to to get in the desired distance or time riding, which gets boring really fast, or stick to a trainer, which, well, ditto. But most people aren't going to do Z2 only workouts or programs, which even if you live in flat regions is really boring. So it's almost a phantom problem for most people.
I've been riding at the top of my zone 2 on my non-interval days for about 8 months. Riding to HR outdoors. A combo of HR and power indoors. Wahoo has my Z2 at %81 of my max HR or 151 bpm. I've been riding at 145-148 on average and typically use local bike paths because there is no stopping for traffic. Though many small undulations with the path going under roads and freeways that would often cause me to go above Z2 on most of them. I've had some days where Ive struggled to complete interval workouts and started feeling really fatigued overall. I did more research and found that a lot of people don't prescribe high Z2 all the time. Last 3 weeks Ive been doing more mid Z2. 135-140. And if there are small climbs I may go up to 143-148. It's a different feeling on the bike and when I get off. I feel more like I am looking at surroundings and enjoy the ride rather than in a more focused and a slightly more intense mindstate. Not sure how this will effect my FTP results but I am less tired and hitting my intervals much better than I was before. So we'll see.
I have had a very similar experience. The high Z2 work really improves your efficiency and power per heart rate but if you do a lot of it you won’t hit your intervals as you should. I now do blocks. My Z2 block will be 5 days a week, 3 days back-to-back high Z2 and 2 days with a longer easier ride and one high intensity ride eg VO2 max or over under. That high intensity ride won’t be as good as it could be with more rest and I accept that. Then I have a block where I dial down the Z2 towards the bottom and do two high intensity sessions per week - usually one just below threshold but long (eg 6x10) and one very high quality VO2 max, spaced out so they don’t interfere with each other. Over the past few years the high Z2 training has got my power at high Z2 to around 280-290W and Garmin estimates my VO2 max at 77-79 . Thats up from mid 60s. Absolutely key thing in both blocks is that you are recovering properly so you can sustain it. If you’re feeing tired going into the next week you’ve overdone the effort or under done the recovery (sleep, nutrition, stress).
@@jeremyleake6868 Yeah one mistake I was making was cutting intensity in half on a recovery week as well. What I'm finding is its better for me to just cut it out altogether. Just to do some low to mid zone 2 the first few days of a recovery week and gradually ease back into it. As far as training weeks I've kept one short high zone 2 day, one longer low to mid Z2 and another moderate length low to mid Z2. I usually do a longer threshold effort day. Typically 2 x20's or a full hour just under. I also usually include a VO2 day where I try to get 20-25 min or I will do some over-unders or occasional 30/30's. It really feels like my training is becoming a bit more polarized. More focus on quality interval days and a bit easier the other days to recover and get in volume. Trying to listen to my body more as well. If I feel good after an interval day I may push a little harder on the Z2 for instance. But I'm going to take your advice on not being to tired going into the next week. That may be fine heading into a recovery week but one thing a proper recovery week showed me is I felt a lot better 3 or 4 days in and motivation came back strong. I'd prefer to keep more of that throughout a block.
@@starlitshadows agree with all of that. Whatever our training is, and many of us are prone to push harder, do more, train when tired, we only get faster and better if our bodies are absorbing it.
Good followup, thank you!
Thanks Mike! Is there anything else you think we should cover in this series?
Zone2 indoor is the perfect time to grind through a TH-cam watch-later playlist!
Awesome! What have you been watching recently? Maybe add this one to the list 👉th-cam.com/video/TFrhj5MxPyU/w-d-xo.html
I did loads of zone 2. For me it meant 190-200 watts on turbo or 125 heart rate. I built up to 90 minute turbo power sessions. I allowed for cardiac drift. As heart rate eventually drifted up I dropped 5 watts. Always stayed zone. Eventually I was holding 225 watts for 125 heart rate.did a forty minute turbo tacx Neo session at 285 watts.. took 60 hours total of strict z2. on road then felt very strong in the middle areas. Still found hills tough but then I'm 90kg.
In urban area is quite difficult to stay there, sometimes I hit 500-600 watt after a stop, if there are flyover I go easily over 200 watt... so yeah, planning the route is quite important. As I'm training for bikepacking I'm try to stay in Z2 in all different terrain, so for climb you must have very easy gearing... so shift down till you are in Z2
As I understand it, the theory goes (from Dr Iñigo San Millán) that zone 2 training is encouraged/used in order to fortify endurance ability. Zone 2 is specifically thought to increase the number and size of mitochondria in slow twitch skeletal muscle, and so, increased ability or power output on longer bike rides. So, in order to test zone 2 properly, I would have thought it would be necessary to do longer rides before and after the training period to try to gauge if there were any physiological changes, no? (mind you, simply training for 6 weeks is going to increase fitness, irrespective of zones, so I'm not really sure how the endurance ability changes can be properly tested)
FOR ALL NEWBIES OR PEOPLE GETTING BACK ON THE BIKE AFTER A LONG LAYOFF: The information I'm about to share is regarding polarized training, where there are only three zones. Endurance, sweet spot, and VO2. You want to spend 80-90% of your training in zone 1, the rest in zone 3 doing intervals, and very little time in the sweet spot zone. That being said, read on to learn how to begin: There are three levers when it comes to training: Frequency, duration, and intensity. Spend the first six weeks in zone 1 just dedicating yourself to riding a certain number of times per week. 3 or 4 times is fine, but whatever you decide on, stick to it. Frequency is important to build habit/routine. These rides can be as little as 30 minutes, but closer to an hour is better. Just do what you can to start with, and by the end of the six weeks, you will see an improvement. Now, for the second six weeks, you're going to pull on the duration lever. Keep to your frequency, but make at least one of those rides 90 minutes, or perhaps even a little more if you can. Keep in mind, these are all still done in zone 1. Leave your ego behind and remember that you're building mitochondria which will be invaluable to your performance later on. If you race up a hill or do an interval that takes you into zone 2 or 3, it will take you more than 20 minutes of riding in zone 1 to reset your body's systems. So don't waste time doing it. You're going to slog up hills, but who cares, this is YOUR training, you're not out to impress anyone. Now then, you've spent 12 weeks pulling on the frequency lever and the duration lever, and now you can ride for at least 90 minutes in zone 1, time to pull on the intensity lever. Once a week is all you're going to need, unless you're young and very fit, in which case you can probably do 2 of these sessions per week, as long as it doesn't total more than 20% of your total training. Find a local hill, or if you're training indoors find an interval training session where the intervals are 30 seconds. Do hill repeats or 30 second intervals and give yourself a minute or two in zone 1 and then repeat. Don't do these until you're ready to fall off the bike, but until your legs are full of lactate. It may take only a few, or it may take 6 or 7, but you'll know. Now you're ready to pull all three levers every week, and have 3 or 4 zone 1 sessions where at least one of those is 90 plus minutes, and one good, hard interval session per week. I guarantee that if you follow this type of training, you'll notice HUGE gains within 3 to 4 months and you'll be well on your way to being a local legend, or you'll just enjoy riding your bike and you'll be so much healthier, which is the whole point of this, right? Best of luck!
you can stay on zone 2 by 220 less your Age, then u get the BPM, using your smart watch set it to cycling at stay in your BPM, the best is use a stationary bike or spin bike.
try it at 60+ yrs old where zone 2 is 125bpm
I'm 41 and Garmin has decided that my zone 2 is 111 to 129 BPM. 😂
Keep going, though: I'm not far behind you in age and new to formal training but 125BPM is 190-200W for me which isn't super slow.
My zone 2 is a brisk walk 😅
No difference, really. Everyone’s Z2 HR and wattage is different, but the physiological response is pretty much the same. Some people have fast hearts, some slow (compared to the average). It’s genetic and age-discounted. At 66, my Z2 HR is around 125-135 bpm, which is high for most 66 year-olds, my max HR being 182. NBD, my Z2 is, as they say, what it is. I just ride there a lot!
@@matthewcreelman1347I’m 39 and right there with you,thanks to my garmin 😊
I always do Zone 2 but most of the times the other zones take over.
I've been lerned a 'nine quit'. Verry tough & a strongest powerfull twin. it hard to be lerned.
merci Manon
Will you do a final follow up on this GCN?
Touching on questions received rather than just tips of how to make it easier?
For example, if you do go into zone 3+, what is the current scientific thought on how long it takes your body to return to zone 2 (essentially fat burning)? It's not by all accounts a simple switch.
You could employ zigzag “cheating” to stay in Z2; or just walk it up if it’s an unavoidable short steep stretch.
I practice speaking a foreign language (Português) or listen to an audiobook. If I can't speak in phrases or can't focus on the book I'm going too hard. Constant pressure on the pedals. Pre down shift on hills
Hahhaha wow! That's a real flex 🤣
Yes and if you can’t add 2+2 you’re bonking haha been there
Awesome :)
I haven't been able to breathe through my nose since I was a kind, interested to see if my surgery to correct this in a few weeks affects my riding
If I had to sum up the major themes of GCN in 2024, it would be Zone 2 training and waxed chains
Love this video. The idea of my head unit beeping at me if I am out of my zone is absolutely brilliant. I’m going to see if my Garmin has that feature too.
Love to see more videos on this!😊
Someone you need the tech to scream at you 🙌
Do it in erg mode. No chance to cheat, only thing you need to focus on is to not going completely insane doing zone 2 indoor. It is best bang for your buck in how much time you spend in the power zone you are training also constant pressure!
I bought an e-bike for zone 2 rides. Just bump up the assist when you get to a hill and you can stay in Zone 2.
Works great fo me too, it's wonderfull for that
Awesome! How are you finding the ebike? ⚡
I'm sorry, maybe I missed it but what is the purpose of zone 2 training?
I hear if one leaves zone two for a moment, they instantly get lupus. The absolute key to living well is to stay within 0.5 beats per minute of your target HR.
Using Zwift and created a training for zone 2. Using ERG mode makes things easier in the smart trainier
The beauty of indoor training 🙌 It's great that Zwift can make training so efficient and accessible!
Awesome!
how do you stay in zone 2? just getting on the bike I want to hammer it down the road. Cant even do it on Zwift when there are sprints and KOM's that im neve going to beat but just neeeeed to try! 😀
Keep in mind that if you are going to have to raise your power above zone two, do it at the end of the session because the benefits stop for at least 1/2 hour after a harder effort… ie. that zone 2 doesn’t count!
Does it really matter ifyou leave zone 2 up a hill or at traffic lights? Just ride and adjust.
You'll be surprised how long it takes the body to settle back into zone 2. Of course it's not worth stressing about but it's good to try and keep it chilled for as much as possible 🙌
I still dont understand what the big deal is with going above zone 2. So you have 5 minutes on a workout outside of zone 2 due to hills. Why would that be bad?
It takes the body around 30 min to reset back to training in Z2. If you go up above Z2 and your muscles start using glycogen as an energy source, it can take away a big chunk of your Z2 adaptation in a session. As i understood it in Sis video, its okey to accelerate out of a traffic light etc but if you start producing the smallest amounts of lactate its basically game over for 30 min.
@@EverythingWasGreat 30 minutes to switch back to fatburning? That must depend or how long time you have gone too hard, and at what intencity. Myself I think its good to get a lot of miles in zone one and two, and I try to do it on the first hour of my rides. An ideal week for me has some hours in zone two, and also a lot of time in zone 3,4,5 and trying to reach maximum heartrate. Today I will try to go easy the first hill allowing to stay in zone two for the first hour, and go at variable speed the second hour.
@erlendsteren9466 GCN had a video with Si that interviewed an expert in the field and on the subject of Z2, i recommend that you watch it instead of listening to my non-expert interpretation. He talked about weekly dosage of the different zones and the possibility of combining Z2 and 4 in one session, like you mentioned (Z2 first and then Z4 intervalls in the end of the session). 👍
@@EverythingWasGreat I think ive seen some video like that, maybe it was interview with dr. Inigo San Milan or a Norwegian trainer for the best triatlethes. Does theories actually fits the classic ideas in Norwegian training from end of previous millenium where it was advices to go slow, long and easy for a couple of days a week combined with some hard effort days.
If you would do zone 2 training running. Will you have the same noticeable positive effects also on the bike?
I ride gravel rail trails on the gravel bike for zone 2. Keeps the spoed down and Its almost like riding zwift.
Nice and chilled! That has to be the sprit of gravel 🙌
What about dropping far below Zone 2 on hilly rides, on the downhill sections? I can go slow uphill, but I can go fast enough (gears, safety, leg speed..) down, to keep my heart rate up..
Use an eMTB, very easy to stay in zone 2.
Chill on the up hill and let it rip going down? 👌
I missed the first Zone 2 video, so I'm not clued up on what the bonus is, but I love all the zones equally.
Here you go! 👉th-cam.com/video/W2n0VeBnlpM/w-d-xo.html
@GCN I find it really hard to stay in zone 2, I get of with a good start but then other bikers pass me and I find it almost impossible not to hook on and join. It feels so much nicer to go faster. But got a question. I am a long distance backpacker and avid walker and most of that is in Zone 2 for hours. Is that having the same effect and is that as effective as doing zone 2 on the bike?
For me the hardest difficulty to overcome about Z2 training is boredom, 20 minutes controlling that and you start to focus on things as your seat or your shoes.
I find that a good movie or a GCNplus film (remember them?) really helps. I do 5 hrs once per week indoors at Z2
My shoes are totally comfortable until I think about my feet!
Zone 2 out of how many zones? Polarized 3 zones or 5 or 6 zones? Big differences there. Thanks!
have a look at the original vid and you can work it out!
@@JustSayNotoGravel Not super helpful.
They are all almost the same zones. Just split differently. With 3 zones its top of the first zone. In the rest, 5,6,7,8, zone 2 is always zone 2. Its always before first lactate threshold.
We've got a great video about the zones here 👉th-cam.com/video/BEYpXopPxKE/w-d-xo.html
My understanding is that the real issue is not exact power numbers but objective is physiology and what fuel system you are burning. Confusing as that will change over time on a long ride and over weeks as you get fitter, but just slightly dropping a little in an out of max zone 2 for under 60 secs wouldn’t make any difference to your physiology. So I am presuming that your actual HR is going to be the real key data and that will be different on a given day and at end of a 4 hr ride than at the start. Is it right to say then that you need at least an hour in zone 2 to drive adaptation but also a max length that is not too long?
Your understanding is correct. The lower zones (2-4) are mostly* about energy source utilization and the impact on other metabolic functions. A big crossover, however, happens in the transition from zone 4 to zone 5. This is where the body enters the anaerobic zone. For all intents and purposes, this level of effort is time-constrained.
Idk if there is a length of time needed to drive short term (i.e. while exercising) adaptation. An hour would certainly be sufficient to derive exercise value from any zonal workout though. The maximum length in zone 2 is practically unlimited. Sleep and hydration (not just water but essential salts and minerals) are more limiting factors because most people’s bodies hold mind boggling high energy stores in the form of fat.
Heart rate is a key data point to capture. Moderate variations in resting heart rate are common. Variations at the top end are more the result of overall training load over closely spaced workouts. These might have an impact on energy conversion (aka zones) during a ride but they’ll likely be fairly modest.
*The general view is that fat is used as an energy source for low intensity workouts, and glycogen is used at higher intensities. People assume this is a binary thing… it’s fat OR glycogen. But I don’t believe it’s that simple because energy demands at the individual muscle level will likely necessitate different metabolic pathways.
Manon’s top of zone 2 is 150-155bpm?! 😂. After my last Wahoo ramp test mine that’s top of zone 4 for me. I’m 59 and over the last decade I’ve watched my maximum heart rate fall and fall. I can thrash myself until I’m almost vomiting and only once got to 170bpm in the last year. A decade ago 180bpm was easily achieved
3:53 or swap out for a bigger cassette for the hills.
“I had no idea what Si was banging on about”, referring to Si’s advice on the breathing test for zone 2.
would you measure Z2 (power) as a 3S, 10S average or differently ?
Are you supposed to prioritize HR or power? I have been riding Zwift routes freely and staying in Z2 HR but my power goes in and out of Z2 throughout the ride. Should I be trying to keep both in Z2?
HR for sure. Power can differ depending on fatigue etc and should be flexible. HR and nose breathing are the things to keep an eye on. Religiously sticking to a z2 power when you secretly know you’re drifting out of zone two feeling/HR is pointless.
I have seen mixed suggestions but many recommending HR for Z2. Though I have seen some folks discuss there being a benefit to the heart rate drift on longer rides. But physiologically you will be in a different zone and therefore induce more fatigue. Probably best to use that sparingly and use HR most of the time.
If you need help finding your Zone 2, this video should help 👉th-cam.com/video/qWSMTbg0P3U/w-d-xo.html
I do Z2 training on a spin bike at home to heart rate and effort. I also catch up on my phone calls with friends and family. Keeps me breathing in the "talk test" but does make family wonder what i'm doing?!?
Hahaha you're just going for a ride... what's wrong with that 😉
Indoor trainer Zone 2? ERG, all the way.
Absolutely no chance to stay in zone 2 down here in the Purbecks (Dorset) 😂
I realize this isn't a zone 2 question but I was hoping to get some help. I spend a lot of time on Zwift, I use the Wahoo Kickr Bike to train. I don't own an outdoor bike, I have spent all my time on the Kickr. I've been training on it for many years now. I'd like to venture outside but I have no idea where to start. I just want to get a beginner bike that will get me started. I'd prefer to spend under $1500 (US Dollars, I am in the US). Would you have any recommendations?
If I were in your position, I’d get an aluminum framed road or gravel bike. The frame will be heavier than carbon but the components at this price point will be pretty good for the transition. This is especially true in today’s market conditions, with softer bike sales driving some pretty good deals.
Set aside $100-150 for different tires (the rubber fitted to bikes at modest price points is sometimes lacking). Spend time learning how to set the saddle and bar height etc. Then simply go riding.
Don’t be discouraged by speed etc., because wind and road resistance will likely feel greater in the real world than your trainer.
ok the journey was a little interesting but what was the point of zone 2 training?
Why is it when I look at your graph zone two looks like more like 80 beats a minute instead of 155. It seems on the graph in the beginning of the video to get to 155 your inzone four.. Where am I going wrong on this?
Tommy Godwin.
"You won't get good by taking it easy."
Will an FTP test on Zwift confirm my zones? Would a HR monitor make it more accurate? I've guessed at my zone 2 based on ability to hold conversation, but would like to check with a power meter.
An online calc (based on FTP of 220w) says my zone 2 is 143-180. It definitely feels like I'm much nearer the bottom of that range!
I stay in heart rate zone 2. It lines up nicely with my power zone 2 however I try to stay at the top edge of heart rate zone 2 which means that as time goes on I may have to dial down power by a few watts as the heart rate will eventually creep up and start dipping into zone three. This is easy to do on the smart trainer in erg mode.
My Garmin Edge told me to do 90 mins at Zone2 , which I proceeded to do. Looking at the results afterwards,my Garmin told me I had done enough to maintain my fitness, but to get fitter I had to work harder! So basically called me a lazy bastard for doing what I was told! Go figure 😂😂😂
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Is your zone 2 HR match your zone 2 power?
What zone 2 should we use? Power or HR?
The obvious thing is that if you go from not much cycling at all to cycling consistently, your overall health is going to improve. The hardest part of cycling consistently is making the time for it.
In zone 2, then an e-bike with a tourist passes me. Suddenly I am no longer in Zone 2 because.... I. MUST. PASS.
I only have a single speed and live in a hilly area. Z2 only not gonna happen!
yep... perhaps zone 2 is not for you 😉
Can you use HR to confirm the zone you're in? When i ride outdoors i don't have a power meter.
Yes quite easily. First find your max HR by doing an all out effort for a couple of minutes up a steepish climb after well warmed up. Painful!!!! (but only after you're reasonable fit, and if older like me have checked your heart out etc with your Dr). Zone2 is generally around 60 to 70% of ones maximum HR. Its also called ventilatory threshold(basically breath threshold). In Z2 you can hold a conversation quite easily and speak in whole sentences with maybe the odd break for a breath. If one starts breathing moderately and above one switches to burning predominately more carbohydrates which is a different energy system. Generally Z1: 50 to 60% Z2: 60 to 70% Z3: 70 to 80% Z4: 80 to 90% Z5: 90 to 100% of ones maximum HR.
TH-cam is playing unskippable inappropriate ads at the start of the videos. This is unacceptable and means I will be reducing my viewing of the GCN channel until i changes.
Will this advice help me win the turd of France?
Your training isn’t going down the drain if you get into zone 3 for a bit during a ride. Stop worrying about it, if you have a hill in your route, take it easy, climb it at a steady face and forget about zones for the length of it, no need to find an alternative route that is flatter.
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You didn't talk about zone2 an group rides 😢.
From my experience, they don't go together at all. In most group rides I'm mostly in recovery zone an tempo/threshold.
Erg mode is King for zone 2. Set it and forget it
this only for bikers?
Disused railway cycleways. Bath - Bristol Cycleway for you.
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Anybody know how to set the alarm on wahoo bolt v2 as stated here? I cannot find a way to set anything based on bpm! Or perhaps it has to be based on power, in which case, I cannot do that.