I Tested Zone 2 Training for 3 Months. This Happened

I ran the Dipsea for the 4th time this year and to get ready, I spent a lot of time in Zone 2. For the first time in my life i truly tested if Zone 2 was worth the time and effort it takes to get fit. Find out what happened.

VIDEO CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
01:04 Overcoming Setbacks
02:02 Zone 2 Training
02:14 How to Find Your Max Heart Rate
03:23 What Happens in Zone 2
03:47 Benefits of Zone 2 Training
04:36 Downsides of Zone 2 Training
06:51 One Big Mistake
07:12 Should You Choose to Use Zone 2 Training?
07:45 Nasal Breathing
08:03 Talk Test
08:20 RPE Rate of Perceived Exertion
08:34 Race Day and Reflections
09:37 Key Lessons

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[johnf]

Shane, please make a zone 2 row along video!

[racing-cf]

Thanks Shane. That is great stuff once again. I just had a look at your training guide and I will give it a go in my rowing training🙂

[julianlawrence-ball]

I started zone training a couple of months ago, I found the easiest way has been to walk on a treadmill with a heart rate strap that the treadmill can read. I can adjust the speed and incline to keep from going over the max for zone two. I’m currently at a brisk walking speed of 3.7mph for an hour two or three times a week. It fits in well with my training schedule as I do judo which is exhausting and full on cardio for two hours a week and weights every day for 1/2 an hour

[TomJordans]

Great episode! Been alternating zone 3/4 and zone 2 days on bike and rower then doing one max effort day on each. Great summary you provided on zone 2 - thanks.

[jeffleonard]

Zone 2 improvement takes lots and lots of time, persistence. Most people quit or don’t put in enough time to see the benefits

[MakingaStink]

Great video! It’s quite amazing how your body gets used to certain activities and when you veer off it can throw you. I’ve felt like I’ve built some great endurance rowing, but I try running and my heart rate spikes like crazy really quickly.

[boxermomma]

Thank you Shane for the video and training plan. Just what I needed. 👍🏻👏👏👏👏

[johnshipps]

Great stuff Shane! I hadn’t heard of z2 training before, but I’ll download your guide plus look up other resources on it to get educated. I’m 55 and am learning that I can’t push myself like I used to without injuring myself. Zone 2 seems like a safe place to focus as it’s likely not gonna cause any injuries due to the lack of intensity. However, I still like to get the HR climbing once in a while. 😅

[CIRewe]

Thank you for the great video! Im dealing with the overthinking and overuse of zone 2 and forgetting the other zones that help build that pyramid foundation! Great advise!

[jwaldrop]

Two things, a question and an observation. 1) any advice on where/how to find a coach? 2) 220-age underestimates max HR significantly as you age, being off quite a bit by 40. A better fit for the general population is 211 - 0.64 * age. I haven’t seen a fit for trained populations but imagine it skews quite a bit higher. I’m not very trained and at 53 the updated calculation still underestimates by at least 10 bpm.

[chairmankaga]

I guess my cardio base is still pretty poor (I’ve only been rowing since mid March) because no matter how lightly I row I cannot stay in zone 2. Even walking faster than a leisurely stroll I end up in zone 3. Basically any exercise at all takes me to zone 3 within 10 minutes or so. 49 years old, rowing almost daily for 5 months.

[neilcollins]

I row 2, 1 hour zone 2 sessions and 1 30/40 minute Vo2 max intervals weekly combined with one free weights session. I am based in UK . I’ve run the fan dance in the Brecon Beacons several times over the last few years. The fan dance makes the dipsea look like a walk in the park, it’s brutal . Look it up it’s an initiative test for the SAS. I strongly believe that zone 2 has helped bring my time down on this route to 5 hours flat . I am 63 and my vo2 max is 43.5.

[dermotbalaam]

220 - age is very rough estimate. Relative perceived effort might be a better way to estimate zone. There are lots of videos about that. In my case when my RPE is about 7 out of 10 my heart rate is about between 20 and 30 over 220 - age.

[skqbsk]

Some great info Shane. I've only just started rowing but have run consistently for just under 2 years. My running problem (if you want to call it that) is staying in zone 2 while running and not giving in to the temptation of drifting upward and running faster than prescribed. I am working on it. But when I row, it is the exact opposite - i feel like i have to go "full-send" (generally >28 strokes /min) to not drop DOWN into my zone 1. Clearly i am doing something wrong, or my magnetic rower doesn't have a high enough tension setting. Or something.

[salescamilla]

Wow, I do all my level 2 & HIIT exercise on the rower.

[lynnerousseau]

@DarkhorseRowing yes… please tell us “real info on Zone2”😊

[kamaltechtalk]

What camera are you filming with, it’s so clear!

[Tungcristiano]

is it possible to do Z2 in rowing? I think that would be interesting if you can draw out, as rowing is always seen as an intensive exercise. Thanks, Shane.

[someguyusa]

Your description of energy types used is mistaken. All muscular activity requires ATP. The different energy systems use different methods for producing ATP, which prodcues ATP at different rates using different molecules and with or without oxygen.

[Chipotle]

So I recently fell into this YouTube rabbit hole. A prime day deal featured a rowing machine. I haven't bought, but I started to research rowing as an exercise and rowing machines. Im 55 and have been doing strength training and running for many years. Fitness level is OK for guy my age, but could be better. Rowing seems like it would be a great addition to my regimen, plus my hope is to get my wife involved in this exercise, as she currently does not exercise at all and never has. She does have mobility issues or major health issues now, but I'm very concerned for her long term and mobility as we age together. She also doesn't take kindly to my suggestions, but didn't slam the door on the possibly of trying out rowing. Any thoughts / advice for a guy in my situation?