Zone 2 & VO2 Max

VO2 max defines how much oxygen your body can use during activity. Everything you do has a certain VO2 cost, for example climbing up stairs takes 16 (ml/kg/min). If your VO2 max is 28 going up stairs is 57% of that, if your VO2 max is higher it is a less percentage and thus costs you less energy. The higher your VO2 max the less energy activities of daily living cost you. Not to mention statistically once your VO2 max declines below 16 you can no longer live independently.

Improving your cardiovascular health improves your VO2 max. Think of your cardiovascular health like a pyramid, you want a wide base (zone 2) and a high top (vo2 max) Improving your zone 2 capacity (60-70% of max heart rate) will improve your VO2 max in a safe way that is easy to recover from and stay motivated to do. 3 hours a week is the recommend amount to see the most benefits.

The problem with VO2 max interval workouts is that they truly need to be intense around 90% of max heart rate to have any benefit. That is way harder to do than most people realize. It will be substantially easier to reach those high heart rates if you have a wide base to your pyramid. For some people wether it is time, physical limitations or motivation VO2 max workouts just aren’t in the cards, and in that case zone 2 is the best way to still increase VO2 max in a way that allows you to feel motivated and stay consistent which will ultimately get the best results.

Other benefits of zone 2 include that you are in a fat burning zone meaning you are using more fat as an energy source than carbohydrates. This stimulates mitochondria which improves metabolic health (great for weight loss and energy)

In short zone 2 is a way to improve cardiovascular health that

• Helps with weight loss by benefitting metabolism

• Easily repeatable day after day to help with motivation and consistency

• Still increase VO2 max

• Helps with the ability to ultimately complete VO2 max workouts successfully

• Decreases energy cost of activities of daily living thereby increasing longevity

• Cardiovascular health promoter that does not leave you burnt out, sore, in a pain and is easily repeatable

• Improves insulin sensitivity