Foto: iStock.com/Halfpoint

‘Zone 2 training’ has been one of the biggest buzzwords in endurance sport over the past year. It is even said to have helped Tadej Pogačar further improve his already exceptional performance. Find out how it can make you faster too.

If you want to improve your performance in endurance sports such as running or cycling, you naturally need to work on your endurance. This is best achieved by completing frequent low-intensity sessions while allowing sufficient recovery between workouts. This approach improves both endurance and speed by enhancing blood circulation as well as the body’s ability to absorb and utilise oxygen efficiently.

However, simply accumulating kilometres eventually stops being enough. Once training volume can no longer be increased, a conscious distribution of training intensity becomes essential: around 20% of your sessions should be performed at high intensity, while 80% should remain at low intensity. Both intensities are necessary as peak performance cannot exist without a solid foundation — but a foundation alone will not produce peak performance either. Put simply: slow training represents the comfort zone of endurance sport. However, anyone aiming for specific performance goals must occasionally step outside it.

One of the biggest challenges is training at the correct intensity. The division of training zones varies depending on the sport and performance level. Cycling models may use up to seven intensity zones, running typically works with five, while some use only three. In principle, the higher the performance level, the more precisely intensity zones are defined in order to achieve specific physiological adaptations.

Training at a comfortable pace

Zone 2 corresponds to roughly 65–75% of your maximum heart rate and primarily aims to improve aerobic base endurance. During this type of training, your muscles and cardiovascular system learn to use oxygen more efficiently. The real challenge is actually going slow enough. If you have rarely trained in this zone before, it may feel unusually easy — or even frustrating — at first. It is completely normal for your body to need several weeks or even months to adapt. Here are a few key tips to help you succeed:

1. Start each session slowly and aim to reach your target heart rate only after about ten minutes, as this is how long the body typically needs to stabilise.
2. Regularly check your intensity by monitoring your heart rate and asking yourself whether you could maintain this pace for four to eight hours, or whether you can still speak in full sentences without needing to catch your breath.
3. Avoid steep climbs — or don’t hesitate to walk uphill (or even on flat terrain) to keep your heart rate under control. After all, the goal is not an impressive average pace at the end of the session, but rather spending as much time as possible at the correct intensity.