@christopher11 I train zone 2 run often. I have a chest monitor. My mile one is 8:25 min and it tapers to around 10 min /mile for mile 8. So I'm very aware of the zones. My conservative z2 is 139 BPM.
Regardless, jog/walking in a trail is acceptable and once you train enough in zone 2, you can quickly get out of the awkward speed.
@ytrevino1977 I say you’re already a pretty good runner since most people don’t run 8 miles and even less run it in less than 1 hour 15 minutes.
But that said a 8 mile run is a pretty big effort but still “just” a 1 hour 15 minute training. While a 2 hour zone 2 bike ride is pretty doable for most and we all know longer zone 2 training (to an extend) is better for endurance. It’s better to train 1 time for 2 hours than 2 times 1 hour.
@ytrevino1977 Semantics matter here. Everyone is looking for Zone 2 without knowing at all what it is and they just end up burning themselves down even more.
@chibisensei21 My zone 2 is between 125-135bpm. I ride the bike erg until I get to 125. Then I do the following while staying in my zone and listening to a podcast.
10min bike
10 min treadmill
10 min row
x2 = 60min of zone 2 cardio
Surprisingly I actually look forward to my zone 2 days.
@chibisensei21 i do cycling (on a spin bike) and rowing machine. both easy to keep HR in the zone especially the rowing. also really hits if you hop in a sauna right after your workout
@chibisensei21 Get on a ERG (you pick the flavor or run) and pick a perceived intensity of under 5. Hold that intensity until you feel like giving up. Make a note of when that is then add 10% to it before you actually stop. Hold to the 10% vol increase per week is a good way to avoid injury if it’s something you don’t do a lot of. For example running. If you have good cardiovascular fitness for endurance you should be able to sustain low output erg work for 1-1.5hrs without any trouble. That means for example rowing a 15-20k or running 7-10 miles. These shouldn’t be devastating workouts, just work. Most crossfitters I meet largely scoff at running or long lows but there’s a lot of benefits in them.
I’m personally a fan of running in the warmer months and rowing when indoors. Assault runners and treadmills are ass and a waste of time as far as I’m concerned. Many people like cycling. There’s no magical workout for zone 2 conditioning. You just need to pick something you will actually do and do it for progressively longer durations of time.
@chibisensei21 Look at the MAF180 training method.
180 minus your life age plus/minus some beats equals your zone 2 HR. Use a chest belt while running/biking/rowing and do not exceed that HR. The goal is to achieve the same distance with the same HR but faster. This may take a couple of month.
@chibisensei21 Row for an hour. But every 5 mins get off and do 30 seconds of something else. Like I might do 5 push press at 80% of 1 rep max. Or 12 DB snatches. Pick something that won't jack up your HR so much that it isn't back in Z2 after more than a min back on the rower.
Will also use that break to practice something. MUP progressions, strict HSPU, or a mobility movement I particularly need to work on. Again, something that won't jack up my HR but breaks up the monotony of a long Z2 grind.
