Beginner’s Guide to Zone 2

Slow Your Horses: If you don’t know your zone 2, now’s the time to find it. The trend that’s never going away, zone 2 running is a low-intensity aerobic workout done at about 60–70% of your maximum heart rate — the pace where you can comfortably hold a conversation but still feel like you’re working.

The Benefits: Zone 2 is often called “easy running,” but its benefits are far from small. Training in this zone improves your body’s ability to use fat for fuel, increases mitochondrial density (the energy powerhouses in your cells), and strengthens your cardiovascular system without putting excessive strain on your joints or nervous system. 

How to Do it: To find your zone 2, subtract your age from 180. That’s your target heart rate. Wear a heart rate monitor while you run and aim to maintain that heart rate the entire session. Alternatively, simply run at a pace that keeps your breathing steady and controlled. If someone’s running next to you, you should be able to comfortably talk in full sentences — key word, “comfortably.” Take walk breaks if you need to; pushing yourself out of zone 2 defeats the purpose of the workout.