![]() These hormones are powerful and essential when turned on intentionally, but can be damaging when we flick that light switch on and off sporadically. When we get beyond our threshold and into a predominantly anaerobic state, we signal our bodies to release stress hormones that increase our heart rate and allow the anaerobic mechanism to kick in. While these adaptations occur within your body, there is another really special element at play in the background. An athlete with a lower threshold will “feel the burn” at much lower outputs than an athlete who takes the time to continuously lift that ceiling higher. Perhaps the most tangible benefit to developing and increasing your aerobic threshold is the ability to clear waste from your muscles at higher and higher outputs. As these muscles develop, they become more and more of a factor in activities that required much more energy to perform in the past. By maintaining a lower heart rate, you recruit the type of muscle fibers responsible for slower, more repetitive movement that are the primary form of physical support for our joints, bones, and other muscles. Week after week, hour after hour, your output will increase while your heart rate stays where you want it. When done correctly, Zone 2 training is performed below your aerobic threshold. Whether by design or due to the competitive nature of the sport born from the methodology, most of us do not spend enough time intentionally developing our aerobic system. The origins of CrossFit methodology did a fantastic job of casting a wide net in the name of overall fitness, but the training prescription that has emerged has a pretty gaping hole in it, especially for those interested in competing at a thigh level. These simple equations based on age and heart rate have been put into practice with various Misfit athletes for the past eight years with some truly staggering results.Īnother common name for this style of training is “Aerobic Threshold Training,” Whether you decide to rename it in your mind or not, it becomes a straightforward explanation for why you should do it. ![]() ![]() Translating blood lactate levels to individuals’ heart rate or heart rate variability markers is an imperfect science and highly variable from person to person.Īt Misfit Athletics, we rely on a straightforward equation developed by some of the world’s top endurance coaches and athletes. To accurately assess whether we are remaining aerobic would entail testing blood lactate levels, which adds a barrier to entry many of you wouldn’t want to overcome each time you wanted to target and develop your aerobic system. Much of the confusion and fog surrounding this topic comes from the apples to oranges to bananas comparisons. In simple terms, Zone 2 training refers to setting specific parameters to your training session that keep you in an aerobic state. Before we dive in, I ask that you take a moment to gather up what you’ve been told about Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone XYZ, lactate, whether cavemen ate bread (kidding), and set it to the side so we can approach this from a clean slate. My goal is to dismiss semantics and scientific jargon in the name of arming you with a clear and concise breakdown of how to use heart rate based training to develop your aerobic system. Welcome to the CrossFitters guide to Zone 2 training.
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