Putting on your shoes and going for a run is one of the most immediate solutions to improve your fitness, but then doubts arise. An easy jog? Sprints? What is the best option for burning fat? And to improve the “background”? A little research on the Internet brings us to heart rate zones, and more precisely to zone 2.
We read that Zone 2 training improves cardiovascular efficiency, burns more fat, improves long-term health, prevents injuries and slows aging. Too good to be true?
Areas of your heart
If you have a smart bracelet or watch, it will surely be able to record your heart rate, although there are more accurate options, such as chest straps and smart rings. The heart beats faster as we increase the intensity of the effort, which allows us to establish certain zones or sections of this effort. In general, five zones are established in relation to maximum heart rate (MHR):
- Zone 1 (50-60% of MHR): very gentle exercise, such as walking, which promotes active recovery.
- Zone 2 (60-70% of MHR): moderate intensity that optimizes fat burning and improves metabolic efficiency.
- Zone 3 (70-80% of MHR): more intense exercise, improves aerobic capacity and resistance.
- Zone 4 (80-90% of MHR): intense training that increases anaerobic capacity and speed.
- Zone 5 (90-100% of MHR): maximum effort, used to improve power and performance in high-intensity sports.
To calculate your maximum heart rate, there is a simple way: 220 – age. Although each person is unique and there may be variations, a 40 year old will have a theoretical maximum heart rate of 180 beats per minute, and at 110 beats they will be in zone 2. Which of these zones is better? Despite the fame of zone 2, each of them has different benefits and it is important to combine them in our physical activity.
Zone 2 cardiovascular training has gained popularity in recent years among athletes and the scientific community due to its long-term health benefits.
Why Zone 2 is special
Zone 2 cardiovascular training – such as brisk walking or light jogging – has gained popularity in recent years, not only among athletes, but also in the scientific community, due to its long-term health benefits. Nutritionist Jill Ritchie, who specializes in longevity, calls it “the fountain of youth”, while Dr Peter Attia, author of the book Unlimited Regarding delaying aging, he considers it the best way to maintain mitochondria, which are the key to healthy aging.
This type of exercise falls within a moderate effort range, between 60 and 70% of maximum heart rate, allowing people to maintain it for long periods without extreme fatigue, which is essential for triggering unique physiological adaptations .
In practice, this is a level of effort where a conversation can be maintained, albeit with some difficulty. That is, if we run with another person, we can speak, but only in short sentences. If we are out of breath and can only respond with monosyllables, we are out of zone 2.
One of the most touted benefits of Zone 2 is that exercise of this intensity “burns more fat.” In this area, a little more than half of the energy used by the body comes from fat, both fatty acids circulating in the blood and fat stored in the muscles. The rest comes from blood sugar and glycogen present in the muscles. If you increase the pace, fat metabolism is not fast enough to provide enough energy for exercise, and the body begins to consume much more energy from glycogen and glucose.
But, even though a greater proportion of fat is burned in this area, we must keep in mind that exercise is usually not enough to create a calorie deficit that causes us to lose fat and weight. Jogging in zone 2 for half an hour consumes around 300 extra kcal, the equivalent of two donuts. What made Zone 2 famous are its long-term effects.
Zone 2 and healthy aging
There is a growing body of scientific evidence linking Zone 2 exercise to greater longevity and better health. Considering that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, the ability of moderate exercise to reduce it is a widely studied phenomenon. Risk reduction occurs even with minimal amounts of exercise and is greatest with 50 to 60 minutes of vigorous exercise per day. Much more is starting to be harmful: marathon runners have a heart attack risk equivalent to that of sedentary people.
One of the biggest impacts of zone 2 training is on the mitochondria, the “power plants” of our cells, which are also the main ones involved in the aging process, because when their number and activity decrease, many associated diseases appear. old age.
Various studies have proven that moderate aerobic exercise improves mitogenesis, that is, the ability of cells to produce new mitochondria. However, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has a similar effect in much less time, boosting mitochondrial activity in just a few minutes at near-maximum intensities.
One of the biggest impacts of Zone 2 training is on the mitochondria, the “powerhouses” of our cells, which are also the main ones involved in the aging process.
The anti-inflammatory effects of Zone 2 training are also a reason it is associated with longevity. As we age, levels of chronic inflammation tend to increase, a phenomenon known as inflammation, which accelerates aging. This chronic inflammatory state is linked to an increased risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and cancer.
A large review of studies found that any type of regular exercise reduces markers of inflammation in the body and, therefore, the risk of disease, but most of the studies analyzed focused on the beneficial effects of this area moderate between 60% and 70%. the maximum. Additionally, it has been observed that zone 2 training can improve insulin sensitivity better than other intensities, a crucial factor in preventing metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. In addition, exercise in zone 2 promotes an increase in the ability of muscle cells to use fatty acids as an energy source, which also reduces the risk of metabolic diseases.
One of the main benefits of Zone 2 training is adherence. Moderate effort is more accessible to most people, regardless of their fitness level, and makes it more sustainable in the long term, while reducing the risk of injury. This is particularly relevant for older people.
However, Zone 2 also has limitations. Exercising at this intensity does not provide sufficient stimulation to build muscle, nor to maintain it and avoid sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass), one of the main problems of old age. This is why WHO recommendations include at least two weekly sessions of resistance exercises, such as weights, which are the only effective way to preserve muscle mass and avoid the worst consequences of aging, such as frailty. , osteoporosis and fractures.
* Darío Pescador is editor and director of Quo Magazine and author of the book the best of yourself Published by Oberon.
