What Is Zone 2 Cardio? Benefits, Heart Rate, and How to Train

As much as we love all the spicy, feel-the-burn workouts, there’s a low-intensity training style that has taken the fitness world by storm – zone 2 cardio. It doesn’t matter if you feel your best lifting heavy weights, doing fiery Pilates sessions, or pushing yourself to the max with HIIT workouts – zone 2 cardio deserves a spot in your routine.

Here’s everything you need to know about what zone 2 cardio is, the benefits it offers, and how to incorporate it in your workout schedule. 

What is zone 2 cardio?

The cardio element of this training style is self-explanatory – any kind of aerobic exercise like running, walking, cycling or swimming. The “zone 2” part refers to zone 2 in the 5-zone system of heart rate training, where each zone is based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate, zone 1 being the lowest and zone 5 being your absolute max effort.

Not sure what your max heart rate even is? The general way to calculate that is 220 minus your age.

A breakdown of heart rate zones

• Zone 1 (50-60% of your max HR): This is the lowest intensity. Most of the calories burned while working at this level come from fat as your body has a plentiful supply of oxygen – essential for the metabolism of fat as fuel. You could maintain this intensity for a very long time and easily hold a conversation. Zone 1 could be compared to a leisurely stroll.

• Zone 2 (60-70% of your max HR): The intensity is still light and you could continue to hold a conversation, but it’s more like a brisk walk or easy jog than a stroll. Majority of the calories burned come from fat as you still have a consistent supply of oxygen.

• Zone 3 (70-80% of your max HR): The intensity is higher than in zone 2, and the source of energy is split between carbs and fat as your supply of steady oxygen is lower. You could talk if you wanted to, but would need to take some breaks to catch your breath.

• Zone 4 (80-90% of your max HR): Now we’re cooking. The intensity is high, you could only maintain it for a short workout or short bursts (breathing is a struggle), and your body is burning carbs as its source of fuel as it doesn’t have a plentiful supply of oxygen.

• Zone 5 (90-100% of your max HR): You’ve totally at your limit and could only maintain it for a few minutes – if that! Your body is burning carbs as its source of fuel, and talking is out of the question.

Benefits of zone 2 cardio

Ever since high-intensity interval training boomed, it’s common to think that the higher your training intensity, the better, or that lower intensity training is best for beginners, warm-ups or active recovery days. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Zone 2 cardio is an incredibly effective training modality that everyone should incorporate into their workout schedule. This is why YogaFokus programs – even the advanced ones – include weekly LISS sessions, aka low-intensity steady state cardio!

Zone 2 cardio is great for:

• Increasing your aerobic capacity and base fitness

• Improving blood flow and general cardiovascular health

• Improving longevity and reducing risk of disease  

• Promoting fat burning (as your body has a steady supply of oxygen)

• Supporting energy levels

• Creating a sustainable workout routine

• Boosting recovery

Cardio fitness

More intense workouts such as HIIT training or heavy lifting are fantastic and offer their own incredible benefits, but to have a mighty strong cardio base, efficient energy systems and optimal recovery, zone 2 training should be a priority.

Exercising at this lower intensity actually improves your ability to train at higher thresholds. It increases your aerobic capacity, meaning your body has an increased ability to use oxygen efficiently, and your heart and lungs get better at taking in oxygen and transporting blood to your muscles. Zone 2 cardio can improve blood flow and help your body to use energy more efficiently by improving your mitochondrial flexibility, meaning improved metabolic health, better endurance and working out with greater ease in zones 3, 4 or 5.

A 2003 study investigating the relationship between the volume and intensity of exercise training, and regulation of heart rate and blood pressure, found that moderate exercise training for three months decreased blood pressure and heart rate and increased cardiovascular variability.

Longevity and overall health

Spending more time in this training zone – whether you’re a newbie to fitness, simply trying to live a healthier life or you’re an elite athlete – can have a robust effect on your overall health, longevity and disease prevention. Mayo Clinic says aerobic activity like zone 2 cardio can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic conditions, dementia and some cancers.

Energy, performance and recovery

After including zone 2 training in your routine for a while, it’s natural to find that your energy levels are higher (during workouts and in general), what was once hard now feels much easier, your endurance has improved, and your recovery time (between sets and after each workout) is faster due to improved circulation. 

One 2022 study aimed to investigate whether low-intensity exercise improves energetic recovery and general endurance in professional soccer players with a nine-week program, and it did! 

Body composition, fatigue and injury

If weight management or improving your body composition is a goal of yours, zone 2 cardio can support you to achieve that given fat is used as the primary source of fuel. If you’re following a program like Strength with Kayla, low-intensity cardio will not undo your strength gains in the gym. 

Not to mention, exercising at a lower intensity is generally very friendly on your joints and doesn’t come with the risk of overtraining, fatigue or injury, making it a great foundation of any sustainable fitness routine.

YogaFokus trainer Katie Martin is a huge fan of zone 2 cardio and says it’s a key component of her weekly routine, which includes a mix of running, strength training and Pilates. 

“Zone 2 training allows beginners to establish a solid aerobic foundation without pushing their bodies to the limit. This steady progress is sustainable over the long term, reducing the likelihood of burnout and making it easier to stick to a consistent training routine,” she says.

How to get started with zone 2 cardio

Including zone 2 cardio in your weekly routine can be as simple as going for a 30-60 minute brisk walk a few times a week, but if walking isn’t your thing, you could also get on a bike, elliptical or rowing erg, or even go for a swim.  

In terms of duration, the general recommendation from the American Heart Association is to get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both throughout the week, so how it fits into your routine is totally up to you. If you’re doing intense workouts every day, we highly recommend swapping some out for zone 2 cardio. Your body will thank you!

Unless you know your body extremely well, we recommend wearing a fitness watch or heart rate monitor to make sure you’re staying in zone 2 the whole time. Your idea of an easy jog might actually have your heart in zone 3, and a brisk walk would be your sweet spot. If you don’t have a watch, the best way measurement is to make sure you could easily maintain a conversation without needing to stop to catch your breath.

If you’ve always wondered why low-intensity steady-cardio is such a strong, recurring element in YogaFokus programs, this is why. Zone 2 cardio isn’t just for beginners or chill recovery days, it’s got so much to offer for everyone.