NEW: Finding Balance
The Underrated Value of Zone 2 Training
After decades practicing emergency medicine and now as an integrative physician, I've seen how exercise impacts long-term health. While high-intensity interval training (HIIT) dominates fitness headlines for aerobic activity, I want to encourage a new appreciation for something that might seem less exciting but is equally vital, if not more so: Zone 2 training.
Zone 2 refers to moderate-intensity exercise where you can still carry on a conversation.
In practical terms? You're working hard enough to feel it, but not so hard that you're gasping for breath. You should be able to speak in short sentences while maintaining steady breathing.
The Cultural Bias Toward HIIT
Our society gravitates toward maximum results in minimum time. This cultural preference has fueled the explosion of HIIT workouts, which promise significant fitness gains in sessions as short as 4-20 minutes.
There's compelling research behind HIIT's effectiveness. Studies show short, intense workouts can improve VOâ‚‚max (a key measure of cardiovascular fitness) similar to longer, moderate sessions. In one landmark study, participants performing just 4 minutes of intense intervals saw comparable aerobic improvement to those doing an hour of steady cardio.
This efficiency appeals to our busy lifestyles. When "lack of time" is the most common barrier to exercise, it's no wonder we've embraced the "no pain, no gain" mentality. The fitness industry has capitalized on this with branded experiences like CrossFit, F45, and OrangeTheory.
But this preference for quick, intense workouts has overshadowed the unique benefits of slower, steadier exercise.