Why Zone 2 Training Is the Missing Piece in Your Fitness Plan

In an age where high-intensity workouts dominate social feeds and fitness culture, there's a quieter, less glamorous form of training that's making a powerful comeback and it's one that could radically improve your results, recovery, and longevity.

It's called Zone 2 training, and if you’re skipping it, you might be leaving performance, fat loss, and long-term health on the table.

What is Zone 2 Training?

Zone 2 refers to a specific aerobic heart rate zone, low-to-moderate intensity cardio where your body uses primarily fat (rather than carbohydrates) as its energy source.

To be clear: this isn’t slogging on a treadmill or going through the motions. It’s intentional, steady-state work performed at the right heart rate, typically around 60–70% of your max heart rate, or a pace where you can breathe through your nose and hold a conversation, but still feel like you're working.

Rough guide:

• If you're 40 years old:
  Max HR estimate = 180 bpm
  Zone 2 = 108–126 bpm
• You’re breathing a little harder, but not panting
• It feels "easy-ish," but sustainable

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Why It Matters, Especially If You Already Train Hard

Most people chasing fat loss, endurance, or recovery are missing one crucial foundation: a strong aerobic base.

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That’s exactly what Zone 2 builds.

Here's what happens when you include it:

• Improved fat metabolism: Your body becomes more efficient at using fat as fuel.
• Better recovery: A stronger aerobic system helps clear lactate and reduce soreness.
• Increased mitochondrial density: More energy-producing power in every cell.
• Lower resting heart rate and blood pressure: Signs of true cardiovascular fitness.
• More stamina for strength and metcons: Yes, even your CrossFit workouts improve.

If you’re constantly smashing HIIT, CrossFit WODs, or lifting heavy but still:

• Get gassed easily.
• Struggle to recover.
• Can’t drop body fat.
• Or feel like your energy is always inconsistent.

...Zone 2 is your answer.

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The Science: More Isn’t Better. Smarter Is.

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High-intensity training is great, but when it's all you do, it creates a stress load your body can’t always recover from. You become efficient at going hard… but inefficient at recovering, mobilising fat, and staying healthy.

Zone 2 training balances the nervous system, supports hormonal health, and helps restore the aerobic base that all other fitness is built on.

Even elite athletes, from Tour de France cyclists to CrossFit Games competitors, dedicate 70–80% of their endurance work to Zone 2.

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Why?

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Because you can’t train hard if you can’t recover, and Zone 2 helps you recover.

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How to Add Zone 2 to Your Week

You don’t need to swap out all your favourite sessions. Just start layering in 2–3 Zone 2 sessions per week.

Examples:

• A 30–45 minute walk, bike, or row at nose-breathing pace.
• A hike or ruck with light load.
• A long steady-state ski erg or Assault Bike ride.
• A conversational-pace jog or slow run (if your joints can handle it).

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You can also use Zone 2 as an active recovery day, especially if you're training multiple times per week at P6 or another local gym in Abingdon.

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Training Smarter: Why It Fits Real Life

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Here in Abingdon, we see a lot of active adults balancing demanding lives, long hours, family responsibilities, and limited time to train. Zone 2 offers a low-impact, low-stress way to keep improving your fitness without adding more physical or mental fatigue.

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We’ve integrated it into many of our members’ weekly routines at the gym, and the feedback is consistent:

• Better recovery between sessions.
• More energy throughout the day.
• Leaner body composition over time.
• Fewer injuries or niggles.
• A calmer, more resilient nervous system.

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A Sample Week (With Zone 2 Built In)

Here’s how to balance your week if you train 4–5 days:

Monday:
Strength Training (Lower Body) + 10-minute mobility

Tuesday:
Zone 2: 40-minute steady-state row or walk

Wednesday:
Strength (Upper Body Push + Pull) + Conditioning finisher

Thursday:
Zone 2: Bike, hike, or long walk

Friday:
Full Body Strength + Core

Saturday:
Optional Zone 2 walk or jog, plus stretching

Sunday:
Rest or active recovery (light movement)

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You don’t need to abandon intensity. You don’t need to start training like a marathoner. But if you’re someone who wants a stronger engine, better recovery, and sustainable results, Zone 2 might be the most effective training shift you can make this year.

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You train to feel good. To move well. To stay ready for whatever life throws your way.

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Zone 2 helps you do exactly that, and it’s a missing piece most people never knew they needed.

About the Author
Ollie Campbell is a personal trainer based in Abingdon, helping busy adults build strength, resilience, and energy for life through strength training, conditioning, and intelligent recovery strategies.

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