Long, slow distance training, a.k.a. zone 2 workouts, might seem too easy to create a training effect, but spending time at a conversational or endurance pace is fundamental to your performance. âZone 2 training builds your endurance and becomes the foundation on which you can build higher-intensity efforts,â says exercise physiologist and former cycling coach, Mollie Brewer. While an effective, well-rounded training plan will always include higher intensity work, the âno pain, no gainâ philosophy just doesnât make sense. âWhen we go above zone 2 we begin to bring in some non-aerobic metabolic processes,â says Rob Pickels, a USA Cycling-certified coach, exercise physiologist, and consultant with Forever Endurance. âThatâs not necessarily a bad thing; we know we need to be riding harder than zone 2 at times. But zone 2 maximizes our ability to focus on these beneficial processes without adding too much undue stress onto the body.â While youâre logging easy miles and enjoying the scenery or chatting with a friend, important physiological adaptations are taking place under the surface. For one thing, in zone 2, your body relies primarily on fat, rather than carbohydrate. Over time, this helps you utilize fats more efficiently, which spares your carbohydrate stores so theyâre available when you need them to power higher efforts, says Brewer. Lower intensity trainingâabout 4 out of 10 on the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scaleâalso stimulates the production of new mitochondria while also making them more efficient, says Brewer. Those microscopic powerhouses help process lactate, and with a bigger, better-trained army of them, you can ride harder for longer before fatigue slows you down. Zone 2 training is also where your body develops new capillaries (the tiny blood vessels that deliver oxygen to your muscles), says Brewer. With more capillaries on board, you can deliver more oxygen to your muscles with every heartbeat, which over time, helps you generate more power without necessarily working harder.
[View in Browser]( [Bicycling]( [SHOP]( [EXCLUSIVE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [How to Make the Most of Your Long Slow Distance Training]( [How to Make the Most of Your Long Slow Distance Training]( [How to Make the Most of Your Long Slow Distance Training]( Long, slow distance training, a.k.a. zone 2 workouts, might seem too easy to create a training effect, but spending time at a conversational or endurance pace is fundamental to your performance. âZone 2 training builds your endurance and becomes the foundation on which you can build higher-intensity efforts,â says exercise physiologist and former cycling coach, Mollie Brewer. While an effective, well-rounded training plan will always include higher intensity work, the âno pain, no gainâ philosophy just doesnât make sense. âWhen we go above zone 2 we begin to bring in some non-aerobic metabolic processes,â says Rob Pickels, a USA Cycling-certified coach, exercise physiologist, and consultant with Forever Endurance. âThatâs not necessarily a bad thing; we know we need to be riding harder than zone 2 at times. But zone 2 maximizes our ability to focus on these beneficial processes without adding too much undue stress onto the body.â While youâre logging easy miles and enjoying the scenery or chatting with a friend, important physiological adaptations are taking place under the surface. For one thing, in zone 2, your body relies primarily on fat, rather than carbohydrate. Over time, this helps you utilize fats more efficiently, which spares your carbohydrate stores so theyâre available when you need them to power higher efforts, says Brewer. Lower intensity trainingâabout 4 out of 10 on the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scaleâalso stimulates the production of new mitochondria while also making them more efficient, says Brewer. Those microscopic powerhouses help process lactate, and with a bigger, better-trained army of them, you can ride harder for longer before fatigue slows you down. Zone 2 training is also where your body develops new capillaries (the tiny blood vessels that deliver oxygen to your muscles), says Brewer. With more capillaries on board, you can deliver more oxygen to your muscles with every heartbeat, which over time, helps you generate more power without necessarily working harder. Long, slow distance training, a.k.a. zone 2 workouts, might seem too easy to create a training effect, but spending time at a conversational or endurance pace is fundamental to your performance. âZone 2 training builds your endurance and becomes the foundation on which you can build higher-intensity efforts,â says exercise physiologist and former cycling coach, Mollie Brewer. While an effective, well-rounded training plan will always include higher intensity work, the âno pain, no gainâ philosophy just doesnât make sense. âWhen we go above zone 2 we begin to bring in some non-aerobic metabolic processes,â says Rob Pickels, a USA Cycling-certified coach, exercise physiologist, and consultant with Forever Endurance. âThatâs not necessarily a bad thing; we know we need to be riding harder than zone 2 at times. But zone 2 maximizes our ability to focus on these beneficial processes without adding too much undue stress onto the body.â While youâre logging easy miles and enjoying the scenery or chatting with a friend, important physiological adaptations are taking place under the surface. For one thing, in zone 2, your body relies primarily on fat, rather than carbohydrate. Over time, this helps you utilize fats more efficiently, which spares your carbohydrate stores so theyâre available when you need them to power higher efforts, says Brewer. Lower intensity trainingâabout 4 out of 10 on the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scaleâalso stimulates the production of new mitochondria while also making them more efficient, says Brewer. Those microscopic powerhouses help process lactate, and with a bigger, better-trained army of them, you can ride harder for longer before fatigue slows you down. Zone 2 training is also where your body develops new capillaries (the tiny blood vessels that deliver oxygen to your muscles), says Brewer. With more capillaries on board, you can deliver more oxygen to your muscles with every heartbeat, which over time, helps you generate more power without necessarily working harder. [Read More]( [Read More]( [Ten Months After Magnus White Was Killed in Boulder, the Driver Pleads Not Guilty to Charges]( [Ten Months After Magnus White Was Killed in Boulder, the Driver Pleads Not Guilty to Charges]( The trial is set for December 16, 2024. [Read More](
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