Some of the workouts in your training plan will specify the level of exercise intensity. These will be labelled Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3 or Zone 4 and will have a corresponding RPE value.
This article explains the physiological benefits of training in different zones and provides some advise about interval training.
For practical advice about determining your heart rate zones, please refer to RPE, Zones and Intervals: What you need to know to get started
Physiological Benefits #
Zone 1 #
Zones 1 is in your moderate domain. The benefits of training in the moderate domain are:
- Building higher mitochondrial density in muscle
- Greater capillary network
- Improved beta oxidation (fat burning)
- Improved mental toughness
- Increased endurance and VO₂.
For sessions lasting longer than 90 minutes, aim to stay at the low end of this range. For shorter sessions it’s OK to work at the higher end of your Zone 1 range.
Zone 2 #
In volume training we try to avoid exercising in zone 2 because you will mostly accumulate fatigue without any additional training benefit of the higher intensity level. In zone 2, you don’t achieve greater physiological benefits associated with zone 1 and you aren’t exercising at a high enough intensity to gain any benefits associated with zone 3. Therefore, easy training should be kept in a zone 1 heart rate range to minimize the fatigue and improve post-exercise recovery.
Zone 3 #
Zone 3 training include:
- Increased VO₂
- Increase maximal lactate steady state
- Increased lactic acid tolerance
- Improved endurance
- Improved mental fortitude
The main purpose for training in this zone is to push through lactic acid build up for extended periods of time which will improve lactic acid tolerance and can increase the top level of your zone 3 threshold.
Zone 4 #
Zone 4 represents a physiological state where the body cannot clear lactic acid production as quickly as it’s produced, resulting in very high fatigue. Zone 4 training produces the largest increases in VO₂ Max compared to Zones 1, 2, and 3, but will also produce the greatest amount of fatigue.
When training in this zone it is very important to undertake proper warm-up, cooldown and recovery protocols to minimize muscle damage and maximize exercise benefits.
