---
title: "What is \"Zone 2\" Training?"
date: 2025-03-08
categories: ["Training"]
url: https://www.semiprocycling.com/digest/what-is-zone-2-training
author: Damian Ruse (SEMIPRO Cycling)
---
# What is "Zone 2" Training?

![](https://www.semiprocycling.com/digest/images/43935a3b0023227d0e977887.webp)

We've all been talking about Zone 2 training for ages, long before it caught on outside the cycling community. Yet, the ongoing debate around exactly how to define it remains lively. A recent group of cycling coaches and sports scientists have attempted to provide clearer guidance.

Their recommendation aligns Zone 2 training just below your first lactate or ventilatory threshold (LT1/VT1)—around 70–80% of your max heart rate or about 75–80% of critical power. They highlight that longer continuous rides (2+ hours) at this intensity deliver significant benefits like increased muscle capillarisation, improved metabolic efficiency, and greater durability.

The most practical takeaway, which many of us have been recommending for years, is this: as fatigue kicks in and your heart rate starts drifting upward, forget holding tight to your initial power numbers. Instead, drop your power slightly to keep your heart rate steady in Zone 2. This way, you're still achieving the desired training effect without pushing your body too hard.

Of course, this consensus won't settle the debate entirely—some athletes and coaches using alternative definitions or methods might still feel left out. However, it offers a useful step toward standardising Zone 2 training.

For a deeper dive, check out the full paper [here](https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/aop/article-10.1123-ijspp.2024-0303/article-10.1123-ijspp.2024-0303.xml).

## On my mind: Head, Heart, Hands

Here's something I've learned from a few too many post-ride coffees and mid-ride arguments about tyre pressure:

When you're stuck in a disagreement—whether it's debating tyre width, training methods, or even sock length—ask yourself (and the other person, if you're brave enough):

**"Are we arguing about what's true, what's meaningful, or what's useful?"**

In cycling terms:

- **What's True (Head)**: Is 28mm faster than 25mm? Does the science back this?
- **What's Meaningful (Heart)**: Do you care more about comfort, style, or speed? Is matching kit essential to your happiness (obviously yes)?
- **What's Useful (Hands)**: Practically, can you even fit those tyres on your frame? Will you actually change your setup based on this argument, or is it just theoretical?

Each of these realms (Head, Heart, Hands) plays by different rules. If you're debating heart stuff (personal preference, how something makes you feel) with head logic (science, data, facts), you'll get nowhere fast—much like me on a hill sprint after a bread binge.

Next time things heat up on the road (or over the post-ride brew), pause for a second and figure out what realm you're actually dealing with. Trust me, it makes arguments shorter, friendships stronger, and coffee breaks far more enjoyable.

Ride smart,

Damian.