Zone 2 training — real data, real results
Zone 2 is the most effective way to build aerobic capacity, improve fat metabolism, and extend your healthspan — at any age, any fitness level.
The story behind this site
In early 2022, I discovered Zone 2 training while preparing for a multi-day endurance cycling event. I was 51, with a full-time job and no background in serious cycling.
Everything I learned was counterintuitive. Go slower to get faster. Build your aerobic base before chasing speed. Most of it contradicted 30 years of conventional fitness advice.
Eighteen months later, I completed Paris-Brest-Paris — 1,200km in 142 hours. This site documents everything I learned.
Read the full storyThe fundamentals
Zone 2 is low-intensity aerobic exercise — hard enough to stress your aerobic system, easy enough to sustain a conversation. It's the foundation of every serious endurance athlete's training.
Zone 2 sits at 60–70% of your maximum heart rate — where your body primarily burns fat and your mitochondria adapt with every session.
Calculate your Zone 2 HR →Zone 2 grows the size and density of your mitochondria — your cells' energy engines. More mitochondria means better endurance, faster recovery, and improved metabolic health.
The full science →Researchers consider Zone 2 one of the highest-leverage interventions for long-term health — not just endurance performance, but metabolic disease prevention and healthspan.
Zone 2 and longevity →From the training logs
Beginner guide
Simple, approachable, and sustainable. Everything you need to start Zone 2 training from scratch.
Race report
The race that 18 months of Zone 2 training was building toward. What happened, and what it taught me.
Testing & data
Lab test results showing improved anaerobic threshold and fat oxidation after six months of Zone 2 training.
Free tools
Gear guide
You don't need expensive equipment. But a reliable heart rate monitor is the one piece of kit that pays for itself immediately — without one you're guessing at intensity.
See recommended gear →