6 weeks ago Manon went to the sports science lab to do a step test and ramp test to find out her fitness levels and zone 2. Since then, she has EXCLUSIVELY trained in Zone 2. This approach has sometimes resulted in workouts where she hasn’t even broken a sweat! So, we’re asking: has this training made her any fitter? Join Manon to find out!
What has 6 weeks of zone 2 training done? 0:00
Manonโs training regime 0:34
How well did Manon stay in zone 2? 2:10
Will Manonโs results be better? 4:29
Step Test 5:23
Ramp Test 7:45
The results 9:25
What would be the difference doing harder effort training? 12:04
What would happen training this way for another 6 weeks? 12:47
Manonโs conclusion! 13:44
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What has your experience with zone 2 training been like? ๐
Let us know in the comments! ๐ฌ
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47 Comments
What has your experience with zone 2 training been like? ๐
Let us know in the comments! ๐ฌ
Did a great job keeping in the zone as desired. For most people (like myself) it's really more about doing whatever keeps you doing it on a regular basis and having the bulk of it in zone 2 helps me to be consistent.
Where is the first video that she mentions at the top?
I miss Manon on GCN
of course the negative Strava comments are from middle-aged blokes who clearly know better than a former pro cyclist
A good rule of thumb is zone 2 top is before you begin to think about breathing through your mouth. If you are breathing through your mouth even a little bit, youโre already in zone 3.
A lovely video! Thanks
What the $@#$ it's zone 2???
I was skeptical at first too but trust the wisdom of my elders and over the past 3 months my zone 2 has gone up like 50 watts I couldnโt believe it. No epo or peds. I am fairly new to cycling but I think 50watts is pretty impressive
This is why I love bike commuting. And don't tell her I said this, but mtbing with my wife keeps me in zone 2, as well.
Go to a large Baptist church
This is one of the greatest health test ever done for YouTube. Thank you for doing this and getting some real scientific evidence out there
Maybe this post will be of interest to someone. I was born in 1962, in 1969 I got a 20" wheel – kid bike, rode it daily till 1974 when I got a Peugeot U-08 – " Juvenile " brand new. I put 6100 miles on it and in 1978 , I bought a new Motobecane Mirage and put 4400 miles on it. By late 1980, I was done cycling. Of this 10,500 + miles, most were in zone 2 or zone 3 , I rode slow and steady for miles and miles and miles. I would also do a few sprints most every ride, but again, most of my miles were lower heart rate…just getting by miles. When I was in my peak, during late 78 and all through 1979, I was crazy fast when I needed to be. I lived near Bainbridge Island in Wa state and went out hunting for the riders on the " Chilly Hilly " which is a Feb ride that was in it's infancy in the 70s, but has blown up into a huge deal nowadays. I got a couple of " pro looking " riders , complete with the bike apparel, and on nicer bikes than my Motobecane to sprint with / against , and I blew everyone away, at the time. So, looking back, remembering back, I was doing Zone 2 long before most anyone even knew what it was, and I think it was excellent training. I only wish I had hooked up with some pros back then, who knows where I may have gone with it. I just bought a new Salsa Journeyer , and have gotten back into cycling after a 44 year absence. By the way, I really, really like this channel…nice job.
#ManonHive
How is it, coming from being an elite cyclist, to taking off a while, and coming back?
Jesus loves you all always!!!!!!!
GREAT DATA !!! You sold me. Thank you for this.
Back in the day (1980's – early noughties) all our training from the end of October to the end of the following March was always in zone 2 – big miles, a lot of hours & out on the road in all weather. The rule was you never got out the saddle till end of March which was when the early season races started. It did the trick – I managed to hover around 1st cat for many years & come the summer when the speeds went up you had a big big base layer to build on. Can't understand why Zone 2 training fell out of favour for so long & it's good to see the benefits of it getting highlighted again.
Thank you GNC and Manon for such a great video!!!! To share….I have trained for years on TOS (time on saddle) when in Macros (Winter training) so this would be 100% zone 2. Coach Lawrence, I feel, addresses zone 2 limits extremely well. When I switch to Micro (Spring training) I use MOS (Miles on saddle)…. so intensity, in ride intervals and power are more of a focus and Zone 2 is for recovery. Power and LT have always respectively increased. The limit for me has always been health and time. Again great video!!!!!!….hidden gem to the fundamentals of endurance sports athletes.
@Global cycle Network, have done on line like coach greg, please do a video, tag me , like me know , rhanks, that will fun to see,๐ตโโ๏ธ๐ด๐ดโโ๏ธ on line with other people,
So good to hear him talking about heart rate. I've been training with an HRM for for 20+ years (as a runner at first). While it is a lagging and averaging indicator, it is PERFECT for long duration, lower intensity work. Don't stress about watts. Your body knows more than your power meter.
She said prior to this she hadnโt been riding much. I feel like any consistent work would have resulted in an increase in fitness
man I can't even watch a ramp test
Excuse me for my question, but I am very seriouse about it, I would like to invest in the bike, but usually when I go to the gym and use them, I feel like after a short period of time, my private area starts to get numb and it's very uncomfortable :S .. is that normal ?
In zone 2 my heart rate sits around 100, but my resting is 51
Thoroughly enjoyed this vid ๐๐
Going offroad (gravel / long distance XC MTB) makes Zone 2 rides highly enjoyable. And its safer, quiter and more comfortable.
Depends how well trained you are. If you are closer to your potential, youโll lose fitness by neglecting intervals. If you donโt ride enough or are new to cycling, volume is more important and any type of riding you do will benefit you, as you first need base aerobic endurance.
Get well soon coach! You can do IT!
Your videos always brighten my day!
โZone 2 training only for 6 weeks. What has it done for me?โ
Completes the challenge, leaves GCN ๐
Zone 2 is building your engine.
yo if we're comparing HR zones to garmin's then zone 2 looks more like a garmin's zone 3
When you talk about z2 training .. What Z2 is prefered ? Power or HR Zone 2 ?
Her heart rate at each power level didnโt really change, though her lactate was a lot lower. Bit odd, eh?
This confirms what I did for training in my you get days.
Iโve had some benefits from zone 2 training as part of a structured program last year. But the flip side was I just didnโt enjoy my cycling as much. I couldnโt go and ride in the places I like because they are too hilly ( I live in the Pyrenees). So on balance it wasnโt worth it. Iโm not a competitive cyclist and Iโm already fit enough to participate in Gran Fondos and cyclosportives , so the desire to improve performance isnโt strong enough to warrant the sacrifice of the pleasures of riding in the mountains regularly.
Rewatching this for the 5th time. I missed Manon โค
Being a MTBer, ive found it impossible to stay in zone 2. Climbs send you into zone 3 and 4 weather you like it or not and i find myself dipping into zone 1 on the decents. I just go out and ride and race a stopwatch.
You rock๐ค
It also helps you look strikingly like Amy Lee!
Oh to be young. 150 bpm is the very top of zone 4 for me.
wow, cameraman really got in her face during the hardest push ๐ really uncomfortable
The question isnt whether more training will help you improve. Of course you'll get better with zone 2. Its about how much zone 2 you should do for the fastest results.
To be honest title then is misleading – becasue yiu have done intervals-
A relativly "out of shape" former pro cyclist restarts continous training again for ~ 1,5 months and therefore gains fitness increase. Who would have thought lol. ๐ I mean your body remembers … basically in the first month a former pro will always get hughe results when getting active again. Doesnt matter if HIT, Zone2, Flat out FTP intervalls… litterally everything would have increased fitness by a good amount when someone who was insanely fit in the past restarts training
11:16
For low intensity training itโs about duration at just minimum intensity
For high intensity training itโs about how highly intense you train
For more adaptations just increase the time you spend at the minimum intensity
What about zone three? I can't do anything at zone two. I am trying it but doing zone three. The mathematical calculations for my zone two are wrong since I can be in what they call zone 5 and I can have a normal conversation. I often train at 20 bpm over the starting point of zone 5, so what is my real zone 2 is probably what my zone three is.