The popular zone 2 protocol doesn’t work the same way for women. Here’s what to do instead.
I have previously reviewed, down to the cellular level, why zone 2 training, which is currently being promoted across the internet as the priority training for health, longevity, and performance, isn’t as effective for women as it is for men. Now let’s talk about what type of training scheme delivers those benefits best for females.
First a very quick review: Zone 2 is relatively easy and long (60 to 70% of max for 45+ min) and you should feel like you can go for hours. The current recommendation is to have the bulk of your exercise sessions–three to four training sessions a week–be in Zone 2. The theory is that Zone 2 is a low enough intensity to stimulate mitochondrial and other adaptations within the muscle cell that improve the skeletal muscle’s ability to use fat as a fuel, spare carbohydrate; improve metabolic flexibility (the ability to rapidly switch between fat and carbohydrate oxidation), as well as to better clear lactate during higher intensity exercise.
