Do you want to stay as fit and healthy for as long as possible - avoid (as much as possible) Alzheimer's, dementia, cardiovascular disease or simply delay the inevitable slow down in life that is visible in older people you may know?
Maybe it is that you are a keen road biker or runner and you just don’t want to lose your performance edge ? How can you keep pushing the envelope ? Stay on top of your game ? Beast the group ride ?
Focusing on training in Zone 2 as much as possible whether you are an athlete, an aging person or you simply want to increase your health span. This zone 2 training is a level of cardiovascular exertion which translates into a specific level of exercise intensity.
It can be measured by a level of exercising that means if someone is talking to you they would know that you were exercising ( through laboured breathing ) It is a zone that allows you to talk but you would prefer not to have a full conversation.
A crude equation on a heart rate scale would be : 180 minus your age - plus or minus 10-15 beats: so if you are 50 years old it would be 130 beats per minute - or could be between 115 beats per minute up to 145 beats per minute. So you can see why this a “ crude “ measurement- that is a hell of a range!
That is why I prefer to use RPE or Rate of Perceived Exertion. If you can sing then you are not pushing yourself hard enough but if you cannot talk - then your level is too high. Check this with your heart rate monitor so you can gauge yourself more or less.
You should also be able to sustain this activity for hours and in fact the more time you spend in this zone the better . Experts recommend 45 minutes four times per week. ( or more )
This is your aerobic workout. For most people it is usually more intense than a fast walk- more like a fast walk up a hill ?
This is the zone where the magic happens. In this zone you are increasing your mitochondria ( the energy powerhouses of your body ) which means you will have more energy all of the time. These are a key function in your metabolism. Your body becomes more efficient at using oxygen for fuel and in fact more efficient at exercise in general. This is your fat burning zone and this is your secret to helping to push your Vo2 max up`.
What is VO2 max ? It is the upper level of exercise where you are still able to operate using oxygen- in other words it is not an all out sprint. Your Vo2 max can be tested using special gear and it is done either on a bike or on a treadmill .
People with the highest VO2 max live the longest and healthiest.
Lance Armstrong had a VO2 max of 83.8 and the highest VO2 max recorded was 97.5
A good VO2 max for a 50 year old man would be 38 - which would be an excellent value for a women.
With the correct training you can increase your Vo2 max.
If you have a proper VO2 max test - You will have to wear a measuring mask and be asked to perform a fairly gruelling workout. Your intensity is progressively increased until you reach exhaustion at maximal effort. The mask determines how much oxygen you are consuming .
Electrodes will be attached to your body to measure your heart , arteries and other important data throughout the test. Ultimately you will reach a stage at which your body is no longer utilising oxygen for fuel so this is your VO2 max level.
It is important that you warm up prior to the test and when you repeat the test ( annually usually ) that all the same conditions apply and preferably you go back to the same place.
Make sure you have not already exercised on that day or the day before.
Your VO2 max is affected by your weight ( so the quickest way to increase your VO2 max is to lose weight!) , your age , gender and how much you are training. Your Vo2 max just like everything else reduces over time unless you are training it.
Intervals are also good to incorporate into your training programme but think of your cardiovascular training as a triangle with zone 2 training being the base: this is where you spend most of your time the time training and the peak being the intervals. You want a strong broad base.
Tour de France and any pro athletes will spend most of their training time in Zone 2
“The recent success of Tadej Pogačar and recent interviews with his coach Dr Iñigo San Millán, who has exposed the benefits of Zone 2 training. “ https://www.highnorth.co.uk/articles/zone-2-training-inigo-san-millan
So don’t let age threaten to take away the enjoyment of the activities you love the most - cycling, hiking, running with the dog, playing golf or what ever it is that brings you joy and you want to continue to do - otherwise if its creeping up behind Tadej Podacar…. Then keep training that Zone 2 as much as possible.
I am a mobile personal trainer, coaching here on the island since 2004. I now live in Santa Ponca and you can find me on a road bike, training Kettlebells, weightlifting , running my adorable Whippet Lilly or in a Marina ( when I am not writing ).
I love coaching people to start working out, if you have a lot of body fat to loose or you want an outside kettlebell workout or fitness assessment please drop me a line.
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