Why Low Intensity Training = Big Time Results
You don’t have to and shouldn’t always go beast mode when training - in fact Zone 1, or low intensity training, has numerous benefits.
Many people think of working out as going as hard as you can for as long as you can. As a coach and fitness professional, I’ve spent my life training myself and my clients’ bodies, I can tell you that is not sustainable, nor is it even effective.
This post is about educating athletes (read: people, because everyone is an athlete in the game of life!) on the benefits of training at a lower intensity to get the results you want, but without all the additional stress, physically and mentally.
Now, I’m not an “old guy,” but since having kids, getting married and launching a successful coaching company, I’ve had more stress and less time to train. These life changes have forced me to get smarter with my movement selection and training routine. Today’s culture has us going 100mph during everyday life. Here’s why it’s completely ok, and even highly beneficial, to take your training down a notch. #SimpleIsSexy
The Science Behind The Benefits
Let’s talk zones. First off, there are 5 Zones with Zone 1 being the lowest training intensity one can do. Zone 2 is easy, and commonly referred to as aerobic exercise. Zone 3 is moderate or sub threshold. Zone 4 is threshold or tempo, and Zone 5 is sprints or VO2max. The higher the intensity, the higher the stress potential on the body. Trust me, I’m a fan of high intensity training - I used to get a ton of success and results with my body composition and speed for racing. But I don’t get the same amount of sleep and recovery that I once did, so, I’ve had to adapt over time.If you aren’t sleeping and recovering like a pro, you can’t train like a pro.
When we train, we use energy. We are burning predominantly carbohydrates or fat, and the intensity tends to be the main dictator of what is used. The lower the intensity, the more fat that is burned during exercise. The higher the intensity, the more carbs are burned. At one's lactate threshold (at or above Zone 4), the body burns about 50% fat and 50% carbs.
If athletes are stressed and underslept, (that’s me and probably a lot of you), high intensity training can further compromise gut health. With the gut controlling 60-80% of our immune system, this takes us down the road for potential sickness or injury which would sideline all training.
When training in Zone 4, blood flows away from the organs (gut) and goes to the limbs that need it for oxygen and nutrition. When this happens, our gut health can be further compromised. Triathletes, runners and class-jumping fitness junkies are individuals that fall into this category. For those individuals, one or two sessions a week of high intensity work might be the right amount. The rest of the week should be low intensity Zone 1 - aka nose breathing training. For those that are really stressed and under rested, zero high intensity workouts might be the best bet for a couple weeks/months, depending on the severity.
When breathing only in and out of the nose during training, that athlete is in Zone 1 or low Zone 2. For most of my clients, I recommend a nose breathing or heart rate monitor to ensure they are in the right zone. More and more people are hitting the treadmill watching Netflix or listening to music while working out. We often get distracted watching Desperate Housewives or pumping music to a distracting level which makes up drift out of the low stress zone. So by wearing a heart rate monitor, that can ensure we stay `in the zone.’
When you start breathing to the point you hear your breath or have to open mouth breath, you’re not aerobic and drifting out of Z1-Z2. We call this ventilatory threshold (VT). There is a direct correlation between one’s VT and lactate threshold (LT). And remember, the higher the intensity, the more the body can be stressed.
Conversely, if an athlete can breath in and out of their nose only, they are certainly in Zone 1 or Zone 2. Use the nose breathing and VT as indicators of your intensity.
Another benefit of Zone 1 training deals with the mental aspect. I find that it’s easier to get motivated for Zone 1 training on days when you aren’t feeling 100%, because the activities are less intense and often can be done while multitasking.
Examples of Zone 1 Training
Many Zone 1 “exercises” might seem like everyday activities, but don’t be fooled - they have plenty of physical benefits when that level is maintained over a period of time.
Some of my favorite Zone 1 activities include:
hiking with my family on the weekends
phone meetings where I walk and talk
easy run commutes home (while talking to friends and family)
bike commuting (easy pace so as not to get sweaty)
Several Fast & Fit clients have sung the praises of the ‘power walk’ that I often design into their programs. For example, one athlete was doing heavy strength and cross training during the week, so I plugged in a power walk for Sunday mornings for extra low stress movement. He loved putting on a podcast and walking the Chicago lakeshore as the sun was coming up.
Other Zone 1 activities include, but are not limited to:
gardening
mowing the lawn
raking leaves
walking the dog or with friends
As you can see, there are so many advantages to low intensity/Zone 1 training. Our fast-paced society will have us thinking our physical training needs to be the same way, but that is not always the case. Again, of course there is a time hitting higher Zones, but don’t be afraid to slow things down once in a while.
So, the next time you feel like you need to go beast mode after a night of poor sleep, remember: there are better ways to stay healthy. Zone 1 training can be that movement you need to stay FIT and even FAST!
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