Zone Training Over 40 . Which Zone should you be in and how often ?
Firstly, I think it’s important to say that this one is up for debate. What follows is just what I have experienced since turning 40 eight years ago. This information is not designed for the elite athlete who may need to sacrifice health for performance, but for us mortals who are trying to live active, productive, sustainable lives.
Essentially, when we train we have five “Zones.” These zones are defined by the effort it takes to be in them, often measured by your heart rate. Just as I believe we need variation in movement patterns, protocols, sets, reps, and tempo, we also need to include work in all of the zones to be “optimal.” But how much and how often is the big question.
First, let’s identify the Zones, easiest to hardest:
Zone 0: At rest. This will be whatever your resting heart rate is—hopefully around 72 BPM. You will get a certain amount of recovery and rejuvenation in this zone, and there is no limit to how much time you can spend here. Unfortunately, most Americans probably spend too much time here. This is the “Netflix and Chill Zone.”
Zone 1: 50-60% of max heart rate. Around 92-110 BPM. A walk, a light swim, bike, gentle yoga stretches—that kind of work. You will get blood flow, flush out some toxins, reduce muscle soreness, and just feel generally better. An evening walk or dog walking is perfect for this. 80+ minutes without issue here. Zone 1 is what most people are in when they say they are in Zone 2 ;)
Zone 2: 60-70% of MHR. Around 110-129 BPM. Perhaps one of the most talked-about zones and probably the most important for recovery and building an aerobic base. You’ll start to use fuel (fat and carbs), your breathing becomes conversational but broken, you will sweat, and hopefully you will “lock in” mentally on the tasks ahead. Great before or after training, or often prescribed on “recovery days.” Zone 2 is where the people walking on the treadmill should be (but they are really in Zone 1 and kidding themselves). 40-80 minutes here, and you can do this multiple times per week.
Zone 3: This is where the work really starts. 70-80% of max heart rate. Around 129-147 BPM. You will sweat more, and it will be harder to control your breathing. This is where we start to increase ability… improving aerobic fitness and lactic acid fatigue resistance. You can spend 10-40 minutes here at a time and get a lot of meaningful work done. This is where “training with purpose” gets a foothold. This is where you can build a lot of “work capacity.”
Zone 4: 80-90% of Max HR. Around 147-166 BPM. This is where “high performance” takes over. If you want to really improve your VO2 Max and muscular fatigue resistance, then you need to be here. This is where “high intensity training” found its home. Many CrossFit “WODs” live here. You can only maintain it for 2-10 minutes, and it will take a toll. Recovering from these efforts becomes an issue that must be considered. The result potential is high, but you have to be willing (and able) to pay the price.
Zone 5: This is extremely hard. It’s all-out. 90–100% of MHR. 166-184 BPM. I remember an old coach saying to me, “this is where you breathe like a race horse.” You can sustain it for no more than 2 minutes. It will give you your biggest boost of power and speed—and I would argue “alertness”—but you’ll need to spend a good amount of time recovering to be able to repeat the effort. It can be brutal and exhausting, but when done right, very powerful.
I believe all of these zones have benefits. Our training then becomes a mix of them all. Not all sessions will be spent exclusively in one training zone. In BUILD, for example, you will stay mainly in Zones 2-3 with brief exertion in Zone 4 (in the finisher). In HYBRID, you will likely spend more time in Zone 4 than in BUILD since it’s a “High Intensity” sport. TRAIN will also be more in the 3-4 range. All may have brief dalliances into Zone 5, though not often. CORE and REPAIR will live mainly in Zone 1-2, and BOXING will toggle between 3-4 with brief bursts into Zone 5.
Arguments have always taken place over which zone is best for training. Some claim HIIT (high intensity interval training) is better for fat loss and metabolism, while others claim LISS (low intensity steady state). As always, people (especially in America) like to find their tribe and preach the dogma. But of course that’s dumb, and I think we should acknowledge that they all have benefits—it’s just a question of how much and how often.
Once we get over 40, our objectives generally change somewhat. We start thinking more about longevity than the reckless pursuit of absolutes that youth brings. Our training becomes more considered and measured. We can’t light ourselves on fire every day—there just aren’t enough extinguishers—so we have to think more about what we are actually trying to do. We know that the biggest indicators for a long, well-lived life and a reduction in all-cause mortality are lean muscle tissue and VO2 Max. These are of course achieved through training and diet, and when paired with mobility, we have access to the secret that Big Pharma wishes it had a pill for. Which is why we have always preached Mechanics, Strength, and Conditioning at PHAROS. That trifecta will give you a gift that you cannot buy.
You cannot afford to do the work you cannot recover from. For myself, that meant that over 40 I got better results (I held more muscle) when I reduced time in Zone 4. Note I said reduced and not eliminated. I’m at my best when I hit this zone twice a week, three max. A true Zone 5 is only ever once a week—maybe once every two weeks. I believe that’s enough to keep you where you need to be. Most of my work is actually done in Zone 3. At least 4 sessions per week are here. I find that sustainable and very effective. For aerobic base, mental health, and recovery, I like to do two 5-mile runs and one 10-mile run per week. These are mainly in Zone 2 but definitely dip a little into Zone 3 and maybe even 4 on the tough hills in the mountains. But the goal is to stay in that Zone 2 space for 80% of the run. Zone 1 I’m in a lot as I’m on my feet all day—moving, coaching, putting out fires, playing with my kids, etc. This is an everyday kind of thing. Zone 0 is the place I like to be at the end of the day with my wife in the Taylor Sheridan Multiverse ;)
So to summarize, in order to feel at my best in my 40s (and going into my 50s, though of course this may change), my goal is to:
• Zone 0: Every day
• Zone 1: Every day. This is just “Life”
• Zone 2: 3 meaningful Zone 2 sessions a week (though I am definitely in this zone “accidentally” in warm-ups, cool-downs, and rest periods on Zone 3 days)
• Zone 3: 4-6 days per week. Between BUILD, Boxing, and BJJ I’m here a lot
• Zone 4: 2 days per week
• Zone 5: No more than once per week. More likely one every 2 weeks.
So it’s a measure. It’s a calculation of “will this effort make me better or worse?” Smart training is not attrition. It’s not how hard you can go before you break. It’s not destroying your hormones—it’s building them. The net gain must be positive. Spend too much time in Zone 4 and you will do more harm than good. Spend too much time in Zone 1 and you’re a couch potato. So look at your week. Map it out. All of these Zones are for you—you just have to work out how to be in them and how often. The reward is a stronger, healthier you. Not drained but exhilarated.
If you have any questions, then April at PHAROS is our “Accelerator” month, where Emylee and I will be building out 90-day roadmaps for our members to optimize your time in the Pharosphere. So make sure you sign up and let’s get to work!
See you in the gym
PV
