How To Build Your Aerobic Base (6 Tips)

[@LatimusChadimus]

I know a lot of people think it's detrimental training both cardio and strength, as well as power, but it really does help with recovery and work capacity and when I found out you were one of those people like me, I couldn't help but subscribe and ring the 🛎

[@charlesbrenckle2917]

100 percent true. I was training for a half marathon two years ago and stopped lifting for it and felt like garbage when I was getting to 50 mile weeks. I’m in a marathon prep in the second week of over 50 mile weeks and have never felt more recovered in my life!!

[@fighterinmkiwiscience3517]

​@@charlesbrenckle2917what are saying that we need gym and running at the same time? Right?

[@charlesbrenckle2917]

@@fighterinmkiwiscience3517 For me it works really well. I don’t wanna speak for everyone ever cause no one’s the same, but it was really life changing for me.

[@joe1071]

Really? I don’t know anyone who thinks it’s detrimental. It’s just difficult to plan, execute, and stay motivated for both

[@Shaun742]

@@joe1071 Loads of people in the lifting community specifically avoid cardio because they think it "kills your gains". Or at least that's why they say they avoid doing it.

[@Bla_k_e]

As someone who has just started training, for me to stay in zone 2 I have to run very slow or walk briskly. Sticking to the plan and building an aerobic base is difficult because everyone wants to run fast but I’m in it for the long haul.

[@Sealegs9]

Same. Like a 14 minute mile pace and that’s pushing it lol.

[@sisdl15]

I had the same issue. Your heart rate zones may not be set up correctly. I'm also a new runner but recently bought a heart rate monitor and after working out my lactate threshold setup my heart rate zones. My Zone 2 is now what my Zone 3 was before on Garmin.

[@zaharuddinyusli3241]

@@sisdl15how do u figure out ur lactate threshold

[@noeauwatson1]

im with you, watch told me to slow down in a 13 min mile

[@petesincock5162]

​@@sisdl15 I need to figure how to change these as mine are very different haha

[@johnmitchell8487]

Fergus, you’re a gem. Please don’t stop putting out content. You and Johnny are a class above.

[@ftravis6840]

I'm doing one of their plans . Fittest and best I've felt in years.

[@ferguscrawley95]

Appreciate that thank you very much!

[@fattysl26]

It was literally quicker walking, when I first started running easy. It does get quicker with time!

[@ferguscrawley95]

That's it, have the faith!

[@markb4434]

How long did it take approx

[@asdb26fr]

I was here too. At that time most of my cardio came from cycling, since running slower than I could walk felt a bit silly. It was about two months biking and then another month doing both before my slow run was consistently faster than walking!

[@petar.physio]

This is such a good concise summary, my soccer players definitely need to see this I’ll make sure to send them to this video. Cheers brother and keep up the great content!

[@kostistau]

One of my most favorite channels ever. Literally gold

[@ferguscrawley95]

Great to hear thank you!

[@reieli87]

What surprised me about Z2 - my walk became jog - Recovery during cooldown be came a mix of run/walk - decided my pace during my Easy days - help me running when I'm ill and assisted me not push so hard - help me see the truth/understand it's not heart thats the problem... Is my muscle, my mind or my stomach 😅 So thankful to have discovered Zone 2 running

[@ferguscrawley95]

Awesome, well done on the progress!

[@bugra1994]

how long did it take for your walk to become jog?

[@zidensonfit7485]

My favorite formula to find zone 2 is resting heart rate +((220-age-resting heart rate)x 0.6) for lower end and same thing this 0.7 for the upper.

[@zidensonfit7485]

Was much more accurate for me

[@Pinktree513]

I thought my easy runs were 5:45 min/km (9ish min/mile). But according to my Garmin, to stay in aerobic I need to be doing 8:10 min/km (13ish min/mile). I just did 8km/5miles at the slower pace and it was very easy on the legs (but just as hard on the ego). Does anyone have any guidane on how long it will take for this method to speed you up?

[@lctna]

All I know is that it works. When you see all those people bombing past you , panting just feel smug that you are on a program to eventually be overtaking them and able to engage in conversation 😂

[@Pinktree513]

@@lctna 100% agreed. Over the weekend I had some people flying past me on a loop around the reservoir. I ended up catching them and beating them on as they had to stop for breath. I know that feeling they would have had as I've had it before lol. since making this comment I'm already closing in on 7:30 pace so it definitley does work!

[@josephcoloso2847]

Very encouraging explanation for new runners.

[@michellementu1913]

slowing down is so hard but incredibly beneficial in the long run im just mad it took me so long to realise i dont need to wind myself everytime 😂

[@heymrguitarman7637]

I can't stress how unreliable the 220 minus age formula is for guessing max HR. For me it would work out at 175 max HR, when in reality mine is currently 196. That's a huge difference and totally repositions each zone. No doubt it works for some but it can't be relied upon in isolation whatsoever

[@JosephMcGlynn-g4h]

This is brilliant, truly brilliant, thank you so much, an absolute game hanger, thank you fergus

[@bbb229]

Running slower is the hard part for me aswell. Started running again last month and did my first ever 5k Race. While in my runners high friends persuided me to do a half Marathon in March next year. Never ran more then 10k so its still a big step. But with my 5k Pace at 4:40/k and my 10k pace around 5:10/k I find it hard to do a long run at like 6:00+/k. I somehow alwas excellerate to 5:45 and better without much effort. It feels like I need to constantl temper myself to keep it low.

[@fireflies775]

I also started running about a month ago. I already played sports so my 5k pace was about 4:30 and I was doing my easy zone 2 runs at 6:00 pace. Used a running watch for the first time and noticed that my heartrate was way too high to be zone 2😂, now I run my easy runs at almost 8:20 pace. I do notice quick improvements though, so no need to worry.

[@AshMrph]

Another great video mate 👏🏽😎

[@ferguscrawley95]

Thank you sir!

[@TheRmeehan]

Well Fergus, your channel is perfectly geared towards me, strength training and building muscle has occupied most of my time the past decade. I started Parkrun last year and have been working on improving my 5k. I've recently bought a garmin watch and after doing an easy run where I can hold conversation, it tells me I was in zone 5 (as high as 188bpm) the whole time. Im 29 and my resting hr is 52-60. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[@chuckc6156]

You need to run really really slow for your easy runs. Like uncomfortably slow. Add a minute or two to your pace next easy run and see where your HR is. Keep slowing down until you’re showing that zone 3.

[@brendanmcgeown7043]

get a hrm

[@stephenmcclean4996]

I can barely breath through nose when sitting still, best I can do when running very slow is, in through my nose out through my mouth.

[@fardousahmed5152]

You might want to look into seeing an ENT about having a deviated septum? This is from someone who needed two to fix theirs :)

[@ftravis6840]

Clearest video I've seen on the topic - thanks

[@ferguscrawley95]

Appreciate it thank you!

[@samjoshi1812]

Ah interesting I always went at every run w the approach that if I could keep talking or breathe thru my nose, why bother unless you're testing your heart to its limits

[@lifewithastrid]

My brisk walks can already hit 125 and during my easy slow runs (aka running around 8:30/km) my heart rate is usually around 150-160. I can talk very well and I feel like I can run for hours and hours long. I can't seem to get it between that 125-150, my pace gets uncomfortably slow then. Too fast to walk, too slow to run. 😅 Nasal breathing is extremely hard for me, I've asthma.

[@runninfool]

Everyone's zone 2 is different. The age thing doesn't always work. Sounds like your in z2. Trust rpe

[@lifewithastrid]

@@runninfool Yes RPE is what I use indeed! Does it feel like I can go on for many hours? Then I'm probably in my easy run pace! :D

[@Foxtrottangoabc]

zone training is just a guide for coaches to train atheletes . its simply low intensity to low moderate training, if the slower pace feels right then thats great i reckons, esp if one can maintain that pace for hours and not feel messed up the next day

[@LauTribal]

Got to 3:50 and was like “oh wow Fergus, you only plugged your training plans at this point, well done” and then his Whoop plug lands 😀😀

[@Jarlefinken]

Thanks, this is great info Fergus👍

[@ferguscrawley95]

Thank you!

[@summerphilhorenstein2598]

Great advice. I hadn’t heard the suggestion to use nasal breathing as an intensity measurement, I’ll have to try that. I have found zone 2 running very difficult. I walk and I am in zone 1, I run at almost any pace and I an in zone 4, with maybe dipping down to 3 or up to 5. But even though I do vary my paces for different sessions I don’t seem to vary my HR enough. I’ll try more brisk walking or something in the meantime. Also, what kind of base should we be building to get into strength training?

[@CoachKyleZ]

Try doing uphill walks (treadmill if there's no hills) to get your heart rate to the 120-130 range. Stay there for long enough and your body will adapt. Strength training you should start now. The base is posture, then proper movement patterns, eventually add weight after getting good control with bodyweight. Feel free to reach out. I've helped lots of people spike their performance while staying injury-free.

[@tf-ok]

Don't run, slow down, jog. Watch your form, it's something you have to practice. Get more strength training too, it will help with the form. Also, don't forget some speed work.

[@chuckgliderable]

Great video! Super (and afaik correct) info and very well presented. Thanks Fergus - I'm a student physiotherapist.

[@ferguscrawley95]

Thanks for watching!

[@edwardijoe]

Class video! Loads of good detail in this.

[@ferguscrawley95]

Glad it was useful!

[@Reckoning2943]

The 220 - age formula is a little off for me, mine is about 10% higher than the result. The formula still gave me a fairly good idea of how I am supposed to feel in which zone though.

[@morningstar332]

Bro what are you wearing? I want that thing that fleece!!!

[@jaroddunn6823]

Been doin a little research. So I understand that I need to be running at my aerobic base, and shouldn’t stray and should probably do it at least 12 weeks or so. But how long do you recommend actually running each training session?

[@tf-ok]

45-60 minutes in zone 2.

[@edward25ffsb39]

what top are you wearing bro? looks cool!

[@digitaldaemon74]

If your not a runner but a lifter and want to start running. How does lifting with a high intensity or lower rest time between sets where i can get my heart rate up affect the building of an aerobic base? You mentioned briefly rucking/walking with weight. But how can we program this into a weekly workout?

[@ferguscrawley95]

No carryover whatsoever I’m afraid - an elevated heart rate is not the only mechanism at play to increase aerobic capacity! Rucking/walking with weight can be great way to stimulate an aerobic training zone without as much impact/pace if you’re less conditioned to running, for example 🤝

[@digitaldaemon74]

@@ferguscrawley95 no carryover? That's interesting 🤔. I believe you, but it seems counter intuitive. Thanks for responding, Happy New Year!

[@flashwlb]

I'm so happy your videos started coming up on my auto play. They're always amazing and you have a great sense of humour.

[@Mike-lw9dv]

Best way to improve bronco fitness test time?

[@edwin5419]

220 minus age. I'm 41. Yesterday I hit 192bpm. Guess my heart is broken

[@gammelagam]

If you’re using a watch only you won’t get an accurate measurement

[@nohabloemojislosiento4930]

Yeah, I’m 29 and my HR goes well over 200 still. On all sorts of HR monitors. It isn’t the same for everyone, just general guides.

[@edwin5419]

@@gammelagam I was wearing a chest strap... why assume it was a watch?

[@jota55581]

​@@edwin5419 no one assumed the Word if was used ..lower your voltage they just trying to help .

[@edwin5419]

@@jota55581 I'm guessing you can't see the comment about how my measurements must be inaccurate because I was wearing a watch. Maybe chill out if you don't have all the facts

[@tts80]

I am trying to run slower so i can stay within the zone 2 heart rate. I think i need something between 7:30-8:00/km. Wondering with this slower pace, do we just drop the cadence (i.e to something around 150) as well as stride length or is it preferable to maintain higher cadence (ard 180) and just keep shortening the stride?

[@JakeLiddell]

Just a suggestion - you might be over-thinking it. Just run naturally, or blend running and walking - whatever works. Relax. Enjoy the view. Unless you're an elite athlete, the key is to enjoy it, so you'll do it again and again. When I first started running, I was always out of breath, and didn't really enjoy it - I did it because it was "good for me". When I consciously ran at a slightly slower pace, I found my fitness improved, I could do longer runs, my pace increased, and most importantly, I enjoyed it more.

[@oliverc1293]

Very concerned that one of the points here might be to keep your Z2 in Z2, which is something I am psychologically incapable of doing...

[@ferguscrawley95]

Do you feel attacked?

[@oliverc1293]

@@ferguscrawley95 I am at peace with only ever training my Z2 in Z3.

[@MarcusJonesRE]

How tall are you? I’m 5’8 and 210lbs. Wondering how tall you are at the same weight?

[@Besotted85]

Your the man Fergus! Had this talk a week ago! Now i can share this!

[@ferguscrawley95]

Great stuff! Thanks for watching!

[@Berserkeroffroad]

My vertigo got an aerobic workout with all those snap zooms.

[@ferguscrawley95]

Good thing aerobic work is easy...

[@ernestolozada3792]

What watch do you have?

[@davesharratt917]

5:38 I was paying attention and very much agree lol probably not aerobic. Who else saw it?

[@LoveCoffee123]

I tried run slow to run fast. It did not work. Threshold training worked for me.

[@Gavinninjatek]

Where I get confused with my garmin is when I run the zones say warm up, easy, aerobic, threshold, maximum. Is zone 2 the easy zone or the aerobic zone on the watch?

[@MOAON_AABE]

Run slow to go fast, got it 💪

[@kaisegrud]

When you worked on your mile time, did you find your easy aerobic improved?

[@fighterinmkiwiscience3517]

Gay question

[@ferguscrawley95]

It did indeed, as did my threshold pacing!

[@kaisegrud]

@@ferguscrawley95 do you feel it was cost/benefit a better investment than straight lactate-threshold training? I imagine there would be a dropoff at a certain point.

[@Manakaiser]

top channel

[@ferguscrawley95]

Appreciate it thank you!

[@LEVIMACKK]

Establishing heart rate perimeters is HUGE

[@ferguscrawley95]

Enormous.

[@markfrancisvalenzuela5962]

0:27 😢

[@JohnDoe-nr7iq]

Ima 13 year old boy i can run like 1 kilometer and then i get tiered but when i do this ill run 30 kilometers

[@doitwthflair]

My goal too I'm 14

[@debrascott8775]

First time ever I was left thinking...this didn't being anything new to the table.

[@ftravis6840]

It brought simplicity to a normally unclear topic for me

[@j.elliottcole9506]

"Farther"

[@LatimusChadimus]

Fartlek Nasal breathing Recovery

[@Xibyth]

Stretch and walk. Seriously. If you are just starting, and you fail to stretch after a long run, in two days, you will hate yourself.

[@dimitar297]

How did that 10 year old girl manage to complete 5k in under 16 minutes without knowing any of this information?

[@shorterdanny]

If you don’t have some form of HR tracking then why are you watching this..?

[@JK-bh5lr]

"run for 30min". ok I'm out.

[@stephenbarreau1878]

Great Advice again Fergus 🤝🦾 The easy run are always the hardest at some point .

[@ferguscrawley95]

They sure can be!

[@Cloppa2000]

If I want to be able to run a 5K, how much of an aerobic base do I need to build? Should my aerobic base building runs be as long or longer than it would take me to run 5k? I can presently only run at 7.5kmh for a 12 minute Cooper test and run in zone 2 at 4.8kmh for maybe 30 mins. Would you recommend 45mins for base building zone 2 runs? MT.

[@tf-ok]

Try the C25K program first before doing the zone 2

[@cooking_training_with_ben]

Can someone give me a quick breakdown of what a tempo/sub threshold session would look like. I have used intervals and zone 2 long runs in my training but need to bridge that gap.

[@Scottnikki88]

Running in zone3

[@fighterinmkiwiscience3517]

😡😡😡😡😡no

[@davesharratt917]

3 x 12min with 3min recoveries, at about 10k race pace or maybe a bit slower, HM race pace. Should feel like you're pushing on but not at near your limit.

[@johndavies7626]

Its running below your lactate threshold. You need a HR monitor and watch to find where it is really. The threshold it gives you is LT2, where lactate builds up very quickly, so you run below that heart rate to try and increase your LT over time. The HR for your LT goes up, and your pace at LT improves. Your LT pace is roughly what you could manage for a 10km race. Its not just the LT run ir threshold run that improves your LT, its your amount of running and your aerobic running. LT runs start at maybe 10-15mins just below threshold upto maybe 40-60 mins when that is comfortable. You dont need to do hours at that heart rate as it will exhaust you. My LT2 is 164bpm and LT1(where anaerobic running begins) starts at about 153bpm so i run one week 155-165 and another week around 153.

[@Foxtrottangoabc]

tempo is equivalent to zone 3 and maybe zone 4. Its simply a slightly faster pace than zone 2 that uses more glucose but still more fat than glucose

[@vincentcrowley5196]

Thanks for the clarification , i was hearing the HR method was deduct age from 180 but this seems too restrictive

[@tf-ok]

Deduct from 220 bro

[@northtexasbasketball566]

Very helpful video thank you

[@ferguscrawley95]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thomasschutte362]

Hi Fergus, you have inspired me through your videos: I’ve started training this week for a full marathon planned in six months (Rotterdam, NL). I’ve done a relatively effortless 10.5 km run today (5:35 min/km) after 3 sessions of slowly building up some kilometers, and I will be able to run on average 3 times a week for the next 6 months. Since I am an absolute newbie to running, I was wondering if you have any tips on how to effectively build up to a full marathon in 6 months? (Next to of course the 1x interval, 1x tempo/treshhold, 1x long aerobic run schedule)

[@jgg0207]

Common mistakes 2 and 3 feel like a personal attack lololl you're totally right tho

[@markb4434]

Does prolonged / extended zone 4 training not achieve the same goal there Fergus?

[@nickmarrow2645]

Anyone know what watch fergus uses?

[@jh230377]

Great video thanks 👍

[@xNajda]

How much carryover is there between different forms of building an aerobic base? Does time spent cycling carry over efficiently toward a running aerobic base?

[@tf-ok]

Only a small amount of carry over. Useful for your cross training/strength day though. Keep that heart pumping in zone 2 while your running muscles recover.

[@aliusama1]

Wao

[@liltimmy109]

Could you please help me determine why my fitness is decreasing? I ran an 18:15 5k a month and a half ago but I have been getting slower since then and I think it’s because I’m going too fast on my long runs. I do around 7 minute pace for an hour which comes out to around 8.5 miles. Is this too fast? Also what pace should I be doing for my 40 minute recovery runs? I am 12 of that helps Edit: I also do an interval session 2 days after my long run with 2 recovery runs in between and I have been feeling lactic acid from my long run while doing my interval session which has prevented me from hitting my goals for my intervals

[@Radoslaw_Ostrowski]

With a similar 5k time, I do my base runs at around 8m/mile and don’t feel much fatigue (related to lactic acid) but I’m a bit older than you 😅 on the recovery runs I go even slower as you can suspect and congrats on that time at that age, really impressive

[@liltimmy109]

@@Radoslaw_Ostrowski thanks for this, I do my base runs at 8 minutes per mile plus I’m 13 now so I’m not really sure how much younger I am than you now. I am improving again and it was after I increased my weekly mileage from 30 to 40 miles a week. I think sometimes you just need to switch things up in your training.

[@iqrarahmad9290]

You don't do anything you just talked to much 😂😂😂

[@SteveNinetyski]

Ugh..the non stop hand gestures really put me off. Looks like a David Cameron wannabe.