How To Find Your Zone 2 Without a Power Meter (plus easy to follow drills)

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#cycling #roadbike #fitness

[@waynecameron8253]

Hi Coach,I have been cycling for fun,fitness and longevity for decades and was off the bike for five months and recently resumed training with an emphasis on the crucial zone 2 workouts for the past month.The zone 2 program is something I have done in my decades of cycling that requires a lot of patience and discipline because the temptation is to go harder and faster before establishing the aerobic foundation for the more strenuous workouts to follow in either zones 3,4 or 5. You are absolutely right about stressing the importance of zone 2 since it pays great dividends in the end aerobically.I do enjoy your material and thank you for the invaluable service to the cycling community and keep up the excellent work.

[@emmanoy2156]

Zone 2 training on the smart trainer has improved my enjoyment of cycling outdoors immensely, easily the biggest improvements have come from training in Zone 2. Great Video Coach !

[@BulletproofCycling]

Excellent Emma 👍👍👍

[@Ekekiela666]

Thanks coach!

[@andahoy3734]

Very good infomation, Thank you, coach

[@familyman2843]

You are a gem coach! TY!

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thank you 🙏

[@johntracey5366]

Quality, thanks 💪🚴🏻

[@BulletproofCycling]

No problem 👍

[@imspartacvs]

Allways good stuff Coach Thanks for your contributions. Live to Ride... Ride to Live

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thank you 🙏

[@michaelnoy4283]

Great Information Coach, even life changing for many of us !

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thank you Michael 🙏👍

[@andrewc948]

you're right. you have helped me so much. Love your style, love your content. Thanks coach. So selfless and a thoroughly lovely guy:-)

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thank you very much 🙏👍

[@garyfunnell6357]

In running you’re told to run slower to run faster, sounds counter intuitive but within 6 weeks of me running slower, keeping heart rate in the middle of my zone 2 I found I was running 12-15 secs per km faster, another 6 weeks and I’d taken off another 7 secs per km. and this was across the board no matter a 5km race or a marathon, I managed 1:26 off my 5km race time and 17:29 off my marathon after 12 weeks of running slow to run faster. So yes I’m doing the same on my bike this winter on the road to improve my cycling fitness, strength and power. Leave the ego at home and trust in the bodies ability to adapt and improve. So nice to see a cycling coach actually preach a sensible and well founded approach 👍

[@BulletproofCycling]

It works 👍👍👍👍

[@mk2.8]

Thanks coach from Singapore!

[@BulletproofCycling]

My pleasure

[@williambanzhof9739]

EXCELLENT!

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thank you William

[@sibylspencer-hilton2774]

Thanks Coach! This was a perfect reminder for me to take into my scheduled workouts this week. I'm determined to succeed in my outdoor Z2 workouts this week!

[@BulletproofCycling]

Great to hear

[@Parris66]

You've helped me

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thanks for sharing

[@andysmith8877]

Superb..

[@evill_toro]

thanks Coach! zone 2 bootcamp is going well

[@BulletproofCycling]

👍👍👍

[@maiqueashworth]

I'm just watching this again. Brilliant, very helpful. Have I got this right-what I need is the level of effort that we feel when we're doing a speech at a wedding for example? A bit of effort but not straining? By the way, I love your accent, one of my favourites

[@JoalHarding]

🎉so great 👍🏻

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thanks Joal 👍👍👍

[@joseantoniofernandez9712]

Sus vídeos me son de gran ayuda, por fin estoy entendiendo como funciona un entrenamiento programado, gracias por su dedicación

[@BulletproofCycling]

Hope this is polite

[@jamescarlphotography4523]

Great information, Coach and I really enjoy your teaching style. I am 54 and started racing at 14 as a junior. One of the things that keeps me motivated to keep training is how much the sports science evolves (and even seems to come back around). When I first started, it was little ring only for so many miles to come out of the winter (which seemed to be a form of Z2). Years later, when the power meters came out it was tons of SST work seemingly all the time. At my age, I really appreciate the Z2 work.

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thank you very much for taking time to share - I appreciate your support

[@marcus_velo_9970]

top advice coach ... its all about TITS, time in the saddle coach😆. tomorrow I"ll be doing Around the Bay 200+km in Melbourne, mainly z2-3, - leading up to a fondo next year - it works, 2.5-3 w/kg avg is the aim over 8 hours. Your advice is spot on; endurance and consistency is key and keep a smile on your face

[@BulletproofCycling]

Love it 😍 🥇

[@maiqueashworth]

I really wish I'd seen your channel years ago- I always thought no pain no gain was what we needed, then I started intermittent fasting as well and got really ill with CFS. This will really help with my recovery. Thank you so much!

[@BulletproofCycling]

Glad to have you here 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@coolkel1971]

Yes shove the power meter readings up the erse till completion of training and do the HR reading I did last night backing down (1 beat) before I reached maximum aerobic. My power meter has now readjusted and jumped up higher settings for the zones. I was finding my interval training zone 5 too easy for the past few months and was not even hitting anaerobic.FTP jumped up and had a higher average power last night too. Now I have all the elements to succeed and lose more weight. Now I am cooking on gas many thanks for that.

[@BulletproofCycling]

Excellent 😂👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 love it

[@luannproctor672]

I am going this morning, zone 2 it is🎉

[@BulletproofCycling]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@scerni37]

Highly recommended. Coach has the goods & knowledge. Listen and re listen to this. Implement it & see the benefits appear.

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thank you 🙏

[@scerni37]

Had another listen. Reinforcement. This is the goods...

[@aldrinclementina4297]

Thanks for sharing this. I've been cycling and racing since 1995. I'm 50 now, member of a new club. But these guy ride hard and fast everyday. I've told them e few times that that's not the only way to ride. That's why I do some long solo rides in zone 2. have reached podium 2x last year. But I was dragged along in the everyday fast group rides, and noticed it right away that there was no podium for me this year. lol🤣. I will go back to that and make it more efficient.

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thanks for sharing - it sounds like you know exactly what to do - and when you do turn up at the fast groups ---- you'll be FASTER

[@bobbafett1971]

Only issue for sone of us. Is work. I own a small restaurant and am the chef....so many hours a week. I never feel like getting out of bed regularly.

[@mikesiemens4145]

Review: simple tips for real world problems. I'll start sipping immediately coach!

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thanks 🙏

[@maiqueashworth]

Thank you for this. I'm interested to know how this compares with training for running..

[@BulletproofCycling]

It’s similar but actually easier to control with running as you are engaging more muscles and can’t freewheel!

[@angeloviray8019]

😍😍😍Zone 2..can whistle while biking...be patient....Results are Great😍😍😍😍😍

[@BulletproofCycling]

👍👍👍

[@Hobbot72]

I go by zone 2 HR and nose-breath every other minute to make sure I am not carried away.

[@BulletproofCycling]

Brilliant 👍

[@joerenner8334]

I still get confused as math says zone to tops out at 138 bpm. But I can sing pretty well at 145bpm.

[@PhiyackYuh]

I zone 2 for an hour according to coach. As soon as i cant maintain that i lighten up the gear. Its stupidly easy that you have to stay disciplined.

[@samotiak]

Do you also breath out through your nose? I am always confused by this advice. I find it relatively easy to breath in through the nose but when I want to breath out too, it gets a bit harder.

[@nailbomb3]

Hey Coach, do you use Coggan's formula to set zones with a HR strap?

[@davidharrold9189]

That was great. I’ve always battled with concept of power vs heart rate to accurately hit Zone 2. Power is certainly convenient. My heart rate can vary a bit depending upon my level of fatigue and that has always made me wonder if I am really in Zone 2. I like the idea of using physical feedback / feelings to gauge effort and to check that with the power meter and heart rate monitor.

[@BulletproofCycling]

Thanks David and I appreciate you sharing your experience 👍

[@peterkurth933]

I do these things and my legs get toasted in a way that I am on my way to overtraining when keeping this rate of training

[@jeffglasspoole5871]

Thanks for such an informative video. I’m 63 and returned to cycling after close to 15 years of rest/laziness Really struggling to truly understand by true zone 2 as big hills will often push my max hr over 182

[@BulletproofCycling]

I have lots more to share - join the Skool chat for more info 👍

[@markboyton-salts.3155]

I've been using for a long time, doing the entirety of my indoor cycle session 'nasal breathing', as an indicator of being in zone 2. However, having just purchased a Polar H10 monitor I've found that my heart rate drift through a typical 75 min session (after a warm up to the target speed) although starting in zone 2 drifts up eventually into zone 4, albeit while keeping a constant pace throughout. My perceived effort level and breathing rate is constant; so, it begs the question as to whether I should be slowing down gradually through the session to stay in zone 2, or just ignore the HR drift but just register as to whether it's going beyond , or less than what typically occurs as an indicator of tiredness, for example?

[@GvnS360]

What percentage of max hr is zone 2. Garmin and strava are giving totally different ranges. Thanks coach 💪

[@richardportelance7810]

Thanks coach. My threshold is around the same level as yours - 162-164. I’m putting in an effort to really dial in my zone 2 workouts so I can build the base. One question I have for you is - when I ride with my crew, we occasionally do some pacelining workouts. Inevitably after 3-4 miles, or a couple of turns through, I will max out my HR and fall off the line. What kind of training do you recommend that will allow me to sustain in the group longer. These sessions are usually 23 miles or so, and I find myself riding solo once dropped almost every time.

[@BulletproofCycling]

I am assuming the paceline is sending you to threshold levels very quickly - I would work on some over and under sessions - you can start with time periods of 6-8 mins (eg one minute over and 2 mins under FTP) there are lots of ways to do these - I will be sharing them in some videos and in my Skool page

[@richardportelance7810]

@@BulletproofCycling thank you - exactly right. I can recover quickly, but not quickly enough to get back on the train! Will give this a go as I train over the winter.

[@thedavidhodgson]

Great video, thanks! Quick question - should my carb intake during a 3hr ride be less if I'm 100% in Z2? I wouldn't mind shedding the odd pound...

[@allancollie2823]

Coach says you lose pounds in the kitchen and not on the bike.

[@simonb6058]

Always fuel for the ride. And remember to eat right post ride too.

[@BulletproofCycling]

You will generally be around 40-50g per hour in zone 2 - I share a calorie formulae as well for rough calculations in my Skool page. You can check calories from your cycling computer from previous 3 hour rides 👍👍👍👍

[@stevemahoney1733]

After close to 170,000 k's ridden I've become serious about Zone 2 training. Watched, heard, read quite a few opinions about where my Zone 2 is exactly. both Power & HR. Heart Rate calculates out to approx. 113 to 125 bpm, I'm 60 years old.. It's never felt right. My power numbers are low at 120-125 as well. When I ride 130-135 bpm, everything falls into place. Funny my most recent threshold numbers is 153/ 154 bpm.....20 beats below...imagine that, 133 bpm. Sold. Thank you. Gotta give these numbers a couple months effort. Now, how do I reset my Heart Rate Zones?

[@ramunasmacius1988]

I have the opposite problem - drift to zone1 in my planned zone2 rides

[@BulletproofCycling]

Not the wurst problem to have but you can easily fix that 👍

[@Chris_Rides_Bikes]

Hi Coach! So, just so I understand completely, we should be able to talk or speak (or both) while in Zone 2? As you said speaking ups our autonomic response.. I guess singing is a good substitute.. My Wahoo will tell me my Z2 tops out around 119 (5 zones with a max HR of 170 based 220 - age).. guess I'll try a 20 min FTP soon.. do I just take my avg for that period and minus 20 per what you said in the video? Thanks!!

[@BulletproofCycling]

I did a video about singing the chorus of fav song and nasal breathing - I’ll go over that again - 👍👍👍👍👍

[@nailbomb3]

@@BulletproofCycling I can't seem to find this video. is it on here somewhere? Brilliant channel btw, chapeau!

[@alissandrobautista5874]

Now I can confirm I'm in zone 2 since when I can sing while pedalling. 😅

[@BulletproofCycling]

Love it 😍

[@terrillford7784]

Coach would you recommend going caffeine free for z2 HR?

[@BulletproofCycling]

Experiment with and without?

[@terrillford7784]

@@BulletproofCycling thank you

[@vas1010]

So if 20 beats below threshold is the upper limit, what’s the lower limit ?

[@BulletproofCycling]

20 is rough guide but it’s usually close. Another 20 below that helps with lower end

[@Gledii]

im not sure, but for me it seems that im not pushing enough to reach the Zone 2 and im doing about 28km/h on a flat road. i can sing easily some iron maiden songs :P. avg heart beat about 80bpm...am i doing too soft? cheers

[@BulletproofCycling]

It’s possible - use 20 beats below your threshold hr as your upper guide - your breathing rate will be great guide - experiment as it sounds like you have progressed your cv system well 👍

[@Gledii]

@@BulletproofCycling thank you :)

[@pharentsinkala3918]

Strava and my wahoo says my zone 2 starts at 127-133. Where as training peak my zone 2 starts at 133-144. Which one should I stick to?

[@BulletproofCycling]

If you have a threshold hr then use 20 bears below that as upper z2 as a guide - experiment with breathing - also check your zone ranges - it may be you have 6 zones in TP and 5 in Strava??

[@pharentsinkala3918]

@@BulletproofCycling my training peak is showing 7 zones 🤦

[@janspreuwers2102]

Hi had a ride of 75k today mean heartrate is 133 . Drove 66% of teh time in powerzone 1 and 2 I am 60 years old when i calculate my zone 2 ... it is only 120 I have the feeling that at heartrate of 130 i am still in some kind of comfort zone I'd like to believe that the calculated zone 2 (hb 120) is too low Any thoughts? Thanks

[@joerenner8334]

How did you measure your zones?

[@BulletproofCycling]

Lot in there but mean HR is not a great value if you have 37% HR above zone 2 - this can equate to double that number in tempo and above power ranges. The spiking and surging changes the usage of glycogen etc - I don’t want to bore you but consider using your threshold hr - what is your peak 20 mins that you can hold. It is also possible to use 92% of max hr but I rarely use this due to many other issues - so you may have to test 20 min Heart Rate again - just set a 30 min challenging course and ride it hard - take the 20 min average from that (or the last 20 mins if your device doesn’t work out peaks) use this number to set zones 👍👍👍👍

[@7orx]

How long should a Z2 session be at a minimum? Is a 15minute commute already helping or not really?

[@PhiyackYuh]

45mins

[@BulletproofCycling]

There is no set rule as everyone is at different points in their fitness. If you commute both in and home then consider adding mins to the home journey if you can. Maybe you try this 2 days and week and increase to 30-40-60 mins over the next month?

[@MultiEski]

@@BulletproofCycling what about long ride/training ? Do I have to do 2,3,4h ? Or 90min is more than enough? For a newbie rider ? I’m doing 3-4days a week around 45-90min and not sure is this is enough 😢

[@randyhale4181]

What if you can't afford a power metre can you use just your heart rate monitor?

[@BulletproofCycling]

HR and RPE work fine 👍

[@banjophonist7632]

So my actual Zone 2 by lactate is actually my Zone 3 by heart rate?

[@BulletproofCycling]

👍 it could be but listen to your breathing and your feel

[@ridley8340]

Zone 2 being 65-85% FTP seems awfully high? Coggan lists it at 56-75% which makes my Z2 (with FTP of 320) at 180-240 watts, at 85% it would be 272 watts, which does not seem right for me?

[@BulletproofCycling]

There are lots of zone calculators out there but you’ll find yours with some trial and experiments - going to the top of zones is often a natural path but remember that using any % of a test (that was not designed to measure your metabolic responses at zone 2) will cause a big range. I would suggest using your experience as your FTP is high you will have high level of training experience. Aim to trial with 65% for an hour and see how it goes - use your heart rate and breathing rate plus feel to gauge it. You’ll find your level 👍👍👍

[@ridley8340]

@@BulletproofCycling Thank you for your response, I do have a high level of experience and am happy with my levels, but watching this video made me doubt it. Your explanation about range is a good one which leaves me happy with how I am measuring it. Actually riding more to HR for Z2 with an eye to power. A great series of videos recently on Zone 2 btw, one of the best I have watched which is why I subscribed.

[@kevinmehalski8900]

I'll have 25% more salary thanks coach.😁

[@BulletproofCycling]

😂👍👍in the post 👍

[@christopherreid6972]

I have a bad habit of getting too involved in my cycle rides. I’m a dick

[@BulletproofCycling]

Haha no you are not - it happens 👍