Why Riding Slower Makes You Faster: The Secrets Of Zone 2 Training

Do you need to train hard to get better as a cyclist? Many believe high intensity training is the best way to build strength on the bike, but according to Dr Iñigo San Millán, coach to Tadej Pogačar at UAE Team Emirates, this is a myth. He is a leading advocate of Zone 2 training, or endurance training, to build aerobic capacity. Si met with him to find out what this is all about.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:41 How does riding slower make you faster?
04:43 What is a zone 2 effort?
06:45 How much zone 2 training should you do?
09:37 When should you do high intensity efforts?
10:52 How can you make the most of your time?
12:17 Is there a benefit to riding in zone 3?
13:56 How much zone 2 training does Pogačar do?
15:38 How does this apply to everyday life?
20:11 Summary
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[@gcn]

What did you make of this interview with Iñigo?

[@ajc_7]

Absolutely fascinating, definitely gonna start implementing some zone 2 into a few rides a week!

[@aragonarathorn5713]

Interview was great! Hardest part is being disciplined to do Z2. Fighting the ego when a rider passes you. I went from doing 19 km/h at Z2 to 30km/h at the same Z2 heart rate in 4 months. Takes practice. GCN training needs to come out with some scenic 90minute Z2 rides that we can follow on the turbo. Record the presenters doing a Z2 easy ride from the bike and release it once a week. With them talking and make it fun. Similar to this by SAFA Brian kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJPWiIyPqbSWfM0

[@alinapopescu872]

This information has no relevance to me; I don't train, I just ride my bike in the park. But it sounds terribly complicated. And it brings back memories of other doctors coaching other cyclists, frankly.

[@Volkmannx]

Realizing I've been in zone 1 all the time 😅

[@gregpirtle1109]

I used a 90% Z2 training plan for ultramarathon running and it absolutely works. My aerobic endurance has never been better. When I picked up cycling, I carried over this type of training and it has worked out really well on the bike too.

[@jeffackackly1927]

I have stage four cancer and was told that I had 4-6 months.. 10 years ago now. I am a very old roadie and extremely interested in this type of interviews/ research. I honestly believe that my bike has kept me alive. Great interview

Big words here. Keep it up!

[@AR-lz2br]

It is known that cancer cells need high amounts of glucose in order to lie and grow and once you restrict glucose, they may stop growing, so yes, practicing endurance sport helps the body eliminate the excess of glucose due to today's high carb diets.

[@AR-lz2br]

**live not lie

[@sixfeetbelowhell]

so happy you're still with us

[@ffskierdune6226]

@@AR-lz2br It's not as simple as you state. Healthy cells also require glucose and there's no way of telling our bodies to let healthy cells have the glucose they need, but not give it to the cancer cells.

[@twin1westie]

I worked under Dr. San Millan for 5 years in his Colorado lab and also hung on to every word he said. He is brilliant, making a huge impact with his research and great at breaking down and explaining complex physiological concepts!

[@gcn]

Truly a legend!

[@luzzyrogue]

If possible, you can dedicate your precious time and knowledge to advise amateur cyclings. Thanks

[@johnpenner1318]

I’m working on this. I rarely ride over 10 hrs/week. A lot of 6-7 hr weeks but I’m going to put as much as I can into training like this.

[@ironmantooltime]

@@johnpenner1318 the way i think about it isn't necessarily"get faster" but avoid burnout and injury. Maybe that's just because I'm old though 😜

[@paulzweers784]

Phil Maffetone approach. Mark Allen was his pupil. Formule 180-age = zone 2 with adjustments.

[@ptkewl]

Having this level of information for free is just incredible. Thanks GCN!

[@james5150]

Then Peter Attia's interviews with Dr San Millán will BLOW YOUR MIND! 😊

[@ptkewl]

@@james5150 I'll be sure to check those. I'm just now diving into these subjects because I don't want to make in cycling the same mistake I did in running: too hard too often. Cheers.

[@mohdhelme6180]

Absolutely 👍👍👍

[@brezdog4623]

I've been training slow since I started riding a bike...? It doesn't work, i'm still flipping slow! 😂😂

[@gcn]

😂 Maybe you need to go _even_ slower??!

[@brezdog4623]

@@gcn Fantastic video. Inigo was very insightful and informative. Interesting parallels with 'body building' training processes - I.e. working energy systems and using steady state cardio (Z2) / deload weeks to clear lactate after periods of high intensity training.

[@david100483]

Can confirm! Cheers fellow slow rider!

[@Sprocketboy1956]

@@gcn Any slower for me and I will fall over!

[@pshar8674]

same - cycling for a month and ave speed is still 12 mph 😆

[@mattdubya]

This really explains why when I was commuting by bike I was always so much stronger/faster than when only training via turbo with occasional outdoors. Zone 2 always seemed to be the right intensity for the commute. Of course, I was also 10 years younger at the time...

[@LoscoeLad]

Yesss exactly that. I was so slim in Japan, cycling to work in a shirt, and this only going zone two.. But regularly, and I think having to work, rather than sitting in the sofa, also maintained my metabolism

[@mogwai888]

Oh. Very good point. Especially given xovid and lack of commuting.

[@TheSteinbitt]

Perhaps riding your bike twice a day contributed as well:p

[@kelvs45]

especially riding in traffic. the constant braking, slowing down, ramping up again, full stops then oops forgot to switch to the lower chainring then the traffic resumes, it all adds to the training. the bumps on the road? additional plates to your bar in gym terms.

[@jameslee-pevenhull5087]

This is the way I train. I ride a 'Slow, Steady distance' from home to my son's home 90 miles away. A small amount of soreness but no D.O.M.S. I share out grinding ( uphill ) and spinning. BTW, longest gear on my touring bike is 75 inches, and when it's loaded, its 32 lb. I manage my intake and rest at cafes along the route. Essential to stretch out before getting going. PS. I'm 62.

[@Alimukz]

90 milers at 62, I'll be aiming for that in 30 years time, legend

[@jameswitte5676]

Make sure you stretch at the end also. Keep enjoying the 🚴

[@acanfield87]

Awesome! SSD was always a staple of base training for years.

[@paulmcknight4137]

@@acanfield87 Well, they also called it "LSD," "long slow distance," back in the '70s, something like the first 1000 miles after the winter layoff to burn off the fat and get everything working.

[@spikesmundranos3308]

Yes! I’ve been taking ‘LSD’ since I first started riding in the 80’s 😮! I think I’ve been practicing/benefiting from Zone 2 training for years and not aware of it. I’m 68 now 😂

[@adambuttenshaw]

I have to be honest and say that I haven’t been a fan on GCN content for a while but this interview of absolute gold. Well done Simon on great questions, style and a really good summary at the end. One of the best videos I’ve seen on KZbin. 👏🏻

[@ironmantooltime]

Haterz gonna hate 😉

[@quantumdecoherence1289]

@@ironmantooltime haters? "Reviewing" sponsored gear with conflict of interest claims is being a hater? Dipsh*t

[@ironmantooltime]

@@quantumdecoherence1289 sorry darling, looks like you were deleted 😘

[@triparadox.c]

@@ironmantooltime criticism = hate nowadays. Snowflake generation.

[@samlin8089]

agree, simon is a great interviewer.

[@thelawnexperiment2142]

As a reminder. Your Zone 2 will change as you gain endurance, so don't think your giving up fitness. Be positive about your outcome from a 3 day focus in Z2. You will see results! Keep it up GCN, we need these interviews.

[@gcn]

Great point. As Iñigo says, Tadej Pogačar's zone 2 is serious power output!

[@LoscoeLad]

Already seen a huge difference after my first 4 days!

[@47Seagull]

I've been following this training regime for 7 months. Yes my zones have changed positively, but whilst I have been using the 80/20 idea, I've lost 11 watts of power and my strength has decreased terribly. Personally I think as individuals we should be looking at "what fits me best". Sorry to put a damper on the discussion.

[@xAudiolith]

​@@47Seagull then your nutrition or recovery might be off. How on top of your nutrition are you? Are you taking supplements like magnesium, Omega 3, zinc, vitamins, etc? Enough protein and carbs? Do you fuel during your workouts? Do you stretch daily? Sleeping enough? Honestly all these points unlocked crazy fitness for me in terms of endurance and strength training. Injury free too so far. One thing I did notice with higher volume / lower intensity training is you gotta fuel up before, during and after your sessions.

[@paperjourni8964]

this might be a weird question but how do you measure when your zones have changed? how do you determine that or what is even meant by that? I come from running so not completely uaware of the concept but just don‘t get that

[@adamgriss2025]

I absolutely loved this ❤! Please make more of theses sports performance and science based videos.

[@gcn]

Thanks Adam

[@james5150]

I encourage you to listen to Peter Attia's excellent interviews with Dr San Millán if you interested to dig deeper 🙂

[@adamgriss2025]

@@james5150 Attia, Endurance Planet, Andrew Huberman, and of course Dylan Johnson (especially for despite backwards cap Dylan take on things) are my go-to podcasts for related information. I missed the one you mentioned so that going up on my playlist today! 🙏🏻 thanks.

[@RealityB]

Definitely, we all know cycling and exercise are healthy for you but when you learn more about how healthy and how to make the most of your time it makes all this exercise even more motivating 🙏💪👍

[@erikhals1541]

Time crunched, pushing 50 weekend warrior here. This was the single best GCN video I've ever seen. Zone 2 is a critical oversight in everything I've ever done and just from hearing this I believe this will have the single biggest impact on my training. Thank you!

[@bradsanders6954]

Its worked for me. Ive ended up doing 3 local group rides per week, and at about zone 2 for 2 hours or so per ride..........and I kept thinking this cant be doing much for me. But its fun and I kept doing the rides. For well over a year and a half. Coming back from getting a new knee put in, and some years off due to the knee. I wasnt showing much improvement on the occasional climbing ride.............but then something happened, and my pace now keeps picking up, and up. I'm going better overall than I was 30 years ago. I'm 65 and I keep ending up at the front on climbs ,some riders in their 40's and they are busting a gut trying to beat me. Obviously we arent racers. But I'm always competitive no matter what, I'm enjoying be able to just pick up and go on climbs, and cruise at a good pace on flat. 22mph is fine for a long time. Its all about the fun.

[@acelito5033]

How’d it go?

[@craig8694]

As a novice rider that enjoys cycling SOOO much as it is the catalyst for my weight loss and maintenance for the last three years, I appreciate your sharing this VALUABLE information and presented in a way that my novice brain can put it to use. A+++

[@gcn]

Thanks Craig! The brilliant thing is, is that we can all incorporate this into our riding, and see improvements!

[@simpinainteasy680]

I suck, but I'm healthy and feel pretty darned good. I once read elite level athletes only hit it hard once a week, the rest is training like this guy says. Best gains in lifting are ay 70% of one rep max effort. Mike Metzler worked some good suff on not overtraining in bodybuilding back in the 70s-80s

[@essray]

I did zone 2 last offseason to condition for mountain biking because I was recovering from shoulder surgery. My second ride of the season resulted in a PR. Basically I was conditioned equally to the end of the season.

[@Si_Stannard]

This is the only thing I miss about my daily commute and not doing it anymore. 5 days 1hr per day Z2 just to get to work. It was a great free workout, the fitness level was so high with this as a base.

[@XavenMonsalud]

I’m 13 years old and learned about zone 2. I train 3 days in zone 2 and 1 day in all out training. I’ve been riding my road bike for 7 months now. I remember that early on, I couldn’t even finish the race. Now, I’m CAT 4 and competing agains older men.

[@gcn]

Awesome Xaven!

[@daniboi4067]

Great Stuff 👍

[@Abnsdllnnlosnfd]

Dude, at the age of 13 you improve irrespective of what you actually do on your bike😂

[@greggsenne1268]

I've made some progress in the last two months by putting most of my time in the saddle in zone 2. I notice the improvement on sprints over short hills. Feels good to blast over my favorite bumps faster with less thigh burn. This video confirms what I'd suspected. BTW, I'm 66.

[@bradsanders6954]

Good on ya, I'm 65 and giving it bloody hell. Ive never been better than mid to back of pack on climbs. Now I'm going better than when I was 30. (I wasnt fast then) It really surprises me, I seem to go better every ride out. Almost 2 years of around zone 2 group rides seems to have worked..it takes much time to make it happen. For me anyway.

[@richardchristy5408]

Do you refer to zone 2 effort or zone 2 heart rate?

[@fabianwylie8707]

Really please you posted this up , definitely feeling wipe out with intense rides and now I know a super way with all the advice to get back in the game ❤🚴‍♂️

[@RafaelFaenir]

Amazing interview and such valuable information! Thanks GCN for arranging this and giving us basically the whole conversation, super interesting stuff! Also, Si knows how to talk to a scientist! As one myself, that kind of interest in the whole field (not only the bike specific things) strikes a sting in my heart too!

[@arthursilva.adv23]

Iñigo's words absolutely match with my personal experience. I was freaking out about getting faster and doing all that high intensity trainnings, but got into a plateau. Then I saw some other guys in the internet saying you could improve your performance by taking it easier. I tryed it. Guess what? It worked. So now I always do some Z2 trainings.

[@JLW3113]

I think this was my favorite video you've done to date. Not only did it have a wealth of easy-to-understand information for all levels of riders, I found Dr. San Millan a joy to listen to. He explained things so well! I'd love to see more content like this on the channel. Well done.

[@flamehairdisaster1]

Thank you, Simon. I really enjoyed watching and learning from Inigo, and I really appreciate listening to full, articulate and intelligent responses, of which most mainstream news media outlets would only be interested in producing and releasing soundbites. It heartens me to know that GCN respect their audience and their intelligence. Great work, and really great interviewing!

[@alexsheppard2706]

That was one of the best videos you guys have done love it when you talk to experts and get more into the science behind health and fitness on the bike

[@bikeyclown4669]

Having done my fair share of overtraining, I appreciate what this guy is saying. There is nothing worse than putting more energy into training and seeing results get worse. Not to mention the night sweats and low quality sleep that comes with overtraining. What's interesting about what he's advocating is how similar it is to the way it was suggested that riders should train in the 80's.

[@dosadosa112]

We tackled assembling the bike as a family project. kzbin.infoUgkxzg0clhbtRf2gGxPkVETFKJJKGqdsorQu The package is heavy, but I have 2 teen boys that were able to move it. The written instructions were great- we didn't need to watch the videos, but it was good knowing that the option was there if we needed it. After we were able to get it set up, the boys each rode 3 miles and I rode 8 and the bike stayed quiet. The display is easy to reset, and you can put it on whichever setting you are using (time, distance, calories, etc). I will say that my butt is a little sore from the seat, but that could be because I haven't rode in a while. While it is comfortable for me, it was not comfortable with the seat position for my friend (could not move the seat back far enough and he slightly looked like a kid riding a tricycle that he had outgrown). He also said that the seat hurt his manly parts. We are going to look for a different seat that will be compatible with this bike for him.I did purchase the Wahoo Cadence sensor and strapped it to the crank of one of the pedals. This will sync with my Apple Watch, iPhone and will import data in to my Health app. Wahoo does have other sensors available other than cadence. I can also keep either my phone or my iPad on the display and they both feel pretty secure.

[@siyz250]

Love hearing from professionals in specific fields as they relate to cycling. Thank you GCN for being the conduit, channeling us this information. Great interview. Si, Christchurch, NZ.

[@russellgould9230]

What a fascinating and useful interview. Well done, Simon! (I am a big fan of lots of Zone 2 work.)

[@nigel7383]

A great educational interview, and very interesting to hear how one field of study could potentially benefit athletes of all levels, our general health and well-being, as well as cancer treatment too. Thank you to GCN and Dr Iñigo San Millán for creating this video.

[@timcarnes3467]

That was a banger of an interview. chocked full of great information and solid ideas. Thanks Si and Dr San Milan

[@markbentley167]

Great and very interesting video. keep up the good work. I have been pushing too hard every time I jump on the back and, instead of making me stronger, I have peaked and now I'm getting weaker. I'm definitely going to be doing more zone 2.

[@James1980-]

That was really interesting. Like the thought of either training the slow twitch system or fast twitch. It's made me realise that a lot of the time I don't keep the 2 separate. Quite often I sprint over a rise and he's made me realise that may be making the training less effective.

[@PedroTD]

That was one of the best explanation I've heard on base training. You always hear that base is important, but explained that way will surely help me. I do push almost in all of my bike ride, and I do suffer from time to time of really debilitating leg cramps. I think now I do understand what may be the issue, and I'll surely refrain myself on pushing that hard in every rides so that I do build my "base". Thanks again GCN for that incredible interview !

[@paulthomas3035]

This is so informative, thank you Simon and GCN (and Inigo). Much more explanation than I have ever heard!

[@brokerusa]

Thank you so much for this video. Now we have a reason to enjoy the ride, appreciate the view and have a nice talk to friends and most important “we are training”. Great job.

[@orbifold4387]

Great interview! I had already listened to Iñigo in the Peter Attia podcast, and I highly recommend checking those out if anyone is interested in the details, but this one goes straight to the main points of Z2 training. Iñigo is also the guy who introduced low intensity pedaling after a race to clear out excess lactate.

[@greenhat7618]

The importance of LISS training is quite common knowledge in the distance running community but the general public doesn’t seem to know much about it, I appreciate you sharing this knowledge to more people with the huge platform you got.

[@ScoDers18]

This is EXCELLENT content from GCN, seriously love this interview and how informal it is to all cyclists. Bravo GCN👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@willpollak4795]

Awesome vid with some great info. As other's commented, we need some 1-1.5-2-3 hrs zone 2 training videos for this winter.

[@seattlegrrlie]

Great interview! Interesting stuff. I've seen huge improvement this last year in overall fitness by doing a lot of zone two during the week... with a bit of intervals or hill climbs added in... but mostly zone two improving my baseline.

[@jasonwaters382]

Thank you for doing this!!! I Have been doing 3-5 hours of zone 2 for the past year because of Inigo San Milan. I also have been doing GCN workouts for almost 4 years. Love this!

[@geraintjones6401]

Fascinating stuff. I learn't about Z2 training a while ago and have incorporated it into my ruckmarch endurance training. I dug out my trusty old 1990 Stumpy and began cycling a month ago to maintain my cardio while recovering from shin splints (got carried away with the rucking one week and did too much too fast) and although I'm only about 125 miles in, I've found myself falling back into the harder/faster training trap again. Time to re-evaluate. Thanks.

[@cesc1495]

Thanks GCN! Please more of these videos!

[@dutypaidrock]

Was planning on making this winter predominantly Z2 after overtraining the last two winters. Glad I saw this as it was getting tempting to just go hard as that's so ingrained.

[@ironmantooltime]

Lol you know you're still going to overtrain 😂

[@dutypaidrock]

@@ironmantooltime 😆 yup, probably...

[@askmeaboutmattweiner]

In rowing this is talked about as base speed training. It's been well recognized in the community that base speed training is essential to get faster. Glad to see this is actually supported.

[@james5150]

Weirdly enough I find it difficult to reach Zone 2 when rowing (unless I push hard), which seems counterintuitve given rowing engages more muscles than cycling. 😊

[@therider4909]

It used to be the basis for many UK club rides in the past, youngsters were advised "little ring until Spring" and "Winter miles mean Summer smiles" but it became unpopular because it requires patience and consistency - riders with egos thought that winning town sign sprints in January was important. When HIIT training and Zwift soared in popularity these longer rides were maligned unfairly as 'junk miles' but we now know that the polarised method is still valid for recreational and amateur cyclists as well as professionals. I've been doing this for a while now and find zone 2 type riding is more fun and I can enjoy the ride and my surroundings much better if I'm not so focussed on making every ride a hard one in an attempt to get fitter.

[@oliverkoch2129]

One of the most interesting GCN videos in a while. Keep similar content coming.

[@co2588]

this could be the most informative and life changing GCN. video ever.. Some high powered concepts that were very well explained. Thanks GCN

[@stevejenks9735]

another great GCN info cast. Totally agree that this 'polarised' system of training is the way to go, as Tony Gibb said 'Know how to take easy days really easy so I could do hard days really hard. If you don’t do that you end up training at 90% all the time. Never hard enough to make a big difference and never easy enough to fully recover.' By the way - a pleasure to meet you in Cafe Nero in Ross Simon.

[@chriscourtenay2311]

Great interview and very interesting. I have heard of intermittent fasting but would like to know more about the fasting referred to in the interview and how it works for cycling. Excellent videos as always. Keep it up.🎉

[@frankvandoorn]

What an awesome topic and interview! I have a horrible time riding in Zone 2. Im encouraged by the head of the racing team I’m on to put in more time at zone 2, and I just slough it off and hit another HIT session. I’m 66 now but in my youth I was an international level track and field sprinter - 100m, 200m and 400m. I had the personal moto ‘if I can’t go fast I don’t go’. I hated long slow runs then, still do. My brain says I’m a greyhound, but my heart now says no you’re not. This interview has given me a new perspective on zone 2 riding and much to think about. Thank you Simon and GCN for doing this program.

[@hubertdeferaudy5412]

absolutely awesome interwiev Simon. Thank you so much for that. cheers!

[@benjaminsimmonds2269]

Thank you for making this video! I too have fallen into the trap of doing intense training sessions all the time thinking it will help me improve

[@gcn]

It can be really hard to take a step back as it feels we're not improving when actually we are!

[@dejeneabebe6751]

Thank you for you making how to ride bike.

[@RenaissanceWW]

Fascinating to draw the link with metabolism and cancer treatment as well as his statements about how nothing has changed and we need to push into new lines of thought. So I can tell my non cyclist friends who shake their head at me when I get excited about a race that pro cycling is contributing to cancer research. Thank you Dr. San Millan. Go CU!

[@TheRst2001]

Yes been doing alot of reading lately on how to reverse types diabetes , best diet etc . Fasting has come up alot . There is a lot of hype around, even with Dr making false claims on utube . I watch nutrition made simple lots of science information on healthy diet. But yes there is evidence on how fasting can slow some cancers and speed up other cancers . But no doubt an active life style , healthy bmi bodyweight low calorie intake and healthy foods can make a real difference on cancer and diabetes

[@jpstez5271]

Thanks for the content!! It makes sense when he explains it. There has been a lot of talk in running in recent years that is similar, train slow to go fast.

[@sherikramer8582]

I love when someone is both brilliant and humble, such a rare combination 👍👍👍

[@jamessara4663]

A new cyclist here! Bought a bike following the UCI road world championships coming to town and I'm obsessed. Thanks for another great video

[@robertkeefer1552]

After some health issues I'm now back on the bike. I didn't realize how much I missed it. This video was very informative. I'm 71 and now getting back on the saddle. There's definitely fire left in the furnace!!

[@kevinserna4779]

Amazing sir!

[@carlmarch9591]

Great effort mate

[@stefanaugust2728]

thank you so much for this video - and PLEASE: tell us MORE! this truly touches the heart of our hobby.

[@zzhughesd]

Love this GCN, watched 2/3 times now. Just a great piece of content

[@thejonesy01]

I watched some of his KZbin videos about 12 months ago and it was a lightbulb moment for me and have been using z2 indoors ever since and getting my high intensity outdoors only. I'm not a competition or club rider, just recreational, but it has definitely made me a stronger rider and helped me to lose weight at the same time. It feels counter-intuitve at first, but you soon feel the benefits. For us mere mortals there are some z2 calculators out there, but use with a pinch of salt - the being able to talk while riding is a good indicator. Also be aware there are different z2's, some are part of a 5 zone and some part of a 7 zone intensity level set up.

[@ashleyhouse9690]

@thejonesy66 Interestingly, I pretty much do the reverse. I prefer to do my zone 2 work out on the road with longer, steady rides and my VO2 max intervals on the trainer. There's too many variables out on the road to control the intervals properly I find unless you just do hill repeats.

[@inz_uzi]

@@ashleyhouse9690 Same here.

[@AR-lz2br]

@@ashleyhouse9690 Correct, it is better to do your high intensity workouts on a trainer which are shorter compared to zone 2 long rides and gives you the facility to maintain the desired power under a control environment.

[@ManuelMartinez09]

Interesting, I'm recovering from a collar bone fracture so only indoors for now but normally I do almost only high intensity on the trainer... how long shoud be this Z2 sessions indoor?

[@z33r0now3]

As a mountain biker I am interested in this topic too. I wanted to get more serious with training the right way but enjoy cycling outdoors so much, I can never stick to Zone 2 and keep pushing because I enjoy exhausting myself so much. Same with skiing, as ex racer I can only enjoy max angle full send. Maybe I need to do the opposite approach aswell.

[@steverich7671]

I inadvertently did a big chunk of zone 2 work by doing a cycle tour over 7 weeks across europe. I came back home and 3 weeks later did a standard distance triathlon after what I thought was no training and set a 15 minute pb for the cycle. In fact I did a 13 min pb for the whole event so the daily low intensity cycling was a huge fitness benefit to me.

[@gcn]

those cycle tourists are fitter than they let on! 👀 Well done on the PB 🙌

[@mick6ful]

Best GCN video I have seen in a long time. Thank you. Please interview more world class people like this.

[@richardportelance7810]

This was so helpful, what an incredible resource. Thank you for sharing - one of the most beneficial videos I watch in a long while.

[@stevegreene9149]

As a keen Z3 cyclist and cancer survivor (I had half my right lung removed last year), this video was right on point, thanks! Great questions from Simon and very clearly answered by Iñigo! I am certainly guilty of training way too hard, way too long and then being so tired that I wouldn't be able to do the really high intensity training at the top end. Whilst I knew this was an issue, it is hard when you're riding with a group that likes to push hard! I have found the solution though, as I have also now have Atrial Fibrillation so have been forced to reduce intensity and duration of my riding. This may well be as a result of too much training and riding generally in Zone 3/4, so don't make my mistake and listen to Iñigo everyone!

[@gcn]

Bike! Now that sounds good! 🏎

[@TommyJazz1]

I was a keen long distance runner with many marathons under my belt. Also, big into the high intensity stuff back then. I also developed A Fib and had to have an ablation which worked great TG. This appears to be a common enough condition among endurance athletes but you need to look after your heart and not push too hard continuously. Doing a lot more cycling these days and sticking to Zone 2.

[@davidkennedy4845]

Rest, too, is an important part of a training program and often overlooked/ignored.

[@biketrybe7071]

Awesome. This is definitely one of the most directly applicable videos for us mortal cyclists that I've seen on GCN. Very much appreciated and very well presented by Si. Thank you.

[@rasmus_mattsson]

Absolutely superb interview. As a recovering cancer patient my self the ending especially was very interesting. The question whether to mix in high intensity or not in a zone 2 workout was something I've been wanting to know as well. Thanks for sharing!

[@goldenyogis]

As both a triathlete and a cancer survivor, I loved this interview! Thank you!

[@sabaffira]

Speaking in sentences: Zone 1 in phrases: Zone 2 in words: Zone 3 Grunts: Zone 4

[@stephenwepener4571]

It’s really great to hear a professional voicing what I’ve been saying for years. Trouble is people ain’t patient enough. There is no quick fix, just Frequency, Functional and Fun. Best video I’ve seen in a while 👏🏻 ❤. Well done GCN.

[@fender1000100]

Lack of PATIENCE is the reason most people fail in life.

[@marksmithWLC]

Excellent content. Really insightful - I’ve been doing low zone 2 until I watched this. I’ll have to relearn my biochemistry as it makes perfect sense!

[@238949]

Fascinating insightful video if a little hard to follow in places, love these type of uploads x

[@JeffCole60]

Fantastic information. As a cancer patient, I found the section on the causes of cancer particularly informative. I also liked the information on Zone 2 training. That is something I will do once I am back on my bike. Dr. San Millian is a brilliant, multi-talented man.

[@murphyia1980]

Wishing you the best with your illness, Jeff. Look forward to you being out on the bike in due time 👍

[@JeffCole60]

@@murphyia1980 Thank you. I appreciate your good wishes.

[@Jean-jk4zv]

Awesome timing cause I pushed too hard this week while being sick and took a day off to ride even more, but I feel so tired today I don't wanna go out 😅 watching gcn and bike videos is a good alternative 🎉

[@starlitshadows]

I skipped work to rest today from 3 days of riding. I'm doing exactly the same watching these videos. I'm calling it active recovery 😂

[@aethylwulfeiii6502]

Amateurs. A professional knows you don’t try to win the work outs.

[@CatManDoSocial]

Thank you all, especially Iñigo. This is great.

[@User85306]

One of de rare very good and competent videos concerning sportphysiology/sportscience! Thank you!

[@vlogsbyakkas343]

slow is smooth, smooth is fast...a piece of advice that changed my entire training strategy

[@KarlosEPM]

Wise approach for most things in life. 🚲

[@jasonstevenson110]

A few years ago I experienced this. I simply rode my normal courses at an easy pace well within my limits and after a few months was setting PBs on the local climbs. I write this as I'm about to go for a 2-hour spin.

[@timgreenhalgh2016]

Just great to be reminded that zone2 really does work. And endless HIT schedules end in tears always! And heart rate training is not obsolete. All the measures are good to utilise when they work best. Thanks very much!

[@allanjohndeleon8183]

The interview was super amazing! His insights and passion to share what he knows is truly commendable. Can't wait to share this with my cycling group. Hope to learn a lot, lot more from GCN. Thanks!

[@davidthomas9079]

I can relate so much to this Zone 2 training. I`ve come back from having a brain tumor removed in 2020, i wanted to challenge myself to complete the Fred Whitton Challenge this year. I started a structured training (Spoked) last December and i thought the plan was far to easy after a couple of months mostly Z2. But it built a great base and by May i completed the Fred in 8hrs 34mins but i felt fresh at the end not burnt out. Then in October i went to Majorca for the first time in 3 years and smashed PB`s that i`d set 7 years ago. Zone 2 really does work. Great video.

[@mrmorrison5142]

That's the spirit dude, Z2 needs more love across the board, its broadly beneficial for so many things outside of riding 🤙🏾 congratulations on smashing those PBs 👌🏾

[@notmyrealname6272]

best interview on GCN hands down. What a great guy. Utterly fascinating. I started supporting Pogacar's charity after he mentioned it and started reading up on the metabolism thing re cancer. So interesting and hopeful. Having got into cycling as a way to get/keep fit and stay sane when I had cancer a few years ago no two topics could be closer to my heart. I wish them all the best with the research and hope so so much that this is the answer or start of one that we need so badly. (also going to do a quick reassessment of whether my zone 2 is actually zone 2...)

[@aleq]

Great to see an informative video from GCN! Great work guys!

[@themrtimmyboy]

Great questions Simon. Very informative and engaging interview. Thanks so much!

[@Jonas_Fox]

So glad to see Iñigo over here. I've been doing only fasted training for over a decade. It shaped everything I do and I can't imagine doing otherwise. I'm always trying to convince clients that part of their belly and their energy problems are one and the same but it's so hard to break people from the "fuel your workout with products" mentality.

[@shepshape2585]

He's talking about Polarized training. I've been doing Polarized training for years, so 80% - 90% of my riding is in zone 1 (polarized training uses only 3 zones) with 1 or 2 days a week used for super hard intervals. Zone 2 (tempo pace or "sweet spot") is really never used. And thus the problem riding with others. Every group ride out there is typically riding at sweet spot, hard but not hard enough, and too hard for zone 1. And if you try to find a local riding buddy, it's nearly impossible because most cyclists believe what SI believed which is you have to hammer it every time you're on the bike. So, most of my rides are solo, which is fine with me. Also, even if you find someone who agrees with the philosophy of polarized training, the odds that their zone 1 and your zone 1 are the same are pretty long.

[@PhiyackYuh]

I can guarantee you, pros used zone 2 in their training. Inigo just doesn’t say anything because SI does not ask the right questions. If you have pro hours to ride then follow that as black and white. Im sure an average weekend warrior only have 5 hours to train would not do just polarised training. It will always depends on the phases of training.

[@Jarek.]

Any tangible improvements from Polarized trainings? Cheers!

[@shepshape2585]

@@Jarek. Many. My ability to put in long miles without wearing myself out. I'm definitely faster and stronger than I was when I was doing like most others and just riding as fast as I could all the time. Plus there are other benefits. I actually enjoy riding when I do my zone 1 rides. I'm not going slow by any means, but I'm riding at a pace that actually allows me to enjoy the scenery, or talk with others I'm riding with. And there is much less burnout when the majority of your rides are endurance pace. So many cyclists I know end up taking time off the bike once or twice a year because they just get burned out from all the hammer fests. Cycling should always be enjoyable so you stay motivated to get on your bike. The minute it seems like work instead of fun, you're going to make excuses not to ride. Try it and see for yourself. 65-75% of your FTP is zone 1 in polarized training. Try riding at that pace for two hours and let me know how your legs feel. You'll be surprised at how much you'll feel it. Also, make sure you don't have any uncoupling. That means your heart rate should stay pretty much in the same range while riding at that zone. If it drifts up quite a bit, it's a sign that your fitness needs work. If after 30 minutes your heart rate is 125, and then after an hour it's 140, and after 90 minutes it's 145 or higher, that's not good. It should rise, but only a little. Let me know if you try it.

[@james5150]

Keep in mind that Dr San Millán's five zones are based on bioenergetics and how muscles utilise different energy systems at different intensities of exercise, so his reference to zone 2 may not be directly comparable to your reference of zone 2, but I understand you're making a general point 🙂

[@shepshape2585]

@@james5150 That's very true. In a 5 zone system, which is most often used, my zone 1 would be their zone 2, my zone 2 would be their zone 3-4, and my zone 3 would be their zone 5. Either way, it is generally understood that you get the most benefit from either endurance effort or high intensity intervals. Most people trod along somewhere in the middle, which is the least helpful zone to ride in.

[@RicardoMNogueiraMendes]

Great stuff. Congrats to Sy and all CGN team for this great content and very, very nice interview. Please bring us more 😏

[@valentinalonsoalvarez4956]

WOW!!! Definitely one of the BEST interviews in GCN. Awesome the knowledge if this Dr.

[@niallshakeshaft1524]

Great video! Have been quite a few videos on training advice recently. Why not pull it all together with a video or two on training plan design, that brings together all the insight from this video, the strength training video and your combined experience? I think it would help a lot of people, including me!

[@aethylwulfeiii6502]

Yeah periodization would be a good one.

[@MattSwain1]

I’d agree with what Si was saying at the end, that the Z2 described in the interview is probably slightly harder than I would have thought if you use the conversation measure as a guide. If I was asked I’d have said a full conversation is possible in Z2 so perhaps I can go a little harder and still be doing a valid Z2 ride

[@james5150]

Another useful indicator of Zone 2 is the highest intensity of exercise at which you can still breathe through your nose. As soon as you need to breathe through your mouth, you're pushing a little too hard. 🙂

[@staff0flag]

thank you for taking the time to bookmark the "chapters." Loads of help!

[@thomi9698]

Wow!!! What a guy. So much respect for what he's doing. Great interview Si, really like that the science in there applies improving cycling and general life for us mere mortals. Keep up the great work.

[@larter_larter]

I was trying it out on the indoor trainer today. Doing 100 minutes. It is extremely hard to stay in zone 2. Also, I have a hard time feeling "satisfied" afterwards. It's a mental thing, but I need to feel exhausted to mentally feel like it was a good session. But I'm not giving up. Dr Iñigo definitely knows what he's talking about. So much knowledge. Thanks for uploading the full interview.

[@credrod]

Cant you sprint at the end of your session?

[@secretbrad9259]

This video inspired me to have a go! Takes a load of concentration and self control to sit at z2 for over an hour! Let’s hope it works! Truly cycling inspiration thank you

[@twrkhanasparukh]

Short and sweet! Perfect explanation from the source. Thank you!

[@chrisgarwood2237]

Loved this, lots of great tips, great work by Si, great question and asking about the cancer, and the wrap up made this interesting post fascinating

[@dave136]

Thanks for posting this video guys…this is really interesting and relevant to get me out of the trap I have also fallen into without realising it👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@paulworth70]

Great interview and some fascinating insight into the complexities of the human body. Thanks Simon and GCN for this content, keep up the good work.

[@gcn]

Thanks Paul!

[@3dr1ch]

One of the best and most interesting GCN videos I’ve seen in ages. 🤓 Nice to have a video that’s just informative rather than flogging stuff or fooling around. 👍

[@micahvanderwiel617]

Really incredible interview, thanks for sharing! It would be cool to see more of this type of interview style on the channel! (or a GCN+ documentary?) Dr. Millan did a great job explaining the super complex mechanics of bioenergetics to the cycling audience. It was very interesting to hear that zone 3 is not particularly important for training since it's not stimulating zone two oxidative metabolism or the zone four glycolytic pathways. Totally agree with Si that it's hard to restrain those big efforts when the only challenging rides can happen on the weekends. Thanks!

[@swites]

Been there, done that! This makes sense. Z2 to get the body being efficient at using/clearing lactate and Z4+ for getting fast which produces lactate. Both systems need to be working well to get the best out of oneself. Scary how high pro's Z2 power tops out at though. Often above 290W's. Just crazy!

[@farikkun1841]

That must be some heavy riders, no?

[@swites]

@@farikkun1841 Not super heavy. Generally around 70/75kg

[@farikkun1841]

@@swites so 4W/kg for Z2,whoa

[@gseblonka]

Really loved this kind of content from you guys . Getting into the medical with at home tips from a phd to help diagnose your zones in training. And the detail . Loved it great questions. Maybe he would be down for some follow up questions from viewers presented and sorted through by gcn

[@james5150]

Listen to Peter Attia's excellent interviews with Dr San Millán if you interested to dig deeper 🙂

[@phillipstivi3947]

Absolutely fascinating! Please make more of theses videos on sports performance and science.