Give This A Try: Zone Conditioning

In the past I have not written too kindly about conditioning, specifically, running. You can read about it here: Part I The Runners Dilemma: Feeling Great and Losing Weight

Now to set the record straight, I have never been wholly against running or conditioning in general. I just never got much joy out of either and I think long-distance running is still a bad choice for weight loss (that’s putting it kindly). 

As I have grown in wisdom and my hair has thinned with age I have come to respect conditioning a whole lot more for its health benefits and its ability to build mental toughness. I have even, dare I say it, started to run a few times a week. 

One of my favorite cardio formates is what I call Zone Conditioning (ZC). I find a lot of people have two gears while doing cardio: all-out and walk. This is excellent if you are sprinting or walking, but not if you are trying to give effort for a sustained period. 

What Is ZC: 

ZC is when you pick either a heart rate range or a heart rate percent range to stay in for a period of time. 

Example: Doing 20 minutes of cardio staying between 150-160bpm or 70-78% heart rate max. 

Why You Should Do ZC: 

Going back to my point of not knowing how to control your heart rate; most of us can push hard, or we can push not so hard. ZC teaches you to push in the intermediate range. 

To stay between 150-160bpm I have to be aware of how hard I am pushing myself. If I am dipping below 150bpm I need to pick it up, but not so much that I overshoot my top end of 160bpm. 

In the beginning it will feel odd, but over time you will be able to tell where your heart rate is based on your breathing and how you feel.

ZC is a key in not blowing all your energy right out of the start of a competition. It teaches you to control yourself so you don’t get overstimulated. 

For runners, it brings awareness and helps you learn to pace. ZC also teaches you how to up- and down-regulate your effort throughout an event so when the end comes, you have enough gas in the tank to push through. 

For people like me who don’t compete or run for competition, it is a fun way to do conditioning. It makes it a game while also teaching you to regulate energy so you can mow your lawn and cut a cord of firewood and not burn out because you went too hard at the beginning (oddly specific reference). 

When Should You Use ZC: 

I like to us ZC on days I want to do a lighter workout or as a recovery day. 

If You Didn’t Want To Read The Whole Article And Are Looking For The Headline That Says, “Putting It All Together.” 

• With a heart rate monitor, pick your favorite form of conditioning (run, bike, jump rope, etc.)
• For the next 20 to 60 minutes stay between 150-160bpm
• If you go below 150bpm pick up the intensity
• If you go over 160bpm, bring it back in

Try and find that sweet spot where you are not constantly yo-yo-ing. 

Give it a try and let me know what you think. 

Your Fitness Sherap,