We’ve been building our exercise handbag—filling it with the essentials that help us feel strong, capable, and energized. But today, I want to pause and deviate from the usual narrative.
Let’s talk about Zone 2 training—the slow, steady cardio that so many fitness experts praise. You’ve probably heard it recommended as a cornerstone of endurance and heart health, but when we zoom in on the female body, the story isn’t as straightforward.
So, what exactly is Zone 2 training? And is it really as essential for women as we’ve been led to believe?
What is Zone 2 Training?
Zone 2 training is exercise performed at 60–70% of your maximum heart rate. In practice, it feels like this: you can carry on a conversation, but you’d be too breathless to sing.
Here’s a quick way to find your Zone 2 range:
First, calculate your max heart rate: 220 – your age.
Then, take 60–70% of that number.
For example, if you’re 30, your max heart rate is around 190. Zone 2 would land somewhere between 114 and 133 beats per minute.
The standard recommendation is 45–90 minutes of Zone 2, about 5 days per week. But here’s where things get interesting…
The Research Gap: Women vs. Men
Most Zone 2 research comes from male participants. That’s not unusual—unfortunately, exercise science has long overlooked female physiology.
So while Zone 2 has well-documented benefits in men, we can’t automatically assume those findings translate directly to women. And when we start to look at female-specific physiology, some key differences emerge.
Benefits of Zone 2 Training for Women
Zone 2 isn’t useless—far from it. For women, it can provide:
Cardiovascular benefits: supports heart health and endurance.
Fat oxidation & improved metabolism: training the body to use fat as fuel.
Active recovery & mental health: gentle movement between tougher sessions, plus the calming effects of steady-state cardio.
But here’s the catch—many of these benefits may not be as critical for women as they are for men.
The Drawbacks
Zone 2 isn’t always the best use of our limited time and energy.
Some potential downsides include:
Time inefficiency & guilt: Logging hours of Zone 2 can feel overwhelming, and not meeting the “recommended” volume often leads to guilt.
Limited stimulus for adaptation: It’s not intense enough to stimulate muscle or bone growth—critical for women as we age.
Not easy enough for true recovery: Sometimes it’s too taxing to be restorative.
Cortisol concerns: Prolonged moderate-intensity exercise can raise cortisol levels in women, especially when layered on top of life’s daily stressors.
Women’s Natural Metabolic Advantages
Here’s where it gets fascinating: women are already naturally efficient at many of the things Zone 2 is supposed to train.
We have superior mitochondrial function compared to men—the “powerhouses” of our cells.
Our muscles contain more type I (oxidative) fibers with high mitochondrial density.
We’re more metabolically flexible—switching between carbs and fats more efficiently.
We burn more fat and fewer carbs at the same relative intensity as men.
We store more fat inside muscle, making it easier to access for fuel.
In other words, women are already built for endurance and fat oxidation. So while Zone 2 can support these systems, it’s not as essential for us as it might be for men.
So, Should Women Skip Zone 2 Altogether?
Not necessarily. Zone 2 isn’t bad—it’s just not the most essential piece of the puzzle when building a well-rounded exercise routine.
Other training styles, like HIIT (high-intensity interval training) or SIT (sprint interval training), offer more efficient cardiovascular and metabolic benefits in a shorter time frame. Plus, strength training is key for preserving muscle and bone health.
That said, there are exceptions:
Training for a marathon or endurance event
Mental health benefits from steady-state movement
Active recovery on lighter days
The Polarized Approach
A growing body of research supports polarized cardiovascular training—essentially spending most of your time at the extremes (very easy or very hard), and avoiding the “middle zone.”
The breakdown looks like this:
75–80% low intensity (walking, light activity)
<10% moderate intensity (like Zone 2)
15–20% high intensity (HIIT, intervals)
When combined with strength training, this model has shown benefits across age groups—better metabolism, fat utilization, endurance, and body composition.
How to Fit Zone 2 Into Your Exercise Handbag
If you enjoy Zone 2 and want to keep it in rotation, here’s how to use it wisely:
1–2 sessions per week is plenty (unless you’re training for an endurance event).
Use it for active recovery or mental health, not as your primary training.
Mix it into daily life:
Brisk walks with friends
Easy bike rides
Dance cardio or flow-based Pilates
Jogging at a conversational pace
The bottom line? Zone 2 has its place—but it’s optional, not essential. Women can build a strong, well-rounded exercise routine without feeling chained to hours of steady-state cardio.
Zone 2 training isn’t harmful for women—it just doesn’t need to be the star of the show. Our exercise handbags should be filled with the essentials that truly move the needle: strength training, HIIT, recovery, and activities we actually enjoy. Zone 2? It can be the stylish accessory you pull out once in a while, not the everyday must-have.
In health & happiness,
Kelsy