Is Zone 3 Training A Waste Of Time?

If you do track your zones when exercising, which do you spend the most in? 🤔

Any zone is going to be better than the sitting on the lounge watching YouTube zone ;-)

As well as being useful to run at race pace, I also find that an hour’s run at zone 3 is best for clearing the mind

I’ve just started running and only have two zones. The Run zone and the Walk zone. One make my heart go fast, the other slow. Coincidentally, these are also my two paces.

As a lifelong runner who was coming into collegiate track/ cross right as "heart rate" training was becoming more prevalent-- I often think it's more important to get an understanding of where your body feels best. Most long-distance training is base miles. So building a strong foundation is key. This means some days; you're going to float in and out of zone 2 and 3. I think that after enough miles, you'll be able to get a decent understanding of what pace feels best (and where your heart rate falls). After years of running, I find that I hang out more in zone 3 (even on my longer runs), and it feels fine. Zone 2 is nice, but I often feel like I'm crawling along and basically walking.

Zone 2 running does not exist for me. Zone 2 is walking! Screw it I'm just gonna run in z3

So well explained, thankyou! I personally really enjoy zone 3 training and most of the media is raving about zone 2 and 80/20 so its nice to hear that zone 3 has its place

Thank you so much for this video, GTN! I naturally train in zone 3, either when I just pop out for a run without looking at the data, or when I am doing boxing and kickboxing sessions. I race in zone 3 mostly, so I found that familiar effort comforting and helps me to calm my nerves. Saying all that, I do try to stick to 80/20 when I am on a running training program.

An explainer that is very welcome 😊 It’s like it has become a battle between 80/20-training vs. high-intensive, when in reality it’s more about creating a good training setup with a mix of both zone 2 and zone 3 training, and some sessions in zone 4 (as Mark underscored in the video). Many thanks 🙏

Thanks Mark! Fully uncovered the topic as usual!! Great work! 👍🏻💪🏻✊🏻

People run easy run way too fast. My 5K is around 20 min, and just run a half marathon with a light fever for 1:34 two weeks ago. I run my easy miles at 6:00-6:40 per K,that’s 10 min mile pace. I see people passing me all the time, but I know I will pass them in a race. Running in zone 3 isn’t a waste of time, but that’s not the most efficient and effective way of training. Easy day easy, hard day hard.

I personally have gotten alot more from Z3 and tend to recovery very well from it. My long runs are usually high Z2 to low Z3

thanks, GTN! that for me was one of the best explanations I’ve ever heard for avoiding Z3! Super-helpful!!!

As a coach I suggest all my athletes to do some workouts at race pace. Most should be Z2 and some intervals but if you never do race pace or Z3 you forget what it is to race. You need that mental strength as well. As long as you recover well.

This video was so helpful. I am in week 6 of my first marathon programme. Doing my long run tomorrow and will make sure to do most, if not all the run in Zone 2.

Thank you!! That makes so much more sense than a lot of things I've heard on zone 2 training.

Zone 3 is sustainable and long distance race pace for many

Hi GTN! I'm following you and your sister channels for quite some time now... But this one really, I mean really clicked in! I was always wondering why no matter what kind a sessions I do (run, bike, other...) I just can't follow up for longer periods. I was thinking I'm not strong enough and tried to push myself even more. But now I got it - my body just can't get the rest it needs after Zone 3 training before the next workout. I've hurd about the 80/20 rule but it never matched with the Zone 2/3/4, at least for me till now! Definitely I will train smarter than harder! Thank you so much! Cheers to you and the community !!!

Good video thanks and some nice camera turns too.

Thank you for the great explanation! It finally all makes sense.