“You are an idiot” screamed one voice on social media. “Really? Well good luck, you are either sick or dumb” came the response. This wasn’t a post about US politics or the pandemic – guaranteed topics to get people emotive. It was about Zone 2 training.
In other words, running or training slowly to improve your cardio levels. Yes, to most of us this exchange is almost as bizarre as that time Kanye West jumped on stage to “congratulate” Taylor Swift. Yet, zone 2 training has become a buzzword and it’s gathering momentum.
In this article, we extract and explore data from the echo chambers of the internet to understand what is causing this phenomenon and what it means for health enthusiasts and the health optimisation industry.
What is zone 2 training? I must be missing something…
Workout intensity can be broken down into five heart rate zones. These are known as zones 1 to 5. As you increase your effort during exercise, your heart beats faster. This means you enter a different heart rate zone. Zone 2 training is considered an easy workout. This corresponds to exercising at 60 to 70 per cent of your maximum heart rate, indicating a low-intensity, steady endurance pace without intervals.
On the face of it, this isn’t exactly a topic to get the pulses racing. But it’s certainly attracting attention.
Interest turbocharges 850% in three years
A look at our data insights shows that three years ago, you would be unlikely to get any reaction from mentioning zone 2. In the US interest has skyrocketed 850% in three years, mirroring worldwide trends. In the UK, it’s risen by 775%. Yet, this is largely because nobody was even thinking about it three years ago. Therefore, something has happened to get hearts racing.
We can also see zone 2 running has seen a similar trajectory. So, this isn’t only confined to one set of fitness enthusiasts. Cyclists, runners and others are jumping on the zone 2 bandwagon.
These trends can be seen in the underlying data. The search terms zone 2 running and zone 2 training have a combined search volume of 10k per month in the US. In the UK it’s approx. 4k searches per month. That’s without factoring in additional searches such as the benefits of zone 2 or how to do zone 2 training.
Perhaps this rapid rise in interest should come as no surprise. A 200% surge in interest in continuous glucose monitors (CGM) points to a general movement of people looking for marginal gains in their overall health. While it’s easy to assume this interest is the preserve of a small group of people as neither preventative health nor holistic health appears to be trending upward in popularity, this is far from the case.
Wider industry trends show interest is growing in specific interventions like cold water therapy to improve immunity or methylene blue for cognitive enhancement. As a result, it’s perhaps no surprise to see fitness enthusiasts looking to zone 2 training to improve their performance and health.
Is social media the cause?
When understanding why a trend is occurring, you can normally find Mark Zuckerberg with his algorithms sitting in a corner, partly to blame. Instagram accounts with a focused niche have a significantly higher chance of going viral. This is because the Instagram algorithms are both complex and relatively simple simultaneously. As a result, content is shared with accounts based on previous habits and behaviours.
Yet a quick glance at the data suggests something else has happened. On Instagram, there are approx. only 85k posts about zone 2 training. On TikTok, the number is higher at 381k but as any social media enthusiast will tell you, that’s hardly viral.
So, if it’s not social media, what else is it?
To understand why it’s trending we first need to understand the biology of zone 2 running
To understand why zone 2 training has become so popular, we first need to understand the impact of zone 2 on our bodies.
- Workout intensity is categorised into five heart rate zones: Zones 1 to 5.
- As effort increases during exercise, heart rate rises, leading to entry into different heart rate zones.
- Each zone utilizes different energy sources for fuel.
- At lower heart rates (Zones 1 and 2), the body primarily burns fat for energy, enabling longer workouts.
- Higher heart rates (typically Zones 3 and above) prompt the body to use stored glucose along with fat, leading to lactate buildup.
- Lactate, produced during intense physical activity with low oxygen levels, serves as a temporary energy source for muscles but can cause fatigue when accumulated.
- Zone 2 training, just below lactate accumulation, supports longer workouts without muscle fatigue, aiding endurance and aerobic capacity improvement.
- According to experts approx. 80% of your training should be in zone 2 to obtain its benefits.
The influence of the group
Whilst social media may not be ablaze with zone 2 training talk, it’s likely only a matter of time. Rather, what we are seeing is the start of a trend. The current buzz can be attributed to two key influences:
- The power of mainstream media
- The influence of respected athletes
Eliud Kipchoge is a running legend. He has run four of the 10 fastest marathons ever and was the world record holder in 2022 with a time of 2:01:09. This has generated significant attention from mainstream running publications illustrating the power of a multi-channel strategy.
Yet, it’s his secret training technique that has grabbed his attention.
Kipchoge, claims to have 13 weekly training sessions. However, out of these 13 sessions, 10 consist of leisurely, relaxed runs. Although, leisurely for Kipchoge is 4 to 5 mins per km, which is more than most people can do when running at full speed, he is practising zone 2 training.
A similar story emerges for Norwegian middle-distance runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen. As a two-time world champion and four-time European champion, he has captured the imagination of his adoring public. Yet, his adherence to the “Norwegian Method” has grabbed attention. The method popularised by Norwegian skiers also follows zone 2 training.
The result of these successes is strong attention from specialist and mainstream publications as they seek to uncover the secrets behind these athletes’ successes.
31.3% of 18–24-year-olds searching for Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge
However, social media does have a role to play albeit indirectly. As seen in numerous case studies like Antlerzz’s review of Tally Health, social media influence occurs not only through direct shoutouts but also through peoples interest in the people they are following and what they do.
Eliud Kipchoge has 2.5m Instagram followers whilst content related to him is shared widely amongst running enthusiasts. Therefore, the growth in Zone 2’s popularity is likely associated with the growing popularity of runners like Kipchoge on social channels.
This is evident in search volume data, with Kipchoge garnering over 33k monthly searches in the US and 8k in the UK. Surprisingly, in the US, 28.5% of searches come from individuals aged 18-24, compared to 31.3% in the UK within the same age group.
In addition, Jakob Ingebrigtsen is quite the search sensation, with around 10k searches per month in the UK and a whopping 15k in the US. Interestingly, this surge in interest has also sparked over 200 UK searches for Ingebrigtsen’s girlfriend, as hopeful individuals aim to snag the coveted title of “Mrs Ingebrigtsen.” Looks like they might need to start hitting those Zone 2 training sessions if they want a chance!
Attention needs clear demonstrable benefits
Yet, to place this growing Zone 2 training buzz solely at the feet of these elite athletes is perhaps misleading. That attention also needs a pathway for people to follow. For example, if Kipchoge and Ingebrigtsen were to reveal their love for space travel, it’s unlikely to generate the same attention. This is because people are influenced by the things that make these athletes great as they want to replicate them. Therefore, in this instance, there must be clear benefits for athletic performance. For zone 2 training the benefits include:
- Mitochondria enhancement: Low-intensity exercise like zone 2, has been shown to improve the powerplant of our cells – the mitochondria. It helps remove old mitochondria and promotes the development of better-quality mitochondria. We can then efficiently use both fat and glucose for energy production.
- Enhanced Recovery: Engaging in zone 2 sessions following demanding workouts may hasten muscle repair without inducing additional inflammation or harm to the muscles.
- Prevention of Injuries: High-intensity exercise has been shown to have a strain on joints and muscles. Conversely, zone 2 training may help avert injuries.
- Longevity: Zone 2 training improves Vo2 max which has been shown to increase lifespan. Vo2 max measures the maximum amount of oxygen an individual can utilise during intense exercise.
- Heart Health: It may increase the heart’s capacity to hold and pump blood. This results in a stronger heart muscle, which can pump more blood with each beat, enhancing overall activity performance
Key takeaways for the health optimisation Industry: The power of influence
The data illustrates a key point for any marketer in the health optimisation industry – influential people can influence consumer habits. That’s not to say everyone should rush to jump on the influencer marketing bandwagon. That can form a key part of any good online marketing strategy but it’s more complex than that.
However, it is important to pay attention to what is emerging in the industry. In terms of zone 2, whilst it’s yet to take over social media, influential voices have started to make noise. The athletes are influencing the trend because of their athletic achievements. Yet, they are not the only ones. Peter Attia and Andrew Huberman have both spoken of about zone 2 training on their websites and podcasts. Huberman is one of the biggest podcasters in the world and has over 6m Instagram followers. Meanwhile, Attia starred in Limitless, a longevity documentary with A-list actor Chris Hemsworth and has 1m Instagram followers of his own.
For health optimisation companies, this is critical to understand. They need to be creating content that addresses such trends and ensure they are seen as thought leaders.
Why does my Garmin say I’m not running in zone 2 when I am running slowly?
Due to the infancy of this trend, we can see there is a lot of confusion online. A quick review of online searches indicates many people are frustrated at their inability to keep within the zones outlined on their fitness apps like Garmin. Yet, the truth is the accuracy of using such devices to determine Zone 2 training zones can be difficult to engage. Algorithmically generated heart rate zones are generic and may have a margin of error. To understand zone 2, you will likely need to take personalised maximal exercise and lactate tests for accurate measurements.
It’s these types of insights that users need and help guiding through as the zone 2 training trend takes off.
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