🫁 Many leaders I work with have heard that “Zone 2” is the best way to build fitness… 🫁

It’s become the default prescription for health, longevity, and “metabolic optimisation”.

But the science is starting to push back.

A simple reframe

Zone 2 (steady, conversational intensity below lactate threshold) can be a brilliant tool…but “brilliant” doesn’t automatically mean “best” for everyone, especially time-poor, high-pressure humans.

What the research is saying 🔬

A 2025 narrative review in Sports Medicine challenged the broad claim that Zone 2 is the optimal intensity for improving mitochondrial capacity and fat oxidation in the general population (Storoschuk et al., 2025- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-025-02261-y). They argue that a big chunk of the Zone 2 hype comes from observing elite endurance athletes… who train huge volumes.

For the rest of us, the evidence suggests higher intensities (above Zone 2) may be more important for maximising cardiometabolic benefits when total training time is limited (Storoschuk et al., 2025). This aligns with earlier controlled studies showing interval-style training can drive large improvements in VO₂max compared with moderate training in many populations (Helgerud et al., 2007 - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17414804/).

Practical implication for real leaders 🧠⚡

If you have 6–10 hours a week to train, plenty of Zone 2 might make sense.

If you have 90–180 minutes total (which is most executives)… a smarter blend is often:

✅ 1–2 x easy sessions (Zone 2 / low intensity) for recovery, mood, and consistency

✅ 1–2 x harder sessions (intervals / hills / tempo) to move the needle on fitness faster

✅ 1–2 x weight training sessions 

✅ Keep it repeatable. Your plan should fit your calendar, not fight it

You don’t need epic workouts…you need a programme you can sustain through board meetings, travel, and life.

Closing reflection 🌱

Zone 2 isn’t “wrong”, it’s just not a religion.

The best training intensity is the one that matches your time, recovery capacity, and real-world consistency.

At @Essentio Health and @Build a Bridge – Live Your Best Life, we help leaders turn the science into simple, sustainable routines that actually stick.

#healthimpactatscale #liveyourbestlife #healthsimplified #performanceamplified #ExecutiveHealth #CorporateAthlete #CardiorespiratoryFitness #BehaviourChange #SustainablePerformance