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The Zone 2 Trap: Are You Under-Training Your Clients?

The Zone 2 Trap: Are You Under-Training Your Clients?

Zone 2 is trendy, but for a client with 4 hours a week, it might be a waste of time. Here is when to prescribe intensity over volume.

Programming Intermediate Fitness 48 Team Jan 27, 2026

Zone 2 cardio is having a moment. Thanks to Peter Attia and the longevity crowd, clients are asking for 45-minute incline walks because they want “mitochondrial efficiency.”

But here is the reality check: Your client is not a Tour de France cyclist.

They have a job. They have kids. They have 4 hours a week to train. If you fill 3 of those hours with Zone 2, you are failing them.

The Research: Volume vs. Intensity

A 2025 narrative review in Sports Medicine challenged the Zone 2 dogma for the general population. The findings were clear:

For time-constrained individuals, high-intensity training (HIIT) consistently outperforms Zone 2 for VO2max improvements and cardiometabolic health.

The “Zone 2 Magic” comes from volume. Elite athletes do it because they have already maxed out their high-intensity recovery. They add Zone 2 because it’s “free volume.”

Your client hasn’t maxed out anything. They are undertrained.

The Programming Protocol

Don’t let a trend dictate your programming. Prescribe based on the constraint.

Scenario A: The “Time-Poor” Executive

  • Constraint: 3 hours/week total.
  • The Fix: Polarized Training is out. You need Threshold Training.
  • Prescription: 2x Strength sessions, 1x High-Intensity Interval session (Norwegian 4x4s or similar). They need a potent signal to the heart, not a gentle nudge.

Scenario B: The “Stress-Case”

  • Constraint: High cortisol, poor sleep, “fried” nervous system.
  • The Fix: Zone 2 is perfect here.
  • Prescription: Use Zone 2 not for “fitness” but for “parasympathetic recovery.” It doesn’t tax the CNS. It gets them moving without digging the hole deeper.

The Bottom Line

Zone 2 isn’t “better” or “worse.” It’s a tool.

  • Use it for recovery, for high-volume athletes, or for the untrained/obese to build a base.
  • Skip it if your client needs maximum ROI in minimum minutes.

Be the coach, not the influencer. Prescribe the dose that fits the patient.

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