I recently heard a clip of Dr. Peter Attia talking about garbage zones.  You may have also heard of the term junk miles.  He said something along the lines that you either need to be training low intensity in Zone 2 or very high intensity in Zone 5 otherwise you are in a physiological no man’s land.  Is this really true that there are some intensities of training that don’t do anything for you?

Of course not.  Training intensity is really important and will lead to different adaptations of the body, but there are important things to consider when looking at HR training or training zones.

First, our body doesn’t know what zones are.  We use different training zones as a way for us to determine an ideal pace or intensity we should be working based on the workout we are performing.  By training at different intensity there are different adaptations we can create.  But I need the right amount of effort and the right amount of time.

Think of it this way.  If I said you need to do a strength workout with 5 reps of bench press.  You could grab a lot of different weights to do 5 reps probably.  There is nothing magical about the number 5.  What is more important is use a weight that will fatigue you in around 5 reps.

Second, these zones are guidelines not rules.  Let’s say your top end Zone 2 is 145bpm.  Does that mean at 146 you are no longer having any Zone 2 benefit?

Our body works more on a continuum versus on and off.  For example, at low intensities we use more fat for fuel sources and high intensities we use more carbs.  In reality we are always using both fats and carbs for fuel.  As intensity changes there is simply a shifting up or down that continuum.

Third, the goal of the training matters.  If we are talking about the main goal being for longevity and optimal health, then there is decent evidence we want to spend a good amount of time training in Zone 2 with a couple of very short higher intensity sessions sprinkled in there.

What if you are trying for a 5km, DEKA, or OCR?  Then other zones are going to be really important and make up a good amount of your training.  If you are trying for a 5km, you need to become more efficient at your race pace which means you need to be training in Zone 3 pretty often.

Training for a DEKA?  These high intensity events will push your threshold and you need to push into Zone 4 pretty regularly.

I think the main message is that most people don’t vary their training enough and spend too much time in moderate training intensities.  This I definitely agree with.  Most need to look at their program and make sure they are spending time in lower intensity to build aerobic adaptations, but also hitting very high intensities that are often uncomfortable.

This variability is key to maximizing your program.  So as you look at your training is there purpose to each workout or is it just one session after another with no real rhyme or reason?

I hope this helps in your training.  If you need more guidance in the New Year, I am taking on a few more coaching clients to work 1 on 1 with.  Just fill out this application to learn more:  https://ocrunderground.com/pro…

Keep Training Smarter,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS, SGX
OCR Underground