When we train in zone 2, we use oxygen to maintain a low-intensity cardio workout. Transporting oxygen throughout the body requires the coordinated functions of the heart, lungs, blood vessels, and blood.
The heart is our main pumping mechanism, circulating oxygenated blood throughout the body to working tissues. As the body begins to exercise, the heart must pump more blood to meet this increased demand.
Stroke volume is the volume of blood that is pumped with each heartbeat. The heart pumps approximately 70 ml of blood with each beat. Stroke volume and heart rate together determine cardiac output, which is the volume of blood that is pumped through the heart at any given time.
The effect of zone 2 training is that stroke volume increases while exercise heart rate decreases, indicating increased cardiorespiratory endurance. That’s the long-term magic of taking it slow in your training.
“Zone 2 cardio strengthens the heart and will require fewer pumps to pump blood, making it more efficient,” says Niren. “Your body also expands its vascular system, which allows it to carry oxygenated blood to different parts of the body.”
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