We all know that cardio is so important as we get older: moderate-intensity exercise like Zone 2 cardio has so many benefits for our health! Whether you want to improve your aerobic capacity so you can play pickleball longer or walk faster, want to improve your energy so you feel like you can take on anything, or simply want to burn more fat and keep your heart health in check, Zone 2 cardio is a great way to get there! And an added bonus: Zone 2 cardio is easier on the body than high-intensity cardio, making it easier to recover and less likely you overtrain or injure yourself.
Zone 2 cardio gets its name from a heart rate zone used in endurance training. The good news is that when you get your heart rate into this zone, your body is using fat as the fuel source! Zone 2 is typically 60 to 70% of your maximum heart rate (you can calculate your heart rate via numerous online calculators, but a good rule of thumb is that as you are exercising, there should be some effort to talk with others, and you should feel like you are working out but that it is sustainable - like a 5 out 10.)
One of my favorite fat-burning, heart-health boosting Zone 2 cardio workouts is a brisk walk - I do this most days (did you know a 30-minute walk everyday adds up to about 43,800 calories burned every year!?!). I also enjoy long bike rides, swimming, and an effective indoor workout where I am moving and using my muscles - like my new Zone 2 Cardio Workout below!
As you get into adding Zone 2 cardio to your fitness routine, aim for 2 to 4 workouts per week, at about 30 minutes each. Keep at it and you WILL reap all the rewards - improved cardio function, fat-burning, and the ability to go further and with a little more endurance if you so choose!
Give my new Zone 2 Cardio Workout a try - it’s fast, efficient and clocks in under 10 minutes!! Do what you can to start, and make a pledge to work towards completing the entire workout a few times per week. Your health is WORTH it!! And for even more Zone 2 Cardio ideas, check out my latest Fit Over 50 magazine - I have an entire section devoted to age-defying fitness moves and routines. You can buy it online or on newsstands now!
Let's live FIT, HAPPY and HEALTHY - together!!
Denise
Zone 2 Cardio Workout Transcript:
Welcome to zone two Cardio, which means keeping your heart rate up to burn calories and burn fat, but not over doing it. Maybe 60 to 70% of your heart rate. Or if you take the talk test, you're able to finish a sentence, but you do wanna be a little reckless. Okay, so let's just get started. Let's begin with a nice walk in place. Add a little lift to that walk. We're gonna burn some calories. Get in a cardiovascular workout. That's what it's all about. Zone two, cardio. Great. That means you're really gonna give it a little more than just a walk. Okay? Just a step above a walk. Okay? Get those legs going. That's it. I'm not jumping or jarring, I'm just gonna moving my arms. That's it. Look. Motion. That's it. Great side to side. Fail. So I decide, kind of stay those so you working your legs and your arms. Okay. That's it. Good. Feel the best that you can. Exercising makes you feel good. The best preventative medicine there is, I promise you, makes you feel more happier. Improve the mood. Get those happy hormones going. Yes, That's Important for all of us. Good. Notice that I still can talk, but I'm gonna start to feel a little breakfast. That's right. That why I get into that. Zone two. Level two. Zone two for the heart. That's it. Okay, let's now those heels. Heels. Squeeze them back down. That's it. Use your arm muscles, the more muscles you heel tap, that's it. Heel to the buttocks, Go Down and up. Changing levels. Really get that heart rate up too. That's it. Great. Heel to the buttocks. Two more just like this. Good. Last one. Okay. Side to side. Stay low. That's great right here. You got it. Use your leg muscles. Go way apart. That's it. Use the muscles. You can do it. Proud of you. Keep it going. Nonstop. Aerobics, continual movement. That's it. Great. And the reach arm up and over. Getting those arms going Really helps. Still Gonna be. You see little Poor guy, he's getting up there now . Good. Tail. Okay, this out. Good. Now we're gonna, that's right though. Resisting pushing up. That's it. Give it all. Beautiful. Good. You got this. That's it. Press, come on. Use those arm muscles. Use them or we'll lose them. We need those muscles to tone to stay strong. Good. Keeping our heart healthy too. Zone two, cardio. Gets it going. Yes. Last one. All right, take a breath. Your inhale and exhale. Great. Low recovery. Inhale and exhale. That's it. Never go forward and back forward and come back it moving. Arms power. Power done. No impact. That's it. Good.We got two more here. You can do it. Last one. Okay. To the other side. Now let's pump it up. Keep those arms going. Pump 'em. Pump 'em. Yes. Let me see those. Beautiful muscles. Beautiful biceps where those muscles. Yes. That's how you're going to challenge yourself. That's when you make a change in the shape. Yes. Pump it up. That's it. Good. Tap it back and tap the forward. Great. Keep moving. That's it. Anytime you feel tired, just walk in place. Walking Creek two. We're getting to that level two right now. We're there? Yes. We're we got two more. These last one. Oh, okay. Breathing Hills And exhale. Let's Chris now out nice and tall posture on this one. You're your own architect. Where you sit by the way you stand. Okay. Be good Posture. Be beautiful. Smile. We're burning those Calories.Burning some butter. Yes, we are improving our stamina. Endurance. Yes. Proving our health, our overall wellness. That's it. Kick it out. Good. Now I want you to get a little lower. Kick it out. Getting low. Yes. Use the thigh. Use the but muscle. Yes. Hard muscles. Work calories quickly, efficiently. That's it. I'm outta you Crisscross In. And now read it all the way up to the top. That's it. Last one. Okay. And watch your place. Inhale and exhale. Now again. Inhale and exhale. I'm gonna take you back in time. A little free punch That's It. A little retro. I love retro This top I'm wearing is my retro top. I've had it for years, Maybe 30. It Still fits and I still love it. Still Comfy. Good. You're doing Great. I can still talk, But my Voice, I can tell it's getting a little elevated. My heart's really working. That's why I'm in level two now. That means You need to kick out Your Really Take it To . Great. Everybody's different. Good. That's it. The second I had a little lip like this. Whoa. My heart rate goes up. That's good. Good, Good. Give it a try. Beautiful. That's Good. Last one. Good. Now I love my full rainbow. Oh, pretty, isn't it? The rainbow. Three yards up and That's it. Keep Lights going. It's all about keeping That twist out. Twist, exhale, And exhale. Great. Really reach. Good. And both arms now. Both arms. That's it. You really engaging all the muscles. You're really getting better, effective, efficient. Workout in a shorter time, which I love. That's why you go to this. Uh, level two. Zone two. We got two more of these. Last one. And watch your place. Inhale, bring the heartbreak back down and exhale again. Inhale and exhale There. You did it. A excellent way to get your zone. Two cars, you win. We can do it. You Did great with a fabulous workout. And if you want more full length workouts, I have a brand new app, Denise Austin app that has over 400 of my workouts, plus recipes, plus a great community and challenges too to keep you going. Plus we have a free Trial going on right now, so download my app or scan the QR code.
