Zone 2 cardio is a moderate intensity form of cardio where you exercise at a pace that raises your heart rate but still allows you to have a conversation.
Zone 2 cardio usually feels steady and comfortable rather than extremely hard and it is often used to build aerobic fitness and endurance.
A simple way to understand Zone 2 is that you are working hard enough to improve your cardiovascular fitness but not so hard that you are struggling to breathe.
Zone 2 training focuses on maintaining a controlled effort for an extended period instead of pushing yourself as hard as possible.
Zone 2 cardio is popular because it can help improve aerobic endurance while being easier to recover from than very intense cardio sessions.
Your Zone 2 heart rate depends on factors such as your age fitness level resting heart rate and individual physiology so there is no single number that works for everyone.
Many people use a heart rate monitor or fitness watch to estimate whether they are staying within their Zone 2 range during a workout.
Zone 2 cardio should generally feel like a sustainable effort where you are breathing faster than normal but you are still in control of your breathing.
Zone 2 is different from sprint training because sprint workouts involve short periods of very high intensity while Zone 2 uses a much lower and steadier effort.
The talk test is useful because if you can comfortably hold a conversation you are probably exercising at a relatively moderate intensity.