GCN Vid - Is Zone 2 still relevant in 2026

Training
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Just judging on forum questions/topics here, it seems like too many 10 hour or less cyclists are doing this.

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But, but, I was told zone 2 stimulates mitochondrial function the most.

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Also part of a short term plan when you have a broken foot

:foot:

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GCN.

This is where Dan gained 4kg of muscle, right?

Also, sweet spot is upper zone 2. Enjoy.

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Depends on the zone model you are using.

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Where is the Cog when you need him?

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Many want a magical solution which includes less intense effort. And also there are lots of conflicting messages on YouTube or other social media and it’s hard to sift through that “noise” to find the good information

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The Video is nice but in my opinion too vague, where it would be necessary to make clearer recommendations.

Most cycling events for cyclists (and triathletes) take 6+ (3+) hours. Almost every agegrouper is time crunched. If we weren‘t, it would be optimal for our performance to build the volume up to 30+h/week.

If you don‘t overdo it, consistency and volume are the two most important factors in endurance sports. And if I don‘t just ride 3h/week (good luck with that if this is the preparation for the typical european endurance events), I will need as much Z2 as I can recover and fit in my schedule – additional to the 2-3h of intensity.

z2 will never be irrelevant, since it‘d be very difficult to do i.e. 10h of VO2max+Thredhold/week…

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I mean, none of the pro coaches they talked to said “Only do zone 2”. Or any other zone for that matter.

It’s all about periodization and the individual athlete. I’m doing 6-8 hours a week on average and have a middling FTP for my ancient age group. Should I be doing 12 hours of zone 2? Of course not!

GCN knows this - practically all the presenters are formers pros who know their way around a yearly periodization plan.

I assume they’re just looking for some “controversial “ content to kick off 2026.

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VO2 is upper zone 2. Really upper.

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This isn’t rocket science and I’m always surprised we keep going around and around on the same subject. If you ride a lot, you will do mostly z2 and that will be the best case scenario because it is an AEROBIC sport. If you only have six hours per week to ride, doing just z2 won’t do much because it’s not enough so then you need a higher percentage of intensity to get any adaptations. Volume is always better though, if you have the time and ability to recover.

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Banned I believe.

Joe

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I I think with the whole Zone 2 discussion, two worlds collided that usually don’t mix: the healthspan bubble and us cycling enthusiasts. While Attia and San Millán created a bridge there, the reasons why strict Zone 2 isn’t the holy grail for us enthusiasts were already highlighted well by Bbt67. However, I think the approach is still incredibly valuable if you look at it strictly from a beginner’s perspective or a general health standpoint.

Zone 2, as defined in those longevity groups, is very close to what we know as FatMax or LT1. There is no need to differentiate too much there because none of us can measure it with that level of precision at home anyway. But for someone dealing with obesity or coming from a sedentary background, training fat oxidation at FatMax is huge—you aren’t just training for the bike, you’re training your ability to use fat as fuel in daily life.

Plus, it is simply not as demanding. It is likely to be repeated often because it doesn’t crush your motivation like high-intensity intervals do. If you don’t enjoy suffering that much, you still get some of the aerobic advantages without the burnout. Consistency is the most important thing here, so it is better to ride only Zone 2 than to be on and off with a “structured” plan you hate. Getting a feel for LT1 helps sedentary people actually get into moving and enjoy life much more.

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Riding his bike, if he’s smart.

I saw the title of the video, and my first thought was “Is GCN still relevant?” And, then I moved along to the next video in my feed.

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“Spicy Endurance”

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Yes, twice.

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I like the presenters but the content doesn’t much work for me, although I’m finding that for most YouTube athletic content now. GCN are still head and shoulders above most.

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I didn’t even watch it, looked at the titles briefly and my first thought was wasn’t this same video been posted already multiple times.

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Riding right at Fatmax does not necessarily improve your ability to utilize fat better than other intensities.

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