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Zone 2 Training: The Secret to Longevity and Mental Health for Adults in Their 40s

Written By Jayme Pantekoek | Published September 29th 2023


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Zone 2 training is a moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise that is beneficial for adults in their 40s for a number of reasons, including improved cardiovascular health, increased fat burning, reduced risk of injury, improved mental health, and more efficient mitochondria.

Incorporate a variety of zone 2 training activities into your routine to reap all of the benefits that this type of exercise has to offer.


Zone 2 training is a type of cardiovascular exercise that is performed at a moderate intensity. This means that you are able to talk in complete sentences while exercising. Zone 2 training is beneficial for adults in their 40s for a number of reasons, including:


  • Improved cardiovascular health: Zone 2 training helps to improve cardiovascular health by strengthening the heart and lungs. This can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases.

  • Increased fat burning: Zone 2 training is an effective way to burn fat. This is because it burns more calories than low-intensity exercise, but not as many calories as high-intensity exercise.

  • Reduced risk of injury: Zone 2 training is less likely to cause injury than high-intensity exercise. This is because it does not put as much stress on the body.

  • Improved mental health: Zone 2 training has been shown to improve mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also improve mood, sleep quality, and cognitive function.

  • Zone 2 training can make mitochondria more efficient by increasing their number and size:

In addition to the benefits listed above, zone 2 training can also help to reduce repetitive injury, improve movement complexity, and promote community involvement.


  • Reducing repetitive injury: Zone 2 training can help to reduce repetitive injury by incorporating a variety of different exercises into your workout routine. This helps to prevent overuse injuries.

  • Improving movement complexity: Zone 2 training can help to improve movement complexity by incorporating exercises that challenge different movement planes. This includes exercises that involve bending, twisting, and rotating the body.

  • Promoting community involvement: Zone 2 training can be done in a variety of settings, including indoors and outdoors. It can also be done as part of a competitive game or as a long-duration exercise. This makes it easy to find a zone 2 training activity that you enjoy and that fits into your lifestyle.

  • Brain complexity to offset Alzheimer's and dementia and other mental diseases: Zone 2 training can also help to improve brain complexity by incorporating exercises that challenge the brain. This includes exercises that require problem-solving, decision-making, and coordination.

Here are some examples of zone 2 training activities that incorporate high-impact and low-impact training, a lot of variation in movement planes, indoor and outdoor activities (plenty of areas in Minnetonka), competitive games, long-duration exercises, community involvement, and brain complexity:


  • High-impact:

  • Running

  • Jumping rope

  • Kick Boxing, Boxing, MMA

  • Low-impact:

  • Swimming

  • Biking

  • Rowing

  • Movement planes:

  • Nordic

  • Yoga

  • Pilates

  • Indoor and outdoor:

  • Treadmill

  • Elliptical

  • Rowing machine

  • Hiking

  • Biking

  • Swimming

  • Competitive games:

  • Pickle Ball

  • Basketball

  • Tennis

  • Long-duration exercises:

  • Hiking

  • Biking

  • Swimming

  • Community involvement:

  • Group fitness classes

  • Sports leagues

  • Walking groups

  • Brain complexity:

  • Dancing

  • Boxing, MMA, Jiu-Jitsu

  • Strategy games


If you are an adult in your 40s, zone 2 training is a great way to improve your cardiovascular health, reduce your risk of injury, improve your mental health, and reduce your risk of chronic diseases. By incorporating a variety of different zone 2 training activities into your routine, you can reap all of the benefits that this type of exercise has to offer.


Call or text Jayme to see if our new program, STRIDE, is a good fit for you! 612-839-8039 located in Minnetonka. Servicing the Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Hopkins, Wayzata and Orono areas!






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