1. Zone 2 Training

Zone 2 training, or low intensity training, is a commonly overlooked aspect of many people's training plans, especially for those who love shorter duration, higher intensity sessions.

But there's a reason elite endurance athletes spend the large majority of their time in either Zone 2 and even Zone 1: Because it's the best way to build an aerobic base.

Quick refresher:

• Zone 1: low intensity with a rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of 1-2
• Zone 2: low intensity with an RPE of 3-4
• Zone 3: medium intensity with an RPE of 5-6
• Zone 4: high intensity with and RPE of 7-8
• Zone 5: high intensity/maximal effort with an RPE of 9-10

So if you're wondering why your HYROX time isn't improving, or you can't seem to improve your 2 km row, or you just didn't feel like you have the lungs with HIIT workouts like you want, it might be worth considering adding some lower intensity, longer workouts to your training routine.

Some science to back it up: A recent Belgian study looked at what promotes better heart adaptations to give you a bigger engine: exercise intensity or total duration and volume?

The research looked at 151 endurance athletes to determine which type of training (Zone 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) is best associated with positive heart adaptations, and found that Zone 1, 2 and 3 leads to more heart adaptations, as well as greater stroke volume, than training in the more intense Zone 4 and 5.

Surprising Fact: A couple years ago, WOD Science—a European company who conducts research about fitness, CrossFit and nutrition—tested a whole bunch of elite level CrossFit athletes to determine their VO2 max. Their hypothesis was that these extremely fit athletes would have high VO2 maxes. But they didn't. Their scores were average. Could it be that these high intensity junkies aren't doing enough Zone 2 training?

One Last Thing: Before you blindly add what you think is Zone 2 work into your training program, it's worth considering what Zone 2 is from a physiological perspective.

In short, Zone 2 training is occurring when you're in an aerobic state and lactate is not building up in the body. The moment lactate begins building up, you're now in Zone 3. But here's the catch. You might think you're in Zone 2 because you feel like you're at an RPE of 3 to 4, but you might actually be in Zone 3.

This is exactly what WOD Science found when they tested lifestyle CrossFit athletes.

They found that, from a physiological perspective, eight out of 10 athletes were in Zone 3 when they intended to be in Zone 2.

And for the elite endurance athlete, the opposite can be true. When they're in Zone 2 physiologically, they're so fit they're still able to produce serious wattage output, which places a lot of stress on their body, thus defeating the purpose of Zone 2. So for this group, often Zone 1 training can be more effective.

Ultimately, all this means is that Zone 2 is relative, and shouldn't be programmed blindly without taking into consideration each individual's fitness abilities. Because what might be Zone 2 for an elite HYROX athlete could easily be Zone 3, or even 4, for someone training for their first race.

For more on this, check out this WOD Science YouTube video.

2. Tempo Training

If you have ever done any tempo work, you know how difficult it can be. All of a sudden, a 60 percent effort feels like 90 percent.

In short, tempo work is hugely valuable as a way to change the stimulus, which can go a long way in helping you push through a plateau you might be experiencing.

Further, moving slowly and deliberately with lighter weights as you do with tempo work is an effective way to help you focus on your movement patterns and overall technique.

And, because tempo work usually means you're lifting lower percentages, it can be easier to recover from as it places less strain on your central nervous system than heavier lifting. In other words, it gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

Reading Tempo

If you're going to incorporate tempo work into your training, you, of course, need to know how to read a tempo prescription, such as @4141 or @30x0.

To understand this, it's important to explain the difference between the concentric and eccentric aspects of a movement.

• The eccentric part of the movement occurs as the muscles are lengthening in order to produce force. This is what we often call the negative part of the movement. For example, if you're doing a squat, it's when you're lowering into a squat, and during a push-up, it's when you're lowering yourself to the ground.
• The concentric piece of the movement happens when your muscles are contracting and shortening. During a squat, it's when you're pushing yourself out of the bottom to stand back up again, and during a push-up it's when you're pushing off the ground.

When reading a tempo prescription, the first number is always the eccentric part of the movement, while the third number is the concentric part of the movement. The other two movements then, are the top and bottom of the movement.

So what does "Squat @4141" mean in practice? It means:

• 4 seconds to lower into the bottom of the squat
• 1 second hold at the bottom of the squat
• 4 seconds to push yourself out of the squat
• 1 second hold at the top of the squat

And what about when there's an x in the tempo, such as "Push-up @30x0?"

• 3 seconds to lower your body to the ground
• 0 seconds rest at the bottom
• x explode out of the hole and push yourself up as powerfully as you can
• 0 seconds at the top

Let's consider one more: Pull-up @2112

• 2 seconds to lower yourself from having your chin over the bar to a heading hold
• 1 second hold at the bottom
• 1 second to pull your chin over the bar
• 2 seconds to hold with your chin over the bar at the top of the movement

3 More Reasons to Add Tempo Work

Increased Motor Control

Have you ever been lifting and think that your form is perfect, but then a coach points out that your spine is rounded or your knees are caving in?

Tempo work is an effective way to increase your mind-body connection—aka your motor control—as intentionally slowing down the movement makes it a lot easier to really feel what your body is doing.

Increased Muscle-Building Potential

According to some research, including this 2012 study published in the Journal of Physiology, spending more time under tension as per tempo training leads to greater protein and muscle synthesis (even if you are lifting light weights).

The research broke participants into two groups. One did leg presses to failure at 30 percent of their one rep max at one second per repetition, and the other group did the same, but with a six second eccentric.

The result: The group who did the six-second eccentric had three times more protein synthesis 24 hours after the workout, meaning a much larger degree of muscle-building potential.

Build Strength in Each Position

Tempo training often incorporates holding certain positions, such as at the bottom of a squat, making it a great way to build strength in each specific part of the movement (thus helping you build strength in weak parts of your movement).

3. Isometric Work

In a nutshell, isometrics are movements where your joints don't move, nor is there a change in muscle length. In other words, they're essentially static holds in various positions, such as a plank hold, a hollow hold, or a chin-over-the-bar hold, where your muscles are still contracting, but your position remains static.

Though they can seem boring, isometrics offer a ton of value to any training program (similar to tempo work).

4 Reasons to Include Isometrics

Position-Specific Strength Gains

Let's say the weakest part of your pull-up is the last quarter of the movement.

Spending some time holding with your arms at 90 degrees, or in the chin-over-the-bar position can go a long way in building strength in those positions.

• Try this: Log 10 pull-ups with a 5-10 second hold when your arms are at a 90 degree angle (halfway through the pull), and a 5-10 second hold with your chin over the bar. Rest as needed between reps.

Or, let's say you're weak at the bottom of a squat.

• Try this: Five sets of 30-60 second weighted wall sit just below parallel. (Adding a weight will cause your muscles to contract even harder, thus leading to even bigger gains, both in muscle strength and muscle stability).

Better Blood Flow

Though isometrics are usually associated with helping build strength, and the ability to generate more power, some science, such as this Canadian study, also shows that isometric work is helpful for promoting better blood flow and reducing hypertension.

Good for the Joints

In general, isometric movements are considered to be good for the joints, as the holding in place tends to place less stress than logging tons of reps.

Easier Recovery

Finally, isometric work tends to be easier to recover from, and makes you less sore—less delayed onset muscle soreness known as DOMS.

Why?

Because it's the eccentric part of the movement (the muscle lengthening over and over) that tends to cause muscle soreness, and with isometrics, you get to skip the eccentrics.

4. Accessory Work

Accessory work is often programmed at the end of a training session, but when we're crunched for time, it's often the boring banded glute bridges or back extensions that are the first thing we skip.

Yes, it can be tedious, but it's key to building a more bulletproof athlete. But before we talk about why it's important, let's consider what we mean by accessory work.

Accessory work is supplementary work—which often isolates specific muscles—to the larger strength and skill work in your training program. It can also include both warm-up and rehabilitation exercises to help you iron out weak spots or muscle imbalances to help you improve performance.

4 Ways Accessory Work Can Help Your Performance

• Targets Weaknesses: Accessory work is a great way to strengthen any specific weaknesses you might have, such as posterior chain strength, which then translates to improving your deadlift.
• Hypertrophy: High-rep, low weight accessory work movements, such as hip thrusts, are useful for building overall muscle mass and strength.
• Injury-prevention and joint health: It can also be programmed to strengthen joints and stabilizing muscles, which helps reduce common lifting injuries, such as rotator cuff overuse injuries.
• Improves imbalances: Finally, accessory work can help correct any muscle imbalances you have. For example, single-leg deadlifts or split squats can help correct imbalances between the left and right side of the body.

5. Recovery

One final reason you might not be seeing the gains you think you should be might be because you're not paying enough attention to your recovery.

I used to be someone who struggled to take a rest day—because "what am I going to do with my time if I don't go to the gym?"—but eventually I (finally) accepted that rest days are key to performance, and I have found two go to activities to replace the time the gym takes up in my life, all the while providing me with some positive mental health gains.

Walking

In some ways, walking is the most underrated part of a fitness program. It's associated with various health benefits, including heart health, insulin sensitivity, improved sleep, mental health and immune system function, and it's also an effective way to get Vitamin D. On top of this, going for a long walk is the perfect active recovery activity on the days your body truly needs a rest.

And if you're into what the science says, a recent 2026 study published in the British Medical Journal that looked at 100,000 people over the course of 30 years, found that the keys to longevity and health comes down to doing a variety of fitness activities, including walking.

Hyperice Recovery Products

They're not cheap, but they are worth it.

I invested in the Hyperice Normatech Elite Legs, as well as the Venom 2 back wrap, and they are a serious game changer when it comes to recovery.

The Hyperice Normatec Elite Legs provide compression that is designed to improve circulation, reduce inflammation and flush out lactic acid, while the Venom 2 Back Wrap combines heat and massage. As someone who has long experienced lower back pain, I can confidently say this product helps with my back pain. Further, there's something so relaxing for the mind to unplug on the couch for 30 minutes in my Normatec Elite Legs feeling like I'm getting spa treatment in my own home.

Final Thoughts

Contrary to intuition, if you're training hard, progress in fitness rarely comes from doing more. It comes from doing the right things consistently.

If you have already nailed the big stuff like training consistently and eating well, then sometimes smaller, often overlooked elements—tempo, isometric and accessory work, Zone 2 training, and dialing in your recovery—can be the difference between spinning your wheels and finally moving forward.