| The Zone Offense | ||||||||
| Zone 1 (Z-1): Recovery 60 percent or less of your MHR |
Zone 2 (Z-2): Aerobic 60-75 percent of your MHR |
Zone 3 (Z-3): Lactate Threshold 75-90 percent or less of your MHR |
Zone 4 (Z-4): Anaerobic 90-100 percent of you MHR |
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| MON. | TUES. | WED. | THURS. | FRI. | |
| (9 WEEK |
ENDURANCE Running, hiking, or stair machine: 30-35 minutes in Z-2. or Cycling, rowing, or swimming: 45 to 50 minutes in Z-2. End with yoga series. |
STRENGTH One set of 10-12 reps: Group One exercises. One set of 25 reps: Group Two exercises-12 on each leg (push ups) or side (oblique crunches). |
ENDURANCE Running, hiking, or stair machine: 35 to 40 minutes in Z-2. or Cycling, rowing, or swimming: 50 to 55 minutes in Z-2. End with yoga series. |
STRENGTH One set of 10-12 reps: Group One exercises. One set of 24 reps: Group Two exercises-12 on each leg (push ups) or side (oblique crunches). |
ENDURANCE 45 minutes running or 60 minutes cycling in Z-2. After a 10-minute warm up, add three 8-minute intervals in Z-3 with a 5-minute recovery in Z-2 between each. Finish with yoga series. |
| (10 WEEK |
ENDURANCE Running, stair machine, or hiking: 35 to 40 minutes in Z-2. or Cycling, rowing, or swimming: 45 to 55 minutes in Z-2. End with yoga series. |
STRENGTH Two sets of 10-12 reps: Group One exercises. Two set of 25 reps: Group Two exercises-12 on each leg (push ups) or side (oblique crunches). |
ENDURANCE Running, stair machine, or hiking: 40 to 45 minutes in Z-2. or Cycling, rowing, or swimming: 50 to 60 minutes in Z-2. End with yoga series. |
STRENGTH One set of 10-12 reps: Group One exercises. Two sets of 25 reps: Group Two exercises-12 on each leg (push ups) or side (oblique crunches). |
ENDURANCE 50 minutes running or 60 minutes cycling in Z-2. After a 10-minute warm-up, add three 10-minute intervals in Z-3 with a 5-minute recovery in Z-2 between each. Finish with yoga series. |
| (11 WEEK |
ENDURANCE Running, stair machine, or hiking: 40-45 minutes in Z-2. or Cycling, rowing, or swimming: 50-60 minutes in Z-2. End with yoga series. |
STRENGTH Same as week 10, but swap upright rows and dumbbell flies for medicine-ball chops and dumbbell pullovers on a Swiss ball (from last month). |
ENDURANCE Running, stair machine, or hiking: 45-50 minutes in Z-2. or Cycling, rowing, or swimming: 55-65 minutes in Z-2. End with yoga series. |
STRENGTH Same as week 10, but swap upright rows and dumbbell flies for medicine-ball chops and dumbbell pullovers on a Swiss ball. |
ENDURANCE 50 minutes running or 70 minutes cycling in Z-2. After a 10-minute warm-up, add three, 10-minute intervals in Z-3 with a 5-minute recovery in Z-2 between each. Finish with yoga series. |
| (12 WEEK |
ENDURANCE Running, stair machine, or hiking: 25-30 minutes in Z-1 or Cycling, rowing, or swimming: 35-45 minutes in Z-1. End with yoga series. |
STRENGTH Same as week 10, but swap upright rows and dumbbell flies for medicine-ball chops and dumbbell pullovers on a Swiss ball. |
ENDURANCE Running, stair machine, or hiking: 30-35 minutes in Z-2. or Cycling, rowing, or swimming: 40-50 minutes in Z-2. End with yoga series. |
STRENGTH Same as week 10, but swap upright rows and dumbbell flies with medicine-ball chops and dumbbell pullovers on a Swiss ball. |
BENCHMARK TEST After a 10-minute warm-up, and on the same flat route you used to perform last month's test, run 1 mile at 5 beats below the lactate threshold you determined last month. Mark your time: If you've raised your lactate threshold, this month will be faster than last. |