The Practical Fitness Podcast

04: Much Ado About Zone 2

Some people say Zone 2 is the best way to train for fitness and health. Others say women should avoid it altogether. In this episode, I dig into what the evidence actually says about Zone 2 cardio by breaking down a recent review paper on the topic. You'll learn what Zone 2 actually is, where many of the claims about it come from, what the research says about fitness adaptations like mitochondrial function and fat metabolism, and the practical pros and cons of moderate- versus higher-intensity cardio. FREE STUFF Follow @laurelbeversdorf [https://www.instagram.com/laurelbeversdorf/] on Instagram Follow @laurel_beversdorf [https://www.youtube.com/@Laurel_Beversdorf] on YouTube www.laurelbeversdorf.com [http://www.laurelbeversdorf.com/] EPISODE RESOURCES Watch [https://youtu.be/f77neLlhVAE] on YouTube: Simplify Cardio: What Matters for Results Read [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40560504/]the review paper Much Ado About Zone 2 Listen [https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/why-everything-you-know-about-zone-2-training-is-probably/id1461719225?i=1000721547753] to The Real Science of Sport podcast episode featuring one of the authors of Much Ado About Zone 2 TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Why Zone 2 has become so controversial 02:25 What Zone 2 actually is and why it's difficult to measure 04:20 Where the claims about mitochondrial function and fat burning come from 06:40 What the review paper found about Zone 2 versus higher intensities 08:00 Why Zone 2 is really moderate-intensity exercise 09:45 The CDC and WHO cardio recommendations 10:45 Does Zone 2 improve mitochondrial function and fat metabolism? 13:35 Why higher intensities often improve fitness more efficiently 14:15 The practical problems with trying to stay in Zone 2 15:50 The pros and cons of moderate versus vigorous cardio 18:55 Why the best cardio is the kind you'll actually do consistently

03: Stop Fearing Fatigue. Stop Chasing Fatigue.

A lot of people think feeling tired, sore, or heavy after training means something is wrong. In this episode, I break down why fatigue itself is not the problem and how misunderstanding it can make training feel way more confusing than it needs to be. In this episode, I walk through five common ways people misinterpret fatigue, including mistaking it for progress, assuming it means progress has stalled, and changing programs instead of letting adaptation happen. FREE STUFF Follow @laurelbeversdorf [https://www.instagram.com/laurelbeversdorf/] on Instagram Follow @laurel_beversdorf [https://www.youtube.com/@Laurel_Beversdorf] on YouTube www.laurelbeversdorf.com [http://www.laurelbeversdorf.com/] EPISODE RESOURCES Watch [https://youtu.be/Rt0nkMuvIQo]on YouTube: How to Schedule Strength and Cardio for Better Recovery Laurel's other podcast Movement Logic: Strong Opinions Loosely Held [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movement-logic-strong-opinions-loosely-held/id1614469934] TIMESTAMPS 01:05 Fatigue is not the stimulus 04:10 Fatigue can mask progress 07:05 Why changing things up can backfire 11:20 You do not need to feel fully recovered to train again 17:15 Why fatigue does not stay this high forever 22:10 What fatigue is and what it is not 24:05 Watch the YouTube video for weekly training structure

02: Reps Done vs. Reps Left — And Why It Matters

If you're consistently landing on even numbers or 10 reps for your sets, you might be stalling your progress. And in this episode, I explain why. Most strength programs give you tidy rep prescription, such as to do 3 sets of 10. But when 10 becomes the thing you chase, it’s easy to lose sight of the variable that actually drives progress. In this episode, I break down why reps and load are not the primary drivers of strength, why effort at the end of the set is what truly signals change, how to use reps in reserve, and how to spot a subtle clue in your training log that **might** mean you’re under-efforting. FREE STUFF Get my FREE STRENGTH “Macro” TRACKER [https://mailchi.mp/b4de23edf542/free-strength-macro-tracker-signup] Follow @laurelbeversdorf [https://www.instagram.com/laurelbeversdorf/] on Instagram Follow @laurel_beversdorf [https://www.youtube.com/@Laurel_Beversdorf] on YouTube www.laurelbeversdorf.com [http://www.laurelbeversdorf.com] EPISODE RESOURCES (Nuzzo, 2024) PMID: 38781472 [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38781472/] TIMESTAMPS 01:00 The floor and ceiling of rep ranges 03:00 Why reps do not make you stronger 07:00 Effort as the real signal for strength adaptation 09:00 What effort reflects physiologically (motor unit recruitment) 14:00 How reps in reserve works 6:00 Failure as a reference point 22:00 What real strength progress looks like over time 26:00 How I program effort with clients 29:00 What rep drop-off across sets can reveal

01: Let's Talk About Sets, Baby!

If strength training keeps slipping through the cracks of your schedule, even though you know it matters and you want to be consistent, this episode is for you. Most people are taught to organize strength training around workouts. And when workouts become the thing that matters most, missed sessions quickly turn into frustration, guilt, and the feeling that you’re failing at something you care about. In this episode, I introduce a different way to think about strength training. Instead of organizing your training around workouts, schedules, or session length, we’re going to organize it around sets. This shift makes strength training more flexible and much easier to stick with over time, especially when your schedule changes frequently and life gets busy and unpredictable. FREE STUFF Get my FREE STRENGTH “Macro” TRACKER [https://mailchi.mp/b4de23edf542/free-strength-macro-tracker-signup] Follow @laurelbeversdorf  [https://www.instagram.com/laurelbeversdorf/]on Instagram Follow @laurel_beversdorf [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCACgy-d0MfsknKqaivfSSYA] on YouTube www.laurelbeversdorf.com [https://laurelbeversdorf.com/] EPISODE RESOURCES Watch [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE03mTInLHU] on YouTube - How to Strength Train Whole Body When Your Busy TIMESTAMPS 01:00 Why workout-based organization of strength training can make it hard to stick to 03:00 Sets as the smallest unit of strength training that matters 05:00 What makes a set challenging enough to count 07:00 Why strength doesn’t care how you package the work 09:00 Using short pockets of time to accumulate sets 12:00 Why doing something beats doing nothing 15:00 Client story: replacing long workouts with short daily sessions 19:00 Applying the sets framework to real, busy lives 22:00 How this approach supports long-term consistency