Endurance culture loves debates, and “Zone 2 vs. HIIT” is the current favorite. Here’s the clearer picture: both work; both are tools. Zone 2—steady, conversational effort—builds an aerobic base and teaches your body to use fuel efficiently. HIIT—short bursts with recoveries—squeezes a lot of stimulus into little time and pushes your VO₂max upward.
The “best” choice depends on your constraint. If time is scarce, sprinkling in short intervals can deliver big returns. If stress is high or joints are grouchy, longer easy sessions feel kinder and build consistency. Most people thrive with a blend: some easy volume to keep you durable, and a weekly punch of intensity to keep you progressing.
What tends to stall progress isn’t choosing the wrong method; it’s hovering in the middle—too hard to recover, too easy to adapt. Make easy days truly easy. Make hard days purposefully hard—but short. Respect rest. Over a season, that rhythm makes you both fitter and harder to break.
