Peloton has launched a new “Zone 2 Training” collection, pulling together classes that will let members maintain a Zone 2 heart rate across Bike, Row, and Tread/Outdoor modalities. The collection currently includes 16 classes for the initial launch.
The official description for the new collection reads:
“Build your aerobic engine in classes focused on maintaining Zone 2 heart rate. Strengthen your endurance while you train at a conversational pace with easy breathing, so you can go farther, feel stronger, and recover better.”
The collection pulls together existing classes that fit the Zone 2 profile rather than introducing a new class type. The Bike classes are Power Zone Endurance and Power Zone Recovery rides, the Tread/Outdoor category includes Endurance Runs and some themed walks, and the Row classes are Endurance Rows.
For those unfamiliar, heart rate zone training divides effort into five zones based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate. Zone 1 is very light activity, Zone 5 is all-out effort, and Zone 2 sits in the low-to-moderate range, roughly 60–70% of your maximum heart rate. A simple way to tell if you’re roughly in Zone 2 is the “talk test”: you should be able to hold a full conversation without gasping for air.
This is different from Peloton’s Power Zone training, which many members are already familiar with. Power Zone classes use seven zones based on your FTP (Functional Threshold Power), which is a measure of your output on the Bike, not your heart rate. While there’s some overlap in concept – Power Zone Endurance rides, for example, keep you in lower power zones that often correspond to a Zone 2 heart rate – the two systems are measuring different things.
Zone 2 training has become a hot topic in longevity circles in recent years. At this intensity, the body primarily burns fat for fuel and builds mitochondrial function, which improves endurance, recovery, and metabolic health over time. Research into elite endurance athletes has found that many of them typically spend 60–80% of their total training time at this intensity, with a widely cited “80/20” model suggesting that roughly 80% of training should be at low intensity and 20% at high intensity. For most people, 3–4 Zone 2 sessions per week of 45–60 minutes is recommended.
Interestingly, Peloton actually used to offer dedicated heart rate zone classes on the platform, but discontinued them back in 2020. At the time, the change was shared in a letter by Christine D’Ercole, who transitioned to teaching Power Zone classes shortly after. The return to heart rate zone-focused content – even if just through a curated collection rather than a dedicated class type – suggests Peloton is trying to capitalize on the growing demand for this style of training.
This collection fits into Peloton’s broader push to position itself as a “connected wellness” company rather than purely a connected fitness company. CEO Peter Stern has spoken repeatedly about helping members build more well-rounded fitness habits, including incorporating strength training at least twice a week and focusing on overall health outcomes, and improving the healthspan of Peloton members.
You can find the collection on Peloton here.
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