Zone-2 Cardio
30-60 min steady-state cardio at 60-70% HRmax. Bicycling, rowing, or brisk walking. Zone-2 base — the foundational cardio adaptation. ~45 min default duration.
Estimated session
- Movements 1
- Loads Coach-filled
- Progresses Every session
Every movement, in order
Each lift with its working sets and target, in the order you run them. The coach sets the loads from your training and moves them up as the work gets easier.
| Order | Exercise | Sets | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Bicycling Stationary 30-60 minutes at 60-70% HRmax. Use a heart-rate monitor or perceived effort 5-6/10. You should be able to hold a conversation. Substitute Rowing Machine, Walking Treadmill, or outdoor brisk walk if preferred. 1 × 30:00 · rest 0s | 1 | 30:00 | 0s |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
The intensity target is everything here — hold 60-70% HRmax, the pace where you can talk but only in short sentences. Most people drift too hard, turning an easy aerobic session into junk middle-zone work; if in doubt, go slower. Use a heart-rate monitor when possible, or the talk test as a proxy. Modality is flexible: bike, row, hike, or brisk walk all count, so pick whatever lets you hold steady effort without joint complaints. Default is 45 minutes — extend toward 60 as your base builds.
Every workout
The coach reads your log, tunes the loads and volume to where you are today, and tells you when to add weight.
Programs that use this template
This session is scheduled across a week and progressed over the mesocycle in the programs below.
Common questions
The facts most people check before they drop this session into a week.
01When should I use the Zone-2 Cardio template?
The intensity target is everything here — hold 60-70% HRmax, the pace where you can talk but only in short sentences. Add it to your week in Squatly and the coach schedules it, sets the loads from your training, and tells you when to move up.
02How many working sets is Zone-2 Cardio, and how long does it take?
Zone-2 Cardio runs 1 movement and about 1 working set, roughly 38 minutes once warm-ups are in. The full per-exercise scheme — sets, reps or RPE, and rest — is in the session table above.
Built on the Squatly method
Every set count, rep target, and rest period here comes from how the coach weighs volume, intensity, and fatigue. See where the numbers come from.
Read the methodVolume, intensity, and fatigue — read per lift, every session.
Last updated: June 2026
Keep moving forward.
Add this template to your week. The coach reads your training, sets the loads, and tells you when to push.
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Aleks · Coach
Proposal — add weight