Aerobic Base

Aerobic Base is your level of fitness at a low level of intensity. It is the foundation from which you develop a strong endurance capacity to sustain an effort for a long period of time. To build a strong aerobic base we have to build from the bottom up, which means spending a lot of time in Zone 1 and Zone 2 up to our Aerobic Threshold (AeT) limit.

I recommend that most athletes spend at least 4-6 weeks working purely on their aerobic base before progressing to faster running. It can take months or even years to fully develop the aerobic base, but with consistency and a weekly volume of at least 6 hours it is possible to see a significant improvement in your effort level at the same heart rate.

Dr. Phil Maffetone has coined the term Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome (ADS), which means an underdeveloped aerobic system. This article explains more about the term and some ways that we can try to improve on it. The article talks about trying to maintain a 10% difference or less between your Aerobic Threshold (AeT) and your Anaerobic Threshold (AnT) heart rate or pace. This 10% difference or less is considered to be a high standard for having fully developed your aerobic base.

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