This calculator estimates your power training zones based on your threshold power. You can estimate your FTP with our calculator here.
Explanation of each training zone
Zone 1 @Z1, RECOVERY Intensity: <55% of your FTP
Easy spin or light pedal pressure, is a very low-level exercise. Requires no attention to sustain pace, and easy to have a conversation. Typically used for an easy active recovery ride after exhausting training days (or races), between interval efforts, or for socializing.
Zone 2 @Z2, ENDURANCE TRAINING Intensity: 55-70% of your FTP
The Endurance Zone, often referred to as Zone 2, is a fundamental training intensity for cyclists, typically ranging from 55-70% of Functional Threshold Power (FTP). This zone is characterized by a steady, moderate effort that can be sustained for long durations. Training in Zone 2 primarily targets the aerobic system, significantly enhancing cardiovascular efficiency and increasing the density and function of mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cells. Mitochondria are responsible for producing the energy required for sustained exercise, and by increasing their number and efficiency, cyclists can improve their ability to utilize fat as a fuel source, thereby sparing glycogen stores. This adaptation is crucial for endurance performance, allowing cyclists to ride longer distances at a steady pace while reducing fatigue and enhancing overall metabolic health.
Zone 3 @Z3, FAT MAX Intensity: 75-83% of your FTP
The Fat Max Zone refers to the exercise intensity at which the body maximizes fat oxidation, or the rate at which it burns fat for fuel. For competitive cyclists, training in the Fat Max Zone is crucial for enhancing endurance and metabolic efficiency. This zone typically falls within a moderate intensity range, often between 75-83% of one's ftp, but can vary depending on fitness. Here the body predominantly uses fat stores rather than carbohydrates for energy. By incorporating Fat Max Zone training into their regimen, cyclists can improve their ability to sustain longer efforts, delay glycogen depletion, and maintain a more steady energy supply during prolonged rides and races. Understanding and leveraging this zone can lead to improved endurance performance and better overall energy management.
Zone 4 @Z4, AEROBIC CAPACITY (TEMPO or "Sweet Spot Zone) Intensity: 87-95% of your FTP
This type of training improves aerobic fitness, power, strength, and blood circulation, and it’s often mixed in with Zone 2 training. The best way to describe it is “comfortably hard”. You’re working, and you feel it. It's particularly effective for improving the ability to sustain moderately hard efforts over extended periods, which is essential for race scenarios like breakaways, sustained climbs, and time trials. Regularly incorporating Sweet Spot workouts into a training plan helps cyclists become stronger and more resilient, optimizing their performance while minimizing the risk of overtraining.
Zone 5 @Z5, LACTATE THRESHOLD (FTP) Intensity: 96-105% of your FTP
The Lactate Threshold Zone, typically around 96-105% of Functional Threshold Power (FTP), is a critical training intensity for competitive cyclists. This zone represents the intensity at which lactate begins to accumulate in the blood faster than it can be cleared, marking a shift from predominantly aerobic energy production to anaerobic metabolism. Training in the Lactate Threshold Zone enhances the body's ability to sustain high-intensity efforts by improving lactate clearance and buffering capacity, thereby delaying the onset of fatigue. Regularly incorporating Lactate Threshold workouts helps cyclists increase their threshold power, enabling them to maintain higher speeds and intensities for longer periods, which is crucial for competitive success.
Zone 6 @Z6, VO2 Intensity: 130-150% of your FTP
This is one of the most intense types of training, and it’s an effort you can sustain for maybe 3 to 8 minutes at a time. Your legs will burn as you push your bike forward, and you’ll be gasping for air. While very intense, this type of ride helps train your heart to quickly bring blood where it’s needed in your body, making you a more efficient rider and racer.
Zone 7 @Z7, NEUROMUSCULAR POWER Intensity: +200% of your FTP
Very short, very high-intensity efforts (e.g., jumps, standing starts, short sprints) that generally place greater stress on musculoskeletal rather than metabolic systems. Power useful as a guide, but only in reference to prior similar efforts.
DID YOU KNOW?
At ProCyclingCoaching, our coaches design specialized workouts by focusing on your unique physiological profile, peak power profile, strengths, and limiters, rather than relying on typical training zones. Instead of using a percentage of FTP to structure workouts, we identify your specific limits at each power duration and tailor intervals based on those precise power outputs. This personalized approach ensures that every workout targets your individual needs, helping you to overcome weaknesses, maximize strengths, and achieve optimal performance. You can schedule a call with our coach here, if you would like to explore the coaching program and utilise best practices such as this one.
