Cycling Training Zones: Understanding Your Effort Levels

Cycling training zones help riders structure their workouts to improve endurance, power, and speed. By training in specific zones, cyclists can optimize their performance and track progress effectively.

What Are Cycling Training Zones?

Cycling training zones categorize effort levels based on heart rate, power output, or perceived exertion. These zones help cyclists tailor their workouts for specific goals, whether it’s building endurance, increasing threshold power, or improving sprinting ability.

E Zones and Z Zones

E Heart Rate Zones (commonly used in European endurance training) and the Z Zones (often associated with cycling and running power or heart rate training, like Coggan power zones) have comparable intensity levels. Below is a rough equivalence:

E Zones Z Zones Description
REC (Recovery) Z1 (Active Recovery) Very easy effort, promotes recovery, below aerobic threshold
E1 (Endurance 1) Z2 (Endurance) Easy aerobic training, sustainable for long durations
E2 (Endurance 2) Z3 (Tempo) Moderate intensity, challenging but sustainable for 1-3 hours
E3 (Endurance 3) Z4 (Threshold) High-intensity, near lactate threshold, sustainable for 30-60 min
Vo2MAX Z5 (VO2 Max) Near max effort, intense intervals, sustainable for 3-8 min

Beyond these, Z6 (Anaerobic) and Z7 (Neuromuscular) in power-based systems focus on short bursts of maximal effort, which don’t have a direct equivalent in the E system.

The Different Cycling Training Zones

Here’s a breakdown of the commonly used cycling training zones:

REC/Zone 1: Active Recovery

  • Intensity: Very easy
  • Purpose: Helps with recovery and reduces fatigue
  • Heart Rate: <55% of max HR
  • Power: <55% of Functional Threshold Power (FTP)

E1/Zone 2: Endurance

  • Intensity: Easy to moderate
  • Purpose: Builds aerobic base and improves fat metabolism
  • Heart Rate: 56-75% of max HR
  • Power: 56-75% of FTP

E2/Zone 3: Tempo

  • Intensity: Moderate to hard
  • Purpose: Enhances muscular endurance and aerobic capacity
  • Heart Rate: 76-87% of max HR
  • Power: 76-90% of FTP

E3/Zone 4: Threshold

  • Intensity: Hard
  • Purpose: Improves lactate threshold and sustainable power
  • Heart Rate: 88-95% of max HR
  • Power: 91-105% of FTP

VO2MAX/Zone 5: VO2 Max

  • Intensity: Very hard
  • Purpose: Increases aerobic power and oxygen uptake
  • Heart Rate: 96-100% of max HR
  • Power: 106-120% of FTP

Zone 6: Anaerobic Capacity

  • Intensity: Maximal effort for short durations
  • Purpose: Improves sprint power and high-intensity efforts
  • Heart Rate: N/A (effort-based)
  • Power: 121-150% of FTP

Zone 7: Neuromuscular Power

  • Intensity: All-out sprint efforts
  • Purpose: Develops explosive power and sprinting ability
  • Heart Rate: N/A
  • Power: Maximum effort

INSCYD Training Zones

INSCYD (Inside Performance Diagnostics) offers a more detailed analysis of an athlete’s performance, going beyond traditional FTP-based zones. INSCYD zones integrate metabolic profiling to give a more precise training structure. These zones include:

Zone 1: Recovery & Basic Endurance

  • Intensity: Very easy
  • Purpose: Facilitates recovery and improves general endurance.

Zone 2: FatMax

  • Intensity: Moderate
  • Purpose: Optimizes fat metabolism and aerobic efficiency, improving long-duration performance.

Zone 3: Threshold Training

  • Intensity: Hard
  • Purpose: Develop the ability to sustain high-intensity efforts and increase anaerobic threshold.

Zone 4: VO2 Max Development

  • Intensity: Very hard
  • Purpose: Enhances oxygen uptake and maximizes aerobic performance.

Zone 5: Anaerobic Power & Sprint

  • Intensity: Maximal effort
  • Purpose: Boosts sprinting ability and high-intensity power output.

The INSCYD approach allows for precise performance testing and the identification of strengths and weaknesses, making it highly effective for competitive cyclists and endurance athletes.

How to Use Training Zones Effectively

To make the most of cycling training zones:

  1. Determine Your FTP or Max Heart Rate: Conduct an FTP test or heart rate test to set accurate zones.
  2. Use Metabolic Testing: Consider using INSCYD analysis to get a more comprehensive view of your physiology.
  3. Structure Your Workouts: Use a mix of zones depending on your goals.
  4. Monitor Progress: Track heart rate, power, and perceived exertion over time.
  5. Balance Training and Recovery: Include lower-intensity rides to avoid burnout.

Conclusion

Understanding and using cycling training zones effectively can help cyclists train smarter and reach their performance goals. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced rider, structured training can enhance endurance, power, and overall cycling performance. INSCYD provides an advanced way to fine-tune training and optimize energy systems, making it a valuable tool for those looking to maximize their potential.

Ready to elevate your cycling performance? Book a free call with me to discuss whether you are a good fit for my coaching program and how I can create a personalised coaching plan to help you achieve your goals.