- Zones split your power into seven bands, each a share of your FTP.
- Low zones build your base and help you recover. High zones are short and hard.
- When your FTP changes, the watts in every zone change with it.
What zones are
A zone is a band of power. Each band trains something different, so the zone tells you what a block of a workout is for.
Zones are shares of your FTP, not fixed watts. That keeps them useful as you get fitter. Hammy uses the seven zones of the Coggan model, and their boundaries are fixed.
The seven zones
| Zone | % of FTP | How it feels |
|---|---|---|
| Z1 Active recovery | 0–55% | Very easy. You could chat all day. |
| Z2 Endurance | 56–75% | Comfortable and steady. Full sentences. |
| Z3 Tempo | 76–90% | Brisk. Deeper breathing, shorter sentences. |
| Z4 Threshold | 91–105% | Hard. A few words at a time. |
| Z5 VO₂ max | 106–120% | Very hard. Efforts last a few minutes. |
| Z6 Anaerobic | 121–150% | Short and sharp. Under about two minutes. |
| Z7 Neuromuscular | over 150% | All out. Seconds, not minutes. |
What each one is for
Zones 1 and 2 are the base. They are easy to recover from, so you can ride a lot of them. Many plans put most of the riding here.
Zones 3 and 4 raise the power you can hold for a long time. They cost more, so they come in blocks with breaks.
Zones 5 to 7 are short efforts with long recoveries. They are hard, so a little goes a long way.
Feel and numbers
Indoors, power is the number to trust. Feel is a useful second opinion. If a Zone 2 ride feels hard, you may be tired, too warm, or your FTP may be set too high.
Zones move with your FTP
Because zones are shares of FTP, a new FTP moves all of them. The top of Zone 3 is 90% of your FTP: 225 W at an FTP of 250 W, and 234 W at 260 W. Most workouts are set as a share of your FTP, so their watt targets change when your FTP does. Fixed-wattage workouts, such as the Ramp Test, keep their watts and only their zone labels change.
Open Profile, then FTP and zones, then Power zones, to see the seven zones with their share of FTP and, once you have entered an FTP, their watts. The ride screen labels the current target with its zone, and ride details show how long you spent in each one, when the ride has an FTP and power.
Show sources (7)Hide sources
- Bok D, Rakovac M, Foster C (2022). An Examination and Critique of Subjective Methods to Determine Exercise Intensity: The Talk Test, Feeling Scale, and Rating of Perceived Exertion. Sports Medicine, 52(9), 2085–2109. doi:10.1007/s40279-022-01690-3
- Buchheit M, Laursen PB (2013). High-Intensity Interval Training, Solutions to the Programming Puzzle: Part I: Cardiopulmonary Emphasis. Sports Medicine, 43(5), 313–338. doi:10.1007/s40279-013-0029-x
- Buchheit M, Laursen PB (2013). High-Intensity Interval Training, Solutions to the Programming Puzzle: Part II: Anaerobic Energy, Neuromuscular Load and Practical Applications. Sports Medicine, 43(10), 927–954. doi:10.1007/s40279-013-0066-5
- Dupuy O, Douzi W, Theurot D, et al. (2018). An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 9, 403. doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.00403
- Milanović Z, Sporiš G, Weston M (2015). Effectiveness of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIT) and Continuous Endurance Training for VO2max Improvements: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Trials. Sports Medicine, 45(10), 1469–1481. doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0365-0
- Seiler KS, Kjerland GØ (2006). Quantifying training intensity distribution in elite endurance athletes: is there evidence for an “optimal” distribution? Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 16(1), 49–56. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2004.00418.x
- Stöggl T, Sperlich B (2014). Polarized training has greater impact on key endurance variables than threshold, high intensity, or high volume training. Frontiers in Physiology, 5, 33. doi:10.3389/fphys.2014.00033
