Training Zones Calculator

Power Training Zones Explained

The seven-zone model popularized by Dr. Andrew Coggan is one of the most widely used frameworks in cycling training. Each zone targets a specific physiological system, and structuring your workouts around these zones helps ensure you are training with purpose rather than riding at a random intensity every day.

Zone 1 (Active Recovery) is very easy spinning - typically below 55% of FTP. It promotes blood flow and recovery without adding training stress. Zone 2 (Endurance) sits at 56-75% of FTP and forms the backbone of base training. Long rides in this zone build aerobic efficiency and fat oxidation. Zone 3 (Tempo) covers 76-90% of FTP and is sometimes called the "no man's land" because it is hard enough to generate fatigue but not targeted enough to produce the specific adaptations you get from higher or lower zones.

Zone 4 (Threshold) is the range around FTP itself - 91-105%. Intervals at this intensity improve your ability to sustain high power for 20-60 minutes, which directly translates to faster time trials and long climbs. Zone 5 (VO2max), at 106-120% of FTP, targets maximal oxygen uptake with efforts typically lasting 3-8 minutes. Zone 6 (Anaerobic Capacity) pushes above 120% of FTP for short, intense repetitions of 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Finally, Zone 7 (Neuromuscular Power) covers all-out sprints under 30 seconds where raw peak power matters more than aerobic fitness.

Seeing your zones in both watts and watts per kilogram gives useful context. Absolute watts determine how fast you go on flat roads and in time trials, while W/kg is the key metric on climbs. A rider at 4.0 W/kg in Zone 4 will climb very differently from one at 3.0 W/kg, even if their absolute FTP is similar, because gravity does not care about flat-road speed - only the ratio of power to body weight.