If you’re starting to venture into the world of riding with data, chances are you’ll have heard of training zones. In a nutshell, training zones enable cyclists to target specific physiological adaptations and, in turn, produce more effective results from time in the saddle.

However, with numerous training zone models out there – covering both heart rate and power – and terms such as FTP, sweet-spot, VO2 max, and anaerobic threshold frequently bandied about, understanding and using training zones effectively can be complicated.

That needn’t be the case, however. Using zones can simplify your training by adding structure to your riding, enabling you to hone the precise area of fitness you want to improve.

  What’s more, training zones are more accessible than ever, thanks to the increasing affordability of heart rate monitors and power meters and  the fast-rising              popularity  of smart trainers and several indoor cycling apps.

1. What are training zones?

Training zones are intensity regions corresponding to physiological processes inside the body.Cyclists can use training zones to target specific adaptations , from improving endurance with base training to working on the ability to launch a max-power sprint. Training zones set a specific intensity to complete a ride, workout, or interval, along with the duration required.

Those intensities can be determined using heart rate, power, or even ‘feel’ (known as ‘rate of perceived exertion’). For example, a training plan or workout may require you to complete intervals in ‘zone three.’It’s not just about pacing your efforts, however. Using training zones will ensure you’re not working too hard on recovery rides or when resting between intervals.

Your specific training zones are personal to you and are based on your fitness level.  What might correspond to ‘zone three’ for one rider  will differ  for 

another.

2. What are the benefits of using training zones?

Training zones have several benefits, regardless of whether you’re new to structured training or a professional cyclist.

“If you’re motivated to see how good you can get, then it’s very important to have a structure in your program and follow the science,” says Carol Austin, medical doctor and former head of performance support for Team Dimension Data.

Intensity zones allow you to follow a more structured and precise approach to training, enabling you to target specific areas of your fitness and manage your workload to avoid overtraining while helping you or your coach track your progress over time.

Training using your zones is a win-win situation that keeps your training balanced and specific at the same time. Using training zones also helps ensure your recovery rides – or the recovery periods between high-intensity intervals – are sufficiently easy to allow you're body to rest and adapt to the work you’re putting in.

3. Three ways to use your training zones

Once you have completed a power or heart rate test and found your zones, you can use them in several ways to inform and assess your training.

Remember that the best training schedule is structured around your life, everyday commitments, and riding goals.

1. Create your training plan

If you’re creating your training plan rather than one prescribed by an app or coach, try not to overthink it. Please keep it simple. Try to focus 80 percent 

of your training sessions (not the total amount of training time) on easy efforts spent in the lower training zones (Z1 and Z2 if using a three-zone model), and only go into Z3 or above your anaerobic threshold  for the remaining 20 percent of the sessions

2. Sign up for a training plan

Online training apps can also use your zones to produce tailor-made workouts. Following a training plan  is easier than ever , with a wide range offering

 ready-made plans for indoor cycling. 

Those apps  include Zwift , Wahoo RGT, Rouvy, TrainerRoad, and Wahoo System. Each app typically offers training  plans targeting  a range of goals or

fitness improvements. They will also establish your baseline fitness (usually with an FTP test or similar), work out your training zones and tailor your workouts accordingly.

3. Work on your weaknesses

Knowing your zones enables you to target your weaknesses with specific sessions. Or, more importantly, you can base your training around the specific requirements of a target race or event.

For example, if you’re training for a long, mountainous sport such as the Etape du Tour or Maratona with the Dolomites, being able to ride for hours, with prolonged periods climbing at tempo, will be more important than having a 20-second, 1,000-watt sprint in your locker.