If you missed the introduction to Training Zones click here.
Hopefully with the deep dive into each training zone, you have realized the benefit of each training zone and that each has its own role in your training. Hopefully you have also realized how much using training zones can benefit your training. They are a way to maximize your improvements in several key physiological adaptions that can make you better at your endurance sport, but also make your sport more enjoyable. While simply running, cycling, and/or swimming how you feel each day without direction is perfectly fine if that makes you happy, but if you want to get the most improvement for your time spent training, then adding the structure that training zones help provide is necessary. Using them gives each workout you perform a structure and a purpose.
You may also have a lot of questions about how to put all these things you learned about training zones together into a training plan. The good news is you don’t have to because Endurance Strong has done that for you; see our Training Plans here. But if you want to give it a try, below are a few tips to help you put this all together.
Don’t put two hard days in a row. In order to work hard, you have to be somewhat recovered which can’t happen if yesterday was also a hard day.
Aim for two hard interval days and a medium day per week.
Don’t make it complicated. Focus on targeting a particular training zone for a particular days’ workout and don’t try to add too many bells and whistles.
While a lot of training zones are universal and beneficial to everyone, focus on the ones that will be most beneficial to you either because you struggle with them and/or they are important to the races/events you participate in.
The closer it is to you goal race or event, the more the workouts and training zones targeted should match the needs of that race or event.
While father out from you goal race or event you can focus more on workouts and training zones that are weaknesses for you.
Below is a table summarizing all the training zones with intensities for running, cycling, and swimming as well as the durations of the workouts. To calculate your training zones for each sport please use our free training zone calculators under the Training tab.
Zone | Name | Running | Cycling | Swimming | Duration |
1 | Active Recovery | ~77% of FTP 66-85% of FTHR 1-2 RPE | <55% of FTP <68% of FTHR 1-2 RPE | FTP: + 11-15sec /100yds(m) 4-5 RPE | 30-90min |
2 | Endurance | ~87% of FTP 86-91% of FTHR 2-3 RPE | 56-75% of FTP 69-83% of FTHR 2-3 RPE | FTP: + 6-10sec /100yds(m) 6-7 RPE | 30min-Several Hours |
3 | Tempo | ~92% of FTP 92-99% of FTHR 3-4 RPE | 76-90% of FTP 84-94% of FTHR 3-4 RPE | FTP: + 1-5sec /100yds(m) 7-8 RPE | 10-30min Intervals w/ 5-15min Recoveries or 30-60min workout |
4 | Lactate Threshold | ~100% of FTP 100-101% of FTHR 5-6 RPE | 91-105% of FTP 95-105% of FTHR 5-6 RPE | FTP Pace 8-8.5 RPE | 8-30min Intervals w/ 4-10min Recoveries |
5 | VO2 Max | ~104% of FTP 102-105% of FTHR 7-8 RPE | 106-120% of FTP >106% of FTHR 7-8 RPE | FTP: - 1-5sec /100yds(m) 9 RPE | 3-8min Intervals w/ 3-8min Recoveries (1:1 to 2:1 Work:Rest) |
6 | Anaerobic Capacity | >109% of FTP >106% of FTHR 8-9 RPE | 121-150% of FTP N/A % of FTHR 8-9 RPE | FTP: - 5sec /100yds(m) or more 10 RPE | 30sec-3min Intervals w/ 3-5min Recoveries (1:2+ Work:Rest) |
7 | Neuro-muscular Power | N/A | >150% of FTP N/A % of FTHR 10 RPE | ​N/A | 8-30sec Intervals w/ 3-10min Recoveries |
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