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Training zones 2022-04-27
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What are training zones?
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Training zones are basically exercise intensity levels, and the
period within each has a direct effect on how productive your
training is. Different types of exercises determine for how long
you should ideally train within each zone. Simply put, if you are
training for endurance then the lower end training zones are your
goal, if sudden, high-speed, explosive break-aways are your thing,
then you will need to train more often in the higher end training
zones. There are several popular methods of determining your
training zones, based on heart rate, power, and pace values. But I
concentrate only on the heart rate zones, and limit myself to three
different methods. In the end it is all about simplicity.
The three methods I favor:
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- %MHR - Percentage of Maximum Heart Rate
- %LTHR - Percentage of Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (Joe Friel)
- RPE - Rating of Perceived Exertion (simply because not everyone
has a HR monitor); see phlog post "2022-04-12 - rpe"
Explanation
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*Zone 1* - Recovery. Sometimes combined with the next zone, this is a
zone where you'll spend your time doing your recovery rides. It
feels like you almost aren't training at all. It is a very
important zone as it helps flush out your muscles in between
intense training sessions. The key to this zone it to ensure that
you don't go too hard because if you do you'll not be rested enough
to go really hard in the harder sessions of your program.
*Zone 2* - Aerobic Endurance. This zone is where you build your
aerobic base and it is a zone where you'll spend a lot of time in
when you are building your basic fitness. This zone builds and
enables you to ride long distances and improves your average speed
while riding at an easy pace. It is also the zone where you'll warm
up and cool down in.
*Zone 3* - General Aerobic Endurance. While this is an important zone
for training in to build an increase in muscle glycogen storage,
you'll need to be careful spending too much time in this zone. It
is sometimes referred to as no man's land or tempo riding as you
are riding too fast to build your aerobic base but too slow to
develop your VO2MAX and lactate threshold. The result of spending
too much time in this zone is that you'll get home feeling tired
but not having really improved your fitness. Therefore this zone is
not an efficient use of your training time. However, in moderation,
it is a good zone to ease you into interval training.
*Zone 4* - Anaerobic Threshold Endurance. This zone is where you
start to get some real improvements to your fitness. Referred to
generally as strength endurance training this zone helps to
increase your ability to ride at lactate threshold. This is not an
easy zone to train in and is associated with interval training
where you'll ride for short periods at an above average
intensity. You'll be breathing hard in this zone and not able to
carry on a conversation. Training in this zone helps build
tolerance to the muscle burn that you get when riding hard.
*Zone 5* - VO2 MAX Boosting. Often referred to as VO2MAX, this is the
hardest zone to train in. This is a zone where you will increase
your VO2MAX and build your heart's ability to increase its cardio
output. It is mainly reserved for short and very intense intervals
as it is not a zone that you can spend much time in. Holding a
conversation is impossible. Use the lower end of this zone for very
intense interval training and the higher end for sprint training.
Explanation
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*Zone 1* - Recovery. Activities within this zone include the simplest
exercises that help experienced athletes to recover after hard
exercises.
*Zone 2* - Extensive endurance. Characterized by long activities
focused on endurance development. When completing exercises at this
level, building and later maintenance of aerobic endurance take
place. During these activities, lactate is produced in relatively
small amounts, which allows to complete long, but at the same time,
comfortable training sessions at the athlete's aerobic endurance
limit.
*Zone 3* - Intensive endurance. With a relative minor increase in
intensity, the production of lactate begins to increase compared to
the previous levels, and in addition to the slow twitch muscle
fibers, fast twitch ones spring into action.
*Zones 4 and 5a* - Intensity threshold. The most important training
zone for all-round athletes. The level of intensity here is
slightly below or slightly above the lactate threshold. Aerobic
mechanisms are used to the maximum.
*Zone 5b* - Anaerobic endurance. The level of intensity is higher
than the lactate threshold. Structured activities are typical for
this zone. This stage facilitates growth and development of fast
twitch muscle fibers and the body's ability to resist the effect of
lactate and utilize it.
*Zone 5c* - Power. Power development exercises should consist of
short explosive intervals separated by long recovery periods.
