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Determining Your Training Zones


Lactate Threshold (LT) or Anaerobic Threshold (AT) is the heart rate at which you begin to accumulate lactic acid in your muscles – where anaerobic energy production surpasses aerobic.  It is the rate at which the effort is no longer sustainable for long periods of time.  This generally occurs at 85-92% of MHR.  Various cycling coaches use different number of zones.  I use six zones and they are listed below, and are based on percentage of your anaerobic or lactate threshold.

Heart Rate Zones:

Zone 1 = Recovery (<71% of AT) – uses the aerobic system
Zone 2 = Endurance (72-81% of AT) – uses the aerobic system
Zone 3 = Tempo Pace (82-91% of AT) – uses mainly aerobic system
Zone 4 = Threshold Pace ( 92-102% of AT) – uses mainly aerobic system with some anaerobic system
Zone 5 = Anaerobic Pace (103-110% of AT) – covers zone where aerobic converts to the anaerobic system.
Zone 6 = Maximum aerobic capacity (Too short to record HR) – anaerobic and CP systems

Your cardiovascular output can also be measured with power if you use a power meter on your bike.   Similar to heart rate, there are also power zones.  These are based on your Threshold Power (TP), as estimated from the test given below.  My  six zones are shown here for power, and are based on those of Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan.

Power Zones:

Zone 1 = Recovery (<55% of TP) – uses the aerobic system
Zone 2 = Endurance (56-75% of TP) – uses the aerobic system
Zone 3 = Tempo Pace (76-90% of TP) – uses mainly aerobic system
Zone 4 = Threshold Pace ( 91-105% of TP) – uses mainly aerobic system with some anaerobic system
Zone 5 = Anaerobic Pace(106-120% of TP) – covers zone where aerobic converts to the anaerobic system.
Zone 6 = Maximum capacity (V02 Max) (>120% of TP) – anaerobic and CP systems

How to estimate your AT or TP:

AT and TP is the maximum sustainable pace you can maintain during a time trial effort that lasts about an hour.  However, it’s possible to estimate this heart rate or power from a shorter 20 min time trial effort.  Find a road that is relatively level and free of traffic and intersections.   You may need to find a road that’s about 5 miles and do an ‘out and back’ course to get your 20 min test done.   Alternately, you can do this on an indoor trainer.  In some ways this gives you a more repeatable result as you don’t have the weather and traffic variables.  Warm up thoroughly,  then begin the 20 minute time trial.  Ride as hard as you can at a pace you can maintain for the full 20 minutes.  There is a fine line between going out too fast and not pushing yourself hard enough.  You may need to do a few of these before you figure out your sustainable pace.   Record your heart rate and/or power toward the end of the 20 min.   Do not accelerate or sprint at the end.  What we are after is your sustainable heart rate or power.    If you have a computer that allows you, take the average heart rate or power for the last 5 minutes of the effort.   

The pace you can maintain for 20 min is slightly faster than the pace you can maintain for an hour.  So take your heart rate or power from this 20 minute test and multiply by 0.95 to arrive at your sustainable pace, which is your estimated Anaerobic Threshold (AT) or Threshold Power (PT).   Use this value to estimate your own zones as described above or using the table below.

These power threshold zones and method for determining them are based on those advocated by Allen and Coggan in their book, ‘Training and Racing with a Power Meter’.

Refer to these charts to determine your zones based on your own AT or TP values obtained from your test:

Heart Rate Training Zones

 

Recovery

Endurance

Tempo

Threshold

Anaerobic

Max Effort

A.T. Heart Rate
(Beat/Min)

Zone 1

Zone 2

Zone 3

Zone 4

Zone 5

Zone 6

130

<94

94-107

108-120

121-134

135-143

>143

135

<97

97-111

112-124

125-139

140-149

>149

140

<101

101-115

116-129

130-144

145-154

>154

145

<104

104-119

120-133

134-149

150-160

>160

150

<108

108-123

124-138

139-155

156-165

>165

155

<112

112-127

128-143

144-160

161-171

>171

160

<115

115-131

132-147

148-165

166-176

>176

165

<119

119-135

136-152

153-170

171-182

>182

170

<122

122-139

140-156

157-175

176-187

>187

175

<126

127-144

145-161

162-180

181-193

>193

180

<130

130-148

149-166

167-185

186-198

>198

185

<133

133-152

153-170

171-191

192-204

>204

190

<137

137-156

157-175

176-196

197-209

>209

195

<140

140-160

161-179

180-201

202-215

>215

 

Power Training Zones

 

Recovery

Endurance

Tempo

Threshold

Anaerobic

Max Effort

Threshold Power
(Watts)

Zone 1

Zone 2

Zone 3

Zone 4

Zone 5

Zone 6

200

<110

110-150

151-182

183-212

213-240

>240

210

<116

116-158

159-191

192-223

224-252

>252

220

<121

121-165

166-200

201-233

234-264

>264

230

<127

127-173

174-209

210-244

245-276

>276

240

<132

132-180

181-218

219-254

255-288

>288

250

<138

138-188

189-228

229-265

266-300

>300

260

<143

143-195

196-237

238-276

277-312

>312

270

<149

149-203

204-246

247-286

287-324

>324

280

<154

154-210

211-255

256-297

298-336

>336

290

<160

160-218

219-264

265-307

308-348

>348

300

<165

165-225

226-273

274-318

319-360

>360

310

<171

171-233

234-282

283-329

330-372

>372

320

<176

176-240

241-291

292-339

340-384

>384

330

<182

182-248

249-300

301-350

351-396

>396


All the best in training!
Coach David Ertl
___________________________________
David Ertl is a USA Cycling Level 1 (Elite) Coach and NSCA Certified Personal Trainer.  He coaches individuals interested in improving on their current cycling ability, whatever level that may be.  He also provides cycling training plans and ebooks at his website:  www.CyclesportCoaching.com            
He can be contacted at Coach@CyclesportCoaching.com


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  The information and advice contained within this website are intended to supplement, not replace, a supervised training program.   Anyone beginning or enhancing an exercise program should consult with appropriate health and fitness professionals.   The reader, not the author, is responsible for any consequences resulting from the use of any and all information contained within this website.  Please ride responsibly and within your limits.