Training Zones Explained: What, Why & How?
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- čas přidán 13. 06. 2024
- Training zones can cause a lot of confusion. Some models have three, some have five, some six or seven. So, what are they? Why should you use them? How do you find yours? And why can no one agree on them? Si breaks down some of the theory behind the cycling training zones to help you better understand how to make them work for you.
00:00 Intro
00:36 What are training zones?
01:07 Why use training zones?
02:49 Understanding your zones
06:43 How many zones?
08:02 Zone training limitations
10:45 Not all zones are the same
11:55 Finding your training zones
15:52 Summary
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What other training topics would you like us to cover in future videos? 📊🚴
A Video on how Si got such a muscular upper body ;-).
Upgrading kit please! I bought a Specialized Allez around 6 years ago and splashed out on some Fulcrum Quattro wheels. Can you give advice on upgrading to a faster machine? With all the deals around am I better going for a new (rim brake) frame or a complete new bike and then upgrading those disc brake wheels? There seem to be loads of options to move forward but maybe too many. Looking for an endurance bike for comfortable long rides which is also fast enough for 100 mile events. I find the Allez geometry really comfortable, are other brand bikes very different? Budget £2k. Many thanks.
The training topic I would like you to cover is the one that 99% of exercise physiologists miss out. Namely the neuroscience or more specifically pedalling skill. This is how we gain efficiency and endurance so it's rather important.
This may seem stupid, but I've got questions about the accuracy of optical HRM. If I cinch up the velcro band a bit too tight, mine reads a resting HR in the high 60's before a ride. If I don't cinch it down, my resting HR is 48-52. I've validated the latter by counting for a minute against a chronograph.. Though it seems like it might not matter, the difference between 48bpm and 68bpm is huge, especially in how Strava measures TSS and training load. Does GCN want to do science on this topic?
Great video! First, the fact that the basic calc for heart rate zone is the one based on age is on par with using BMI (height /weight) to determine fitness. Both are calculations from the 1950's (almost 70 year old measures) and both are wild generalizations. Considering that body fat can easily be measured AND heart rate threshold can be easily tracked, using those baselines is a myth that needs to die. Which leads me to my topic suggestion: training myths that are still followed despite being proved wrong.
Si mentioning that his legs are always screaming was really insightful for me. As someone who has just taken up cycling, I wasn't sure if it was just me with the screaming legs
The interpretation of nervous signals by the brain is individual. I don't feel any of the sensations from my legs as anything I'd interpret as "pain" or "screaming", even if I'm greying out in a TT
@@galenkehlerhow would you describe your sensations when you're greying out?
@@smeetsnoud1 greying out is the loss of vision. Your vision gets narrow, as the peripheral goes dark, so it looks like you're looking down a long dark tunnel.
@@smeetsnoud1 I usually d9nt push myself quite that hard, the most dramatic was near the end of my hour record attempt, at about 53min I was feeling good and tried to raise the pace slightly, and started to grey out for a lap.
When I first started cycling (well, again as an adult, for a 20 minute commute) it was really tough on my legs - after just a few minutes they would feel heavy and it was difficult to hold the same pace while my breathing was still okay, and I could only bike to work two or three days a week with how sore I was after. It was significantly better after a couple months as my body got accustomed to the movement and effort, and I could bike every day (probably some fitness improvements too, but I was already running with my young dog daily at the time).
Now, my legs always feel heavy from about 5 to 15 minutes into a ride but after I'm warmed up I can do a moderate pace ride for a couple hours without worrying about my legs anymore. It's only the rides where I'm doing a big climb (30+ minutes) or a lot of small sprints where my legs start feeling like the thing holding me back.
After 2 years of being a cycling nerd, I finally understand training zones. Informative and digestable. Thank you Si and GCN!
Zones cna be tricky one to get your head around, you're not alone! Great to hear that we could help you out, are you now using zones for training?
@@gcn Indeed I am! I was before as well (powermeter and garmin connect) but now I'll be able to use them more effectively, especially during the Zwift winter season. Thanks again!
Guys can anyone help me i actually only got 50% of the video so please anyone can help me to know about all zones and which training zone to ride please anyone who knows it reply 🙏
Great expiation of how the multiple zone models fit together. I am comfortable with where my training zones are. The problem is my lack of discipline in sticking to them. As soon as I see a rider ahead of me or I get passed, the competitive juices start flowing and the chase is on.
Discipline can be tough! Have you tried indoor training? Time on the turbo can be a little more focused 🥵
One of the best videos on the channel this year. This different zones on different apps have been confusing many including me for quite some time!
You're not the only one! Glad we could help out 🙌 How are you getting on with zone training?
Si, a video to save, well done. While I understand this topic, always great to have such a detailed, easy to understand, pragmatic approach. At age 60, I find it even more important to work in and know your zones. I will say with not racing, I think that training with Heart rate, cadence and Power using a training app/trainer inside and using Heart rate and cadence outside is good way to do it and keep the cost down as you tend to 'memorize' how perform in the zones. Thanks!
HR only works for feeling zones for long intervals. Your heart reacts far too slowly with intervals under 5min and not that well for 10min intervals. This is all very easy to see when you first get a power meter. If I'm doing 20min at threshold, it'll take 5 min before my HR goes up to mid z3 and upwards of 10min before I'm in hr z4 and it'll keep creeping up through that 20min. People's power relative to HR can also differ drastically from indoors to outdoors
Great to hear you are keeping the training going! How often are you focusing on zone work? 💨
Thanks, At least once a week, but mostly twice. Try to get two workouts in and then a free ride a week. More in the warmer months. @@gcn
One of your best videos, thank you so much, Si!
After fiddling with the zones for years I finally understand where they are coming from.
Thanks for the insight Si! Always struggled to explain this to my buds and will definitely share your message to help them understand👌
Nice video, I always enjoy videos featuring Si. As always he does a great job explaining everything.
I love these videos from Si please keep them coming
Glad this came out because I saw other videos GCN posted about some particular zones but lacked context.
I love this channel, as a person, a cyclist and everything, it’s just so good, not only was a doubt that I have but I can remember reading the comments and see people asking about that and here is the video not even a month after the request. Thanks guys, you really help us get better into cycling ❤
As someone who doesn't train and just rides for fun, I use the 3 zone model in my head to keep track of how long I can keep pace when on a group ride. 👍 I think of it as being in the green, yellow and red, as Si described; sustainable, unsustainable, and catch up to the draft. XD
Nothing wrong with simplifying the zones! Great to hear you have managed to mixed a relaxed cycling mindset with a bit of structure 🙌
Yeah I was doing half turns on Spin Bike to find my zones until discovering GCN's playlists
Super great video that explains clearly what the zones are all about. Thanks GCN.
For me, I always view Zone 2 as "the one I can do all day"
Sure, at some point I'll fatigue especially if there are hills or sprints to pass, but zone 2 is totally that comfortable place to ride across country
Zone 2 rides are a great base to build your fitness on 🙌 Do you also pepper in high intensity work?
The problem with zone 2 is that sometimes I can't differentiate zone 1 and 2. All day effort is hovering upper zone 1 to lower part of zone 2
Thanks Si for the time you put into this. Zone training is interesting, but tricky to get your head round.
Thank you Si, very illuminating. Earlier this year all my zones smeared into one but now i think I can see "zone boundaries" in my riding.
Keep up this good content. If I could give you more that 1 thumbs up I would.
Excellent overview Si your very easy to listen to and take on board what your saying, be great to hear some more tuitional type vids with you presenting 😊 well done dude.. Pete 👍🚴🏻😃🥇🚴🏻
Very well presented. Thank you, Si.
Do you expect anything else?
Awesome video guys! I just completed my first FTP test this week and looking to build up my zone 4 interval training, so this is really helpful!
Welcome to the world of training 🙌
Very helpful. I always debated the variation between power and heart rate within a given zone. That’s good guidance.
Super informative video. Thank you!
If I have a cycling motto, emblazoned on the front of my jersey, it is: I don't have a zone 5 . Zones 2, 3, and even 4 all day, but I just say no to zone 5. Why? Not needed in any riding circumstance I encounter regardless the distance or difficulty. The few times I have drifted into zone 5 have not been pretty. Usually happens when on a lengthy steep climb, while alone, and not paying attention to my core temperature, breathing or heartrate. During such extended pain filled moments I often shut down all thinking as I drift into a mental fog in the attempt to distance myself from my body. Then boom, that's when the tunnel vision begins, followed by nausea and a sudden loss of muscle control. Everything comes to a screeching halt, leaving me on the side of the road, unable to get off the bike, using the handlebars as a pillow, my eyes just staring at the front axle, with nothing but the sound of my heart banging against my ears. Eff you zone 5, eff you!
sounds like me when I don't eat enough and get low blood sugar. maybe bring someone and have em check your sugar levels when you reach that state? just a thought.
Si, good one. Have worked out that you have 5 training zones.
1. Coffee & Cake
2. Coffee
3. Epic
4. Full Gas
5. Blown My Doors Off 😂
Good vid and a prompt to consider a HR monitor and power meter. The watch is fine, breathing still good but 5 years on, a few events later, getting into it and time to untap a little more 😀
Thank you Si, probably the best 'zones' video I've seen. I've always thought focusing on zone's reduced the fun and possibly stopped me going for that Strava segment when I felt good. But I probably should look into it more.
high quality explanation, im actually impressed for a change.
Very well put together!
I’m kind of excited about this. A work buddy was talking to me about zone training the other day and I had no idea what it was but it turns out my watch tracks that. I’m not competitive training or anything but using it the last couple days I do like how it keeps me from slacking off when I’ve started day dreaming on my stationary bike and loss track lol.
The power of zones fine-ly explained! ⚡Thanks Si!
Excellent vidéo! Thanks!
A good one! Thanks GCN.🎉
as an old school rider, i really thank you for your explanations Si, my rides will be even more precise! you rule!
Another informative video from Si 👍
Very well put together. What I would like to learn is how to pace efforts, especially between 1min and 10min.
Don't often comment, but this video was mega. Really helps refocus me on real training rather than just randomly pedalling hard and easy.
Wellcome to the comments! It's a nice place really 😉 Great to hear we could help! It's amazing what a bit of structure can do to your fitness!
As someone who's just starting to get into cycling, I really needed to hear that any time on the bike is going to help fitness as a beginner.
Great episode. I've been wondering for years and years --decades, really-- about many of these questions. Thanks for the answers! (Yah, I'm aware there's the inter-Web thingy. doh!) It'll be interesting to find out what zone(s) I gravitate toward when I ride. My style has always been like I'm the lone breakaway trying for a stage win! ;p
This is the content we thrive for nice one Si 👌
the analogy of zones and weights at the gym was a great one.
A great video! Just one comment. Zone 4 in the five or seven zone system use to be a bit above and bit below LT 2, typically 91-105% or 95-105% of LT2. In the video it looks like to be below LT2.
Well done. I've been studying this topic and was curious how you would present it. Very consistent with Training Peaks University courses and lessons from WKO5 leaders.
Si, great video. I think zone fun and zone; do what feels right and don't sweat the small stuff, are critical zones too. If it feels right, it is right.
That gym scene is phenomenal
Thanks Simon good bideo
Your explanation of zone 2 on how you breath and your ability to talk is very easy to perceive and follow when cycling so, why not set the training zones, for example on an Apple Watch from those zone 2 ride power metrics, instead of doing the standard FTP tests? When you know your zone 2 power data from “feel “ you can then move the FTP setting on Apple Watch until the Zone 2 data fields match your ride data.
Thanks! 2024 is the year I move from beginner to....better. This will be a helpful referral.
Great vid Si
Re: breathing through your nose, to find zone 2. I find this does work, but only if I keep the muscles of my face relaxed. If I scrunch up my face to increase airflow then I can slip into zone 3 while breathing through my nose. But with relaxed face muscles I find this totally works, and I use it regularly (and confirm the results with heart-rate periodically).
Going by my hr monitor it is actually pretty accurate providing you're not bunged up with a cold.
Interesting! We might have to test this one out 👀 Luckily Si is such a chilled guy 😉
My nose just doesn't have enough throughput to do even zone 1.
When you're breathing in zone 2 through your nose, do you still breathe normally or slightly harder?
@@bonbonflippers4298 A little harder. But so long as I keep my facial muscles relaxed, it's not a lot harder.
I think we need a video explaing what is going on in them zones to our muscles. Like why we train in zone 2 and why its important. Same as zone 4.. more in depth.. thanks!
Simon did a pretty good explanation there! having the same age but a completely different training background (weightlifting and crossfit-ish) but i very agree on not listening to your legs. when they start to feel fatigued and empty there is still a lot in them to be squeezed out. What i do found difficult though from coming from weightlifting is, that you do heavy sets there basically often so quick that your breathing does not correspond, so heavy breathing comes after the set often. This plays stupid tricks to your cycling and it needs a fair amount of longer rides to readjust because you tend to ride purely anaerobic which is good for sprinting but not for climbing mountain roads or go on longer distances.
Great video, one of the best at explaining nuance to the masses.
?
Zone 2 would be an easy pull without labored breathing after a deep pull, Zone 4 would be a few deep catch-up breaths?
I would really appreciate it if you could put together a training schedule using zones. Please :)
Hello,
Thank you for this nice and clear explanation.
Could you please explain to which zones (let’s say the 7 zone model) the Perceived effort levels from 1-10 in the GCN training videos correspond to?
Great video and explanation. I am trying hard to structure my trainings, but it fails every time after adrenaline is kicking in. Speed above all. I know it’s wrong, but really fun. After this video I will try to train more with focus on zones again. Thanks for the video. 👍🏻
Good luck! And a random tip that miiight help? Just remember that DISTANCE can be just as fun as SPEED. Or just go back to WHY you're even trying hard to structure your training.
Being a regular user of the GCN training videos, I would have to add
10 ZONES OF COURSE!!!
Awesome & Thanks :)
Have you been doing some zone 2 training?
@@gcn Mostly...as I'm practicing Single speed bicycling for my main activity Long distance skating :)
I am a recreational cyclist who is trying to cycle for fun but also heart health. You are so right about the legs. They always scream at me when I stand to ride up a hill even if my lungs haven’t yet given up. Do I just need to do more leg exercises to strengthen my quads and hamstrings?
Thanks Si, a good video that one 👏 most enjoyed with my morning cuppa
More importantly... how do you make that tea? Milk? Bag in? 🫖
@@gcn Almond milk builders tea! - bag in, always😄
Agree with Si as he mentioned to concentrate on breathing this can achieve with yoga techniques.
The thing i was surprised about when i first got a hr monitor was the realisation that i was pushing too hard before. I do find keeping to zone 2 is difficult unless the road is fairly flat and not much headwind.
You guys make good, science-based content. :)
Very informative video for beginner cyclists.
Si is the best GCN presenter 👍
Great vid, loads of info to take in. My take away ' 3 MINUTE MAX EFFORT!'
So my goal is to make my zone 2 as fast as everyone elses zone 4. Sounds fairly simple to me. Lets get training. 😂
Great video really good description of the zones informative, clear but not dumbed down.
Would be interested to know how to stick consistently. to these zones and the practical way to ride these in real world with hills and different weather etc
I am closing to my 50-ties and found cycling only recently, a few years ago. I am now in a better shape, probably in better than in my 40-ties. Which also tells a lot. 😊 I have found out that I recover very slowly from longer, over 100k, rides. Is there a specific training that could enhance capability to recover, or is that dominated by what happens outside the saddle?
HI, Si. Thanks for another video on zone training. One important aspect that I believe is never mentioned is age versus zone training and HR. In the article, J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;37:153-6, HRmax was updated to = 208 - (0.7 * age) in healthy adults. HRmax is predicted, to a large extent, by age alone and is independent of gender and habitual physical activity status. The work indicated that the currently used equation underestimates HRmax in older adults. Here is my follow on... As you age, then the overall HR range could drop from 194 bpm @ 20 years to 166 bpm @ 60 years. Zone 0 to 2 training will take up to 70% of the HRmax, so you have very few bpm left for the remaining zones. Therefore, slight changes in an incline or cadence could mean that you could be in any of the top 3 zones. Walking up stairs can change your heart rate by 20 bpm, so riding outside with hills and dales would also mess you up. Any thoughts?
12:15 Si, you touch on this preset Zone 2 conundrum that I have run up against as well. But I still don’t understand it. What did do you do to your Z2 to make it intelligible? On one platform my Z2 is from HR 112-120bpm, another it’s from 133-155, one more has it at 113-147. I see the similarities in these numbers, but I don’t really understand what to do with them in my training…
Nose breathing is a great start for Zone 2 rides. On the trainer (Zwift) while I am all alone, I also read the numbers and names out loud occasionally to be sure. Ride on!
I would like a training video for the Shikoku Circuit.
Great insight into training zones. Will have to watch the summary again though as the couple who entered the cafe behind Si completely drew all of my attention for some reason! Was it clandestine? Are they an item? Whatever it was, they were very animated. Looked like they were heading for a zone 6 relationship 😂
Agreed. However, I think the one standing only knows how to do a Zone 7 - 10 second effort.
@@fredsirvalo1904 🤣🤣🤣
Oh, so that's what that estimated power curve is on Strava... Makes sense now! Also didn't know about the L1, L2 thing.
Ooh, that Pinarello!
Thanks for mentioning HR isn't everything. I have anxiety (ptsd) in traffic and my HR goes up crazy, but I'm not training much harder than in nature where I'm more calm and composed. HR can depend on multipke things, also food, weather, etc
That black and white Pinarello looks so nice gliding along....
This was good and I watched you pretty closely. Thanks! But I think you went off course as you got lost in the competing methodologies and input data set choices.
So first new thing I learned was 'Zone 2 is as hard as you can go before flipping from fat burning to carb burning' and 'Zone 4 is as hard as you can go before changing to anaerobic body function' Thank you !!
But you could have shown worked examples - is '220 - age' really a poor guide? Can you divide (peak heart rate - resting heart) rate by 4 and get the Zone boundaries pretty accurately?
For the Strava Power Curve, would have been interesting to see your FTP, and how (if at all) that can figure in to adjusting the Zones - presumably it is the Zone 4 transition.
At the end, it came across that you wanted budget to do a deeper dive with lactate measurements until your fingers looked like pin cushions, without proving that it was actually worth the effort for ANYONE beyond the top 5 at the Tour.
Legs are currently weeping silently on every sweet spot and threshold turbo session at the moment 😢
Glad Si has given advice to ignore them 😂
so, based on your recommendation, i set on my garmin watch to show speed and respiration rate.
what respiration rate should I aim at, say, for vo2max efforts? 169 is my threshold bpm (in running, probably the same in cycling too, i assume?)
I've been riding since 2018 and I've gotten to the point where I can ride for two hours pretty much every single day. I've had the same simple bike computer since 2019 and it's getting to the point where using MPH is really frustrating. I'm not blowing my legs out but they never really feel like they're super fresh either. It'd certainly be nice to be able to correctly identify how much time I'm spending in each zone.
1:58 made me laugh out loud, cheers!
Haha. I am Si at 02.08. I just go riding. Probably explains why I'm still rubbish!
Talking about power meter I have a second hand Garmin vector 3 that I use on zwift on a static bike and then 4iiii outdoors. 200 watts feels more like zone 4 indoors and outdoors feels more zone 3. So which power meter is reading incorrectly?
Great. Si did it again. Imho You do not need powermeter as long as you have a home trainer with that. Iif you are being too serious then perhaps. Consider excessive fatigue that might wreak a havoc into your numbers. GL
How do you pick a power meter? I heard that some power meters may not be accurate either. Is any power meter good? Or are some better than others?
Question: if you're working on sprinting is there no other way to assess you're performance besides going to Zone 7?
A nice explanation for the zone training Si! I have a heart rate monitor being 61 my theoretical maximum is 159 bpm but I can get my heart up to 164 bpm. with regards to power meters I have 3 bikes with them on! a Sram Quarq single sided power meter, a Shimano 4iii power meter and some Garmin XC100 SPD power meter pedals (3 different bikes) they all read slightly differently so work on the average of the three. It would be good if you did a review of such power meters
I’ve got a cardiac condition which means I’m not supposed to train at over 125bpm. Can I still do zone training or am I sentenced to a lifetime in zone 1.5? Any advice gratefully received.
What to eat topic and whan for what improvements
I’d love to see some training videos for heavier riders.
Simon, you told that due to traing your zone2 upper limit did not match the usual percentage of 75% FTP. At least I think that is what you said. My question: is it possible that for an indivudual who trained much in zone2 the upper limit will get higher than 75% of FTP? If I can breathe through the nose my upper limit would be more than 75%. What are your ideas about this?
One of those rare videos from GCN that isn't an ad and actually useful :)
I have a turbo trainer that measures power. With this, it is possible to do an FTP test. From there you can calculate power zones and also gain a good idea of what the heart rate will be in those zones. Ideal for those with only a heart monitor. As for working off max heart rate. Well, I have never truly believed I know what that heart rate is. It is not easy to determine it.
You can do a test for max heart rate, I did one a few years ago with a friend who was a very good (international) runner. never again, it makes a FTP test feel like a walk in the park followed by cake.
@@jonnz061I'm probably just a coward. Although, I've been good at time trialling in the past I don't believe that I have ever truly approached my max heart rate. To get an accurate result would need massive motivation.
What's the model of SI's Canyon commute bike?
Wondering what cycling glassed were Simon wearing in this video?
At last, I now know why my Whoop HR and Zwift power zones are different and which one to use.
I gauge myself mainly by breathing rate. It's so easy to get carried away and push too hard.
looking at power data from either the smart trainer or power meter is always very humbling. After just about every ride I think that I rode harder and for longer than the data actually reports.
What confuses me is hrr (heart rate reserve) vs hr for zone setting. Hr zone for me is 134 mid zone 2, tops out at 139. But hrr is 144, tops out at 153. Significantly higher. Breathing effort…. I can work at the higher rate for an hour on the turbo, then glad it’s finished, and throughout my heart rate increases for the same effort so I start at the bottom of zone 2 (reserve) and finishes at the top. But based on basic heart rate at 134 it feels easy and I can maintain the effort. So … is hrr better/too hard. This is on my garmin, and garmin says hrr is the more accurate….
Yes, please do a video on this, @GCN .
I would trust cardiac drift, below LT1 HR should be stable
@@indjke well that was my theory. But when I did the bill of my training at the lower hr, I wasn’t getting any improvement. However, when I back off the pressure at the higher heart rate, my Hr drops immediately. So I’m thinking it may be ok.
I typically mix cycling with walking....is z2 talking similar to z2 cycling in its benefits?
I have a question. I’ve carefully followed advice and training plans and raced road and mtb for more than 20 years. I took up bike packing and rode the Tour Aotearoa in New Zealand. 3,000+ km and 40,000m of climbing on single track, gravel and roads in 24 days on a hard tail weighing 28 kg fully loaded. At the end I was fitter than I’ve ever been doing carefully constructed and expensively coached training plans. Is it all nonsense and are we better off just doing big days in the hills with a heavy bike?
Haha. I think the coaching plans aim for performance at a specific discipline more than general fitness, which are not necessarily the same thing. But yeah, I bet a several week biking trip packing your own gear would lead to great fitness, and for the rest of the year when you have to be at work, get a 100lb capacity rear rack and giant panniers, ditch the car, do not just commuting and getting around but all your shopping by bike (barring messy weather if you don't want to deal), for actual ride time mix it up between mtb, gravel and road, ride to the mtb trail (within reason), wear a weighted pack or ride with stuff in the bags just for exercise.