03 / TRAINING REFERENCE
Convert your current FTP into a seven-zone reference. Use it alongside perceived effort, recovery and your training plan.
| Zone | % of FTP | Power |
|---|---|---|
| Z1 Recovery | ≤ 55% | 0–118 W |
| Z2 Endurance | > 55–75% | 119–161 W |
| Z3 Tempo | > 75–90% | 162–193 W |
| Z4 Threshold | > 90–105% | 194–225 W |
| Z5 VO₂ max | > 105–120% | 226–258 W |
| Z6 Anaerobic | > 120–150% | 259–322 W |
| Z7 Neuromuscular | > 150% | ≥ 323 W |
Upper limits are rounded down to whole watts; the next zone starts one watt higher. This avoids gaps. Other apps may use different rounding.
A seven-band, Coggan-style FTP reference with boundaries at 55%, 75%, 90%, 105%, 120% and 150%. We make the integer-watt rounding explicit so every watt belongs to one band.
The >150% marker is only a convenient upper-band label. Sprint and neuromuscular power cannot be reliably predicted from FTP alone.
Background: Andrew Coggan's power training levels on TrainingPeaks.
No. Terrain and workout design change power throughout a ride. Zones are a language for describing effort, not a requirement to hold one exact watt number at all times.
A wattage reference cannot tell you whether you are recovered enough for a workout. Consider sleep, fatigue, perceived effort and the wider training block.
Convert duration and effort into a practical bottle and pocket-food plan.
Build a fuel plan