Reference · the five zones
Training Zones Explained: One Chart Across Every Sport
Training zones split effort into bands that each drive a different adaptation. Most coaches use five: recovery, endurance, tempo, threshold and VO2max. This table lines them up against heart rate, power, RPE, breathing, energy system, sustainable duration and what each builds. The numbers hold across running, cycling, swimming and rowing.
| Zone | % HRmax | % FTP | RPE (1 to 10) | Breathing / talk test | Energy system | Sustainable for | What it develops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z1Recovery | 50 to 60 | below 55 | 1 to 2 | Easy, full conversation | Fat, fully aerobic | Hours | Active recovery, blood flow, capillary density |
| Z2Endurance | 60 to 70 | 56 to 75 | 3 to 4 | Comfortable, can talk in sentences | Fat plus aerobic | 1.5 to 5 hours | Aerobic base, fat oxidation, mitochondria |
| Z3Tempo | 70 to 80 | 76 to 90 | 5 to 6 | Working, short sentences only | Glycogen plus aerobic | 40 to 90 minutes | Aerobic power, lactate clearance, efficiency |
| Z4Threshold | 80 to 90 | 91 to 105 | 7 to 8 | Hard, a few words at a time | Glycolytic, near the limit | 10 to 60 minutes | Lactate threshold, FTP, race pace |
| Z5VO2max | 90 to 100 | above 106 | 9 to 10 | Maximal, no talking | Anaerobic and VO2max | 30 seconds to 8 minutes | VO2max, top-end power, anaerobic capacity |
Swipe sideways for every column. Percentages are guides. Set them from a test.
How to set your own zones
The table is only as good as its anchor. Set heart-rate zones from your maximum heart rate or, better, your lactate-threshold heart rate. Set power zones from your FTP, and running paces from a recent race with VDOT.
Then spread the week: a large base of Zone 2 and a small dose of Zone 4 to 5, the idea behind polarized training and the 80/20 rule.
Common questions
How many training zones are there?
The number of training zones depends on the model. The most common is five: recovery, endurance, tempo, threshold and VO2max. Coggan and Friel use seven, Seiler's polarized model three. The five-zone table here maps onto all of them.
Should I use heart rate or power to set my zones?
Use power or pace for short, hard efforts and heart rate for long aerobic work. Heart rate lags and drifts, so it is a poor guide for 30-second intervals and a good anchor for Zone 2.
What is the most important training zone?
The most important training zone for most endurance athletes is Zone 2, the aerobic endurance band. It builds the base everything else sits on, and you can absorb a lot of it without deep fatigue. Pair it with a small dose of Zone 4 to 5.
Why do my zones differ between apps?
Zones differ between apps because each anchors them to a different marker (max heart rate, threshold heart rate, FTP or critical power) and numbers them differently. Set the anchor correctly and the zones line up.