Cyclists who train with a power meter or a coaching app eventually run into the same foundational framework: seven distinct power zones, each targeting a different physiological system. Developed by exercise physiologist Andrew Coggan and coach Hunter Allen, this model became the standard training structure for power-based cycling. Its defining feature is simplicity — every zone is calculated as a percentage of a single number: your FTP, or Functional Threshold Power. Understand that one figure, and you know exactly what each zone trains and how to set it.
What is FTP and why does it anchor every power zone?
Functional Threshold Power is the highest average power, in watts, a rider can sustain for approximately one hour. Coggan and Allen established this definition in their book Training and Racing with a Power Meter, and it remains the standard reference across every major training platform.
FTP matters because all seven zones flow directly from it — each one a percentage band of that single number. If your FTP is wrong, every zone shifts with it, and so does every Training Stress Score (TSS), every fitness trend, and every answer to "am I improving?" A small error compounds across weeks of data.
There are several practical ways to establish your FTP. Platforms such as Intervals.icu can auto-detect it from your hardest recent ride data, which makes a useful starting point. The 20-minute test has you ride all-out for 20 minutes, then multiply your average power by 0.95. The ramp test increases power each minute until failure, with the app calculating FTP from the point you stop. Re-test every four to six weeks during a training block, or after any significant change in fitness, and update your zones each time.
What are the seven Coggan power zones and their percentage ranges?
Coggan and Allen defined seven distinct zones, each targeting a different physiological system. TrainingPeaks uses this exact schema as its default zone model.
Zone | Name | % of FTP | Typical Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Active Recovery | < 55% | Effortless spin |
2 | Endurance | 56–75% | Conversational pace |
3 | Tempo | 76–90% | Comfortably hard |
4 | Lactate Threshold | 91–105% | Hard, controlled |
5 | VO2max | 106–120% | Very hard, breathing laboured |
6 | Anaerobic Capacity | 121–150% | Near maximal |
7 | Neuromuscular Power | > 150% | All-out sprint |
The model's practical strength is portability. Change one number — your FTP — and every zone recalculates automatically.
What does each power zone actually train physiologically?
Zone 1 promotes blood flow and accelerates recovery without adding meaningful training stress. Use it on easy days between hard sessions, not as a substitute for actual rest.
Zone 2 builds aerobic base and fat-oxidation capacity. It underpins both Stephen Seiler's polarized training model and Joe Friel's periodization approach, and the majority of annual training volume should live here.
Zone 3 Tempo improves aerobic efficiency but accumulates fatigue more quickly than Zone 2 for a smaller return. Most coaches recommend using it sparingly rather than as a default moderate day.
Zone 4 Threshold directly stresses the lactate threshold and is the primary driver of FTP improvement. The classic format is two 20-minute intervals at 91–105% FTP with a short recovery between them.
Zone 5 VO2max develops maximal oxygen uptake through short, hard intervals of three to eight minutes at 106–120% FTP. These sessions are demanding and require adequate recovery afterward.
Zone 6 Anaerobic Capacity targets fast-twitch muscle fibres through efforts lasting 30 seconds to two minutes above VO2max — building the ability to produce power beyond what the aerobic system can supply.
Zone 7 Neuromuscular Power is peak sprint force. All-out efforts under 15 seconds train muscle recruitment and raw speed rather than sustained output.
How do you set your power zones from FTP in practice?
Follow these five steps:
- Establish your FTP via the 20-minute test (average power × 0.95) or a ramp test.
- Enter your FTP into your training platform — TrainingPeaks, Intervals.icu, or PlanWatts.
- Select the Coggan 7-zone model from the zone settings menu.
- Verify the zones auto-calculate into the correct percentage bands.
- Cross-check a recent hard ride — sustained threshold efforts should fall inside Zone 4.
Here is a worked example for a rider with an FTP of 250 W:
Zone | Watts |
|---|---|
Zone 1 | < 138 W |
Zone 2 | 140–187 W |
Zone 3 | 190–225 W |
Zone 4 | 228–263 W |
Zone 5 | 265–300 W |
Zone 6 | 303–375 W |
Zone 7 | > 375 W |
PlanWatts reads your FTP and current fitness state automatically, then schedules zone-specific workouts without requiring you to design intervals manually. That removes the most common point of failure: knowing your zones but not knowing what to do with them. As fitness improves, zones must follow — re-test every four to six weeks and update your numbers each time.
How often should I retest my FTP?
Every four to six weeks during an active training block, or after any significant fitness change — a stage race, a long illness, or a training camp.
Can I use heart rate zones instead of power zones?
Heart rate lags behind effort and is affected by heat, fatigue, hydration, and caffeine. Power is instantaneous and objective. Coggan and Allen recommend power as the primary training metric, with heart rate used as supplementary context.
What is the difference between Zone 3 Tempo and Zone 4 Threshold?
Tempo (76–90% FTP) is sustainable for one to two hours but accumulates more fatigue than Zone 2 relative to its training benefit. Threshold (91–105% FTP) is sustainable for 20 to 60 minutes and directly stresses the lactate threshold — the mechanism that raises FTP itself.
How much time should I spend in each zone per week?
Following Seiler's polarized model, roughly 80% of sessions should sit in Zones 1 and 2, with around 20% in Zones 4 and 5. Zone 3 should be minimized rather than used as a default moderate-effort day.
Do power zones change between cycling and running?
Yes. Power zones are sport-specific. A cycling FTP does not transfer to running power, which is measured in watts via a running power meter with a different physiological calibration.
What if my FTP test result seems too high or too low?
Cross-check against recent race data or hard group-ride efforts. If zones feel consistently wrong during workouts — too easy or impossible to hold — adjust your FTP in five-watt increments and re-evaluate over the following two weeks. --- The key takeaways are straightforward: FTP is the single reference point from which all seven Coggan zones derive. Each zone targets a distinct physiological system, from recovery and fat metabolism at the low end to sprint neuromuscular recruitment at the top. Setting zones correctly takes five steps and one accurate FTP number. Re-test regularly, keep zones current, and the model does its job — turning raw power data into a training structure that builds fitness deliberately.
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