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Power Training Levels - Basis for the System/Number of Levels
The industry standard has been set at 5 levels as that was felt to be the optimum number needed to represent the range of
physiological responses and to describe the different types of training required/used to meet the demands of fitness based
cycling. These zones are a guide only and are used alongside other information related to an individual’s fitness capacity and
specific goal-based training program.
The table shown below lists the primary physiological adaptations expected to result from training at each level, although these
will obviously be influenced by factors such as the initial fitness of the individual, the duration of each workout, the time taken
between each interval effort, etc
.
Zone
FTP%
Associated Health and Fitness Benefits
Red
106 - >150%
Threshold Zone – Red Line zone
Improved VO2 threshold and higher lactate tolerance ability.
For performance and athletes. High interval zone. Also known as injury zone.
Yellow
91-105%
Aerobic Zone or the Transition Zone – Shifting ratio of fuel
Benefits: improved functional capacity, increases number and size of blood vessels,
respiratory rate, max pulmonary ventilation, pulmonary diffusion, increase in
difference in arterial – oxygen, increase in size and strength of heart.
Green
76-90%
The Temperate Zone or Recovery Zone
Benefits: healthy heart, fat mobilization by moving fat from cell, fat to muscle, increase
of mitochondria, increase of fat release from fat cell.
Blue
56-75%
Healthy Heart Zone - Easiest and most comfortable ‘working’ zone
Benefits: lowered blood pressure, lowered cholesterol, and decreased risk of
degenerative diseases.
White
<55%
Starting zone, also used for complete recovery
Basic physiological changes linked to ‘warming up’, ‘warming down’ and recovery.
Power is a Useful Tool for the following reasons:
It correctly evaluates training sessions to avoid misinterpretation.
It verifies the workouts have been executed correctly.
It evaluates training status and performance.
It enables training load, overload and progression to be monitored.
It allows the design of appropriate number and length of intervals in training.
It helps decide and structure a race strategy or training session based on an athlete’s strengths.
HR and Power are the two portions of that equation: what is being produced and at what cost to our body. Both are equally
important to assess performance. If we only measure the body’s response using a heart rate monitor and have no gauge of
the output, then we are limited in how to determine changes in fitness. Having output-measuring devices such as a power
meter gives a lot of options for workouts and, essentially, makes every workout a test of fitness progress.
The ratio of HR/Power is a good indicator of fitness and progression in a training program. In a well-structured, progressive and
appropriate training program this ratio should get smaller, that is a lower HR for the same power output. The caveat here is of
course that the Heart Rate values being used to evaluate what is an adequate output response are founded on an as accurate
as possible personally tested Max Heart Rate and Max Threshold Heart Rate to allow for the correct identification of the relevant
working zones.
The leading authors in the field of Power and its application to cycling are coaches such as Andrew Coggan, Hunter Allen, Joe
Friel, Chris Carmichael, and Allen Lim. These authors have led the way in developing complex algorithms, software and
websites to make training with power a fairly simple method for the cyclists and the coach. It is their successful utilization of
Power for training cycling professionals that has led the way. If you have an urgent need to get deep in to the science linked to
the subject then the Internet will bring up many fascinating articles when you enter any of the names mentioned above, they are
the leading authorities in pro riding with power.
