The training zones and how to use them
| Zone | Name | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Tempo / Sweetspot | 20 mins to 1 hour |
| 4 | Threshold | 10 to 30 mins |
| 5 | VO2 max | 3 to 8 mins |
| 6 | Anaerobic capacity | 30 seconds to 3 mins |
Should you avoid zone 3?
Training in Zone 3 for tempo workouts is totally fine and a great way to build your ability to run at a specific pace and get comfortable with a race day effort; it becomes an issue when you’re constantly encroaching on that effort day after day.
How long can you hold threshold power?
Functional Threshold Power (FTP) is an estimate of the power an athlete can sustain for about 60 minutes or a 40km TT. There is no formal model or protocol for establishing it, most people use rules of thumb like FTP is 95% of 20 minute power, or they use the best power from a 40km TT.
Should long runs be zone 2 or 3?
Most top coaches recommend at least 60-75% of your weekly running volume should be zone 2 cardio, as this is the intensity level that forms your aerobic base. To reap the benefits of zone 2, long runs, recovery runs, and easy runs should all be run in zone 2.
How long can you hold heart rate zone 4?
This is the cross over point between aerobic and non-aerobic exercise. This is the intensity which is only sustainable for 20 to about 40 minutes for fit individuals.
Is Zone 3 junk miles?
Similarly riding for 90 minutes in Zone 2 fatigues you less than the hour in Zone 3, and produces the same adaptation. This would make Zone 3 “junk miles” because there are ways to get equal adaptations with less fatigue or more adaptations with equal fatigue.
What is the daily cap for Zone 3?
Price caps for Oyster & contactless card payments, compared to Travelcard prices
| Zones | Oyster daily cap | 7-day cap** |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1-2 | £7.70 | £38.40 |
| Zone 1-3 | £9.00 | £45.20 |
| Zone 1-4 | £11.00 | £55.20 |
| Zone 1-5 | £13.10 | £65.70 |
How long can you hold threshold pace cycling?
While threshold is theoretically the power you can sustain for an hour, in practice, most athletes find that riding at their FTP for more than twenty or thirty minutes, isn’t a sustainable or a repeatable effort—that is until they’ve done a bit of threshold training.
How long should I ride in threshold?
At least 2 hours is ideal, but improvements can be gained even with rides shorter than an hour. Pros with far too much time to train will regularly ride at this steady intensity for 4-6 hours to further develop their Aerobic metabolism.
How long can you stay in zone 5?
Zone 5 in this seven-zone chart is the VO2 max zone. Depending on the person, duration can be up to 8 minutes (but that would be *really* hard—elite athlete level hard). Three minutes in Zone 5 (106%–120% of FTP) is doable for most relatively fit people, especially at the lower end of that percentage.
Is Zone 3 easy running?
Zone 3 is where training becomes slightly uncomfortable due to the fact that lactic acid is beginning to build up. It’s a strange in-between, not too easy yet not too hard. Even though it’s a bit uncomfortable, it’s an effort level you should be able to maintain for an hour!
Is it OK to run in Zone 4?
Heart rate zone 4 is where the going gets tough. You’ll be breathing hard and working aerobically. If you train at this intensity, you’ll improve your speed endurance. Your body will get better at using carbohydrates for energy and you’ll be able to withstand higher levels of lactic acid in your blood for longer.
Can you overdo Zone 2?
Now, like any good thing, even zone 2 exercise can be overdone if you progress too far too early in your training development. So it is always important to follow a prudent progression.
What happens if you stay at max heart rate?
It is possible to exceed the upper limit of your zone without any ill effects, as long as you do not have coronary artery disease or are at risk for a heart attack. What it may do, though, is leave you with a musculoskeletal injury. Exercising above 85% of your target heart rate could bring you sore joints and muscles.
How long can I stay at max heart rate?
How long can you stay at your maximum heart rate? Since your max heart rate is attained by the most strenuous level of physical exertion your body is capable of, it is only sustainable for very short periods of time. For the average person, this likely falls somewhere between 10 seconds and 1 minute.
How long should you be able to hold Zone 6?
30 seconds to three minutes
Zone six – Anaerobic capacity
These efforts are very painful and not far off a maximum sprint. They should only be sustainable for 30 seconds to three minutes.
Is Zone 3 a sweet spot?
As we’ve already alluded to, sweetspot refers to the intensity of a workout. According to Matt Rowe of Rowe & King Cycle Coaching, it typically refers to an intensity between the upper end of zone three and the lower end of zone four, if you’re training with a power meter or using training zones.
What is Zone 3 running good for?
Zone 3 is considered moderate as far as intensity levels go. Aim for 70-80% of your heart rate max. One of the biggest benefits of training in this zone is the increased blood circulation to your muscles and heart.
Why is Zone 2 better than Zone 3?
An easy hour in Zone 2 will always provide a better benefit than a moderately hard Zone 3 effort for that same hour. You want to create a schedule that allows you to run easy days in Zone 2 to illicit a recovery response, increase aerobic capacity, and increase fatty acid usage.
Is there a maximum daily charge on Oyster card?
So no matter how many times you travel on public transport using your Oyster card in London’s zones 1 and 2, you will never be charged more than £7.40 a day. As of September 2021, Oyster cards also have a weekly cap.
What is the maximum Oyster charge per day?
If you make 3 journeys, £7.50 is deducted. For your 4th journey, £0.20 is deducted. You have reached the ‘daily cap’ and all other journeys until 4.30am the following morning are free. £2.30 of Pay as you go credit will remain on your Oyster card.