Training Zones
I use training zones to, quite simply, elicit a targeted physiological response from the athlete. Are they accurate? Mostly! Remember, they are general math equations applied to the masses!
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Therefore, I'd like to make something completely clear - NOTHING is more important in endurance training and racing than developing accurate "perceived exertion" by an athlete. We can have all the "data" in the world, but without accurate perceived exertion, we cannot breakthrough barriers.
Keys to focus on within the below charts are the zones and corresponding Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) along with the RPE words that describe that zone.
As we become more proficient and knowledgeable with movement, we start to learn the difference between how the zones "feel" (RPE). At first, we may easily know the difference between Zone 1, "Easy", RPE 1-2 and Zone 5, "Max", RPE 9-10. That's fairly easy! :)
But as we progress, the key is to learn how all 5 zones (or 6 when working Bike FTP zones) feel. Knowing that you can set zone 3, "Strong", RPE 5-6 with your FTHR, Max HR, FTP or rFTPw and be fairly close without looking at data is a great sign of increased sports IQ.
As a coach, I program all sessions starting with:
1 - What Energy System do I want to highlight
2 - What Zone(s) within that energy system to I want to specifically target
3 - What other Zone(s) do I want to add to elicit a different physiological adaptation that occurs from accessing a different energy system.
Cool, huh?
​​So below I go through the swim, bike and run zones that include combinations of heart rate, power and pace. Remember, though, it's all about sharpening our Perceived Exertion and that these zones are to help us achieve that.
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Swim Training Zones
​Swim zones can be challenging, but learning how to pace in the water is actually a huge performance goal. I use two:
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​​​​​​​​​​Max Heart Rate. HRmax can be a great way to set swim zones. ​This is made super easy with incredible tech like FORM Swim Goggles that give you real time HR while you're swimming!
Two methods to get HRmax:
1) 220 - "your Age" This is generic, but will get you close. Example, 220 - 40 (40 years old) = 180. As a result of your body floating horizontally in the water, your Max Heart Rate in the water is typically 10-15 beats per minute (BPM) lower than your Max Heart Rate on land
2) Test set in the water to get HRmax. This can be done the following way:
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Do a long set of intervals, that are the same distance, that will take 15-20 minutes to complete
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Increase your intensity gradually through the set
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Finish the set with a maximum effort that will elicit your Max Heart Rate
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Critical Swim Speed (CSS). CSS is the pace at which you’d swim a 1500 Time Trial in yards or meters. To test your current CSS pace you need to swim a 400 and 200 max effort (and holding pace as best as possible) within the same session. Then you take those times and put them into a calculator to get your CSS pace.
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Using either HRmax or CSS, we can then use the below table to define our zones.
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Bike Training Zones
Bike zones are probably the most known within the endurance sports world. With the advent of power meters commercially available over 25 years ago, most coaches looked for a consistent and simple way to structure specific sessions around what energy system is being used and which physiological and performance adaptations do we want to elicit from the athlete. Dr. Andrew Coggan created the best and simplest zones out there based on an athlete's Functional Threshold Power (FTP).
FTP is the maximum average power, measured in watts, that a cyclist can sustain for one hour. From this number, we can then set zones to help us structure bike sessions to reach our desired performance outcome. BUT, not many athletes on this earth can do a great job at a 1 hour FTP test.
So, there have been numerous tests that are shorter, to help the "age grouper" that the results are then put into an equation to account for the shorter time "hammering". The most common test is the 20min FTP test. From this test, we can take the average power and then subtract 5% to get a new power number that better reflects what the athlete would do in an hour at that same effort.
However, I do not believe that is accurate for 95% of cyclists. I therefore subtract 9% of that 20 min average power to get a more accurate FTP. From there, we set up our zones. I use Dr. Coggan's zones - with the one exception: I take out his zone 6 and move his #7 into 6. This makes it more practical to learn Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and simplifies the number of zones.
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Finally, I take the average heart rate (HRavg) from that 20min test and just simply call that the Functional Threshold Heart Rate (FTHR). If the athlete has a workout or race approximating an hour, we could update this number (and the FTP) if it made sense.
Run Training Zones
Run zones can be a bit tricky, and most are overly complicated, IMO. I primarily use Functional Threshold Heart Rate (FTHR) as the base metric to then set the training zones.
How can we get and athlete's FTHR? One is a run test where we have the athlete perform a 30-minute time trial at maximum effort and record their average heart rate for the last 20 minutes of the run. This average will be their FTHR. We can also get data from run races (5K or even 10K) and make some minor adjustments.
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Additionally I use a pace calculator to help me dial in very specific paces for athletes - whether they're on a track or running a specific distance/time on the road. My go-to calculator is Greg McMillan's "McRun" App. It's a fantastic tool, and I think Gregg is one of the best endurance run coaches in the world.
