ATHLETE GUIDE: HOW TO TEST AND SET YOUR TRAINING ZONES
THIS IS THE DOWN AND DIRTY GUIDE TO SETTING YOUR ZONES
We will dive deep into the why and what all of these numbers means in a series of articles. This article is the ‘down and dirty’ on how to conduct a field test for Swim/Bike/Run Training and how to calculate your zones either in TrainingPeaks or on your own, manually.
THE TEST
Calculate your FTS(Functional Threshold Speed) by warming up and swimming:
TEST SET: 3 x 300 with 3min rest in between.
Your FTS is your average 100 time for all 3 rounds.
HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR BASE PACE/INTERVAL
Base = 115% of FTS = (1.15)*FTS
Pace Zones
EZ: 115% FTS / Base pace
z1- 110% FTS
z2- 107% FTS
z3- 100% FTS = FTS
z4- 93% FTS
z5- 90% FTS
THE TEST:
WU:
10 minute steady build and calibrate(if you are on trainer) after 10 minutes.
PS:
16 x 1 minutes, alternating between building cadence to 110+ and easy cruise
MS:
3 x 12 minutes at max sustainable pace/effort / 3 minutes at easy cruise
CD:
Cruise remainder and get a nice long stretch
SETTING YOUR BIKE HR ZONES:
CALCULATORS CAN BE FOUND WITHIN YOUR TRAININGPEAKS ACCOUNT:
TUTORIAL- TrainingPeaks has a great tutorial on setting your bike zones within their platform
INSTRUCTIONS- SETTING YOUR HR ZONES IN TRAININGPEAKS
Go to Athlete->Settings->Zones
Scroll to Heart Rate Default Heart Rate
Scroll to Auto Calculation:
Input Threshold Heart Rate(95% Average) from Test
Input your Max/Min Heart Rate
Use the following auto-calculation:
Lactate Threshold --> MyProCoachCycling (5)
Click Calculate
Click Apply
Record your HR/Power zones so you can use them in your next training session
SETTING YOUR BIKE POWER ZONES
CALCULATORS CAN BE FOUND WITHIN YOUR TRAININGPEAKS ACCOUNT:
TUTORIAL- TrainingPeaks has a great tutorial on setting your bike zones within their platform
INSTRUCTIONS- SETTING YOUR POWER ZONES
Go to Athlete->Settings-->Zones
Scroll to Auto Calculation
Input Threshold Power from the Test(95% Average from all 3 intervals)
Input your Max/Min Heart Rate
Use the following auto-calculation:
Threshold Power-->Andy Coggan (6)
Click Calculate
Click Apply + Record your HR/Power zones so you can use them in your next training session
THE TEST
WU:
10-15 minute easy build and then get in some solid efforts. Get your HR up and your body primed + ready to run.
MS:
Do a 30 minute run at fastest sustainable pace. Do not fade.
- At 10 minutes, click your lap button.
- Record Average HR(LTHR) and Pace(FTPr) for the last 20 minutes.
CD:
5-10 minute easy jog and stretch
SETTING YOUR RUN HR ZONES:
CALCULATORS CAN BE FOUND WITHIN YOUR TRAININGPEAKS ACCOUNT:
TUTORIAL- TrainingPeaks has a great tutorial on setting your bike zones within their platform
INSTRUCTIONS- SETTING YOUR HR ZONES IN TRAININGPEAKS
Go to Athlete--> Settings —> Zones
Scroll to Heart Rate
Scroll to Run Heart Rate or Choose ‘add activity-run’
Scroll to Auto Calculation:
Input Threshold Heart Rate from Test
Input your Max/Resting Heart Rate(RHR)
Use the following auto-calculation:
Lactate Threshold
Andy Coggan (5)
Click Calculate
Click Apply
Record your HR/Power zones so you can use them in your next training session
SETTING YOUR RUN PACE ZONES
If we are running on the track or on fairly consistent or flat routes, we can/will run off of pace. Otherwise, we recommend running off of of heart rate.
INSTRUCTIONS- SETTING YOUR HR ZONES IN TRAININGPEAKS
Go to Athlete—>Settings—>Zones
Scroll to Speed/Pace/Default Speed/Pace
Input Threshold Pace from the Test
Choose Threshold Speed
Choose My Pro Coach Running(5)
Click Calculate
Click Apply
Record your HR/Pace zones so you can use them in your next training sessions
