Your 7 Coggan training zones with watt targets
Based on FTP of 285W
| Zone | % of FTP | Watts | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z1 Active Recovery | < 55% | < 157W | Very easy spinning for recovery between hard days |
| Z2 Endurance | 56–75% | 160–214W | Conversational pace — builds aerobic base |
| Z3 Tempo | 76–90% | 217–257W | Comfortably hard — improves lactate clearance |
| Z4 Threshold | 91–105% | 259–299W | Race pace for ~1 hour — the key training zone |
| Z5 VO2max | 106–120% | 302–342W | 3-8 minute intervals — boosts oxygen uptake |
| Z6 Anaerobic | 121–150% | 345–428W | 30s-2min bursts — develops high-end power |
| Z7 Neuromuscular | > 150% | > 428W | Max sprints <15s — pure neuromuscular power |
FTP
285W
Sweet Spot
251–268W
Endurance Ceiling
214W
VO2max Floor
302W
Periodize your training in 3-4 week blocks. Focus on race-specific intervals and manage fatigue with planned recovery weeks. TSS tracking becomes critical.
Your sweet spot range is 251–268W — the most productive training intensity for time-crunched athletes. Two 20-minute sweet spot intervals per week will steadily raise your FTP.
Keep endurance rides below 214W (Z2 ceiling). Going harder on easy days is the most common training mistake — it adds fatigue without the adaptation stimulus of true interval work.