May 12, 2026 · 2 min read

Power zones in cycling — Coggan's 7 zones in practice

You've measured your FTP — now what? Power zones turn that single number into a practical framework for structuring every workout. The most widely used model is Dr Andrew Coggan's 7-zone system, which maps specific physiological adaptations to intensity ranges.

The 7 zones

Each zone is defined as a percentage of FTP:

• Zone 1 — Active Recovery (below 55% FTP): Easy spinning. Promotes blood flow without adding training stress. Use on recovery days.
• Zone 2 — Endurance (56–75% FTP): The aerobic base zone. Long, steady rides that build mitochondrial density and fat oxidation. The foundation of any training plan.
• Zone 3 — Tempo (76–90% FTP): "Comfortably hard." Improves muscular endurance. Useful but beware of spending too much time here — it's fatiguing without the sharp stimulus of higher zones.
• Zone 4 — Threshold (91–105% FTP): Rides at or near FTP. Directly raises your threshold power. Classic 2×20 min efforts live here.
• Zone 5 — VO2max (106–120% FTP): Short, hard intervals (3–8 minutes). Develops maximal oxygen uptake. The key zone for raising your ceiling.
• Zone 6 — Anaerobic Capacity (121–150% FTP): Very short, very hard efforts (30 seconds to 3 minutes). Builds anaerobic power for attacks and sprints.
• Zone 7 — Neuromuscular Power (above 150% FTP): All-out sprints under 30 seconds. Maximum recruitment of muscle fibres. Not sustained, not trainable with volume — pure neuromuscular firing.

How to calculate your zones

Multiply your FTP by the percentage ranges above. Example for FTP = 250 W:

• Zone 2: 140–188 W
• Zone 4: 228–263 W
• Zone 5: 265–300 W

WattLog.pro calculates and colour-codes your zones automatically once your FTP is set.

Building workouts from zones

A balanced training week typically includes:

• 2–3 sessions in Zone 2 (long endurance rides or trainer sessions)
• 1–2 sessions with intervals in Zones 4–5 (structured intensity)
• 1 recovery day in Zone 1 or complete rest

The specific mix depends on your goals, training phase, and available time. The zones give you precision — instead of "ride hard," you can say "ride at 260 W for 20 minutes" and know exactly what adaptation you're targeting.

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