Eight structured plans covering every phase of the cycling year — base building, threshold development, VO2max, and race taper. Each one is designed around your FTP and loads automatically into the app.
All plans are calibrated to your FTP. If you haven't done an FTP test yet, start with a beginner plan and let WattLog estimate your FTP from the first few sessions before progressing to intermediate or advanced levels. If you have any cardiovascular or orthopaedic condition, consult your doctor before starting structured training.
Build the habit of consistent indoor training. Four weeks of easy to moderate rides that establish your routine and aerobic base. No intensity — just show up.
Good for: Anyone returning after a break, or stepping onto a smart trainer for the first time. The goal is consistency, not fitness — fitness follows.
Six weeks of progressive aerobic development. Start with three easy rides per week and build to four sessions including your first tempo efforts.
Good for: Riders who've established a routine and want to start seeing real aerobic gains. The tempo sessions in weeks 3–6 are a preview of what structured training feels like.
Three sessions per week with full recovery days between every effort. Designed specifically for riders over 50 — the physiology is different, and the plan respects that.
Good for: Riders over 50 who want structured training without the recovery debt that comes from following plans designed for 30-year-olds. No back-to-back intensity days, ever.
Eight weeks designed to raise your Functional Threshold Power. Builds from aerobic base through tempo to sustained threshold intervals. Requires a current FTP baseline.
Good for: Riders who've been training consistently for 6+ months and want a measurable FTP gain. The 2×20min threshold sessions in weeks 7–8 are the benchmark — if you can hold them, your FTP has moved.
Six weeks targeting 88–94% of FTP — the sweet spot between Z3 and Z4. The most time-efficient intensity zone for sustained power gains. Progresses from 2×15 min to 3×15 min threshold efforts.
Good for: Time-crunched riders who can't do 12h weeks but want real gains. Sweet spot delivers roughly 80% of the benefit of threshold work at a fraction of the recovery cost.
Ten weeks building toward a 100-mile (160 km) event. Progressive long rides from 90 minutes to 3 hours, with tempo sessions to build fatigue resistance at race pace. Endurance is king.
Good for: Anyone with a sportive, gran fondo or charity century on the calendar. The 3-hour long ride in week 8 is the confidence builder — after that, race day feels manageable.
Four weeks of high-intensity work targeting your aerobic ceiling. Short, sharp intervals at Z6 that raise the upper limit of what your engine can produce. Demanding — recovery is part of the plan.
Good for: Riders with a solid aerobic base (6+ months of consistent training) who have hit a plateau and need to raise the ceiling. Don't run this block more than twice a year — it's a stimulus, not a lifestyle.
Three-week taper before a target event. Volume drops progressively while short bursts of high intensity keep your neuromuscular system primed. Arrive fresh, fast and confident.
Good for: Anyone with a race, sportive or target event in 3 weeks. The hard training is already done — this plan gets you to the start line in the best possible shape without digging a new hole.
All plans use the Coggan 7-zone model, calibrated to your FTP. Each zone has a different physiological effect — here's what you're actually training.
| Zone | Name | % FTP | What it trains | How it feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z1 | Recovery | < 55% | Blood flow, active recovery | Conversational. Barely feels like exercise. |
| Z2 | Endurance | 56–75% | Aerobic base, fat oxidation, mitochondrial density | Easy. Could talk in full sentences. Could do this for hours. |
| Z3 | Tempo | 76–90% | Lactate clearance, aerobic power | Comfortably hard. Short sentences only. Breathing is audible. |
| Z4 | Threshold | 91–105% | FTP, lactate threshold, sustained power | Hard. Single words only. This is the zone that moves your FTP. |
| Z5 | VO2max | 106–120% | Maximal aerobic capacity, stroke volume | Very hard. No talking. Effort you can hold for 3–8 minutes. |
| Z6 | Anaerobic | 121–150% | Anaerobic capacity, neuromuscular power | Maximal. 30 seconds to 2 minutes. All in. |
| Z7 | Neuromuscular | > 150% | Peak power, muscle recruitment, sprint ability | Explosive. 5–15 seconds. Everything you have. |
Sign up or continue as a guest, connect your trainer, pick a plan. WattLog handles the rest — including telling you when to go easy.
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