Cycling Power Zones: The Coggan 7-Zone Model Explained

Blog › Health · 7 min read · Published 2026-05-04

Understand all 7 Coggan power zones, what they train, and how to build polarized weeks that actually drive fitness.

FTP: The Anchor

Functional Threshold Power (FTP) is the highest average power you can sustain for approximately one hour. Every cycling power zone is derived as a percentage of FTP. Get the anchor wrong and your zones — and your training — miss the target.

The standard 20-minute test: warm up, ride 20 minutes all-out, take 95% of average power as FTP. Ramp tests on Zwift, TrainerRoad, or Wahoo SYSTM also produce reliable estimates.

The Seven Coggan Zones

Dr. Andrew Coggan's framework divides effort into seven physiologically distinct ranges:

Z1 Active Recovery (≤55% FTP): Easy spinning. Used for warm-ups, cool-downs, and recovery rides between hard days.
Z2 Endurance (56–75%): The aerobic foundation zone. Builds mitochondrial density, capillary networks, and fat-burning capacity. Should be 70–80% of weekly volume.
Z3 Tempo (76–90%): "Sweet spot" upper end. Sustainable for 60–120 minutes. Used in time-crunched plans for muscular endurance.
Z4 Lactate Threshold (91–105%): Around FTP. Builds the ability to clear lactate at high intensities. 2×20-minute intervals are the classic prescription.
Z5 VO2 Max (106–120%): 3–8 minute intervals. Raises aerobic ceiling and is the single highest-leverage zone for fitness gains in trained cyclists.
Z6 Anaerobic (121–150%): 30 second to 3 minute repeats. Builds lactate tolerance and short-burst capacity for attacks and short hills.
Z7 Neuromuscular (>150%): Sprints under 15 seconds. Develops peak power for accelerations and finishing kicks.

The 80/20 Polarized Approach

Stephen Seiler's research on world-class endurance athletes found that the most successful programs spend roughly 80% of training time in Z1–Z2 and only 20% above threshold. This polarized distribution outperforms the "moderate intensity trap" of riding too hard on easy days and too easy on hard days.

Sample Weekly Structure

For a 10-hour-per-week amateur with FTP 250W:

Mon: Rest or 30 min Z1 spin
Tue: 1 hr — 5×4 min Z5 intervals (265–300 W) with 4 min recovery
Wed: 1.5 hr Z2 endurance (140–188 W)
Thu: 1 hr — 2×20 min Z4 (228–263 W) with 10 min recovery
Fri: Rest
Sat: 3 hr Z2 long ride
Sun: 2 hr Z2 with 6×30 sec Z7 sprints

Retesting and Progression

Retest FTP every 6–8 weeks. After a successful training block, FTP often climbs 5–15 watts. Update your zones immediately — old zones at the new FTP underdose every workout.

Power vs Heart Rate

Power is instantaneous, objective, and not affected by heat, sleep, or stress. Heart rate lags effort and drifts upward over long efforts ("cardiac drift"). Use power for prescription and heart rate as a check on freshness — when HR is unusually high for a given power, you're under-recovered.

Generate your personalized Coggan zones in seconds with the Cycling Power Zones Calculator.