Zone 4, 5, & 6 Intervals
Frank Overton
- Zone 4: 3 x 8 minutes ON 4 minutes off.
- Zone 5: 2 sets of 2 x 3 min On 3 min OFF
- Zone 6: 2 sets of 3 x 1 min On 1 min Off
In a seven training zones model Zones 4, 5, & 6 are to be conducted at an intensity that is as hard as the athlete can 'go' or as we like to say, 'full gas'. These are the fancy intervals where the power analysis is fun and improvement may be seen from average power output higher than the prescribed zones.
Zone 4 Threshold:
Zone 4 intervals are useful for climbing, time trials, mountain biking, gravel and fondo disciplines. Even multisport. Any event where you are required to ride steady hard for greater than 6-7 minutes and less than 60 minutes demands threshold power output. With those varying lengths, threshold intervals may be of any duration between 8 and 60 minutes. Although one 60 minute threshold interval is extremely difficult and instead we'll prescribed threshold intervals 3 x 20 minutes, 4 x 15 minutes, 2 x 30 minutes and even 6 x 10 minutes. All of these variations add up to one hour of threshold training.
I like to start athletes off with 2 eight minute threshold intervals (2 x 8 minutes for 16 minutes total threshold work) and then progress them up to 3 x 8 minutes (24 minutes total). Then really teach & coach them from their power data and sensations to go as hard as they can, "supra" threshold 103 - 110% of their FTP. Being able to do 24 minutes of threshold wattages greater than your FTP is nice arrow in your quiver for Strava KOMs as well as race day. Here is an example 3 x 8 minute threshold interval with a 2:1 work to rest ratio:
If climbs are available to the athlete, I do recommend performing their threshold intervals uphill, especially if the athlete is training for an event with climbing. However, threshold intervals can be successfully executed just as well on flat terrain and on the trainer with virtually the same physiological adaptations as long as the athlete hits their wattage targets. You can read more about time trial and climbing threshold intervals here & here.
Zone 5 VO2 Max:
When I took organic chemistry in college, I'll never forget the professors saying, "organic chemistry is what separates the men from the boys". Same goes for VO2 Max Intervals : these are some of the most difficult intervals there are YET they yield the greatest increase in power output. I like to progress athletes thru what I call the "3 > 4 > 5 minute VO2 progression" but the best VO2 Max interval workout to start with is four 3 minute VO2 intervals broken up into 2 sets of 2 x 3 minutes on 3 minutes off with a 6 minute set break:
This is 12 total minutes of VO2 work at a max effort, full gas, as hard as you can go. Using your powermeter a max effort with an accurately set FTP zone 5 VO2's are between 106-120% of their FTP. The power data about illustrates and well paced 3 minute VO2 max workout where the athlete pushes hard and really digs deep to hang onto to the zone 5 wattage in the 2nd half of the fourth and final interval.
Zone 6 Anaerobic Capacity:
1 minuters as we like to call them. The term anaerobic capacity comes from the athlete's ability to do or handle 10-20 or even 30 minute worth of anaerobic wattages in disciplines like criterium or cyclocross races. This anaerobic workout has 6 minutes worth of anaerobic capacity Zone 6: 2 sets of 3 x 1 min On 1 min Off > 120% of FTP
I have athletes conduct their Zone 6 workouts as hard and as at much wattage as they can make. Often times that may be greater than 125-150% of the FTP. The fun part of the analysis is to add up the average power of each interval, divide by the number of intervals to arrive at an Av 1 minute interval power number. For the power data above, the athlete smashed each interval and averaged 430 watts across all six 1 minute intervals. Having 430 watts as a carrot and a number to beat for future 1 minute intervals workouts helps with motivation too.
Summary and more Reading:
We talk a lot about intervals because they are so beneficial; here are 4 of our best interval training tips:
The Right Way To Perform VO2 Max Intervals with Your PowerMeter
Copyright © 2024 FasCat Coaching - all rights reserved.
Try the FasCat App for Free for 1 month and perform the very same interval workouts shown above. We'll build you a custom training plan and CoachCat will guide you along with unlimited, instant training plan revisions and data analysis.
Sweet Spot & Cycling Training Zones Calculator
How to Perform VO2 Max Intervals Properly with a Power Meter
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- This plan begins before the season starts so you have time to get faster
- Rock this plan and move onto the Cyclocross Intervals plan before the season starts
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Climbing Intervals
- This plan will put you on the start line prepared to crush some massive climbs!
- Tempo, SS & Threshold intervals during the week + group rides and/or harder efforts on the weekend
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- 10 Weeks: 4 Phases + on the bike workouts
- Lift weights specific to cycling & increasing power output
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- Increase your functional and race-specific power output
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- Begin to Build Your Base
- Increase FTP by 5 - 20% !
- Home of Sweet Spot training
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- Three Meals a Day and Snacks that take 10 minutes or less
- Flex day for when 'life' happens
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Sweet Spot Part 3: Base to Race
- The transition from base to race
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect continuation from Sweet Spot part 2
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Sweet Spot Part 2: Boost Your Base
- Boost Your Base
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect continuation from Sweet Spot part 1
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Intervals for Cross Country MTB
- 6-week cross-country interval training plan
- Endurance mountain bike hammer rides, VO2's, threshold, diabolical tabatas, and race starts to prepare you to crush your goal race!
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Road Race In-Season
- Weekend racing and group rides with weekday training and recovery
- anaerobic efforts like criss cross, Over/Unders Sweet Spot, Threshold
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Road & Crit Intervals
- Get race ready for the road season with our Intervals
- Includes VO2's, anaerobic intervals, diabolical tabatas
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Foundation : 3 Weeks
- Perfect for all cyclists beginning off season training
- Raise your CTL and the all-important muscle tension intervals
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Sweet Spot + Resistance Training
- 16 Weeks of training perfect for building your aerobic base in the off season
- Four Phases of resistance training with neuromuscular sprint work
- Combines our 10 weeks of weight & Sweet Spot Part 2
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Sweet Spot Marathon MTB Plan
- This plan gets you ready to climb a ride a 50-100-mile event
- This Plan was featured in Outside Magazine, click view details to learn what they had to say!
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Indoor / Outdoor for Zwift & Smart Trainers
- Perfect for winter indoors
- Sweet Spot, Tempo intervals, Threshold Intervals
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Gravel In-Season
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Cyclocross Intervals
- Suitable for the cyclocross athlete that wants to get ready to race
- Includes a taper and leg openers to prepare you for your first race of the season
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Triple Bypass
- Features Sweet Spot, Tempo & Threshold Intervals to prepare you for the long sustained climbs!
- Group Rides & Simulation Rides on the Weekend
- Includes a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers
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XC MTB In-Season
- XC MTB In Season plan balances your training with your racing
- Anaerobic power output, Zone 6, Tabatas prepare you for race day
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Steamboat Gravel
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Cyclocross Summer Sweet Spot
- Perfect for the CX athlete that likes to plan ahead and build a solid base
- Includes structured Sweet Spot intervals + skill work so no watts are left on the table!
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24 Week Off-Season Cyclocross Training
- Off-season cyclocross plan is a combination of weight lifting and sweet spot base
- 24-week plan is perfect to begin in January-March to prepare for the Spring/Summer season
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Gran Fondo Plan
- For the rider that has loftier goals than just finishing
- Includes longer rides and cycling specific nutrition guidance
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100 Mile Mountain Bike Race
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Leadville 100 MTB
- Leadville 100 MTB Training Plan, starts Monday July 1st for the August 10, 2024 race
- Preps you for the grueling alpine climbs in Leadville
- Include simulation rides and nutrition guidance
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CX Race & Recover: In-Season
- Perfect for putting your speed & skills to the test
- Keeps your 'cross skills sharp so you are ready to race and balances recovery so you can continue to perform well
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Phil Gaimon's Strava PR Plan
- Perfect Plan for Those with Less Training Time, starts at 15 minutes per day
- VO2's, 1 minuters, Tabatas, threshold, suprathreshold, and even Sweet Spot
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Intervals for Time Trials
- 6-week Intervals for Time Trials training plan
- Use your training zones to ride just hard enough to get faster & stronger
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40k Time Trial
- 12 wks of TT specific threshold intervals
- Raise your threshold power output with VO2's
- Includes, Course Recons, a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers!
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Haute Route
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Crusher in the Tushar
- Prepares you to CRUSH the Tushar Crusher this upcoming July
- Includes Sweet Spot, Threshold, VO2 work, and Simulation Rides
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Zwift Racing Plan
- Specifically for the power demands of Zwift Racing
- Warm Up Protocol
- Race Start Practice Workouts
- Over-Unders and Criss Crosses
- Includes Sweet Spot OTS rides
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Indoor Cycling
- Indoor cycling training plan has advanced aerobic endurance
- Workouts are geared towards you riding indoors on the trainer
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Six Weeks to Peak for CX Nationals
- Raises your CTL to peak for Cyclocross Nationals
- Strategically timed training block around Thanksgiving
- Includes an age-based taper
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Tulsa Tough Criteriums
- Tabatas, VO2, & Anaerobic intervals during the week
- SS, Threshold & Tempo efforts to keep the aerobic engine revved up!
- Week 6 includes a Taper into the race + Leg Openers
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16 WEEK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
- Includes pre-hab exercises for injury prevention
- Best for triathletes and cyclists who race off-road
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Firecracker 50 with Sweet Spot
- Loaded with Sweet Spot and Threshold Intervals to prepare you for long, sustained climbs!
- Includes cycling specific nutrition guidance, a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers!
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Iceman Cometh
- Start this six week plan Sept 25th
- XC MTB specific training for the IceMan
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