The last three cycling training zones

If you didn’t read the article before this one, you’ll want to start there for the first four common cycling training zones. Once finished, come back to this article!

The last three zones in the common training zone lineup are very important and include the most important and widely used range. We’ll also be discussing the last three of my training ranges as they match up and do the same thing for the most part, I just have different names for them. For the most common names we have VO2 Max or zone 5, Anaerobic or zone 6 and Neuromuscular Power or zone 7. In my line it would be zones 7 to 9, and they are called Power Intervals, Absent Intervals and Synapse. Intervals. Let’s delve into!

Starting with the VO2 Max training range, where the intervals with these babies start to get shorter as the intensity goes up to a new level. She will definitely have leg fatigue during these intervals and won’t be able to talk much. The typical time range for these intervals is 3-8 minutes and the combined work and rest portion of hard training tends to be less than 40 minutes. As an example, you could do 4 x 5 min intervals with 5 min rest between intervals for a total of 40 min. As you sweat and work hard during these intervals, you are using carbohydrates to fuel your performance. The adaptations in this range are seen faster than in the previous zones, since there is a greater anaerobic capacity, which is exercise without the use of oxygen, growth of slow-twitch muscle fibers, increased blood flow to the muscles, increased plasma volume, increased stroke volume, increased maximum cardiac output, and obviously and increased VO2 Max. The only difference in these intervals and my power intervals is that I can go down to 2 minutes in my 2-8 minute range, where the normal measurement is to stay between 3-8 minutes.

Moving into anaerobic zone 6, where it is no longer possible to use heart rate as a guide due to the lag in heart rate. The heart always lags behind in training at the beginning, and when you’re done it lags behind in deceleration. Due to the way the heart works, short intervals of high intensity are not measured with heart rate due to inaccuracy. For more consistent and moderate to easy efforts, heart rate can be used.
These intervals will cause severe discomfort in the legs, as well as an impossible conversation, since these intervals last between 30 seconds and 3 minutes. It is generally not recommended to do these intervals several days in a row. All adaptations occur in this zone, but the greatest benefit of this zone is the ability to increase the body’s anaerobic capacity. Because this range causes so many adaptations, you will see so many training plans that include intervals in this zone. Again, the only difference between the anaerobic intervals and my rest intervals is that they go from 30 seconds to 2 minutes instead of 30 seconds to 3 minutes.

The last and last range we will talk about is the Neuromuscular Power Zone, or Zone 7. These intervals are very short, have a very high watt output, and are not meant to tax the cardiovascular system. The goal is to shed a large number of watts in less than 30 seconds. This zone puts a lot of stress on the musculoskeletal system and creates an increase in neuromuscular power. Other benefits include growth of type 2b fast-twitch muscle fibers and increased muscle stores of ATP for the short sprint efforts required in racing. Again, the only difference I have here in my synapse intervals is staying at 25 seconds or less.

In the next article I will discuss different ways to put together workouts that involve different zones.