CoachingAnswer

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF FTP IS EACH TRAINING ZONE?

By Anthony WalshRoadman CyclingUpdated 26 August 2026

ANSWER

In the conventional seven-zone power model, Zone 1 is up to 55% FTP, Zone 2 is above 55% to 75%, Zone 3 is above 75% to 90%, Zone 4 is above 90% to 105%, Zone 5 is above 105% to 120%, Zone 6 is above 120% to 150%, and Zone 7 is above 150%. These are workout ranges anchored to an FTP estimate, not seven individually measured physiological thresholds. Use Roadman's full cycling power-zones guide for interpretation and its calculator for gap-free whole-watt targets.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

State the zone model beside the percentages; a three-zone research model and a seven-zone workout model do not share labels.
Round once and make each whole-watt range start immediately after the preceding one so there are no gaps or overlaps.
An FTP percentage is a starting target, not a measured biological switch. Cross-check it with breathing, RPE, heart rate and repeatability.
This page owns the short percentage answer; the full guide owns interpretation and the calculator owns watt computation.

WHO THIS IS FOR

IS THIS YOU?

The rider new to training zones

You have an FTP number and want to know precisely where each training intensity sits in watts.

The rider confused by different zone systems

You've seen 5-zone, 6-zone, and 7-zone systems and want to understand how they relate.

THE ROADMAN VIEW

The useful short answer is the percentage chart. The important qualification is that zones are boundaries drawn on a continuous response, not seven separate laboratory measurements.

Attach the FTP protocol, zone model and date to the numbers. A ramp estimate, a 20-minute estimate and critical power can correlate while still producing meaningfully different prescriptions for an individual rider.

Do not turn this chart into a universal weekly plan. Seven-zone labels describe workout ranges; three-zone training-distribution research answers a different question. Athlete, event, phase, volume and counting method all affect the programme.

EXPERT EVIDENCE

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Joe FrielAuthor of The Cyclist's Training Bible; co-founder of TrainingPeaks
Roadman's source-bounded takeaway from Friel's interview is to organise intensity deliberately within the complete week. It is not evidence that each fixed FTP band is a distinct measured threshold or that one weekly distribution is universal.
Hear it: Joe Friel's Cycling Training Plan Structure | Roadman Cycling
Professor Stephen SeilerExercise physiologist, University of Agder; polarised-training researcher
Roadman's source-bounded takeaway from Seiler's interview is that three-domain research and seven-zone workout labels must be named before they are compared. It does not make every minute in seven-zone Zone 3 physiologically useless.
Hear it: 80/20 Training to Ride Faster | Dr Stephen Seiler

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

DO THIS WEEK

Calculate your zones from your current FTP
Use the FTP Zone Calculator to apply every boundary consistently. It rounds each upper limit down to a whole watt and begins the next range one watt higher, so one watt cannot appear in two zones or in neither.
Name the purpose before choosing a zone
Decide whether the session is recovery, endurance, tempo, threshold-related, VO2max-oriented, anaerobic or neuromuscular work. The chart then translates that purpose into a first watt range; it does not choose the weekly dose for you.
Cross-check the rider's response
Compare watts with breathing, RPE, heart rate and repeatability. If the planned response repeatedly misses under comparable conditions, check the FTP method, fatigue, heat, fuelling and individual power-duration profile before changing the chart.

COMMON MISTAKES

WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG

MISTAKERiding most sessions in zone 3 (tempo) because it 'feels like training'.
FIXUnplanned tempo can disrupt the intended easy-hard pattern, but planned tempo is not automatically wasted. Judge whether the intensity matches the session and complete programme.
MISTAKEConfusing zone systems between platforms and comparing incompatible numbers.
FIXPlatforms can use different names, percentages and rounding. Compare the underlying watts or percentages and keep the model named instead of assuming equal zone numbers mean equal work.
MISTAKEUsing a stale FTP to calculate zones.
FIXRetest when repeated comparable sessions show that the input no longer matches the intended response. Use the same protocol and conditions where practical; there is no universal three-month expiry date.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What zone is sweet spot training in?

Roadman uses the common 84–94% FTP convention, which straddles the upper part of Zone 3 and lower part of Zone 4 in this seven-zone model. Other systems can use different boundaries, so name the percentage rather than relying on the label alone.

Which zone is best for losing weight while cycling?

No FTP zone independently determines weight loss. Lower-intensity riding can make volume more tolerable, but energy intake, total activity, recovery, health and sustainable habits matter. Do not turn a zone chart into a weight-loss prescription.

Is zone 5 the same as VO2max training?

Not exactly. Zone 5 is the conventional above-FTP range used as a starting point for VO2max-oriented intervals, but the oxygen-uptake response also depends on interval duration, recovery, power-duration profile and accumulated work. One fixed FTP percentage or workout format cannot guarantee that response.

Do different zone systems give different training prescriptions?

They can. Models may use different anchors, thresholds, labels and rounding, and three-zone research models answer a different question from seven-zone workout charts. Translate the actual range and session purpose rather than matching zone numbers.

What zone should most of my training be in?

This percentage chart cannot prescribe a universal distribution. Polarised research usually uses three intensity domains and different counting methods, not seven-zone Zone 2 time. The right mix depends on the rider, event, phase, volume and complete programme.

How often should I update my training zones?

Update the zones whenever the FTP anchor changes. Retest after a meaningful block or when repeated workouts show the targets no longer match the intended response, using the same protocol and conditions where practical. There is no universal six-to-eight-week rule.

RELATED EPISODES

HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS

Joe Friel's Cycling Training Plan Structure | Roadman Cycling

80/20 Training to Ride Faster | Dr Stephen Seiler

Train Slower, Ride Faster: The 80/20 Cycling Training Guide