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POLARISED (80/20)
VS PYRAMIDAL

QUICK VERDICT

Polarised has stronger research support for most amateurs. Pyramidal works for riders with very high volume. Both beat the grey-zone middle that most cyclists default to.

SIDE BY SIDE

FEATUREPOLARISED (80/20)PYRAMIDAL
Easy training %~80%~75%
Moderate (Zone 3) %~0-5%~15-20%
High intensity %~15-20%~5-10%
Research supportStrong (Seiler)Moderate
Best for time-crunchedYesNeeds more volume
Recovery demandManageableHigher due to Zone 3

CHOOSE POLARISED (80/20) IF

  • ✓Time-crunched riders (6-10 hours/week)
  • ✓Masters cyclists who need to manage recovery
  • ✓Riders who plateau doing lots of tempo work

CHOOSE PYRAMIDAL IF

  • ✓High-volume riders (15+ hours/week)
  • ✓Riders who naturally thrive on tempo-paced group rides
  • ✓Stage-race athletes building sustained aerobic capacity
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