Increasing fat oxidation extends the duration a cyclist can ride before depleting glycogen. Trained endurance athletes oxidise 0.8-1.0g of fat per minute at FatMax; untrained individuals peak at 0.3-0.5g/min. The primary drivers of fat oxidation adaptation are zone 2 volume, fasted training (used strategically, not chronically), and avoidance of chronic carbohydrate over-consumption. FatMax sits roughly at the same intensity as VT1 / upper zone 2 — another reason base training targets this zone specifically.
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