HR/Training Zone clarification

JMac930 said:

What's up gang! I have a CTS video I got with my Cycle-ops trainer. Before I started using the video it asks to do a "field test", 2x8 min "max efforts" so that I could get my max hr and avg hr. Well I thought I was already to go and then I started reading all the posts on training zones here and now I am completely confused thinking I don't have enough info anymore. Can someone please give me some basic info on these training zones everyone is talking about. I used to mountain bike race about 5 yrs ago and wasn't too bad. I haven't really done any biking at all though since then and I have aspirations to get into road racing next year. I realize I need to get my base fitness level back first and then work on the more "advanced stuff" but these training zone things are killing me tonight. Any and all help is appreciated.

I don't know if I can put you out of your misery, but here are some inputs. Training zones serve two basic purposes. The first and very important purpose is to define a (blurred) line of demarcation for intensity of effort that should be followed by a day of recovery or rest. The reason is that the intensity will induce your body to over-compensate in recovery and in fact build more capacity. To exercise at an intensity that calls for a recovery day without the recovery is to, in effect, waste the high intensity effort. It's sort of like making a bank deposit and then not collecting the interest. Efforts at less than this line of demarcation are usually divided into two zones, but the only real difference IMO is how long you can go at that intensity. Immediately above the line of demarcation is what I call "No Man's Land," because you don't get much improvement in power yet you need a recovery day. This is usually labeled zone 3. I try to avoid spending much time in this zone because there isn't much "bang for the buck." The real action begins in what is often labeled zone 4. This is where you begin to improve your lactate threshold, VO2Max, anaerobic capacity and neuromuscular power. IOW, you gain the ability to put out more power for longer. This range is often divided into 3-4 zones, due to the different physiological benefits of different intensities. There seems to be general agreement on the benefits of high-intensity workouts, but there are a few schools of thought as to how to define the zones. Personally, I like Andy Coggan's schema, but I have been looking at Ric Stern's schema as well. Andy's schema is based on a 40K TT max. effort whereas Ric's schema is based on a shorter, more intense maximum power test to exhaustion. See the links below.
peakscoachinggroup.comPower Training Chapter.pdfOpen ↗
cyclingnews.comfitnessOpen ↗

In HR terms, if you want a quick and dirty way of setting some preliminary zones without doing any testing, you could use 75% of your estimated max HR (220-age) as the top end of zone 2 and 85% of est max HR as the bottom end of zone 4. To build your base, just ride at <75% of max HR. You won't hurt yourself and you won't need a recovery day.

Hope this helps a little. Good luck.

Blurred line of demarcation is exactly right.

JMac930, I've attached a spreadsheet of various coaches' training zones. This may help you pick and set up some preliminary zones until you feel more comfortable with the whole process. I'm still kind of overwhelmed by it all after a couple of years of screwing around with it. Revision of one's methods is a continual process.

One word of caution though, when you get fit enough to do a Max Heart Rate test you'll want to ditch the 220 - AGE formula as it is subject to much variance.

For what it's worth, I do NOT use Charmichael's fitness test. Two 8 minute all out efforts will not yeild the same results as the longer more conventional tests. You'd be better off using a 1 hour time trial, 2 x 20 min intervals or a Joe Friel LTHR test and setting up zones accordingly.

Thanks for the two great responses, that gives me a better idea what i'm doing.