pakossa

Pretty much all of training systems I see have 5 - 7 training zones. I'm not a racer, so I don't need that kind of specificity. I'd like to simplify it to 3 zones, basically, easy (Z1 - recovery), medium (Z2 - aerobic), and hard (Z3 - anaerobic). All the systems have a clear definition of Z1 vs. Z2. But, after their Z2/endurance, they have zones such as "tempo," "steady state," "climbing repeat," etc. So, if doing a 3 zone scheme, where would it be best to end Z2 and begin Z3? Would it be best to include any of those in Z2 -- I'm thinking maybe tempo -- or would all of those be considered Z3/anaerobic?

Trakhak

Product of a 5-second search:

How many training zones are there?

pdlamb

Is one training zone per expert/author overstating the case?

BTinNYC 

If 3 zones is what you want, what about starting your third zone at your FTP?
Most every Zone 2 definition I've seen covers a wide range, with a big difference in effort between low Z2 and high Z2, so why couldn't your Z3 do the same.

pakossa

Actually, their "3 zone model" would really be 4 zones, as their 1st zone is "endurance," and not "recovery." Looking at the %MAX HR, the 3 zone "endurance" actually covers the first THREE zones of the 5 zone model!! Since there is an overlap with LT in the 3 zone and tempo in the 5 zone, it appears including tempo with Z2 would work, especially given the hills by me. (Try not to go above tempo on steep hills for Z2 rides.)

RChung

Zones are used to clarify communication, especially between a coach and an athlete. The coach may have a specific workout goal in mind and to make sure the athlete follows the plan, more specificity is helpful so they can say "this much time in Zone X, then this much in Zone Y, repeat that three times." They're using zones in a prescriptive way, or maybe after the workout you're using them in a descriptive way to explain things to your coach.

If you're not following a specific training plan, or if you don't need to communicate with someone else either to get prescriptions or to give descriptions, you can pretty much use as many zones as you want. You do, after all, have the full post-ride data file, so you can see exactly what you did.

Carbonfiberboy 

From my reading, Americans use 5-7 zone models, whereas the Europeans use a 3-zone model. My understanding is that those 3 zones are:
1: Below VT1
2: Between VT1 and VT2
3: Over VT2

It's relatively easy to detect the break-points between these zones with one's breathing:
https://acewebcontent.azureedge.net/...VT_Testing.pdf

Once one learns to notice these breakpoints, it's possible to translate them into power and HR numbers and note how those numbers change as fitness increases. I've been training this way for years. There are Euro-based training systems which say, "only train in zones 1 ad 3." I don't have the time to make that work and have had good results doing a lot of training in all three zones, zone 1 the most, then 2, then much less in 3. Using the 5 zone system, I see the most time in 2, then 3, then 4, then 5. Almost no time in zone 1 because of the volume necessary for that to do anything.