Long-distance triathlon glossary·Z6

Z6 : Zone 6: anaerobic capacity

Load

Very short efforts (1-5 min) above 150% of FTP, where oxygen delivery can't keep up.

Above Z5 (VO2max), you enter anaerobic capacity: glycogen burns without oxygen, lactate climbs fast. Efforts last rarely beyond 3-5 minutes before forced stop. In long-distance triathlon, Z6 is almost never prescribed : but understanding it helps avoid the trap of going out too hard on the bike.

In TriPaced:

In TriPaced, Z6 doesn't appear in any standard IM or 70.3 plan. If a session shows 'Z6', it's a warning flag: the prescribed intensity is likely too high or you entered a FTP that is too low.

Related terms

  • TSS : Training Stress Score
  • CTL : Chronic Training Load (fitness)
  • ATL : Acute Training Load (fatigue)
  • TSB : Training Stress Balance (freshness)
  • Sweet spot : the efficiency zone
  • Threshold : the upper sustainable limit