How to Set up Strava Training Zones to Make Them Truly Useful
Strava’s new “Training Zones” feature promises to help runners and cyclists better understand their training load using metrics like heart rate, power, and pace. It sounds helpful, but if you’ve recently discovered that most of your runs fall into the so-called “gray zone” ( zone 3 ), take a deep breath: you’re not doing everything wrong, you don’t need to panic, and you definitely don’t need to completely overhaul your training.
Here’s why—and how you can use training zones as the helpful tools they’re meant to be, not a source of anxiety.
What are training zones?
Before delving into how Strava presents training zones, let’s briefly review what they are. As Lifehacker’s Senior Health Editor Beth Skuerecki previously explained , talk of different zones is overblown because they’re not clearly defined.
The most talked about is the coveted Zone 2, although no one can agree on what exactly it is . On the other hand, I constantly see warnings that Zone 3 is a “no-man’s land” for training: too hard to be easy, too easy to be hard. This fear is exaggerated .
Zone 2 workouts are popular because they help develop aerobic fitness and burn calories without causing significant fatigue. But do you know what else zone 3 workouts do? They develop aerobic fitness, burn even more calories, and are generally only slightly more tiring than zone 2. For most recreational runners, the difference between the zones is much less significant than online discussions might suggest.
Heart rate zones are indeed a perfectly valid way to describe the intensity of your work during a cardio workout. But it’s hard to say “Zone 2 is good, Zone 3 is bad,” especially given that different devices and apps define zones differently. Your “Zone 2” might be 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate on Apple Watch, but 65% to 75% on Peloton. At 73% of your maximum heart rate, Apple Watch would classify you as Zone 3, while Peloton would classify you as Zone 2. Which is correct? Neither, as these boundaries are largely arbitrary.
The concept of training zones makes sense when considered in the right context, but specific percentages and limits aren’t set in stone. They’re guidelines, not absolutes. Your physiology doesn’t magically change the moment you go from 69% to 71% of your maximum heart rate. And if you’re a recreational runner focused on health and enjoyment, the difference between Zone 2 and Zone 3 is merely a formality.
How Strava Training Zones Actually Work
Strava’s Training Zones feature a familiar five-zone system. This feature allows you to filter data by sport and analyze your training load over different time periods (seven days, one month, and three months), providing insight into how your training varies across different activities.
Heart rate zones:
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Zone 1 – Endurance
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Zone 2 – Moderate
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Zone 3 – Tempo
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Zone 4 – Threshold
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Zone 5 – Anaerobic
These zones indicate training intensity levels and are automatically calculated based on your maximum heart rate. Strava uses a standard formula: 220 minus your age. If your age isn’t specified, it defaults to 190 beats per minute. Your zones are updated automatically on your birthday unless you’ve manually set your maximum heart rate.
Set up Strava training zones to eliminate anxiety during training.
Luckily, you don’t have to accept the default settings as a given. Strava allows subscribers to set different heart rate zones for running and cycling, and you can change these zones at any time.
Scroll through the “Progress” tab on Strava and you’ll see the “Training Zones” section . In this menu, select the pencil icon (edit). If you know your actual maximum heart rate from a training session, use that instead of the estimated maximum value based on your age.
Even if you don’t have precise data, you can adjust your zones based on how you feel. Perceived exertion can be a more accurate guide than heart rate monitor readings. Enable the “automatic calculation” option to manually adjust each heart rate zone. If Strava shows you’re in zone 3-4, but you can easily hold a conversation during your workout, you can expand the range for zone 2 to more accurately reflect what you know requires less effort. When a run feels easy and encourages conversation, it’s likely doing its job, regardless of whether your device shows zone 2 or zone 3.
Instead of focusing on individual training zones, analyze your training distribution across weeks and months. Are you mostly doing easy runs with some more challenging workouts? This is what matters, not whether your easy pace falls in the upper half of Zone 2 or the lower half of Zone 3.
Bottom line
Training zones should guide your training, not dictate it. They are tools to help you assess intensity and plan progress, not rigid boundaries that determine success or failure. Strava’s Training Zones feature can provide valuable insight into your training patterns and help you make more informed decisions.
The next time your watch beeps to let you know you’ve crossed Zone 3, remember: boundaries aren’t real, but your body’s sensations are.