The Triathlon Fitness Assessment: Set HR Zones, FTP, and Thresholds at Home (+Sheet)
You don’t need a lab to train precisely. Use these simple, safe protocols to estimate your HR zones, running threshold pace, cycling FTP, and swim CSS—then plug them into your plan.
Who This Is For
Beginners to intermediate triathletes who want accurate training zones without expensive lab tests. Suitable for athletes with basic health clearance and the ability to complete a hard 20‑minute effort in run and/or bike.
What You’ll Need
- Watch or bike computer that records HR/pace/power
- HR strap (recommended) or reliable optical HR
- Safe flat run route or track; safe cycling setup (trainer preferred)
- Access to a 25/50m pool for swim testing
- Notebook or the printable sheet to record results
Step‑by‑Step Protocols
Resting HR
Measure right after waking for 3 mornings; take the lowest value as RestHR.
Max HR (estimate)
If you don’t have a recent max HR from testing/races, use a conservative estimate (e.g., 208 − 0.7×age) and refine later from hard efforts.
Run Threshold: 20‑Minute Time Trial
- Warm up 10–15 min easy + 3×20–30s strides
- Run 20 min as hard‑but‑even; record average HR and distance
- Threshold pace ≈ average pace for the 20 min
- Threshold HR ≈ average HR from minutes 10–20
Bike FTP: 20‑Minute Test
- Warm up 15–20 min including a few 1–2 min efforts
- Ride 20 min all‑out but even; record average power
- FTP ≈ 95% of the 20‑minute average power
- If no power meter, record HR and RPE to anchor bike zones
Swim CSS: 400m + 200m TT
- Warm up 400–600 easy with drills
- Swim 400m hard, full recovery, then 200m hard
- CSS ≈ (T200 − T400) ÷ 2; convert to /100m pace
Set Your Zones
- HR Zones (5‑zone model): anchor around Threshold HR; use Z1 recovery, Z2 endurance, Z3 tempo, Z4 threshold, Z5 VO₂.
- Run Pace Zones: anchor at threshold pace; convert to easy/tempo/interval targets aligned to your plan.
- Bike Power Zones: base off FTP with classic Coggan ranges if using power; otherwise use HR/RPE anchors.
How Often to Retest
Every 6–8 weeks or after a clear performance jump. Keep conditions similar when possible to compare apples to apples.
Turn Numbers Into a Plan
Create your personalized plan using your zones—workouts adapt to your fitness and schedule automatically.