Intensity distribution.
The right mix of easy, moderate, and hard work depends on your goals, your event, and where you are in your training. Here's a breakdown of the four distributions Keep It Movin' supports.
The trap most athletes fall into
Most people naturally gravitate toward Z3, the moderately hard zone where efforts feel challenging but sustainable. It feels productive, it's hard enough to feel like work, but it's still comfortable. But there's a better way to train.
Focusing mostly on Z3 training means you miss both the strong aerobic foundation built through easy Z1–Z2 work and the top-end gains from harder Z4–Z5 efforts. On top of that, piling on more volume in Zone 3 tends to become fatiguing pretty quickly.
A more structured approach builds both endurance and speed, supports adding volume safely, and makes training a lot more fun.
The four distributions
Each distribution has its place. Keep It Movin' factors your current distribution into its daily suggestions.
Pyramidal
The most common structured approach. Mostly easy work with a meaningful amount of tempo and a small dose of high intensity. A solid all-around distribution for most athletes most of the time.
Base
Heavy on easy aerobic work with just a small amount of high intensity. Used when building your aerobic foundation, early in a season, or during recovery periods.
Subthreshold
Mostly easy work with a solid amount of Z3 and some Z4. More tempo-focused than other distributions. Common in build phases or for athletes targeting events that sit in that effort range. Sweet spot cycling training and some Norwegian-style methods fit naturally into this distribution.
Polarized
Mostly easy work with a meaningful amount of high intensity and very little in between. Hard days are very hard. Easy days are very easy. Research-backed for certain endurance athletes and events.
Training plans and distribution
If you're following a training plan, or using Keep It Movin' alongside one, your target distribution will naturally shift over the course of the season. A typical progression might look something like this:
Base — Start here. Build your aerobic foundation and increase volume gradually before the hard work begins.
Subthreshold or Pyramidal — As the plan ramps up, tempo and threshold work come in. This is the build phase where fitness accumulates.
Polarized — In the final weeks before your event hard efforts get sharper and easier days get easier. The goal is to peak at the right moment.
If you're using a pre-made or generic plan, update your target distribution in Keep It Movin' as you move through each phase of the plan. That way we can provide guidance based on how you're actually feeling day to day. If your body's carrying extra fatigue, it'll steer you toward a session that fits where you are right now, not just what the plan says you should be doing.
Depending on how you're feeling, that might mean:
Moving a hard workout to a different day if you're not quite ready for it.
Swapping a tough session for something easier when your body needs more recovery.
Dialing things back to an easier plan if the current one keeps feeling like too much.