Taking Zwift Workouts Outside: A Guide to Outdoor Structured Training

Can you do Zwift workouts outside? Absolutely. While Zwift is designed for indoor riding, the structured workouts themselves (intervals, ramps, tempo blocks) are highly effective when done outdoors.

Here is how to break free from the turbo trainer without breaking your training plan.

Step 1: Export the Workout

You need to get the workout file out of Zwift and onto your bike computer.

1. Locate the .zwo file in your Documents/Zwift/Workouts folder.
2. Use our ZWO to FIT Converter to change it to a format your Garmin/Wahoo can read.
3. Load the .fit file onto your device via USB (Garmin) or app import (Wahoo/Hammerhead).

Step 2: Adjusting for the Road

Indoor ERG mode forces you to hold specific power. Outdoors, you are the ERG mode.

Power Smoothing

On the trainer, power is steady. On the road, it's jumpy.

• Tip: Set your head unit to display 3-second or 10-second average power.
• Why: Chasing instantaneous power numbers leads to surging and fatigue. Smooth your effort.

Choosing the Route

You cannot do a perfect interval session on a route with stop signs.

• Intervals < 5 mins: Find a quiet flat stretch or a steady hill.
• Intervals > 10 mins: You need a long, uninterrupted road. Loops work well.
• Recovery: Use descents or tailwind sections for rest intervals.

Step 3: Safety vs. Structure

Safety is #1. If your workout calls for a 300W sprint but there's a car pulling out, abort the interval.

• Don't stare at the screen: Glance down every few seconds, but keep eyes on the road.
• Be flexible: If you hit a red light during a 20-minute tempo block, pause your computer, wait, and resume. It's not "ruined," it's just "paused."

Which Workouts Work Best Outdoors?

Related Tools

• ZWO to FIT Converter
• FTP Calculator
• Zwift Workouts on Garmin Guide