Riders looking for custom Zwift workouts usually want one of two things: either they want more control over interval structure, or they want a faster way to reuse workouts across multiple weeks.
That is where an external builder becomes useful. Instead of treating the workout like a one-off in the platform interface, you can build it clearly, save it, revise it, and export it as a ZWO file when you are ready to ride.
Why use an external workflow
An external builder is better when you want reusable structures, cleaner interval editing, or the ability to keep a library that is not trapped inside one platform UI.
It also makes it easier to think about the training purpose of the workout instead of only the mechanics of placing blocks on a timeline.
A clean process for custom Zwift workouts
Start by defining the purpose of the session, then build the warmup, main set, recoveries, and cooldown as separate blocks. Once the workout is internally clean, export it as ZWO for the Zwift-oriented workflow.
This keeps the workout understandable months later when you come back to it and want to reuse or progress it.
- •Build the workout in logical blocks
- •Use percent FTP where progression matters
- •Export only after the structure is clean and readable
Using VeloWorkout for ZWO creation
VeloWorkout is designed for exactly this type of workflow: build, revise, save, and export. That makes it a better long-term home for custom sessions than a one-off editor flow where every workout starts from scratch.
If you regularly build custom Zwift workouts, keeping the library and the builder in the same place reduces friction immediately.