VO2max with Tempo Floats, 5 x 3 min
Five 3-minute efforts at 112 to 118% of FTP with 2-minute floats at tempo, a VO2max session where the recovery stays under pressure.
- Duration
- 52 min
- Effort
- 58
- Level
- Advanced
- Focus zone
- VO2max
Your values
Targets relative to your threshold values. Enter your values to see absolute numbers.
| # | Step | Length | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-upEndurance Easy spin, build gradually | 10 min | 45 → 72% FTP54 → 74% HRmax |
| 2 | Warm-upEndurance Steady and easy | 5 min | 60-70% FTP65-78% HRmax |
| 5 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 3.1 | IntervalVO2max Hard, steady | 3 min | 112-118% FTP92-98% HRmax |
| 3.2 | IntervalTempo Float at tempo | 2 min | 75-82% FTP78-85% HRmax |
| 4 | Cool-downRecovery Easy spin, let the legs settle | 12 min | 60 → 40% FTP65 → 50% HRmax |
About this workout
Instead of easy spinning, the recoveries here are floats at 75 to 82% of FTP. Heart rate and breathing come down only partly between efforts, so each new 3 minute effort at 112 to 118% starts from a raised level and reaches VO2max quickly. Five repeats give 15 minutes of hard work and another 10 minutes at tempo.
Floats train the ability to recover while still riding at a solid pace, which is what happens in a race when the group slows only slightly after an attack. They also add a lot of total load, so this is a session for riders who already handle standard VO2max intervals well.
Ride it in the build or peak phase, at most once a week. If the floats feel too hard, lower them to 70% of FTP before you reduce the efforts. Progress by lengthening the efforts to 4 minutes.
Tips
- Keep the floats at steady tempo, like riding in a fast group.
- Drink during the floats, since the main set has no easy minutes.
- End the session if power falls below 108% of FTP in an effort.
Good forRoad raceCriteriumGravel
Season phaseBuildPeak