8-week FTP training plan

Test on day one. Test on the last day. Watch the gap.

Most plans that promise a higher FTP never measure it. This one opens with a 20-minute test and closes with the same test on the same protocol, so the number at the end means something.

8
weeks: 4
rides a week: 5.1 h
typical week: 6.3 h
biggest week

Start this plan See every week Test your FTP first

Free, with no trial Scheduled on your own calendar Switch or stop at any point

In between, the work climbs the ladder that actually moves threshold: sweet spot to build tolerance, threshold intervals to raise the ceiling itself, and VO2 max work in the second half because your threshold can only sit so far below your aerobic maximum.

It asks for four rides a week and around six hours. If you have less time, the time-crunched plan runs the same logic in three sessions.

How the plan is built

Week 1 is a test. Week 8 is the same test. Everything between is the experiment.
Sweet spot early, threshold in the middle, VO2 max layered in from week 5.
One recovery week at the midpoint — week 4.

Ride this plan if

You have trained with structure before and want a number to go up.
You can ride four times a week for around six hours.
You have finished a base block, or ride consistently year-round.

What you get out of it

A re-measured FTP on the identical protocol you started with.
Threshold intervals extended from 2×15 to a full threshold builder session.
A first block of VO2 max work to lift the ceiling above threshold.

Week by week

Every session below is a real workout you can open and ride right now, with or without the plan. Applying the plan puts them on your calendar on the days you choose.

8-week schedule for the FTP Builder cycling training plan
Week	Focus and sessions	Load
1 week	Test week Week 1: test first, then ride. Everything that follows is scaled off this number, so ride the test properly. FTP Test – 20 Minute69 min Endurance Base 1 – 60m60 min Sweet Spot 2x20min75 min Endurance Base 3 – 90m90 min	4.9 hours
2 week	Sweet spot into threshold Week 2: three sweet spot intervals plus a first threshold session. Threshold should feel distinctly harder. Sweet Spot 3x15min85 min Endurance Base 1 – 60m60 min Threshold 2x15min65 min Endurance Base 4 – 105m105 min	5.3 hours
3 week	First VO2 touch Week 3: 4×8 at VO2 alongside 3×20 sweet spot. The big week of the first block. Sweet Spot 3x20min100 min Endurance Base 2 – 75m75 min 4×8 VO2 Builder73 min Endurance Base 5 – 120m120 min	6.1 hours
4 recovery	Recovery week Week 4: recovery. The second half is harder than the first — arrive at it fresh. Recovery Week: Short Sweet Spot40 min Recovery Spin 3 – 40m40 min Endurance Base 1 – 60m60 min Recovery Week: 1hr Zone 276 min	3.6 hours
5 week	Threshold and VO2 Week 5: threshold intervals and classic 4×4 VO2. Two genuinely hard days; keep the other two easy. Threshold 2x15min65 min Endurance Base 2 – 75m75 min VO2 Classic 4x457 min Endurance Base 4 – 105m105 min	5 hours
6 week	Extend threshold Week 6: the full threshold builder plus 5×5 VO2. If a session falls apart, stop it — do not grind out a broken interval. Threshold Builder95 min Endurance Base 2 – 75m75 min 5×5 Minute VO2 Max75 min Endurance Base 5 – 120m120 min	6.1 hours
7 week	Peak Week 7: 3×20 sweet spot and 4×5 VO2. Last hard week — everything after this is sharpening. Sweet Spot 3x20min100 min Endurance Base 1 – 60m60 min VO2 Classic 4x565 min Long Ride Zone 2 (2hr)150 min	6.3 hours
8 recovery	Retest Week 8: easy days, leg openers, then the same 20-minute test you rode in week 1. Same protocol, same conditions. Recovery Spin 3 – 40m40 min Recovery + Leg Openers36 min Endurance Base 1 – 60m60 min FTP Test – 20 Minute69 min	3.4 hours

Applying the plan schedules all 32 sessions from your chosen start date. You pick which days of the week you ride.

Start FTP Builder

FTP Builder: common questions

How much can I raise my FTP in eight weeks?

It depends entirely on where you start. Riders new to structured training often see 5–10% in a first block; riders with years of consistent training may see 2–3%. The test at both ends is there so you get your own answer rather than an average.

Should I test my FTP before starting a plan?

Yes, and this plan builds the test into week one. Every target in every session is a percentage of FTP, so a stale number means eight weeks of riding at the wrong intensity.

Is a 20-minute test better than a ramp test?

They measure slightly different things. The ramp test is shorter and easier to repeat; the 20-minute test is closer to a real threshold effort and tends to suit riders with good endurance. What matters most is using the same protocol every time so the numbers are comparable.