Workouts
Workout
Training focus · Zone 5 · 106–120% FTP
VO2 max cycling workouts
Raise the ceiling. Everything underneath lifts with it.
VO2 max intervals are the hardest aerobic work in cycling: efforts of roughly 2–5 minutes at 106–120% of FTP, with recoveries that feel too short. They raise your aerobic ceiling — and since FTP is a percentage of that ceiling, lifting it creates room for everything else to grow.
40
free sessions
15–110
minutes
106–120%
of FTP
Free to ride No account needed to start Works with Bluetooth smart trainers ERG mode holds the watts
Start here
Three ways in
Don’t scroll all 40 sessions on day one. Pick the one that fits the time you have, press start, and the trainer does the pacing.
The way in
15-Minute Smash Fest!
Shortest session in the set. Ride it today.
15
min
0.81
intensity
The staple
Rønnestad 30/15s (2 Sets)
The session you will come back to every week.
51
min
0.56
intensity
The long haul
30/30 Repeaters 6 Sets
Block out the time. This one builds depth.
110
min
0.52
intensity
Why it works
The physiology, briefly
Classic formats include 5×3 minutes, 6×2 minutes, or 30/30s and 40/20s for time near maximal oxygen uptake. The aim is accumulated time at very high breathing rates, not any single heroic effort.
These workouts are free to ride below. A word of caution with ERG mode: at these intensities some riders prefer resistance mode so they can surge naturally — try both and keep cadence high, around 95–110 rpm.
How to run it
Big breathing by rep two. Each interval ends before you would choose to.
- 01Spin high — 95–110 rpm keeps the stress on your engine, not your knees.
- 02Try resistance mode if ERG feels like it fights your surges.
- 03The goal is accumulated time breathing hard, not one heroic rep.
- 04Bracket these sessions with genuinely easy days. They earn it.
The full set
All 40 vo2 max sessions
Under 40 minutes
15 sessionsHIIT
15-Minute Smash Fest!
An intense 15-minute workout which features three reps of VO2 max and threshold efforts.
15 minIF 0.81
HIIT
VO2 Max
Threshold
+4 more
Basics
Rønnestad 30/15s - 1 Sets
Classic 30/15 intervals. 1 sets of 10 repetitions. Great for VO2 Max.
28 minIF 0.49
VO2 Max
Intervals
30/15
HIIT
30 Minute V02 Max Cycling Indoor Training Session
A lung-burning 30-minute session focusing on working your Vo2 max at the top end.
29 minIF 0.60
VO2 Max
HIIT
GCN
+3 more
Interval
30 Minute V02 Max Cycling Indoor Training Session
A tough 30-minute lung burner focusing on working your Vo2 max at the top end, perfect to squeeze into a morning or a lunch break.
29 minIF 0.60
VO2 Max
HIIT
Indoor Training
+4 more
HIIT
Emily’s Short Mix
A 30-minute high-intensity workout designed to pack a punch in a short amount of time, featuring three distinct blocks of effort, increasing in duration from 1 to 3 minutes.
30 minIF 0.60
HIIT
VO2 Max
GCN
+4 more
HIIT
Full Effort VO2 Max Intervals
A 10/10 difficulty cycling workout aimed at boosting your VO2 max with six full effort two-minute intervals.
30 minIF 0.82
VO2 Max
HIIT
Intervals
+4 more
HIIT
Intense 30 Minute HIIT Session
Sevens is a high-intensity 30-minute workout with two blocks of seven 30-second maximal efforts, designed to boost your VO2 Max, power, and recovery.
30 minIF 0.57
HIIT
VO2 Max
30 minute
+4 more
Interval
Intense VO2 Cycling Efforts
This session focuses on bursts of high-power efforts to push your VO2 threshold. This workout will help to increase your body's oxygen efficiency and overall cardio fitness!
30 minIF 0.56
VO2
indoor cycling
GCN
+3 more
HIIT
Sprint Surges
An intense indoor cycling training session featuring two ten-minute blocks that alternate between sweet spot intervals and 10/10 sprint surges. This session will improve your FTP as well as your sprint and VO2 Max.
30 minIF 0.81
HIIT
Sprint
VO2 Max
+4 more
HIIT
VO2 MAX BOOSTER
A grueling 30-minute HIIT session designed to boost your VO2 max, incorporating 6 minutes of VO2 max work and 12 minutes of threshold efforts.
30 minIF 0.48
VO2 MAX
HIIT
Threshold
+3 more
HIIT
VO2 Max Race Simulation!
Simulate race attacks with four VO2 max intervals: three 3-minute efforts and a final 5-minute 'go until you blow' effort.
30 minIF 0.76
VO2 Max
HIIT
Race Simulation
+3 more
Interval
1 Minute VO2 Max Surges! | 30 Minute Indoor Cycling Workout
In this half-hour session, we'll tackle three sets of VO2 surges sandwiched between two sweet spot efforts. The perfect workout for when you're short of time but want to work on your fitness!
32 minIF 0.76
VO2 Max
Surges
Sweet Spot
+4 more
FTPTest
Ramp Test – Short
Incremental ramp test with 1-minute steps, aligning with modern maximal aerobic power testing.
32 minIF 0.50
Ramp Test
VO2 Max
HIIT
HIIT Blaster 4: VO2 Max
High intensity interval training focusing on VO2 Max.
36 minIF 0.52
HIIT
Anaerobic
VO2 Max
HIIT
HIIT Blaster 8: VO2 Max
High intensity interval training focusing on VO2 Max.
36 minIF 0.52
HIIT
Anaerobic
VO2 Max
40 to 70 minutes
18 sessionsHIIT
5 Gruelling Minutes | 40 Minute HIIT Indoor Workout
This 40-minute session starts with a warm-up before 5 one-minute VO2 Max efforts that will work you hard! You'll really be feeling the burn but we'll finish with 6 minutes of low effort to spin your legs out and recover.
40 minIF 0.57
HIIT
VO2 Max
Indoor Cycling
+3 more
FastFitness
Fast Fitness VO2 Pyramid
Compact VO2 pyramid using 1–3 minute steps, following modern polarized training guidelines.
40 minIF 0.64
VO2 Max
Pyramid
Basics
Rønnestad 30/15s - 2 Sets
Classic 30/15 intervals. 2 sets of 10 repetitions. Great for VO2 Max.
40 minIF 0.49
VO2 Max
Intervals
30/15
Interval
45 Minute Indoor Cycling Ramp Workout Without Music
A long ramp workout where the reps get shorter and harder, moving from threshold efforts to all-out sprints.
43 minIF 0.72
Ramp
Threshold
Sprint
+4 more
Interval
VO2 Classic 4x3
4x3min VO2 intervals at 110–115% FTP with equal rest.
49 minIF 0.61
vo2
hiit
intervals
Interval
Rønnestad 30/15s (2 Sets)
2×13 of 30/15s (Bent Rønnestad style) with 3:00 set rests.
51 minIF 0.56
vo2
30/15
hiit
Basics
Rønnestad 30/15s - 3 Sets
Classic 30/15 intervals. 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Great for VO2 Max.
53 minIF 0.49
VO2 Max
Intervals
30/15
Interval
VO2 Classic 5x3
5x3min VO2 intervals at 110–115% FTP with equal rest.
55 minIF 0.61
vo2
hiit
intervals
HIIT
VO2 Max Blaster
High intensity intervals to boost your top end power. 5x3 minutes at 115% FTP.
55 minIF 0.55
VO2 Max
HIIT
Interval
FTP Booster Extended Efforts
An intense, 55-minute session focused on improving your Functional Threshold Power with extended hard efforts at VO2 max intensity.
57 minIF 0.71
FTP
Intervals
VO2 Max
+3 more
Interval
Hard Starts 4x4
4×4:00 hard-start VO2 intervals (30s @ 140% then 3:30 @ 105%) with equal rest.
57 minIF 0.62
vo2
hard start
hiit
Interval
VO2 Classic 4x4
4x4min VO2 intervals at 110–115% FTP with equal rest.
57 minIF 0.62
vo2
hiit
intervals
Interval
Rønnestad 30/15s (3 Sets)
3×13 of 30/15s (Bent Rønnestad style) with 3:00 set rests.
63 minIF 0.56
vo2
30/15
hiit
Interval
30/30 Repeaters 3 Sets
30 seconds very hard, 30 seconds float. High glycolytic/anaerobic demand with VO2 benefits.
65 minIF 0.52
30/30
Anaerobic
VO2 Max
Interval
Hard Starts 5x4
5×4:00 hard-start VO2 intervals (30s @ 140% then 3:30 @ 105%) with equal rest.
65 minIF 0.62
vo2
hard start
hiit
Interval
VO2 Classic 4x5
4x5min VO2 intervals at 110–115% FTP with equal rest.
65 minIF 0.63
vo2
hiit
intervals
Interval
VO2 Classic 5x4
5x4min VO2 intervals at 110–115% FTP with equal rest.
65 minIF 0.62
vo2
hiit
intervals
Interval
Rønnestad 30/15s (3 Sets +1 rep)
3×14 of 30/15s (Bent Rønnestad style) with 3:00 set rests.
66 minIF 0.56
vo2
30/15
hiit
Over 70 minutes
7 sessionsInterval
4×8 VO2 Builder
Four 8-minute intervals at high intensity, matching protocols shown to be effective for VO2 and FTP gains.
73 minIF 0.64
VO2 Max
4×8
Basics
4x8m Threshold/VO2
The gold standard for increasing FTP and VO2 Max. 4 intervals of 8 minutes.
73 minIF 0.63
Threshold
VO2 Max
Long Intervals
Interval
5×5 Minute VO2 Max
Classic 5×5 VO2 set with equal rest, widely used in modern interval prescriptions.
75 minIF 0.60
VO2 Max
5×5
Interval
30/30 Repeaters 4 Sets
30 seconds very hard, 30 seconds float. High glycolytic/anaerobic demand with VO2 benefits.
80 minIF 0.52
30/30
Anaerobic
VO2 Max
FTPTest
FTP Test – 2×8 Minute
Two 8-minute efforts slightly above FTP. Use average power to estimate FTP as per historical protocols.
86 minIF 0.61
FTP Test
VO2/Threshold
Interval
30/30 Repeaters 5 Sets
30 seconds very hard, 30 seconds float. High glycolytic/anaerobic demand with VO2 benefits.
95 minIF 0.52
30/30
Anaerobic
VO2 Max
Interval
30/30 Repeaters 6 Sets
30 seconds very hard, 30 seconds float. High glycolytic/anaerobic demand with VO2 benefits.
110 minIF 0.52
30/30
Anaerobic
VO2 Max
No paywall between you and the pedals
Ride first. Sign up when it’s worth saving.
VO2 Max training FAQ
What is a VO2 max interval?
A VO2 max interval is a 2–5 minute effort at roughly 106–120% of FTP — hard enough to drive your oxygen uptake near its maximum. Sessions usually accumulate 12–20 minutes of total work time across several repetitions.
How often should I train VO2 max?
One session per week is enough for most riders, or two during a short focused block of three to four weeks. These sessions carry real fatigue, so they need easy days around them.
Are 30/30 intervals VO2 max work?
Yes. Repeating 30 seconds hard / 30 seconds easy (or 40/20s) keeps oxygen uptake high across a long set, accumulating time at VO2 max with slightly less perceived strain than continuous 3–5 minute efforts.
Go deeper
Reading for the rest day
Keep exploring