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VO2 Max Help

danjohnstondanjohnston
in General Training Discussions

I'm still a relative noobie to EN so I was hoping some of you Vets out there could give me some advice on the best way to do the bike VO2 Max intervals.  I just transitioned from (a modified) Intermediate OS plan to the Intermediate Get Faster Plan.  I am looking for input on....

1. When during the ride to do the VO2 Max Intervals?  For example, this Saturday I have a 2.5 hour ride with 10 mins. of "ON" time.  Is it best to do the 10 minutes at the beginning of the ride right after the warm up?  Or do you do it in the middle of the ride?  Or does it even matter WHEN you do the 10 mins of "ON" time?

2. Being new to these type of bike workouts, what is the best way to structure the "ON" time?  30" ON/30" OFF?  1' ON/1' OFF? etc.  Are longer intervals better in terms of fitness gains than shorter ones?  Or is the key doing 10 mins. total regardless of  how long the individual intervals are?

Thanks for the help with these questions and for any other suggestions related to executing these workouts!

Comments

  • tuckermtuckerm
    Did you do VO2 work in the OS? If so what interval length did you use? But I guess given your post you may not have. If you are not used to them I'd start with 1' then move it longer as you get more comfortable with it.

    When to do it? Well here is what I do. I don't always follow the prescribed workouts, I just try to get my work in. I allow the terrain to dictate what I do. So when it is flattish I do my longer FTP intervals, and when a short steep section comes up I do a VO2 set.

    So Tuesday I went out for a long ride. WU. 8' @ FTP, 10' @ FTP then did 2' @ VO2, then 12' @ FTP, 8' @ FTP, 2' @ VO2, 20' @ FTP, etc.
  • Peter GreaggPeter Greagg
    Hi Dan — I always do the FTP intervals straight after the wu, and then the VO2 max work. Or if there is no FTP work in that workout, I do the VO2 max stuff straight after the wu.

    In terms of interval length, most of us start off with shorter intervals and over the weeks work up to longer ones. Personally, I start with 30 secs on, 30 secs off, and then the next week, I do 45 secs, and 1 minute the following week etc — that said, if I feel I am really struggling to hit a longer interval, I don't worry if I have to shorten it — I think the important thing is to get the 10 mins (or whatever is set down for that workout) of On time done.

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