Any tips in nailing such VO2 max workout?

Training
1

This :

Rest between interval is only 15 secs… this is a VO2 Max 5.7

I can nail other workout with higer VO2 max level, but not this.

any tips?

TIA.

2

Recovery between intervals is 3 mins. If 120% is too high lower it by 3-5%. V02 is not a power number/percentage, so pick what’s appropriate.

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3

30on ,15off with 3 mins between sets. They are not nice, personally I prefer fewer but sustained VO2 intervals at a lower percentage e.g. 3-5mins @ 110-117%.

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4

yeah, don’t get married to the 120%. That may not be the right % for you given these intervals. For me, these short intervals are easy to gamify. Probably easier said than done to forget that these intervals are work instead of a game, but the gaming options are pretty limitless. One game I’ve enjoyed requires Zwift and Trainerroad simultaneously, but you use the intervals to chase down another rider you can see ahead of you.

5

Are you trying to do this in ERG mode? If so you have to stay on top of your cadence, if you let it drop you’re going to be hitting some muscle recruitment pretty hard over and over again

6

Just tackle it one interval at a time, make sure you are just spinning in the 15 seconds gaps. What heart rate peak percentage of max do you reach in the sets?

Here’s how my heart rate trace looks during these type of intervals

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7

I would look for the following in my performance rather than wattage:

  1. First 2 sets are 9/10 in RPE, very hard but doable. 3rd set, I’m questioning if I can complete the 4th set. The last set requires supreme focus to complete. At the end of the last set I have emptied my tank and I cannot go for another set.
  2. Breathing is hard before the mid-point of each set and becomes ragged by the end of the set.
  3. Lungs are burning by the end of each set.
  4. Tunnel vision can set in by the end of the last two sets.

As others have mentioned, VO2 percentages can vary wildly with individuals and depends heavily on duration. Folks with high anaerobic contribution can push through 30/30’s and 30/15’s at 120% FTP (or higher) with relative ease but die on 3x3’ intervals at 110% FTP.

Do the workout on resistance mode and pay attention to how you feel. If you’re hitting those points above, you’re probably doing VO2 work.

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