Here’s a really good test… did you recover in the unders? Those two tests are just proxys for estimating a physiological state, but in essence you should be able to recover during the unders if they are really under your FTP.
Well seems like i recovered less during the unders than i digged during the overs ^^
Nope, but they do have 12min version with Tunemah and Woodworth.
I had to create a 20min O/U workout, found here: Over-Unders
Good luck!!
Yes, better to finish the workout with a lowered intensity than to stop half way at 100%. The exception being if you have to reduce it so far that it moves the interval into another training zone. So probably around 92-93% is the lower limit, if you can’t hold that I’d give up on the workout and rest.
really interesting, thank you!
It doesn’t matter the slightest what you test. What matters is that the workouts are demanding, manageable and target the intended zones.
Or you can listen to all of the theories about what tests are best and what number to use - and then come back to my mentioned practice of scaling the workouts when you begin to feel demotivated and burnt out.
Digging this thread up. 
While doing Fang Mountain +1 yesterday, it occurred to me (I’m a little slow on the uptake sometimes) that not all over/under workouts “are created equal”. I say this because I thought it wasn’t too bad and realized it’s because that workout starts the descent from the ceiling of 105% right away. The over/under workouts that keep you at that ceiling for 1 minute or more are the ones that I really hate and struggle with. Like next week with Avalanche Spire +1 on the calendar. 
I’m already dreading it. 
I did Fang Mountain + 1 this morning. felt plenty hard to me.
I like to think the burn is my ftp getting higher…
Fang & Avalanche et al are more like Up-Down workouts than Over-Under workouts; ERG-inspired vs Classic…gradual vs instant…triangle vs square…zipline vs bungie…weaning vs cold turkey…peel the Band-Aid vs JUST RIP IT OFF!!!..etc.
The perception of less pain is because the body (and brain) are given more time to adapt to the change.
These days I do my O-U workouts at -50% intensity so I’m not really sure why I’m on this tread…
Happy suffering! 
I did Carpathian Peak +3 today, and I’d done it a year ago too.
Two massively different experiences at virtually the same FTP then and now. I was cal restricting then and cracked it on last year. The whole thing felt like a massive brutal slog fest. Really nasty and I was dreading it today.
Today was a peace of cake - the only bad part about it was knowing that I was on a long 20 minute effort and won’t be going anywhere for a while. I had been cal restricting this block but this week I had two days where I loaded up before the heard workouts, like 2 to 3k cal over like a pig. But the workouts the next day felt like I was a proper boss. DHL guy interrupted me on last block so I had an extra 30 sec rest but it was near the very end and felt fine anyway. Probably would have needed 25min or 30min intervals to really get into a mess.
Sometimes it’s just about energy availability and not stamina. I felt like my Petit yesterday was worse as I’d cal restricted the day before. Wasn’t horrible but I had that slightly drained ‘don’t want to be on the trainer’ sensation slightly nagging away on each push of the pedals.
I’m so happy found this thread. I feel like less of a failure now. I’m new to Trainerroad road and made it through my first two over under workouts but couldn’t make it through McAdie last week. I have Palisade scheduled for tomorrow and am scared. After reading through this I’m going to make sure I have my fan on full blast and a ton more fluids.
Have a read and welcome to the club:
I haven’t done McAdie +1 yet, but have it on my calendar on a week from today (I’m doing SSB1 mid volume right now). I am little scared since I didn’t make it though the McAdie where the “under” was the 2 minutes instead of the “over”. I have Over- under today and am mentally planning for them. I just feel better knowing I am not the only one who struggles with them. I didn’t know I could adjust the percentage down, but hope I don’t have to result to that.
There are many Over-Under threads on the forum, I’d suggest giving them a read for both mental and physical tips & tricks to help you conquer these workouts.
Abdominal cramping is a sign of inadequate hyrdration. Be vigilant of the hydration and electrolytes. Good luck!
-Hugh
Fuel as well.
I had a bastardised version of Palisade this morning (same work but reduced recoveries/ warm up/ cool down to get to 1:15), and found the first interval hard.
On waking I had a gel, finished a carb mix bottle before first interval, RPE was definitely less for rest of the intervals. Not enough to crank up the intensity, but I really struggled through the first interval, less so as it went on.
Threads like these are why I prefer SSB HV… although the vo2 max intervals in build are probably going to slap me in the face.
Yup. Same deal, I did SPBHV and SSBHV and the last few minutes of the ramp tests were becoming so terrible I had to switch to a different protocol! The saving grace is that VO2 fitness comes along relatively quickly so it shouldn’t suck for more than a couple of weeks.
I will, however, admit to doing a bunch of O/U workouts on purpose (wtf?!?). I did them the previous year before joining TR and OMG were they horrible! Ha! So I bit the bullet hard and trained to turn that weakness into a strength. If you took a poll of the most loathed/feared workouts it’d probably be a 50/50 split between O/U and VO2max.