I’ve been on TR for a few weeks, focusing on FTP improvement (I’m a climber by physique/ability).
A couple of weeks ago I had my first workout with VO2 max blocks (is that the right word?). 1 min into the first 3 min block (300 watts, my FTP is 244w) I just had to stop. It was waaay too hard. I ended up skipping the rest of the workout and doing some zone 2. I may have been unwell or tired, but the VO2 just felt unreasonably difficult.
Today my workout again has VO2 elements in again. 2.5min blocks of 283w. I’m dreading it… is there a recommended way to approach it?
Or is there an equivalent workout with 30s or 60s VO2 blocks? 2.5m or 3m just seems too much of a jump, psychologically I’m thinking of ways to avoid the workout, whereas normally I love being on the trainer.
I’ve just started my Vo2 sessions, and yesterday on an FTP of 210 I had to do 6 x 3mins at 250 watts but this was at a progression level of 7.3 so my FTP could be out, I have to wait 10 days for AI FTP
Anyway my advice for Vo2, they are supposed to be hard, mine yesterday was bloomin hard, it’s best to start slowly, don’t sprint into an effort, and then persevere, you almost have to ignore the pain and your brain telling you to stop.
TR, if you answer the RPE questions correctly, will adapt your future sessions.
Ooft. With a similar ftp I’ll do 6 × 2 minute efforts at about 300 watts, but I don’t fancy 3 minutes at 300 watts! Certainly not early in a block. 5 × 2..5 mins at 285 watts sounds just about doable, but tough (as they should be).
Overall, yeah, VO2 Max work hits different and can be very intimidating - ask me how I know.
Resistance mode. Lift your cadence. Break them into 15 second chunks. Distract yourself by thinking about how you’re pedalling. Tell your legs to STFU. Use all the tricks.
As above, do it in resistance mode. It is meant to be hard, expect your HR to reach 90% of max and above, expect to be a fish breathing out of water. Also, make sure you are rested and not going too hard on your other workouts. I always do VO2 after a rest day. On the rest day I go for an easy walk.
@Neil_Partridge - It really doesn’t sound like you were given the correct workout to be honest…. might be worth getting @eddie to have a look and see what was going on.
Your next workout - 2.5min @ 115% - is much more reasonable - but still not easy.
I think you might benefit doing something even easier to get your confidence up?
It’s very possible you won’t be able to hold the wattage for the whole 2 minutes for all (or maybe any of them, especially when you eventually increase the interval length). It’s ok if your power reduces in the last minute…that’s how you know you’re going hard enough. But, you can do it! I don’t do VO2 often enough, but when I decide I’m going to do a block, I start with 2 minute intervals, and work my way up in power (your goal is to eventually get to 4+ minute intervals. It just takes some time to get used to the effort, so stick with it, and do what you can, and most people can get into a groove.
Traditional VO2 workouts are really hard, and often feel like they’re way too difficult. In my experience, if you can just barely get to the end of each interval, you’re probably on the right track. Luckily, the intervals are (somewhat) short and there is plenty of rest between them.
Yes, your body should be asking you to stop after the first 30-60 seconds, but the goal is to get to that point of heavy breathing and feeling like you’re losing the battle in a way.
Today’s workout is slightly less hard, so let us know how that one goes, but try to really push through on this one if you can. The closest thing that I’ve experienced that feels this way in training is a Ramp Test, so keep that in mind. These are different than on/offs, over/unders, and most other hard workouts.
Also, make sure you marked that workout as a fail and too much intensity so the app learns. As others have said, that’s a big leap. It sucks to fail, but it’s just a chance to get some experience and learn. Turn off erg and spin! Don’t be afraid to go below the target if you can’t hold it. That will just help you, and the ai, learn, and you’ll still get in a great workout by not quitting.
Important to remember: traditional VO2Max workouts are all about spending time with your body close to or at your VO2 Max ie using the maximum possible amount of oxygen per minute.
Power is secondary. What you’re after are physiological adaptations, and so spending time in the desired physiological state is the primary goal.
Spin up. At least 100rpm. Get that heart rate waaaay up … and hang on. You’ll think you can’t, but you can.
