I have just completed Sweet Spot Base and Build and now I will be riding outside, mostly recreational. I recall Coach Chad saying you could maintain your FTP with one VO2 workout a week. Is there an “ideal” VO2 workout as far as interval length and rest length etc. for maintaining FTP?
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I don’t want to speak directly for Chad, but I can’t recall him saying that. What I’ve heard him repeat is that if you can only do one workout a week, VO2max is the best bang for your buck. I would not take that to mean you’re going to maintain your current fitness/FTP with one VO2max session + outdoor unstructured riding every week.
That said, if I had to pick one, I’d roll with a longer interval, equal rest type of workout. Something like Kaiser or even Denali +1 or a similar variant would be pretty good. I would personally go higher power/shorter interval (Kaiser), but it kind of depends on the goals.
As Chad’s mentioned, what matters is time spent at max VO2 uptake. A few ways to skin that cat, but for me the best is the ~3min intervals at 120-125% on 1:1 work/rest.
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Rattlesnake…but without the ‘off’ bits. 
p.s. – you’ll be surprised at what you can do!
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For me at age 54 i’ve found that 3 sets of 5x1min @ 115% ftp works well. Giving me a total time of 15min at VO2max.
mix it up between 3-8m and you’ll reap tons of benefit from that.
The reason behind this is that VO2Max workouts push your ceiling up allowing you to make lots of gains in FTP. So, in essence, it will maintain and help boost it
Let us know how it goes!
Brendan - EVOQ.BIKE
have a look at the maintenance plan
https://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/plans/160-hit-maintenance-low-volume-i
for example, I did bashful yesterday. I want to be able to maintain fitness as I am riding a lot outside. looking at the numbers, indoor workouts are far more superior than just riding outside (I’m not referring to outdoor workouts).
too much coasting and endurance,…
If you are looking for YOUR ideal workout, you’d probably have to know if you are a fast or slow responder to VO2max work (aka kinetics). If you are a fast responder, a good workout would be those 30/30 repeats (and variations). If you respond slow, long and steady state intervals will be better.
As an example, I’ve done w/o like Rattlesnake and Sleeping Beauty but my HR never got over 90% – means I probably have slow VO2 kinetics. However, when I omit the ‘off’ portions of the interval, or do 3+min intervals, like Rattlesnake Redux, my HR gets into the 90%s no problem.
No use doing a workout if it’s not going to do what you need it to do.