BikeErg intervals (Intensive FTP)

4-5 Sets of
6:00 @ 100-110%FTP20
– 2:00 @ 70-75%FTP20 –

• Use the 1st 6:00 interval to establish a baseline (distance or calories). On the remaining sets, bike until you hit this same target baseline (i.e. if you got 3000m in your 1st set, keep biking @ 110-110%FTP20 on the remaining sets until you hit this same target, before moving onto the slower pace (70-75%FTP20) for the rest of the time until you reach 8:00 and start the next set. Aim to keep the same distance/calories as in the last week’s intervals (now with shorter rest).

Session overview. Week 3 of intensive (shorter and harder pace) FTP intervals. We’ll progress from last week by reducing the rest period to 2:00 while aiming to maintain our pace. We will push your capacity to endure pace just above your threshold and ability to recover between sets.
These steady efforts will become challenging as you get deeper into each interval, do your best to stay within pace. Note that you might need to stay on the lower end of the %FTP20 range on the work intervals.
The 2:00 recovery intervals help your body to clear (utilise) the built up lactate from the work intervals. You can pedal anywhere within the range that feels good to you. Note that we are using a faster recovery pace (which you should now handle better after the previous 6-weeks of training). This combined with shorter recovery period means you’ll build up even more fatigue across the sets than last week.
If you need to drop this recovery pace to 50-60%FTP20 to maintain the work intervals ( = to recover sufficiently), this is ok (but take a note).
Do the recovery interval also after your last set to finish the session.
Adaptation. Improve your muscle endurance, recovery and ability to sustain moderate power output on the bike.
Session RPE/Feel. 8-9/10, you should feel that you could MAYBE do one more interval at the end if you had to (maintaining your pace). Your effort will increase as you get deeper into each interval (but aim to keep your pace). These should start to feel hard by the 2nd interval set.
Pace. Use the % avg. watts based on your Bike power profile. IF you haven’t done the Bike profile, choose a pace that you can repeat for all intervals.