VO2 Max Workouts
Boosting Maximum Aerobic Power
Before launching into these workouts, I recommend you watch my video. There is a cost to everything and high-intensity training is costly. Most of the year, you will get a better return on investment from sticking with Green Zone Endurance and Strength.
We start with a protocol to boost maximum aerobic power on the bike and we finish with a section that pulls together all of our collective writing, and videos, on VO2 Max.
You will want to bookmark this page.
Train Don’t Strain
One of the challenges I’ve had with my high intensity training (Zones 3, 4 and 5) has been the disruption it causes for the rest of my week.
When I make dosing errors, my week falls apart.
If I make more than one error, then I go stale and require multiple weeks to get back on track.
Discussing this with Coach Julie, she recommended I try a protocol from a recent study.
The protocol is straightforward.
Start with a Pmax (max power) test.
Verify Pmax by performing a VO2 Max Verification Test.
Alternate Sprint Interval Training (SIT) with…
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Each of these sessions is demanding, you’ll want to spread them out.
Incremental Test for Pmax
Protocol: Start at 40w and add 40w every 3 min. Take this to a maximal effort.
Max Aerobic Power (Pmax) is defined as power at the last step minus 0.22 watts for each second missed at the last step.
When I did this test, I rode easy for an hour before starting the test. Because the test starts at a low wattage, it’s not necessary to perform a long warmup. However, I find easy riding gives me a better overall result. My average power from my warm-up was ~50% of my Pmax result.
If you’ve ever wanted to test the impact of buffers, or nitrates (see John’s Supplements Article) then this sort of session is a perfect opportunity. In my case, I tested sodium bicarbonate (bicarb).
VO2 Max Verification Test
This test gives you a bunch of useful information. If you have access to metabolic testing then gather data across the entire test protocol. Even if you don’t have access to a metcart, gather heart rate and RPE data for each step of the test.
From the study, VO2 Max was defined as the highest 30-second average from:
15' at LT1 / Top of Zone 1
10' at Tempo / Zone 3
5' Rest
3' @ 110% of Pmax
What I like about this test is the ability to gather heart rate, lactate and RPE from the final five minutes of both the LT1 and Tempo stages.
The heart rate range you see in my data table is the range across the last five minutes of each step. It wasn’t a straight linear increase.
The “Score” column is my RPE at the end of each step, before I was able to see the lactate reading.
VO2 was measured in liters by a VO2Master unit, which was recalibrated twice, before the LT1 segment and during the 5’ rest segment (ridden at 50w).
Warm-up was 30 minutes easy riding (Zone 1: 115bpm/195w) to establish baseline lactate and followed by 10 minutes at 100w while the VO2Master unit was warmed up and calibrated.
While I achieved higher maximum heart rates during the HIIT sessions (outlined below), the two Verification Tests I performed were scored 10/10 for effort.
Following the test, I rode 20 minutes very easy. I sampled lactate at 10 and 20 minutes to check my clearance capacity.
I used bicarb for the first test but opted to skip for the second test. About half the times I used bicarb (5,000 mg of sodium per serving), I see material weight gain afterwards. I was racing a few days after the second test and didn’t want to mess around with my blood volume and hydration status.
Sprint Interval Training
These were fun. I’m not a natural sprinter and the sessions challenged me in a new way.
Warmup with 30 minutes easy riding, include short pickups of 5-8 seconds duration (if you want).
Use Sets of 4 as 30" On / 90" Off
ON is Max, OFF is ~LT1
Insert 25 minutes Between Sets at ~LT1
Use 2 sets for a total session of 80 minutes
The cadence on these reps is very low. My average was 50 rpm. Not everyone’s joints will tolerate cadences that low. Try to keep it under 60 rpm.
While the instruction was “max” I felt my best sessions were the ones where I was able to lift power/effort on the second set.
High Intensity Interval Training
These are classic 4x4 intervals with a few changes.
The recovery is active, around LT1 power, and there is 8 minutes duration between intervals.
The power target is 90-100% of Pmax, it is not as-hard-as-you-can-go (but it will feel very hard by the end of the set).
Like the SIT session, cadence should be aimed low. I used 47-52 rpm (see my data sheet below).
Protocol: 4 Reps of 4 minutes duration at 90-100% Pmax, with 8 minutes Active Recovery between reps (~LT1). Total session 85 minutes, including a half hour warmup.
Start at 90% of Pmax target to avoid overcooking the effort on the first repetition. By the 3rd rep you are likely feel like you are at a Zone 5+ effort and at VO2 Max.
The HIIT sessions are where I saw my highest cycling heart rates (of the last three years).
The video (below) offers you a deep dive on the protocol (above) as well as general tips for VO2 Blocks and their placement.
Workout Placement
Take at least six week to move through the protocol.
Pmax and VO2 Tests
Four Weeks of a weekly SIT / HIIT Session with at least two days between them
Redo the Pmax and VO2 Tests
In reality, life happens and you’ll likely need 7-10 weeks to get through the series. With training camps, races and recovery needs… it took me 9 weeks to get through the protocol.
While I saw material improvements in Pmax, power at LT1/LT2 and best 3-minute power, my absolute VO2 Max stayed (roughly) the same.
If you try this protocol then please reach out and let me know your results and how you found it. Most of Julie’s team saw good results.
I think this protocol works best following an Endurance and Strength block. From Part Four:
Here’s the progression I like to use:
One month off season
Two months return to balanced training
Two months Endurance & Strength Focus
Use a maximal test to confirm max heart rate and max lactate values.
VO2 Block
If you don’t see results from this protocol then it might be a sign you started the block fatigued, or have too much Red Zone training in your Basic Week. We talked about that in last week’s article (see Managing Maladaptation).
Other Resources
The videos at the bottom of this section are free on my YouTube Channel.
From Our Zones Chapter
From Our Run Chapter
From Our Cycling Chapter
From Our Swim Chapter
Coach Monsy’s Elite Swims (See the Speed Sessions)
Videos
Back to The Physics of Performance
Back to Table of Contents
Hi Gordo, Do you have any recommendation for a Pmax test for runners? It could be a field test rather than the lab one. I have access to a LAB, but not all my athletes can do the LAB.
I believe it could be also speed/pace Instead of power focused test.
I use your submax test frequently (6x 10 mins. gradually), but for some athletes I would like to test the "max" too. I use for some also the critical speed 6 min. test. Thanks for an advice. Tomas
I completed this whole protocol and short version is I increased my P-max watts by 30, so very pleased with that! I enjoyed the process very much including the roller coaster of emotions throughout lol.
Longer (TLDR) version (If you're contemplating doing this, hopefully there are a few tips for you below) - Despite having done many red zone workouts over the last 40 years of racing, I hadn't done much red zone in the last 10 to 15 years. I was surprised I didn't have a better memory of how hard it is to do 4X4s near your limit - some memory bias going on there. Due to this I feel the testing at the beginning of the block may have been a bit low. The testing at the end was on point because I was mentally prepared again (like in younger days lol) for what limit intensity felt like.
The emotional roller coaster I mentioned was real for me! First, I became ill with a sinus cold after the initial P-max test, recovered, did the verification test and then did the first HIIT and promptly became sick again! As Gordo has said, these efforts can come at a high cost and can go over if everything (sleep, rest, diet, stress, etc) is not in balance. I almost bailed on this whole thing and was just going to go back to zone 2, but recovered from the second cold, reduced the HIIT target to 85% of P-max and tried again. This got me on a roll and after a couple HIIT at 85% of P-max, I added 5% per session and got to 100% of P-max.
I also ditched the low rpm. I just couldn't do it physically. At 60rpm and my P-max watts, my legs just couldn't do it, they were on fire. It was a choice of don't do it, or 85 rpm, so went with the higher rpm. Perhaps leg strength is a limiter for me.
For the verification test at the end, while the 3 minutes at 110% of P-max was based on the test a few days earlier, I didn't change my LT1 or Tempo watts. I was anxious that I wasn't going to be able to hold my new 110% of P-max number for 3 minutes. As a result, the LT1 and Tempo targets during the verification test were low and very easy (not such a bad problem to have). Not sure if this invalidates the test a little bit as I was very fresh coming into the 3 minutes.
Really enjoyed the process. Thanks so much Gordo for posting this and all the advice you provide. I don't know why you don't have 5 million followers! Lastly, I did follow the Gordo text book protocol here in terms of spending 5 months and about 250 hours at or below LT1 to shift my lactate curve down and to the right. Now enough of that VO2 max stuff and onto the last 15 weeks of an ironman build with my new and improved bike power!