Eight weeks of VO₂max block training for experienced cyclists who already know structured intervals and want a more focused indoor training phase.
The plan brings demanding aerobic intervals together in two carefully dosed focus weeks. Between them, quieter weeks give more space to endurance riding and fewer hard sessions. This creates a clear rhythm: apply a stimulus, absorb it and return to focused work. The concept is inspired by block-periodization research in trained cyclists and adapted for this standard plan; it is not a copy of a research protocol.
You will ride for approximately 6–9 hours per week over eight weeks. Key sessions are structured %FTP workouts for a compatible smart trainer or power meter. Each important session also explains how it should feel (RPE), what to focus on and when to adjust the target. The longer easy ride can be done outdoors.
Who is it for? You already ride regularly, can handle two demanding sessions a week and have several months of structured training experience. You need a usable current FTP setting and reliable power measurement. This is not a first cycling or first indoor training plan. No performance test is required within the plan.
FTP is a practical target-setting tool here. It cannot describe your full individual profile: VO₂max reflects one aspect of aerobic capacity, while VLamax is a model-dependent indicator of glycolytic capacity. In a physiological model, both influence maximal lactate steady-state (MLSS) power along with other factors. FTP may be close to your individually determined MLSS, but it does not measure it directly. If you later prepare for a specific goal such as long climbs, time trials or races with repeated accelerations, goal-specific testing may help you choose the next training focus.
After this block, move to a quieter phase or a different training focus rather than repeating the same eight weeks immediately. You can find information on the PowerPerformanceDecoder Test and individual coaching from VO2max Coaching.
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