Some workouts come straight from a textbook. Others evolve from real training, real feedback, and a simple question: what happens if we push this just a little further? Gareth’s VO₂ Max Intervals is one of those sessions. Built off the back of a rider’s experience, it takes a familiar ramp-style approach and layers in repeated high-intensity efforts that really test your ability to go deep, recover, and go again. If you’re looking to lift your top-end power and improve how you handle sustained hard efforts, this one delivers.
Each Sunday, I’ll post a Smart-Trainer Session that you can do in about 60 minutes to enhance your cycling. See a previous post about training intensity (Levels) to know how hard to work. If you are working directly with Coach Ray, he will, in most cases, prescribe either a Power Zone or Heart Rate Zone to work within if you are training with these tools.
The inspiration for this session comes from one of my athletes who made a comment after riding 5 Minutes Alone Plus One. That comment grew into this workout.
Gareth’s VO2 Max Intervals
- 5 min WU Level I;
- 1 min Level I-;
- 1 min Level I+;
- 1 min Level I/Level II;
- 1 min Level II-;
- 1 min Level II;
- 1 min Level II+;
- 1 min Level III-;
- 1 min Level III+;
- 1 min Level IV-;
- 1 min Level IV;
- 4x
- 5 min Level I;
- 1 min Level V-;
- 1 min Level V;
- 1 min Level V;
- 1 min Level V+;
- 1 min Level V++
- 10 min CD Level I;
- 10minStretching
Start the workout with a Warm-Up (WU) of five-minutes of easy riding at Level I. Over the next-ten minutes increase your intensity every minute from Level I- through to Level IV.
Prior to each set, start with five-minutes riding at Level I. The next five-minutes is building your intensity every minute from Level V- through to Level V++. Repeat this for a total of four sets.
Finish with a ten-minute Cool Down (CD) at Level I.
Finish with ten minutes of stretching to assist with your recovery.
Here is my data from this workout:
If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.
I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.
I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.
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Download the Zwift (.ZWO) & Garmin (.FIT) files for this workout for FREE
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