VO2max 5×5-Minute Turbo Intervals

Session Overview

This session targets your VO2max — the ceiling of your aerobic engine — with five hard five-minute efforts above FTP. It’s a demanding but time-efficient session for advanced cyclists who want to push their top-end power and improve race-pace capacity. Expect to work at RPE 8-9 throughout the main set.

What You’ll Need

Warm-Up (15 minutes)

Begin with 10 minutes of easy spinning at Zone 1 (50–55% FTP, RPE 2-3), then complete three 30-second openers at 110% FTP with 90 seconds easy recovery between each. These primers activate your neuromuscular system and prepare your cardiovascular system for the hard efforts ahead. Don’t skip this step — under-warming leads to blowing up on interval one.

Main Set

Complete five efforts of five minutes each at 105–115% FTP (RPE 8-9). Each effort should feel very hard but controlled — you should be breathing too hard to hold a conversation. Recovery between efforts is five minutes of easy Zone 1 spinning. If you have a power meter, aim to hold your target watts for the full duration. If riding to feel, treat each interval like a hard race effort that you can just sustain for five minutes.

  • 5 × 5 minutes at 105–115% FTP (RPE 8-9)
  • 5 minutes easy recovery between each effort (Zone 1, RPE 2-3)
  • Total main set: ~50 minutes including recovery

Cool-Down (10 minutes)

Spin easy at Zone 1 for 10 minutes to flush lactic acid from your legs. Keep pedalling smoothly and let your heart rate drop below 120bpm before dismounting. This is not the time to stop abruptly — a proper cool-down reduces next-day soreness significantly.

Coaching Notes

  • If you can’t hold target power in intervals 4 and 5, drop to 100% FTP — consistent pacing beats heroic fading
  • A big fade across the set (rep 1 far stronger than rep 5) means you started too hard — calibrate down next session
  • Easier variation: 4 × 5 minutes, or shorten each effort to 4 minutes
  • Harder variation over time: reduce recovery to 4 minutes, or build to 6 × 5 minutes
  • Do this session no more than once per week, and not within 48 hours of a race or long ride

Training at your own risk. The information provided is for general guidance only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a doctor before starting any new exercise programme, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions.