CyclingSprint and anaerobicIntermediate 81 min

Supramaximal 30 s intervals on the bike (12 × 30 s)

Supramaximal 30-second intervals: 12 efforts at 210–230% of FTP, held at steady power, with 4 min 30 easy between. Six minutes of work in 80 minutes. A format studied in highly trained cyclists, with gains in time-trial performance.

Written by Pierre Halloo · Updated 25 October 2026

Session profile27 blocks

At a glance

Duration: 81 min
Main target: 210–230%FTP7 Z7 · Neuromusc.
Time at target: 6 min
Estimated load: 80
Structure: 12 × 30″ at 210–230% FTP, 4′30 recovery
Level: Intermediate
Equipment: Power meter · Smart trainer

The session in detail

FTP

Time in zone

Z165 min
Z210 min
Z76 min

What the targets mean

The session's targets, in watts for three reference FTPs
Target	Zone	Time	FTP 200 W	FTP 250 W	FTP 300 W
210–230%	7Neuromusc.	6 min	420–460 W	525–575 W	630–690 W
40–55%	1Recovery	60 min	80–110 W	100–138 W	120–165 W

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What this session is for

Each effort is ridden well above what you can sustain aerobically: hence 'supramaximal'. Those 30 seconds lean hard on your anaerobic system and force your muscles to recruit as many fibres as they can. The long recovery lets you hold the same power across all 12 reps, and that repeated quality is the whole point.

The outcome is surprising: work this short improved time-trial performance in already highly trained cyclists, as much as long intervals near threshold. The mechanism may well differ; the authors themselves are cautious about it.

Who it's for

Trained and advanced riders with a background of hard sessions. The studies were on highly trained cyclists and triathletes. You need a recently measured FTP: unlike an all-out sprint, the power here is a real target.

When to do it

One session of this kind a week is a common guideline, on fresh legs, after an easy day or a rest day. Avoid the day before a long ride, another hard session or a race. To ease in, start with 8 efforts and build to 12 over the weeks.

How to do it

Warm-up
15 min
5′ at 45–55% FTP + 5′ at 56–65% FTP + 5′ at 66–75% FTP
15 minutes building from 45 to 75% of FTP, in 5-minute steps. On a smart trainer, switch to resistance or slope mode: in ERG, the trainer takes several seconds to reach the target, which eats a good chunk of each effort.
Main set
56 min
12 × 30″ at 210–230% FTP, 4′30 recovery
Twelve 30-second efforts at 210–230% of FTP, or 525 to 575 W for an FTP of 250 W. This isn't a sprint: get up to power within two or three pedal strokes, then hold it steady to the end. Aim for the same average on the first rep and the twelfth. Between efforts, 4 min 30 easy at 40–55% of FTP, or 100 to 138 W, still pedalling.
Cool-down
10 min
10′ at 40–55% FTP
10 very easy minutes at 40–55% of FTP. Check the average of your last three efforts: if it stayed in the range, keep these targets; if it dropped clearly, start lower next time.

How it should feel

Each effort is very hard, but it stops before you crack. The first four feel almost manageable. Around the eighth, the 4 min 30 recoveries suddenly seem shorter, and the last ten seconds of each effort really bite. Guide: 9 out of 10.

Common mistakes

Turning it into a sprint

Going flat out sends the power soaring for 10 seconds, then lets it collapse. The session asks for the opposite: steady power over 30 seconds, the same from rep to rep. For all-out sprints, that's a different session.

Staying in ERG mode

The trainer takes several seconds to switch from recovery to effort: over 30 seconds, that's a lot. Resistance or slope mode, in the right gear, lets you hit your target straight away.

Going straight to 12

The difficulty comes from the repetition. Starting with 8 efforts shows whether your targets hold up over the whole session. Building to 12 afterwards beats finishing with four failed reps.

Cutting the recoveries short

The 4 min 30 isn't a luxury. It's what lets you repeat quality efforts. With a shorter recovery the session drifts into different work, and your power fades by halfway.

When to skip it

Before you start

A recently measured FTP.
Several hard sessions already done, VO₂max or sprint.

Skip it if

You're tired, or a long ride, hard session or race is planned for the next day.
You have doubts about your health: get medical advice before very hard efforts.

Origin and evidence

Level of evidence

Good evidenceLevel 4 of 5

Stepto and colleagues (Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999), well-trained cyclists, five formats compared: along with 8 × 4 minutes, 12 × 30 seconds at 175% of maximal aerobic power did most for 40 km time-trial performance, about 2.4%, possibly through a different mechanism according to the authors. Laursen and colleagues (Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002), 38 highly trained cyclists and triathletes: this format, with 4 min 30 of recovery, also improved time-trial performance and peak power. The studies don't specify the recovery intensity. The conversion to 210–230% of FTP, which assumes maximal aerobic power at around 120–130% of FTP, the recovery intensity, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. Bottom line: good evidence.

Sources

Stepto N. K. et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999
Laursen P. B. et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002

Frequently asked questions

What power should supramaximal 30-second intervals be ridden at?

At 210–230% of FTP: 420 to 460 W for an FTP of 200 W, 525 to 575 W for 250 W, 630 to 690 W for 300 W. Recoveries are at 40–55% of FTP. If the end of the session falls apart, start at the bottom of the range next time.

Why 210–230% of FTP?

The studies set the intensity as a percentage of maximal aerobic power, measured in a lab, not of FTP. Estimating that power from your FTP gives this range. It's a Wattson conversion: if you know your maximal aerobic power, it will give you a more accurate target.

How is this different from all-out 30-second sprints?

How you ride it. Here the power is steady and the same over 12 efforts. In all-out 30-second sprints, you start at maximum and the power fades; you only do four to six. Both formats have been studied, but for different reasons.

Does this session improve time-trial performance?

In two studies of highly trained cyclists, yes, over a few weeks, and as much as long intervals near threshold. Those are group results, not a personal promise. It's still one session among others, to be placed in a block where the endurance volume is already there.

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