Tempo cycling sessions
Tempo is level 3 on Andrew Coggan's power scale, at 76–90% of FTP: between easy endurance and sweet spot, the pace of a long climb at your own rhythm. It builds muscular endurance, your legs' ability to push hard enough for a long time, for moderate fatigue the next day. The 2 sessions on this page put it to two uses: tempo intervals 3 × 15 min, often a rider's first structured session when discovering power, and low-cadence intervals 4 × 8 min, the same effort at 50–60 rpm, for strength work on the bike.
Every target is in % of your FTP, so if yours isn't recent, start with a 20-minute FTP test. Each page gives the exact structure, the watts for an FTP of 200, 250 or 300 W, how to ride it and what the sources say.
3Z3 · Tempo
How to choose
New to training with power
tempo intervals 3 × 15 min, open to newer riders, starting with 3 × 10 min if needed.
Training for a hilly or mountain event
low-cadence intervals 4 × 8 min, once you've done a few tempo sessions, and if your knees are happy with it.
Tempo feels under control
sweet spot 2 × 20 min, one notch up, on the threshold page.
The sessions
Low-cadence intervals 4 × 8 min
Four 8-minute tempo efforts, deliberately pedalling slowly. Bike-specific strength, as on a steep climb, without pushing your heart rate high.
Tempo intervals 3 × 15 min
Three 15-minute blocks at a steady, controlled effort: the pace of a long climb ridden evenly. The gateway to structured training, before sweet spot.
Frequently asked questions
What % of FTP is tempo?
76 to 90% on Andrew Coggan's scale. The sessions on this page aim for the heart of the range, 76–87%, away from its edges: high enough to do some work, low enough to repeat two days later. Above that, around 88–94%, is sweet spot.
How many tempo sessions a week?
One or two as a rule, especially early in the season; low-cadence work, harder on the muscles, more like once a week. Avoid the day before a hard session or a race. These are common training guidelines, not rules drawn from studies.
Tempo or sweet spot: where should I start?
With tempo if structured training is new to you: easier to pace and less costly. Sweet spot, at 88–94% of FTP, is closer to threshold and takes more effort. Move from one to the other once your tempo intervals feel under control, often after a few weeks.
Does low-cadence work make you stronger on climbs?
That hasn't been shown. A 2017 systematic review (Hansen and Rønnestad) found no solid evidence that low-cadence training improves performance; its authors cautiously suggest keeping a few low-cadence efforts. The drill remains very popular with coaches.
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