[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"public-library:en-GB:hub:cycling:tempo":3},{"sport":4,"category":5,"head":6,"modified_at":9,"children":10,"content":26,"workouts":148},"cycling","tempo",{"title":7,"description":8},"Tempo cycling sessions: 2 formats","2 tempo cycling sessions, from 3 × 15 min tempo intervals to 4 × 8 min low-cadence work: exact structure, % FTP targets, cadence, duration, sources.","2026-10-25",[11,14,17,20,23],{"sport":4,"category":12,"workout_count":13},"endurance",2,{"sport":4,"category":15,"workout_count":16},"threshold",9,{"sport":4,"category":18,"workout_count":19},"vo2max",12,{"sport":4,"category":21,"workout_count":22},"sprint",8,{"sport":4,"category":24,"workout_count":25},"test",6,{"h1":27,"intro":28,"how_to_choose":69,"faq":111},"Tempo cycling sessions",{"type":29,"children":30},"root",[31,56],{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":34,"children":35},"element","p",{},[36,39,46,48,54],{"type":37,"value":38},"text","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: ",{"type":32,"tag":40,"props":41,"children":43},"a",{"href":42},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Fcycling\u002Ftempo\u002Fcycling-tempo-intervals",[44],{"type":37,"value":45},"tempo intervals 3 × 15 min",{"type":37,"value":47},", often a rider's first structured session when discovering power, and ",{"type":32,"tag":40,"props":49,"children":51},{"href":50},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Fcycling\u002Ftempo\u002Fcycling-low-cadence-intervals",[52],{"type":37,"value":53},"low-cadence intervals 4 × 8 min",{"type":37,"value":55},", the same effort at 50–60 rpm, for strength work on the bike.",{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":57,"children":58},{},[59,61,67],{"type":37,"value":60},"Every target is in % of your FTP, so if yours isn't recent, start with a ",{"type":32,"tag":40,"props":62,"children":64},{"href":63},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Fcycling\u002Ftest\u002Fcycling-ftp-test-20min",[65],{"type":37,"value":66},"20-minute FTP test",{"type":37,"value":68},". 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.",[70,83,96],{"situation":71,"body":72},"New to training with power",{"type":29,"children":73},[74],{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":75,"children":76},{},[77,81],{"type":32,"tag":40,"props":78,"children":79},{"href":42},[80],{"type":37,"value":45},{"type":37,"value":82},", open to newer riders, starting with 3 × 10 min if needed.",{"situation":84,"body":85},"Training for a hilly or mountain event",{"type":29,"children":86},[87],{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":88,"children":89},{},[90,94],{"type":32,"tag":40,"props":91,"children":92},{"href":50},[93],{"type":37,"value":53},{"type":37,"value":95},", once you've done a few tempo sessions, and if your knees are happy with it.",{"situation":97,"body":98},"Tempo feels under control",{"type":29,"children":99},[100],{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":101,"children":102},{},[103,109],{"type":32,"tag":40,"props":104,"children":106},{"href":105},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Fcycling\u002Fthreshold\u002Fcycling-sweet-spot-intervals",[107],{"type":37,"value":108},"sweet spot 2 × 20 min",{"type":37,"value":110},", one notch up, on the threshold page.",[112,121,130,139],{"question":113,"answer":114},"What % of FTP is tempo?",{"type":29,"children":115},[116],{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":117,"children":118},{},[119],{"type":37,"value":120},"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.",{"question":122,"answer":123},"How many tempo sessions a week?",{"type":29,"children":124},[125],{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":126,"children":127},{},[128],{"type":37,"value":129},"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.",{"question":131,"answer":132},"Tempo or sweet spot: where should I start?",{"type":29,"children":133},[134],{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":135,"children":136},{},[137],{"type":37,"value":138},"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.",{"question":140,"answer":141},"Does low-cadence work make you stronger on climbs?",{"type":29,"children":142},[143],{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":144,"children":145},{},[146],{"type":37,"value":147},"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.",[149,183],{"slug":150,"sport":4,"category":5,"level":151,"intensity_unit":152,"name":153,"card_summary":154,"duration_seconds":155,"profile":156,"work":180},"cycling-low-cadence-intervals","intermediate","watt","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.",4140,[157,161,163,165,169,172,173,174,175,176,177],{"zone":158,"duration_seconds":159,"intensity":160},1,300,"50",{"zone":13,"duration_seconds":159,"intensity":162},"60.5",{"zone":13,"duration_seconds":159,"intensity":164},"70.5",{"zone":166,"duration_seconds":167,"intensity":168},3,480,"80.5",{"zone":158,"duration_seconds":170,"intensity":171},240,"55",{"zone":166,"duration_seconds":167,"intensity":168},{"zone":158,"duration_seconds":170,"intensity":171},{"zone":166,"duration_seconds":167,"intensity":168},{"zone":158,"duration_seconds":170,"intensity":171},{"zone":166,"duration_seconds":167,"intensity":168},{"zone":158,"duration_seconds":178,"intensity":179},600,"47.5",{"intensity_min":181,"intensity_max":182},"76","85",{"slug":184,"sport":4,"category":5,"level":185,"intensity_unit":152,"name":186,"card_summary":187,"duration_seconds":188,"profile":189,"work":201},"cycling-tempo-intervals","beginner","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.",4800,[190,191,192,193,196,197,198,199,200],{"zone":158,"duration_seconds":159,"intensity":160},{"zone":13,"duration_seconds":159,"intensity":162},{"zone":13,"duration_seconds":159,"intensity":164},{"zone":166,"duration_seconds":194,"intensity":195},900,"83.5",{"zone":158,"duration_seconds":159,"intensity":171},{"zone":166,"duration_seconds":194,"intensity":195},{"zone":158,"duration_seconds":159,"intensity":171},{"zone":166,"duration_seconds":194,"intensity":195},{"zone":158,"duration_seconds":178,"intensity":179},{"intensity_min":202,"intensity_max":203},"80","87"]