Mixing it up with the threshold 2 × 20
Same name, different session: the threshold 2 × 20 is ridden right at FTP, with a recovery twice as long. Here you stay just below. If the threshold version is what you are after, it has its own page.
CyclingThreshold and sweet spotBeginner 70 min
Sweet spot 2 × 20 min
The sweet spot 2 × 20 is 40 minutes at 88–94% of your FTP, split by 5 easy minutes. 70 minutes in all, within reach once you ride consistently, to bank time just under threshold without going into the red.
Session profile7 blocks
At a glance
- Duration
- 70 min
- Main target
- 88–94%FTP4 Z4 · Threshold
- Time at target
- 40 min
- Estimated load
- 71
- Structure
- 2 × 20′ at 88–94% FTP, 5′ recovery
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- Power meter · Smart trainer
The session in detail
FTP
Time in zone
- Z120 min
- Z210 min
- Z440 min
What the targets mean
| Target | Zone | Time | FTP 200 W | FTP 250 W | FTP 300 W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88–94% | 4Threshold | 40 min | 176–188 W | 220–235 W | 264–282 W |
| 50–60% | 1Recovery | 5 min | 100–120 W | 125–150 W | 150–180 W |
Put this session on your bike computer or watch
Wattson works out the targets from your FTP and sends the session to your Garmin, Wahoo, Coros or Suunto.
What this session is for
Sweet spot is about banking time just below your threshold. At 88–94% of FTP you sit where tempo meets threshold: hard enough to work on what sets your FTP, controlled enough to hold for 20 minutes, twice. That is the idea that made the method popular: a stimulus close to threshold work, for less fatigue, so a session you can repeat often. One caveat: no controlled study has tested this exact format (see below). Its case rests on very widespread use and on the logic of the intensity.
Who it's for
Riders with a few weeks of consistent training behind them and a recently tested FTP. It is easy to pace: one target, twice, with no surges and no changes of rhythm. It suits anyone short on time midweek: 70 minutes on the turbo is enough. Coming back from a break? Start with shorter tempo blocks (see the variations).
When to do it
According to its proponents, sweet spot can be repeated two or three times a week: that is its whole selling point. Keep at least one easy day between two sessions, and avoid the day before a race. It often goes early in a training block, while you build your threshold, before the end of the block makes room for harder work. And don't let it take over your week: keep some genuinely easy rides and a little harder work too.
How to do it
Warm-up
15 min5′ at 45–55% FTP + 5′ at 56–65% FTP + 5′ at 66–75% FTP
Build up over 15 minutes in three 5-minute steps: very easy, endurance, then a touch firmer. Reach the first block with warm legs, without having pushed yet. On the turbo, use this time to sort out your fan and your position: you are about to hold both for 20 minutes.
Main set
45 min2 × 20′ at 88–94% FTP, 5′ recovery
Two 20-minute blocks at 88–94% of FTP, with 5 easy minutes in between. Start the first block at the bottom of the range and let yourself drift towards the middle: power tends to creep up when you feel good, and the second block pays for it. Keep your cadence steady and a position you can hold without fidgeting. During the recovery, spin genuinely easy: 5 minutes is short, don't waste it riding at tempo. The second block should feel like the first; if it is clearly harder, your target was too high.
Cool-down
10 min10′ at 40–55% FTP
10 very easy minutes to finish. Don't skip them, especially if another session is planned for tomorrow.
How it should feel
A solid but controlled effort: you can manage a few words, not a conversation. The last 5 minutes of each block get demanding without turning into a fight. If you finish the second block gasping, it stopped being sweet spot: that was a threshold 2 × 20, ahead of schedule. Guide: 6 to 7 out of 10.
Common mistakes
Going out too hard
At the top of the range the opening minutes feel easy, and that is the trap: the fatigue comes from the duration, not the intensity. Start at the bottom of the range and only move up if the first block goes well.
Doing nothing but sweet spot
It is tempting: 70 minutes, one target, an effort that stays bearable. But a week made only of sweet spot leaves you with no real recovery and no harder work. Keep some easy rides and, depending on the phase, a session above threshold.
Riding off an old FTP
Every target is a percentage of your FTP. If your last test was months ago, 88–94% may land too low or too high. Do an FTP test before starting a sweet spot block.
When to skip it
Before you start
- A recently tested FTP: every target depends on it.
- A few weeks of consistent riding, ideally after some tempo sessions.
Skip it if
- You are coming back from several weeks off: start with tempo.
- It is a recovery week, or a race is a few days away.
- You have neither a power meter nor a smart trainer: without watts, an 88–94% range can't be held.
Origin and evidence
Level of evidence
Established practice, no dedicated studyLevel 1 of 5
The term was popularised in the 2000s by Frank Overton (FasCat Coaching), who credits the concept to a group of coaches including Andrew Coggan. The intensity range varies by source: 88–94% of FTP in the most common usage, 84–97% at FasCat, sometimes 88–93%. The method is very widespread among amateur riders, but no controlled study on this specific format was found. The 5-minute recovery, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. Bottom line: well-established practice, without experimental evidence of its own.
Sources
- Frank Overton, FasCat Coaching — sweet spot training
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of FTP is sweet spot?
The most common range, used here, is 88–94% of FTP. Sources disagree: FasCat Coaching, which claims the method, gives 84–97%, others 88–93%. At an FTP of 250 W, 88–94% means 220 to 235 W. If in doubt, stay at the bottom of the range for your first session.
What is the difference between sweet spot and threshold?
Intensity and recovery. Sweet spot is ridden at 88–94% of FTP, threshold right at FTP. According to its proponents, sweet spot costs less fatigue for a similar stimulus, so it can be repeated more often in a week; threshold work is more specific but harder to absorb. The two fit together: many riders do sweet spot early in a block and move on to threshold later.
How much recovery between the two 20-minute blocks?
5 easy minutes, at 50–60% of FTP. That is a Wattson choice: 5 minutes is documented for an entry-level 3 × 10 version, and no reference sets the recovery for the 2 × 20. If the second block still falls apart, lower the target rather than lengthening the recovery.
How many sweet spot sessions a week?
Two or three, according to its proponents: it is the method's main argument. Keep at least one easy day between two sessions, and don't fill your whole week with sweet spot: you also need genuinely easy rides and, depending on the phase, some harder work. These are common training guidelines, not rules drawn from studies.
How do you progress with sweet spot?
Lengthen the blocks before you raise the intensity: 3 × 10 minutes, then 3 × 15, 2 × 20 and finally 2 × 30. After 4 to 6 weeks of work, retest your FTP: if it has gone up, your watt targets go up with it.
Related sessions
Take it up a level with Wattson
An intuitive workout editor to build cycling and running sessions in no time, then sync them to your watch or bike computer: Wahoo, Garmin, Suunto or Coros.
Try this session