[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"public-library:en-GB:workout:cycling-vo2max-5min-intervals":3},{"slug":4,"sport":5,"category":6,"level":7,"intensity_unit":8,"modified_at":9,"author":10,"head":11,"equipment":14,"sources":17,"content":25,"facts":201,"blocks":346,"related":358},"cycling-vo2max-5min-intervals","cycling","vo2max","intermediate","watt","2026-10-25","Pierre Halloo",{"title":12,"description":13},"4x5 VO2max intervals: 106–115% FTP, 2:30 easy","4x5 VO2max intervals on the bike: four 5-minute efforts at 106–115% of FTP with 2 min 30 easy. Watts for 200 to 300 W FTPs, and the 5% rule. 52 minutes.",[15,16],"power_meter","smart_trainer",[18,21,23],{"citation":19,"url":20},"Rønnestad B. R. et al., Scand J Med Sci Sports 2015",null,{"citation":22,"url":20},"Rønnestad B. R. et al., Scand J Med Sci Sports 2020",{"citation":24,"url":20},"Lindsay F. H. et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996",{"h1":26,"summary":27,"purpose":38,"execution":82,"feel":104,"mistakes":111,"not_for":148,"faq":155,"evidence":192},"VO₂max intervals: 4 × 5 min on the bike",{"type":28,"children":29},"root",[30],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":33,"children":34},"element","p",{},[35],{"type":36,"value":37},"text","4x5 VO2max intervals: four 5-minute efforts at 106–115% of FTP, with 2 min 30 of recovery between each. 20 minutes of work in a 52-minute session. The reference long format for VO₂max, useful for climbs of a few minutes and sustained attacks.",{"adaptation":39,"for_whom":60,"when":75},{"type":28,"children":40},[41,46],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":42,"children":43},{},[44],{"type":36,"value":45},"Four by five builds your VO₂max and maximal aerobic power through long, continuous efforts. Five minutes is long enough for your oxygen uptake to reach its peak and stay there for several minutes; 2 min 30 of recovery is short enough that you don't lose it all before the next effort. That 2-to-1 work-to-rest ratio is the one a self-paced study linked with more relative time near VO₂max than a 4-to-1 ratio.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":47,"children":48},{},[49,51,58],{"type":36,"value":50},"It's also the comparison format in Rønnestad's studies, where ",{"type":31,"tag":52,"props":53,"children":55},"a",{"href":54},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Fcycling\u002Fvo2max\u002Fcycling-ronnestad-30-15",[56],{"type":36,"value":57},"30\u002F15s",{"type":36,"value":59}," beat it on VO₂max. Four by five is still an effective format, simpler to ride, and closer to the effort of a climb lasting a few minutes.",{"type":28,"children":61},[62],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":63,"children":64},{},[65,67,73],{"type":36,"value":66},"Intermediate to advanced riders who've already done shorter VO₂max efforts, such as the ",{"type":31,"tag":52,"props":68,"children":70},{"href":69},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Fcycling\u002Fvo2max\u002Fcycling-norwegian-4x4",[71],{"type":36,"value":72},"Norwegian 4 × 4",{"type":36,"value":74},". It suits climbers above all, and riders preparing for races where the attacks come on 3- to 6-minute climbs. You need a recently measured FTP.",{"type":28,"children":76},[77],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":78,"children":79},{},[80],{"type":36,"value":81},"One or two VO₂max sessions a week is a common guideline, with at least one easy day between hard sessions. Avoid the day before a long ride or a race. To progress, go from 4 to 5 efforts, or towards Lindsay's longer, slightly less intense protocol, then Seiler's 4 × 8 min.",[83,90,97],{"type":28,"children":84},[85],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":86,"children":87},{},[88],{"type":36,"value":89},"15 minutes building from 45 to 75% of FTP, in 5-minute steps. Five-minute efforts go better on properly warm legs: don't cut the warm-up short.",{"type":28,"children":91},[92],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":93,"children":94},{},[95],{"type":36,"value":96},"Four 5-minute efforts at 106–115% of FTP, or 265 to 288 W for an FTP of 250 W, with 2 min 30 at 50–60% between them, or 125 to 150 W. Pick a power you can repeat four times: in Rønnestad's studies, it's the highest power you can hold across all four efforts, not a value fixed in advance. ERG mode works well here: the changes are few, and it stops you creeping above the target.",{"type":28,"children":98},[99],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":100,"children":101},{},[102],{"type":36,"value":103},"10 very easy minutes at 40–55% of FTP. Then the check: if your power dropped by more than 5% on the last effort, the target was too high, so lower it next time; if the last effort matched the first, go up a little.",{"type":28,"children":105},[106],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":107,"children":108},{},[109],{"type":36,"value":110},"The first minute of each effort feels manageable, the third starts to burn, and the last has your legs and lungs maxed out. The 2 min 30 recovery is enough to go again, not enough to feel fresh. Guide: 9 out of 10 at the end of each effort.",[112,121,130,139],{"title":113,"body":114},"Aiming for the top of the range on effort one",{"type":28,"children":115},[116],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":117,"children":118},{},[119],{"type":36,"value":120},"The first effort, on fresh legs, feels easy at 115%. The fourth, much less so. Start at the bottom of the range and keep the margin for the last one.",{"title":122,"body":123},"Ignoring the power drop",{"type":28,"children":124},[125],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":126,"children":127},{},[128],{"type":36,"value":129},"If your last effort comes out more than 5% below the first, the session has turned into survival. That's not failure, it's information: lower the target next time.",{"title":131,"body":132},"Stretching the recovery",{"type":28,"children":133},[134],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":135,"children":136},{},[137],{"type":36,"value":138},"2 min 30 is short, on purpose: the 2-to-1 ratio keeps your oxygen uptake high enough for the next effort to reach it quickly. If you need more, lower the power rather than lengthening the break.",{"title":140,"body":141},"Mistaking it for long threshold work",{"type":28,"children":142},[143],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":144,"children":145},{},[146],{"type":36,"value":147},"At 106–115% of FTP you're above threshold: five minutes, not twenty. It isn't an extended threshold session but VO₂max work.",{"prerequisites":149,"avoid_if":152},[150,151],"A recently measured FTP.","Some shorter VO₂max efforts already behind you.",[153,154],"You're very tired, or a long ride or race is planned for the next day.","You have doubts about your health: get medical advice before near-maximal efforts.",[156,165,174,183],{"question":157,"answer":158},"What power should I ride 4x5 VO2max intervals at?",{"type":28,"children":159},[160],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":161,"children":162},{},[163],{"type":36,"value":164},"At 106–115% of FTP: 212 to 230 W for an FTP of 200 W, 265 to 288 W for 250 W, 318 to 345 W for 300 W, with recoveries at 50–60%. The real marker is the highest power you can repeat over all four efforts, without dropping more than 5% on the last.",{"question":166,"answer":167},"4 × 5 minutes or 30\u002F15s: which should I choose?",{"type":28,"children":168},[169],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":170,"children":171},{},[172],{"type":36,"value":173},"In Rønnestad's studies, 30\u002F15s raised VO₂max more. Four by five is still effective, simpler to ride, and closer to a climb of a few minutes. The two complement each other: alternate them over a block, or choose according to the terrain you race on.",{"question":175,"answer":176},"4 × 5 minutes or the Norwegian 4 × 4?",{"type":28,"children":177},[178],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":179,"children":180},{},[181],{"type":36,"value":182},"The Norwegian 4 × 4 is shorter per effort, with a longer recovery: a good starting point. Four by five builds more work, 20 minutes against 16, with a shorter recovery. Move to the second once the first goes by without difficulty.",{"question":184,"answer":185},"How much recovery between 5-minute efforts?",{"type":28,"children":186},[187],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":188,"children":189},{},[190],{"type":36,"value":191},"Here, 2 min 30, half the effort. That 2-to-1 ratio keeps your oxygen uptake high enough between reps. Lindsay's protocol goes further, with just 60 seconds, but at a slightly lower intensity.",{"level":193,"text":194},"good",{"type":28,"children":195},[196],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":197,"children":198},{},[199],{"type":36,"value":200},"This is the 'long intervals' format from the studies by Rønnestad and colleagues (Scand J Med Sci Sports 2015 and 2020), where it served as the comparison for 30\u002F15s: in both studies, 30\u002F15s gave better results on VO₂max and maximal aerobic power; 4 × 5 minutes remains an effective and widely used format. In those studies the efforts are ridden at the hardest sustainable effort; recovery at about half the effort power comes from a secondary analysis. A self-paced study showed more relative time near VO₂max with a 2-to-1 work-to-rest ratio than with 4 to 1. Lindsay and colleagues (Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996): 6 to 8 × 5 minutes at 80% of maximal aerobic power, with 60 seconds of recovery, improved 40 km time-trial performance in 4 weeks. The 106–115% range, the 5% rule, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. 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