Zwift Workout

Wednesday Windtrainer Workout: Zwift Academy 2021 Peak VO2 Intervals

The ability to sustain a top-end effort after maximising it will assist you to break away from your competitors, surging up steep hills, and generally develop your ability to suffer for longer. This session is great for triathletes, road cyclists, and mountain bikers.

Each Wednesday I’ll post a Windtrainer Workout that you can do in about 60 minutes to enhance your cycling. See a previous post about training intensity (Levels) to know how hard to work. If you are working directly with Coach Ray he will in most cases prescribe either a Power Zone or Heart Rate Zone to work within if you are training with these tools.

The inspiration for this session comes from Watts On Zwift. I’ve modified it a little bit. You can read the full article here. The session itself was designed by Stephen Gallagher and Dan Fleeman from Dig Deep Coaching.

Check out last week’s workout here:

Zwift Academy 2021 Peak VO2 Intervals

  • 10min WU Level II;
  • 1min Level III;
  • 3min Level I;
  • 6x
    • 30sec Level V+;
    • 1min Level V;
    • 1:00/1:15/1:30 Level IV;
    • 2:30min Level I (after 1st, 2nd, 4th & 5th reps only), 6min Level I (after 3rd rep) RI;
  • 10min CD Level I;
  • 10min Stretching

Start the workout with a ten-minute Warm Up (WU) riding at Level II. Keep your cadence above 90Rpm for the warm-up.

Next ramp things up to Level III for one minute.

The main set is made up of six sets of Peak VO2 Intervals. Start with 30 seconds at absolute MAX effort Level V+ (150% FTP). Then hold high intensity by riding at Level V for 60 seconds (120% FTP).

Continue to hold a high intensity by riding at Level IV (95% of FTP) for one minute (during the first and fourth reps); one minute, fifteen seconds (for the second and fifth rep); and one minute, thirty seconds (for the third and sixth rep).

After the first, second, fourth, and fifth reps take a two-and-a-half-minute Rest Interval (RI) at Level I. For the third rep, you get a longer Rest Interval (RI) of six minutes, at Level I. After the sixth rep, you are straight into the Cool Down (CD).

Conclude the intervals with ten minutes of riding at Level II for your Cool Down (CD).

Finish with ten minutes of stretching to assist with your recovery.

I did this workout today:

Power (pink line) and Heart Rate (red line)

If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.

I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.

I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729. Make sure you sign up for my informative newsletter.

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Download the Garmin (.FIT) and Zwift (.ZWO) files for this workout for FREE

If you enjoyed this workout, here is a similar session I published previously.

I’ve recently launched a new cycle training plan that will improve your FTP. If your goal this year involves improving your cycling fitness with limited time to train. Complete the form below and get more information about this great plan.

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