Presenting VO2 Ladder. Created by the All Blacks

December 01, 2021 1 min read

Improving VO2 Max with The VO2 Ladder

Time to step out of your comfort zone with our latest workout, VO2 Ladder, featuring 5 intervals to build your aerobic efficiency.

Specially created by Nic Gill, Strength and Conditioning Coach of the New Zeleand All Blacks, this workout focuses on improving your VO2 max and therefore your ability to perform at or above your aerobic capacity.

The smart bike workout starts with a 5-minute incremental warm-up, with 2 x 15 second sprint primers to get the legs and the heart rate going.

5 Intervals of the VO2 Ladder

The main session consists of five intervals with 2 minutes rest in between efforts. Each interval gets progressively shorter but more intense;

  • Interval 1: 10 mins at 80% FTP - stay focused, this is meant to feel fairly comfortable.
  • Interval 2: 8 mins at 100% FTP - this will start to feel hard especially towards the end
  • Interval 3: 6 mins at 110% FTP - this is out of the comfort zone and HR will be high - prioritise that recovery!
  • Interval 4: 4 mins at 115% FTP - this is will be very hard now - one interval left
  • Interval 5: 2 mins at 120% FTP - empty the tank on the final interval

You can now enjoy a well-earned 5-minute cool-down.


Don’t forget to tag us in your workouts @wattbike


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