Welcome to my series: VO2 Max Booster Program
This training program will dramatically boost your race performance in only 14 days. The training program can be used by any cyclist, but riders with a SRM or PowerTap mounted on their bike will get the best value.
VO2 Max Booster Program is intended to be used by healthy athletes who want to increase their performance in just 14days. It’s clear that this short time limits the improvements you can achieve. Still, you will probably be amazed who much this time effective training program can do for you!
Please notice that usage of the VO2 Max Booster Program is on your own risk. It’s recommended to see a doctor before you enter this challenging training program.
Day 1 – VO2 max test
On day 1 you will have to do a test to figure out what your starting point is. The best way to do this is to perform a VO2 max test, e.g. 5min allout test. Most people can maintain their VO2 max for about 3 to 8 minutes. Thus, a 5min test will come close to VO2max for most people. Notice how many watts you can perform. If you are not the lucky owner of a power meter then do a test on the track or a steady hill to see how far you can ride in 5minutes.
Whenever you start on a new training program it is good to know your starting point. It makes it easier for you to track improvements and evaluate your training routine.
It is important to notice your body weight when you do the test because it influences on your performance.
Day 1
Total time: 1hr training
20min incremental warm up
5min easy rolling
5min VO2 max test
30min Easy/medium rolling
Now it is time for you to enter the VO2 Max Booster Program by performing the 5min test as the first step out of 14 steps to a higher VO2max. Good luck!
Next step: Day 2 – Intervals Targeted For VO2 Max
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Is there any way to correlate wattage during this test with a VO2 Max value? e.g. 300W = 62 (ml/kg/min)
Thanks for this post. I’ll be starting my VO2 Max Booster Program this week.
I don’t know if you can use the value from the VO2 Max wattage derived from the test on this site (could work out to be the same), but have a look here:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=2007/letters12-18#6
and scroll down to the section about the outdoor VO2 max test.
It describes a protocol (four minute stages starting at 110W and increasing by 35W every four minutes with one minute recovery between each increment) where you can take the wattage of the last completed four minute stage before you reached failure and use a formula to estimate your VO2 max value. The formula can be found at that same link. I haven’t tried the test here yet, but am interested to see if the wattage is similar to my wattage in the test described in the link about.
Anthony
Increasing power output with 35W every 4th minute is not optimal when you want to test your maximal oxygen uptake. These small increments in workload increase the risk of failure before you hit VO2 max.
If you want to do tests like this it would be better to use increments of 35W every 2minutes. This is scientifically shown to be the most secure way to reach VO2 max.
Hey
Just to get the vo2max test right…
I give it all I can for 5 minutes, and my vo2max is the average Watt output?
Is that right?
Thanks
Jonny,
It’s 5min allout. Your average power estimates how much power you deliver at VO2 max.
Enjoy the program!
Jesper
Jesper
Looks like a good starting point for me. I would also like to know if i can still do my base km at the same time. I know it will take a lot out of me but i am on holidays currently and need to also do the base km for later in the year.
thanks
Smythy
Sorry for the basic questions, but have a couple regarding VO2 Max Booster:
Can you describe the incremental warm-up in more detail?
With a heart rate monitor only and no power meter can the % of V02 Max for intervals be translated into % of max or avg heart rate?
Hi I ran the Test (Indoor)and managed 360W for the full 5 min at a max 181hr now what do i do next?
Cheers
Next step: Day 2 – Intervals Targeted For VO2 Max
lol Thanks!!!
Jesper,
Thanks for this program. I did the 14 day VO2 Max effort about 2 months ago and saw amazing improvements. I am contemplating doing a second round of VO2 Max. Is there any guidelines for frequency of this program?
Mike
I am currently not able to afford a power-meter, but own a fantastic heart rate monitor aswell as distance/pace computer. Is there a way to convert your suggested intensities into heartrate or pace?
Jesper,
I completed the 14-day VO2 Program. I was hoping for a better result, but I think I made some mistakes in my after program test.
My weight is 72kg.
My Day 1 VO2 was 309W. (I did this on my trainer)
I completed all the workouts per the plan. On almost all the efforts I was 10 – 15% above the target wattage. Day 12 was hard, but Day 11 was toughest for me (I think because I did it on the trainer).
So, after Day 14 I took a day off and then did a couple days of easy riding. Then I had to make an unexpected trip and couldn’t ride for two more days. So six after finishing the program I attempted a 5min test, but after two days of not riding I could tell it wasn’t happening. I aborted the test two minutes into it. I did the test the next day and averaged 323W. I didn’t do the test on my trainer and the terrain wasn’t flat. I had a hard time keeping my wattage up on a slight downhill section. Through this section and after my heart rate was high. My wattage graph has a definite U-shape (strong at the beginning and end, weak in middle).
That being said I feel stronger after this program. Not only at VO2 but also at FTP. I’ll find out this Saturday during the weekly hamerfest.
Thanks for the great site,
Jim
I am nearing the end of a 4 month period of increasingly hard training, for an ultra endurance mountainbike race on 21st August.
This is my peak training week (19/7) ; I was then planning on light week next (26/7) to recover. The training volume in recent weeks has been high, i.e. 256miles/10,385m ascent last week, 12,000m ascent planned this week.
My question is, would I see benefits from using the VO2 max booster program for two weeks from the 1st week in August. Could this effectively be the start of my taper, given the reduced training volume, or would one week to recover after the booster programme not be sufficent time to recover?
Thanks in advance.
Kev
Hi there,
I’m about to start my new season with the 12 Week winter Training program and i would like to ask you whether to start rather with the VO2 boosting program or apply it after ( in some 3 months).
Thnx a lot in advance.
Hi Jesper, seems to be very effective. I managed all sessions exexpt the 2×3′ full gas, cracked with 15” of the last effort. All the training was done on the computrainer in coaching software, you write the file and the computer loads the resistance, the test was also done in this.
I had two easy days and had to test as i did not want the to test too close to race day. I am aged 56 and managed the volume fine, in fact the fartlek session i just made an amalgam of everything i had done in the past days with minimum effort of 50% of 5′power turned out to be the most challenging.
My race, I ride 2k 2.25, however the SC champs were over 3k with 2 rides, legs felt bad on Saturday, on Sunday race day fine. I recorded a 3.53 in qualifying and in the ride off for bronze went for it recording 3.47 winning the ride off by 4”. My time was even faster than silver. Historically I would ride 1”-2” slower in my second ride, but to go faster by 7” unbelievable.
During some of the training I did felt like around lap 6 when breathing kicks in, and thought this is what i need, ok power was a bit lower but you were exercising you Vo2. Very pleased, Pete rode fantastic
Many thanks, Ian Humphreys
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