2x8-Minute Test
50 min · 44-54 TSS · IF 0.78 · Max effort (test) · All zones
What this workout does
Two flat-out 8-minute efforts with a long recovery between them. A friendlier alternative to the 20-minute test - shorter efforts, same answer.
Eight minutes sits right at the edge of what your aerobic system can sustain, so two maximal reps bracket your threshold from above. The long recovery lets you hit the second effort nearly as hard as the first, which keeps the estimate honest. It is a good choice if pacing a full 20 minutes feels daunting, and doubles as a strong VO2max stimulus.
How to ride it
Indoor / trainer
Warm up with two 1-minute openers at 108% FTP, then settle. Ride both 8-minute efforts as hard as you can sustain evenly - a well-paced test lands around 105-112% FTP or higher - with 10 easy minutes between them. Ride free, not in ERG mode: the targets are only a floor. Your new FTP is roughly the average of the two efforts multiplied by 0.90. If the second effort collapses more than a little, pace the first one steadier next time.
Outside
Best on an indoor trainer for repeatable numbers. Outdoors, find a steady 8-10 minute climb or a flat, junction-free road you can use twice. Ride each rep at your hardest even effort - deep, rhythmic breathing from minute two - and spin very easy for the 10 minutes between.
Workout structure (50 min)
- Warm-up 10m ramp 45-70% 2x - Opener 1m 108% - 1m 55% - Settle 4m 55% - Effort 8m 109% - 10m 50% - Effort 8m 109% - Cool-down 6m 50%
Targets are a percentage of FTP. This is the same shorthand the free workout builder understands — paste it there to edit any step, or download the workout for Zwift, Garmin or any smart trainer.
Related cycling workouts
Ramp Test
30 min · 36-44 TSS
The standard ramp test - the effort steps up 6% FTP every minute until you can no longer hold the target, so there is no pacing to get wrong. Finds your FTP in under half an hour.
20-Minute FTP Test
75 min · 67-82 TSS
The classic Allen & Coggan FTP protocol - a thorough warm-up, a 5-minute all-out clearing effort, then one maximal 20-minute effort. The most widely used benchmark in cycling.
Steady Upper Zone 2
60-90 min · 52-64 TSS
Productive aerobic riding at upper Zone 2. This is where aerobic efficiency gains happen - purposeful effort that builds your cardiovascular engine.
Cadence Play
60-90 min · 52-64 TSS
An upper Zone 2 ride with alternating cadence blocks to improve pedaling efficiency. Low cadence builds strength, high cadence builds coordination.
Progressive Endurance
60-122 min · 65-80 TSS
Gradually build effort across the ride from mid to upper Zone 2. Teaches pacing and finishes in productive aerobic territory.
Hilly Endurance
75-122 min · 59-72 TSS
Use terrain to add variety. Climb in upper Zone 2, recover on descents. The changing effort keeps the ride interesting while building aerobic fitness.
A coach who's seen every ride you've done
Ask FormBeat's AI Coach anything - what to ride today, why a session felt flat, how to pace your next race - and it answers from your real training: your power, your history, how you're recovering. Not generic tips, but a read of what each ride actually meant and what to do next.
The guidance you'd pay a coach for - for the price of an app.
