Over-Unders
65 min · 57-69 TSS · IF 0.76 · 88-95% FTP · Zone 4 (Sweet Spot)
What this workout does
Alternating above and below threshold teaches your body to clear lactate while maintaining power - a crucial ability for racing and hard group rides.
Surging above threshold floods the muscles with lactate; dropping just under forces you to clear it while still working hard. This shuttle trains lactate transport and buffering, raising both your FTP and your tolerance for repeated accelerations. Ideal in race-preparation blocks once a steady threshold base is in place.
How to ride it
Indoor / trainer
Warm up 15min. 3x9min over-under blocks: within each block, alternate 2min at 90-95% FTP (under) with 1min at 105-110% FTP (over), repeating 3 times per block. 4min easy between blocks. Cool down 10min.
Outside
Best on a flat or gently rising road with no junctions. Alternate 2 minutes at 90-95% FTP with 1-minute pushes at 105-110% FTP - the goal is to settle back to effort after each push, not to recover.
Workout structure (65 min)
- Warm-up 15m 55% 3x - Under 2m 93% - Over 1m 108% - Under 2m 93% - Over 1m 108% - Under 2m 93% - Over 1m 108% - 4m 55% - Cool-down 10m 55%
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.
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