Seated Kickers
90 min · 60-73 TSS · IF 0.66 · 65-75% FTP · Zone 2
What this workout does
A rolling-terrain ride where every short hill is taken seated and held inside Zone 2. Riding kickers without surging builds control, patience, and climbing economy.
Riding short hills seated at a capped effort builds climbing economy: the low-cadence muscular load strengthens the legs while the no-surging rule trains pacing control. Total stress stays aerobic, so it slots in like any Zone 2 day. Great preparation for hilly events without spending a hard day to get it.
How to ride it
Indoor / trainer
Pick a rolling loop. Take 8 short kickers (about 2 minutes each) seated at 70-78% FTP, letting cadence drop naturally to 70-80 RPM. Cruise at 62-68% FTP between hills.
Outside
Find a rolling loop with short punchy rises. Stay seated on every kicker and cap the effort at 70-78% FTP - let the hill slow you down rather than forcing the pace - then cruise easily between.
Workout structure (90 min)
- Warm-up 10m 58% 8x - Kicker 2m 74% 75rpm - Cruise 6m 65% - Steady 11m 68% - Cool-down 5m 53%
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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