Workouts
Workout
Training focus · Zone 3–4 · 88–94% FTP
Sweet spot cycling workouts
The most fitness per minute. That is the deal.
Sweet spot sits just below threshold, at roughly 88–94% of FTP. The name comes from the trade-off it hits: enough intensity to push your FTP and muscular endurance upward, but not so much that you need days to recover. That makes it the highest-value zone for time-crunched riders.
41
free sessions
22–125
minutes
88–94%
of FTP
Free to ride No account needed to start Works with Bluetooth smart trainers ERG mode holds the watts
Start here
Three ways in
Don’t scroll all 41 sessions on day one. Pick the one that fits the time you have, press start, and the trainer does the pacing.
The way in
20 Minute HIIT
Shortest session in the set. Ride it today.
22
min
0.85
intensity
The staple
50 Mins Aerobic Efforts - Drop Ollie Like A Boss!
The session you will come back to every week.
51
min
0.78
intensity
The long haul
Fatigue Resistance Ride – Z2 + Sweet Spot Finish
Block out the time. This one builds depth.
125
min
0.65
intensity
Why it works
The physiology, briefly
Classic sweet spot sessions stack two to four blocks of 8–20 minutes with short recoveries. Because the efforts are long and the margin to threshold is small, ERG mode helps a lot — the trainer holds the target while you focus on cadence and position.
The workouts below are free and ready to ride. If you have not tested recently, do an FTP test first; sweet spot only works when the percentage is anchored to a current number.
How to run it
Strong but repeatable — the last block should feel honest, not heroic.
- 01Anchor the percentages to a current FTP; retest if it has been over six weeks.
- 02ERG mode shines here — hold position, hold cadence, let the trainer do the pacing.
- 03Aim for 85–95 rpm; grinding low cadence turns sweet spot into something else.
- 04If a block feels like full threshold, your FTP setting is too high.
The full set
All 41 sweet spot sessions
Under 40 minutes
8 sessionsHIIT
20 Minute HIIT
A super short session involving race winning intervals and some sweet spot efforts, great for riders of any level.
22 minIF 0.85
HIIT
Intervals
Sweet Spot
+3 more
HIIT
20 Minute HIIT
A super short session involving race winning intervals and some sweet spot efforts, this is a great workout for riders of any level.
22 minIF 0.77
HIIT
Sweet Spot
Intervals
+3 more
Interval
Short Sweet Spot Efforts
A short but sweet 30-minute session that focuses on sweet spot efforts, perfect for when you’re tight on time.
30 minIF 0.71
Sweet Spot
GCN
Indoor Cycling
+3 more
HIIT
Sprint Surges
An intense indoor cycling training session featuring two ten-minute blocks that alternate between sweet spot intervals and 10/10 sprint surges. This session will improve your FTP as well as your sprint and VO2 Max.
30 minIF 0.81
HIIT
Sprint
VO2 Max
+4 more
Endurance
Sweet Spot Endurance Training
Build your endurance with this 30 minute interval training session that alternates between mid-intensity and mid-to-high intensity efforts, with a couple of sprints included at the end.
30 minIF 0.52
sweet spot
endurance
interval
+3 more
FastFitness
Sweet Spot Express – 30 Minute 2×10
Two 10-minute sweet spot intervals squeezed into half an hour. The most efficient aerobic maintenance session for days when time disappears.
30 minIF 0.75
Sweet Spot
Time-crunched
Efficient
HIIT
The Climb | 30 Minute HIIT Indoor Cycling Workout
An increasingly challenging half-hour spin session with tempo, sweet spot, and over-FTP work. The session increases in difficulty with each effort getting increasingly longer.
30 minIF 0.54
HIIT
Indoor Cycling
Tempo
+4 more
Interval
1 Minute VO2 Max Surges! | 30 Minute Indoor Cycling Workout
In this half-hour session, we'll tackle three sets of VO2 surges sandwiched between two sweet spot efforts. The perfect workout for when you're short of time but want to work on your fitness!
32 minIF 0.76
VO2 Max
Surges
Sweet Spot
+4 more
40 to 70 minutes
17 sessionsInterval
Recovery Week: Short Sweet Spot
Short Sweet Spot session: 1x15min @ 88-92% FTP. Keep one intense session but short during recovery week.
40 minIF 0.65
Recovery
Sweet Spot
Base
HIIT
Spin Those Legs! | 40 Mins Indoor Cycling Workout
A leg-burning HIIT workout with sweet spot efforts and plenty of high cadence efforts to engage the muscles from the glutes to the calves.
40 minIF 0.62
HIIT
High Cadence
Sweet Spot
+3 more
Interval
40 Minute Sweet Spot Indoor Cycling Session
Sweet spot training is a really effective way of building power and lactate resilience, a great way to get fit fast!
41 minIF 0.70
sweet spot
gcn
indoor cycling
+4 more
Interval
50 Mins Aerobic Efforts - Drop Ollie Like A Boss!
This session works on your aerobic base with sweetspot efforts, then transitions to minute-long power intervals to build top-end fitness.
51 minIF 0.78
Aerobic
Sweetspot
Power
+3 more
Interval
50 Mins Aerobic Efforts - Drop Ollie Like A Boss!
A session to work on your aerobic base with sweetspot efforts, then finishing with minute-long power intervals to boost your fitness.
51 minIF 0.82
Aerobic
Sweetspot
Threshold
+3 more
Basics
Sweet Spot Builder 1 – 3×8m
Progressive sweet spot session to build muscular endurance with modern 88–94% FTP targets.
57 minIF 0.61
Sweet Spot
Endurance
Muscular Endurance
Basics
Sweet Spot 2×15 – 60 Minute FTP Builder
A one-hour indoor cycling workout with two 15-minute sweet spot intervals at 88–93% FTP. The best-value session for building FTP and muscular endurance when training time is limited.
58 minIF 0.67
Sweet Spot
FTP
Muscular Endurance
+1 more
Basics
Sweet Spot Builder 4 – 2×15m
Progressive sweet spot session to build muscular endurance with modern 88–94% FTP targets.
58 minIF 0.67
Sweet Spot
Endurance
Muscular Endurance
Basics
Sweet Spot Surprise
A classic sweet spot workout to build muscular endurance. 3x10 minutes at 88-93% FTP.
60 minIF 0.63
Sweet Spot
Endurance
Strength
Low-Cadence Climbing Strength 4×6
Four 6-minute sweet spot efforts at 90% FTP ridden at 55–65 rpm. On-bike strength training that builds the torque for steep gradients and big gears.
62 minIF 0.58
Low Cadence
Climbing
Strength
+1 more
Basics
Sweet Spot Builder 2 – 3×10m
Progressive sweet spot session to build muscular endurance with modern 88–94% FTP targets.
63 minIF 0.63
Sweet Spot
Endurance
Muscular Endurance
Interval
Sweet Spot 2x15min
2 intervals of 15 minutes at 88-92% FTP. Aerobic ceiling & lactate clearance. Cadence 85-95 RPM.
65 minIF 0.63
Sweet Spot
SST
Base
+1 more
Basics
Sweet Spot 2×20 – Classic Base Intervals
The staple 2×20 at sweet spot: 40 minutes of quality work at 88–93% FTP. A proven protocol for raising FTP during base and early build training.
68 minIF 0.69
Sweet Spot
FTP
Muscular Endurance
+1 more
Basics
Sweet Spot Builder 5 – 2×20m
Progressive sweet spot session to build muscular endurance with modern 88–94% FTP targets.
68 minIF 0.69
Sweet Spot
Endurance
Muscular Endurance
Basics
Sweet Spot 3×12 – Entry Sweet Spot Intervals
A friendly introduction to sweet spot training: three 12-minute efforts at 88–93% FTP with full recoveries. Perfect first step after finishing an FTP test.
69 minIF 0.65
Sweet Spot
FTP
Muscular Endurance
+1 more
Basics
Sweet Spot Builder 3 – 3×12m
Progressive sweet spot session to build muscular endurance with modern 88–94% FTP targets.
69 minIF 0.65
Sweet Spot
Endurance
Muscular Endurance
Basics
Sweet Spot Bursts 3×12 – Surge Training
Sweet spot intervals with a 15-second surge every three minutes, teaching your body to recover from attacks while riding at 90% FTP — exactly what road racing demands.
69 minIF 0.56
Sweet Spot
Surges
Race Prep
+1 more
Over 70 minutes
16 sessionsInterval
Sweet Spot 2x15min (Time-Crunched)
Tuesday: Recovery week. Keep intensity but shorter - 2x15min at 88-92% FTP.
75 minIF 0.61
Sweet Spot
SST
Time-Crunched
+2 more
Interval
Sweet Spot 2x20min
2 intervals of 20 minutes at 88-92% FTP. Aerobic ceiling & lactate clearance. Cadence 85-95 RPM.
75 minIF 0.66
Sweet Spot
SST
Base
+1 more
Basics
Sweet Spot 3×15 – Muscular Endurance Session
Three 15-minute sweet spot intervals for riders progressing beyond 2×15. Builds the aerobic engine and fatigue resistance for long climbs and fast group rides.
78 minIF 0.67
Sweet Spot
FTP
Muscular Endurance
+1 more
Basics
Sweet Spot Peak 2×25 – Block Capstone
Two 25-minute sweet spot efforts: the capstone workout that ends a sweet spot progression before moving to threshold work. Fifty minutes of quality at 89% FTP.
82 minIF 0.70
Sweet Spot
Capstone
FTP
Basics
Over/Unders 3x12m
Lactate clearance workout. Alternating between slightly above and slightly below FTP.
84 minIF 0.54
Threshold
Sweet Spot
Over/Under
Interval
Sweet Spot 2x20min (Time-Crunched)
Tuesday: Recovery week version. 2x20min at 88-92% FTP. Shorter but maintain intensity.
85 minIF 0.63
Sweet Spot
SST
Time-Crunched
+2 more
Interval
Sweet Spot 3x15min
3 intervals of 15 minutes at 88-92% FTP. Building aerobic power. Cadence 85-95 RPM.
85 minIF 0.63
Sweet Spot
SST
Base
+1 more
Basics
Sweet Spot 3×20 – Big Engine Builder
One hour of accumulated sweet spot time across three 20-minute intervals. A demanding aerobic session for experienced riders targeting century rides and stage events.
93 minIF 0.69
Sweet Spot
FTP
Muscular Endurance
+1 more
Interval
Sweet Spot 3x15min (Time-Crunched)
Tuesday: The Engine Builder. 3 intervals of 15 minutes at 88-92% FTP. Increase FTP from below without VO2 max fatigue. Week 1 acclimation.
95 minIF 0.61
Sweet Spot
SST
Time-Crunched
+2 more
Basics
Sweet Spot 4×15 – Extended Sweet Spot Set
Four 15-minute sweet spot repeats totaling an hour of work. Ideal mid-week volume session on the smart trainer during a base or build block.
98 minIF 0.67
Sweet Spot
FTP
Muscular Endurance
+1 more
Interval
Sweet Spot 3x20min
3 intervals of 20 minutes at 88-92% FTP. Peak aerobic stimulus. Cadence 85-95 RPM.
100 minIF 0.66
Sweet Spot
SST
Base
+1 more
Basics
Sweet Spot 5×12 – Time-in-Zone Stacker
Five 12-minute sweet spot intervals that stack a full hour of quality work with short mental chunks. Great for riders who find long intervals daunting.
103 minIF 0.65
Sweet Spot
FTP
Muscular Endurance
+1 more
Interval
Sweet Spot 3x18min (Time-Crunched)
Tuesday: Week 2 load. Extended to 3x18min. Building volume.
104 minIF 0.62
Sweet Spot
SST
Time-Crunched
+2 more
Interval
Sweet Spot 3x20min (Time-Crunched)
Tuesday: Week 3 overload. Peak intensity - 3x20min at 88-92% FTP. Maximum stimulus.
110 minIF 0.63
Sweet Spot
SST
Time-Crunched
+2 more
Basics
Sweet Spot 4×20 – Century Prep Intervals
Eighty minutes of sweet spot work in four 20-minute blocks. A key session for gran fondo and century preparation when you need serious time-in-zone.
118 minIF 0.69
Sweet Spot
FTP
Muscular Endurance
+1 more
Endurance
Fatigue Resistance Ride – Z2 + Sweet Spot Finish
One hundred minutes of Zone 2 capped with a 15-minute sweet spot effort on tired legs. Trains durability — the ability to produce power late in long rides, a top predictor of race performance.
125 minIF 0.65
Durability
Zone 2
Sweet Spot
+1 more
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Sweet Spot training FAQ
What is sweet spot training in cycling?
Sweet spot training means riding at roughly 88–94% of FTP, the zone between high tempo and threshold. It builds FTP and fatigue resistance efficiently because it combines a strong training stimulus with manageable recovery cost.
How often can I do sweet spot workouts?
Most riders absorb two to three sweet spot sessions per week well, alternated with endurance rides. If sessions start feeling like full threshold efforts, your FTP setting is probably too high.
Is sweet spot better than Zone 2?
They do different jobs. Sweet spot gives more adaptation per hour and suits limited schedules; Zone 2 builds the aerobic base that makes hard training sustainable. Most good plans use both.
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