What is Max Aerobic Interval Training?

You may be new to endurance training techniques, or you may be a veteran. Either way, it’s good to review what Max Aerobic Interval training really is.

Max Aerobic interval training predominately stimulates your VO2. These types of intervals are not a “full gas” maximum power from start to finish which we do later in the season. Max Aerobic intervals are at a maximum sustainable pace for a specific length of time. You want to aim each one at a steady power from start to finish. You should be at your limit by the last intervals.

We also want to focus the cadence as high as you can maintain to work the aerobic system versus your muscular system. The intervals typically are 3-5 minutes in length and we use your power duration curve in WKO to determine the length and power for each athlete. We may make slight adjustments to the power for athletes but we keep the length of the interval the same.

We work for a total of 15-20 minutes at this pace for an adaptation to take place. It also takes 2-3 weeks of these for an adaption to take place. The adaptation will be a higher VO2 and a small increase in FTP power.

With this increase in power, we will begin to form more of your Base for the season to come along with maintaining your VO2 with some shorter intervals and/or races/race simulations.