You ride regularly. You go on outdoor rides, maybe spend some time on the indoor trainer…
But in the end, you still have that frustrating feeling:
👉 you’ve hit a plateau
👉 you lack power on climbs
👉 you get dropped every time the pace increases
And then you think: “I just need to ride more.” Wrong idea. The problem isn’t the quantity. It’s the type of workouts you’re doing.
If you truly want to increase your watts on the bike, you need to send the right signal to your body. And that comes from targeted training sessions. In this article, you’ll discover 5 practical and easy-to-apply workouts you can start using right now to improve quickly.
Before You Start: Why You’re Not Progressing?
Most cyclists always do the same thing:
- steady-paced rides
- not enough intensity
- no structure
Result: the body adapts… then stagnates.
To improve, you need targeted stress:
- power
- intensity
- variation
And that’s exactly what the following workouts will provide. But first, you also need to know whether you’re training in the right zones and whether your efforts are truly effective.
If you’re unsure, take the time to understand the basics: Training Data: Which Metrics Should You Track?
Workout 1: Short Intervals (VO2 Max / MAP)
Goal
Augmenter votre capacité à produire de la puissance rapidement.
Format
- 2 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
- 30 seconds very intense
- 20 seconds recovery
- 3 to 5 minutes recovery between sets
Why It Works?
This session pushes your body to its limits. You work on raising your power ceiling.
Practical Example
Whether climbing or riding on an indoor trainer, you should already feel breathless by the 3rd repetition. This type of training is also directly linked to explosiveness (accelerations, attacks, sprints).
If you want to improve this specific aspect further: Improve Your Explosiveness on the Bike: 4 Effective Workouts
Workout 2: Threshold Training (The Foundation for Increasing Your Cycling Power)
Goal
Improve your ability to sustain high power for a long time.
Format
- 2 to 3 sets
- 8 to 12 minutes
- sustained intensity (hard but controlled)
- 5 to 10 minutes recovery between sets
Why It Works?
This is what directly improves your FTP — in other words, your overall cycling level.
Practical Example
You should still be able to talk… but with difficulty. It’s the pace you can maintain for about 20 minutes, or while climbing a long mountain pass when aiming for your best time.
Workout 3: Hill Strength or Big Gear Work
Goal
Develop muscular strength and pedaling efficiency.
Format
- 5 repetitions
- 3 to 5 minutes at tempo pace (moderate effort, uncomfortable but sustainable)
- low cadence (50–60 rpm)
- 3 to 4 minutes recovery between sets
Why It Works?
You increase your ability to push harder on the pedals, which is especially useful on climbs.
You also improve core stability and pedaling efficiency, ensuring that all the energy you produce is transferred to the bike rather than wasted through unnecessary movements.
Workout 4: Intensity Variations (Fartlek Style)
Goal
Train your body to handle pace changes.
Format
- free but structured session
- alternate efforts (30 sec / 1 min / 3 min / 5 min…) depending on terrain and feeling
Why It Works?
Because in real life… cycling is never constant. This workout is both effective and less monotonous.
If you enjoy this type of workout, Fartlek is a particularly effective training method for improving pace changes while keeping your sessions engaging and enjoyable.
And if you struggle to stay motivated on the indoor trainer, this type of session can completely change your experience.
Good news: you can easily improve motivation with a few simple strategies, as explained in this article: Avoid Boredom During Training: 4 Effective Strategies
Workout 5: Tempo + VO2 Mix (The Ultra-Efficient Session)
Goal
Work on both power endurance and explosiveness through pre-fatigue.
Format
- 3 to 4 sets
- 5 to 8 minutes at high tempo (strong but controlled pace, slightly below threshold)
- immediately followed by 30 sec to 1 min very intense effort (VO2)
- 3 to 4 minutes recovery between sets
Why It Works?
You combine everything:
- explosiveness
- endurance
- resistance to fatigue
This is a highly effective workout… but also a demanding one.
Mistakes to Avoid (Very Important)
1. Going Full Gas All the Time
No. You’ll burn out.
2. Not Recovering
Progress also comes from recovery. If you neglect recovery, you’ll block your improvements. If you want to understand why recovery matters as much as training: The Importance of Warm-Up and Recovery on an Exercise Bike
3. Lack of Consistency
3 quality workouts are better than 6 poorly executed ones.
How to Integrate These Workouts?
You don’t need to train every day.
Example Weekly Plan
- 1 VO2 intensity session
- 1 threshold session
- 1 easier and longer endurance ride
- Add one complementary session depending on your fitness
And With Kinomap, It Becomes Even More Effective?
Doing these workouts is good. Doing them in a motivating environment is even better.
With Kinomap:
- you ride real-world routes, making every session more immersive
- you benefit from natural terrain variations that replicate real riding conditions
- you stay engaged from start to finish without the monotony
- you can also create your own workouts and receive real-time guidance, as if you had a coach beside you
Result: you actually follow through with your training. And that’s what makes the difference.
Conclusion
If you truly want to increase your cycling power, stop riding randomly. What makes the difference isn’t quantity — it’s workout quality. Structure your training, add intensity intelligently, and above all, stay consistent.
These simple adjustments are what create real long-term progress. You don’t need to always do more. Do better, and do it consistently.
Because in the end, you don’t improve by riding more… you improve by riding smarter.
Par Fanny Marre
Entraîneur en cyclisme, running et triathlon
fannymarre99@gmail.com
See previous coaching articles:
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR RACE: NUTRITION, PACING, TIPS
IMPROVE YOUR CYCLING EXPLOSIVENESS: 4 EFFECTIVE WORKOUTS
TRAINING DATA: WICH METRICS SHOULD YOU TRACK?