HIIT Indoor Cycling Workouts: 4 Sessions Under 45 Minutes

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) alternates short, very hard efforts with recovery. On an indoor trainer it is especially effective: no traffic, no hills in the wrong place, and in ERG mode the trainer holds the exact target. HIIT is the most time-efficient way to raise your aerobic ceiling, but it is also tiring, so a little goes a long way.

Four HIIT sessions

Session	Main set	Target	Total time
30/30s	2 sets of 8 × 30 s hard / 30 s easy	About 120–130% FTP / 50%	About 40 min
40/20s	3 sets of 6 × 40 s hard / 20 s easy	About 115–120% FTP / 50%	About 40 min
Tabata-style	2 sets of 8 × 20 s all-out / 10 s easy	Maximal / very easy	About 30 min
4-minute intervals	4–5 × 4 min hard / 4 min easy	About 106–115% FTP / 50%	About 45 min

Every session starts with at least 10 minutes of progressive warm-up, including a few short accelerations, and ends with 5–10 minutes of easy spinning. Ready-made files: our 30/30 intervals, VO2max 5x4 and sprint 6x15s.

How to ride them

• ERG or not? ERG works well for 30/30s and 4-minute intervals. For all-out Tabata efforts, switch to resistance or level mode so you can sprint freely.
• Cadence: keep it high, around 95–110 rpm, during short efforts; it spares the legs.
• Pacing: the last repetition should be hard but possible. If you cannot finish the set, lower the target by 5%.
• Cooling: a strong fan matters more in HIIT than in any other session.

How often

One or two HIIT sessions a week is plenty for most riders, with at least 48 hours between them. Fill the rest of the week with easy riding; see cycling power zones for how to balance intensity. Beginners should build a few weeks of steady riding first.

HIIT for fitness and weight loss

HIIT burns a lot of energy in a short time and improves aerobic fitness quickly, which is why gyms love it. For weight management, though, consistency and total weekly activity matter more than any single workout. Combining two short HIIT sessions with longer easy rides works better than daily all-out efforts.

Safety

• If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or have been inactive, check with a doctor before starting high-intensity training.
• Stop if you feel dizzy, faint or have chest pain.
• Skip HIIT when you are ill or very tired.

Want more indoor sessions by goal? See indoor cycling workouts.