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Over-Unders 4x9

Threshold workoutAdvanced72 minTSS 86IF 0.85

Nine-minute blocks that alternate just under and just over threshold, the way races surge and settle.

25%50%75%100%125%Warm-up · 10 min @ 45–70% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPRecovery · 4 min @ 55% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPRecovery · 4 min @ 55% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPRecovery · 4 min @ 55% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPUnder · 2 min @ 95% FTPOver · 1 min @ 105% FTPRecovery · 4 min @ 55% FTPCool-down · 10 min @ 55–40% FTP0:000:100:200:300:400:501:001:10
  • Z1 Active recovery · 30:12
  • Z2 Endurance · 5:48
  • Z4 Threshold · 36:00
Power profile in % of FTP. Hover a block for its target; the dashed line is your FTP.

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Intervals

SetsStepTimeTarget (FTP)
Warm-up10 min45–70%
4 ×Under2 min95%
Over1 min105%
Under2 min95%
Over1 min105%
Under2 min95%
Over1 min105%
Recovery4 min55%
Cool-down10 min55–40%

What over-unders train

The "over" minutes push you slightly above threshold, the "under" minutes ask you to keep working while your body recovers from them. That mirrors racing, where the pace rarely stays steady, and trains you to recover while still riding hard.

How to ride it

Stay seated and smooth in the unders. In the overs, lift the cadence a few rpm rather than grinding. By the third set the unders will feel much harder than 95% sounds, which is exactly the point.

Variations

Easier: shorten the blocks to 6 minutes. Harder: raise the overs to 110% or extend each block to 12 minutes.

Questions

What are over-under intervals?

Blocks that alternate between slightly under and slightly over threshold power, for example 95% and 105% of FTP.

Are over-unders good for racing?

Yes. They train you to handle surges above threshold and recover without dropping far below it, as in road races and criteriums.

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