CoachingAnswer

SHOULD MASTERS CYCLISTS STILL DO VO2 MAX INTERVALS?

By Anthony WalshRoadman CyclingUpdated 26 May 2026

ANSWER

Yes — and they're arguably the most important session you do. VO2 max declines roughly 1% per year after 40, and high-intensity intervals are the direct stimulus that slows that drop. The change after 40 isn't to drop them; it's to run them with longer recovery and more spacing — one or two sessions a week, 3–5 reps of 3–5 minutes near maximal aerobic power, with two easy days either side. Dropping hard work to 'protect recovery' accelerates the decline.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

VO2 max intervals are the main training stimulus that slows the ~1%/year age-related decline — don't drop them.
Run one to two sessions a week: 3–5 reps of 3–5 minutes near maximal aerobic power.
Adjust, don't eliminate: extend rep recovery (4–5 min) and space hard sessions two easy days apart.
Build them on a genuine aerobic base — high intensity without an easy foundation just produces fatigue.

WHO THIS IS FOR

IS THIS YOU?

The masters rider who quietly stopped doing intervals

You've drifted toward all-easy volume because hard sessions felt too costly, and your top-end has faded.

The over-50 cyclist nervous about high intensity

You want to know whether VO2 max work is still safe and worthwhile, and how to scale it.

THE ROADMAN VIEW

There's a comfortable myth in masters cycling that you should ride easy and ease off the hard stuff as you age. It's half right and badly wrong. The easy part is right — most of your volume should be genuinely easy. But easing off VO2 max work is exactly the wrong call, because it's the single session that pushes back hardest against the decline that's coming whether you like it or not.

Anthony has had this out with Joe Friel and Dr David Lipman on the podcast, and they land in the same place: VO2 max is the strongest predictor of masters endurance performance, and it's trainable at any age. Even riders in their 60s and 70s improve VO2 max in response to structured intervals. Drop the hard sessions and you hand back the one adaptation that's most worth fighting for.

What changes after 40 is the dosing, not the existence of the session. You need more recovery between reps and more easy days around the session. So instead of five reps with three-minute rests three times a week, it might be four reps with five-minute rests once or twice a week, flanked by easy days. Same stimulus, more respect for the recovery curve. That's the fixable bit — keep the work, fix the spacing.

EXPERT EVIDENCE

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Joe FrielAuthor of Fast After 50 and The Cyclist's Training Bible
VO2 max is the strongest single predictor of masters endurance performance and stays highly responsive to training at any age. The riders who decline slowest are those who keep high-intensity intervals in the programme rather than retreating to easy volume only.
Hear it: The Training Secret To Going FASTER After 40 | Joe Friel
Dr David LipmanPhysician specialising in masters athlete performance
The rate of VO2 max decline is far more modifiable than most riders assume. Masters cyclists who maintain consistent high-intensity work show markedly shallower decline curves, and even older athletes register measurable VO2 max gains from structured interval training.
Hear it: How to Beat 99% by Getting Faster with Age | Dr David Lipman

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

DO THIS WEEK

Run a weekly 4 x 4 at maximal aerobic power
Four reps of 4 minutes at 95–110% of max aerobic power, 4–5 minutes easy between reps. One session a week as maintenance, two in a dedicated build block. This is the bread-and-butter VO2 max session.
Lengthen recovery rather than cutting reps to nothing
After 50, take 5-minute rests between reps so each effort hits true intensity. A high-quality 3-rep session beats a degraded 5-rep one. Recovery between reps protects the stimulus.
Flank VO2 sessions with easy days
Put two genuinely easy days either side of a VO2 max session so it lands fresh and clears properly. Stacking it next to threshold work or a hard group ride blunts both.

COMMON MISTAKES

WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG

MISTAKEDropping VO2 max work entirely as you age to save recovery.
FIXVO2 max intervals are the main defence against ceiling decline. Reduce frequency and lengthen recovery if needed, but keep at least one session a week year-round.
MISTAKERunning the same rep volume and rest you used at 30.
FIXExtend rest between reps and reduce rep count so each effort hits true intensity. After 40 the quality of each rep matters more than the total number.
MISTAKEStacking VO2 max work on a fatigued, under-recovered system.
FIXBuild intervals on a genuine aerobic base with easy days around them. High intensity on tired legs produces fatigue, not adaptation.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How often should masters cyclists do VO2 max intervals?

Once a week as maintenance and twice a week in a dedicated build block. More than twice a week is rarely sustainable at adequate quality once you add threshold work and the longer recovery masters athletes need.

Are VO2 max intervals safe after 50?

For healthy riders with no cardiac contraindications, yes — and they're one of the most valuable sessions you can do. If you have any cardiovascular history, get screened first. Build duration and intensity progressively rather than going maximal on day one.

How long should VO2 max intervals be for older cyclists?

Reps of 3–5 minutes at 95–110% of max aerobic power work best. Shorter than 3 minutes doesn't fully tax the oxygen system; much longer drifts toward threshold. Four-minute reps are the classic, reliable choice.

Can I improve VO2 max in my 60s?

Yes. Even athletes in their 60s and 70s show measurable VO2 max improvements from structured high-intensity training, especially from an under-trained baseline. The trainability of VO2 max does not disappear with age — only the absolute ceiling lowers slowly.

Should I do VO2 max intervals indoors or outdoors?

Either works. Indoors gives precise, repeatable control of power and is ideal for hitting exact targets. Outdoors on a long climb or quiet road is fine too. Consistency of execution matters more than the location.

What if VO2 max intervals leave me wrecked for days?

That's usually a sign of too many reps, too little rest between them, or insufficient easy days around the session. Cut to 3 reps, extend rep recovery to 5 minutes, and ensure two easy days either side before adjusting anything else.

RELATED EPISODES

HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS

The Training Secret To Going FASTER After 40 | Joe Friel

How to Beat 99% by Getting Faster with Age | Dr David Lipman

Get Faster After 40: Masters Cycling Training | Roadman Cycling