Training plan guide

FTP training plan

Raise your functional threshold power with a focused sweet spot and threshold progression.

⏱ 8 weeksRiders who want a higher sustainable power and can train 4 to 8 focused hours a week.

Preview my FTP planFree preview: week 1 unlocked. Full schedule with PRO.

Overview

FTP is the power you can hold for roughly an hour. A common way to train it is a concentrated block of sweet spot and threshold work. The plan adds a little more time near threshold each week, with recovery built in so the load stays manageable.

Eight weeks is a common block length. Test, build sweet spot for a few weeks, push to threshold and a touch of VO2 max, recover, then retest. How much FTP changes over a block depends on your training history, consistency and recovery, so the retest tells you where you are.

How to use this guide

The phases, sample week and workouts below illustrate an approach to this goal. This guide is not a ready-made plan in the TrainCraft library. Compare it with your current training and use the app to browse available plans or build a custom one.

Product details checked 22 September 2026

Example training structure

Test and sweet spot

Weeks 1-3

Set FTP, then build sweet spot volume (88-94%).

Threshold build

Weeks 4-6

Longer threshold intervals plus a weekly VO2 session.

Recover and retest

Weeks 7-8

Cut load to absorb the work, then retest FTP.

A sample training week

MonRest

TueSweet spot 3-4x12 min (88-94% FTP)

WedEndurance 60-75 min (zone 2)

ThuThreshold 2x20 min (95-105% FTP)

FriRest or easy spin

SatVO2 max 5-6x3 min (110-120% FTP)

SunLong endurance 2-3 h

How many hours a week?

The sample week above is one way to lay out this goal. If you plan around a fixed number of hours, these example weeks show how 6, 8 or 10 hours can be split between a long ride, quality sessions and easy riding, using workouts from the public library.

6 hours a week: example week →8 hours a week: example week →10 hours a week: example week →

Key workouts

Sweet spot progression

Start around 3x12 min and add time each week. A manageable way to add time near threshold on limited hours.

Open the workout: Sweet Spot 3×12 →

Over-unders

3 sets of 3 min at 95% then 1 min at 105%, to raise your tolerance right around threshold.

VO2 max intervals

5 to 6 sets of 3 min at 110-120% FTP, to train the range above threshold.

Open the workout: VO2max 5×3 →

Tips to get it right

Test the same way each time (same protocol, same conditions) so your FTP changes are real and not noise.
Progress by adding minutes at intensity, not by riding every interval harder. Overload, then recover.
Keep one truly easy day between hard sessions. Recovery is part of the training, not a break from it.

Frequently asked questions

How much can I increase my FTP in 8 weeks?

It depends on your training history, consistency and recovery. Newer or detrained riders often have more room to improve than well-trained riders. Retest with the same protocol at the end of the block to measure the change.

How do I test my FTP?

Common options are a 20-minute test (take about 95% of your average power) or a ramp test. The key is to use the same protocol each time so results compare.

Sweet spot or threshold for FTP?

Both. Sweet spot builds volume with manageable fatigue; threshold and over-unders push the specific adaptation. This block starts with sweet spot and progresses into threshold.

Can I complete the FTP builder plan on an indoor trainer?

Yes. Structured indoor trainer riding suits FTP training because ERG mode and steady resistance hold you at the target wattage without traffic, lights or junctions.