First, what is a VO₂max workout? It’s a type of training designed to bring you to your maximum (or very close to your maximum) oxygen uptake — meaning a very high intensity where your heart rate will fluctuate between 90% and 100%.

Whether done as very short intervals such as 30 seconds on / 30 seconds off, or as longer intervals, this type of training helps increase the volume of oxygen your body is able to use. More oxygen = more watts. VO₂max is a direct indicator of your physical capacity. It impacts both your endurance (your ability to pedal for a long time without fatiguing) and your ability to go faster.

When I was an athlete, hard workouts were my specialty. What I may have lacked in physical talent, I made up for in the psychological aspect.

Over the years, my “magic formula” became more refined, and I truly believe that’s what allowed me to reach the highest level. It’s simple: if you do the work, you will progress.

So here’s my recipe — my 3 tips for succeeding in the workouts that scare you 🙀:

1 – VO₂max is not “maximal effort.”

Your workout is neither a test nor a competition. Start easy. Start easy at the beginning of each interval, but also at the start of the session. Go slightly below your target for the first two intervals and see how you feel. The mistake is starting too ambitiously and blowing up on the very first effort (not productive). With VO₂max, the goal is also to be able to repeat the intensity, so be patient :)

2 – Breathe.

When lactic acid starts to burn, it means there’s a lack of oxygen. It’s not time to panic — it’s time to open your airways wide and bring in oxygen. If you feel panic creeping in, calm yourself down and breathe fully. It’s the best thing you can do. Exhale completely, then inhale. Calm.

What helped me the most was learning how to breathe through meditation. Learning to breathe in a calm, controlled state so I could reproduce it in difficult situations. The next time you’re at high effort, pay attention to your breathing.

3 – Practice judgment-free training.

Training without judgment means executing without analyzing, comparing, or attaching emotion. Whether it’s going well or not — it doesn’t matter. Just do it. Free your mind.

Sometimes training with numbers is a double-edged sword. What if you stopped worrying about them?

It’s proven that VO₂max can still be trained even when you’re fatigued. Since the goal isn’t to hit a specific wattage, but rather to reach maximal oxygen utilization, there’s generally no reason to stop a workout mid-session “because the legs aren’t there.”

Training without judgment means choosing not to spend any mental energy judging yourself, evaluating, comparing, thinking about what you should be capable of, what you thought you were capable of, or what you would have been capable of if only… None of that helps. Just turn the pedals. Next interval. One after the other — simply do your best.

So there you have it — my little magic recipe!

I start easy, I breathe when it burns, and I don’t question anything — I stay focused on execution.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes ;)

And you — what are your tips? Write them in the comments below! I look forward to reading you!