10 WEEK NOVICE ROAD TRAINING PLAN MAXIMUM EFFORT. MINIMUM TIME.
FOR USE WITH THE SUFFERFEST TRAINING CENTRE APP
IWBMATTKYT 1 CONTENTS
MEET YOUR COACHES 03 WEEK ONE 30 BEFORE YOU SUFFER 04 WEEK TWO 32 INTRODUCTION 06 WEEK THREE 34 NOTES FOR SUFFERING 08 WEEK FOUR 36 DEFINITIONS 09 WEEK FIVE 38 CYCLING VIDEOS 12 WEEK SIX 40 CYCLING DRILLS 19 WEEK SEVEN 42 YOGA 24 WEEK EIGHT 44 FTP / RPE 27 WEEK NINE 46 PLAN OVERVIEW 28 WEEK TEN 48
IWBMATTKYT 2 MEET YOUR COACHES
OFFICIAL COACHING PARTNER OF SUFFERLANDRIA: APEX COACHING The main philosophy of APEX Coaching is to provide individualized coaching with a balance of art and science. We consider the practical goals and abilities of our athletes with respect to their individual needs. We believe that the quality of training is far more important than the quantity of training. As Neal says “More is always more, but more is not always better.” While it is not possible to get faster without training hard, too much training can easily overload even the most experienced athlete and lead to diminished performance. Finding the best balance between high intensity work and quality recovery is the key to making the greatest gains in fitness. APEX Coaching believes that Polarized Training is the most effective strategy to improving performance. This means we will never prescribe weeks and weeks of “base” training with no high intensity work, and you will never have weeks and weeks of doing only one type of interval. Finally, APEX Coaching believes that health always comes before fitness, and that maintaining a balance between athletic pursuits and life’s priorities is key to longterm success.
SIR NEAL HENDERSON, KoS, MAC CASSIN has SUFFERLANDRIAN is one of the world’s leading been coached YOGA PARTNER: cycling and triathlon by Sir Neal since YOGA15 coaches and has worked 2009 and is Our partner for The with elite athletes such a coach with Sufferfest Yoga for as Evelyn Stevens, Taylor APEX focusing Cyclist series, ABI Phinney, Rohan Dennis on masters and CARVER started and Flora Duffy. His athletes junior racers. As an her fitness career have won world and olympic elite cyclist who also in personal training, championship titles, world records has to balance the demands before later branching out and leaders jerseys in the biggest races in the world. of ‘life’ with his goals as an athlete, into yoga. She completed her yoga teacher Neal is the founder of APEX Coaching and is also Mac has a deep understanding of training in Guatemala, and has since grown on the coaching staff for the US National Team and how to get the most out of those who a huge online following with Yoga 15, her BMC Pro Racing. The recipient of multiple coaching have limited time to train. Mac has comprehensive yoga system designed awards, Neal holds a Masters in Kinesiology and raced at the World and PanAmerican specifically for athletes. Abi now teaches Applied Physiology from the University of Colorado championships and holds several US in Europe, South America and Indonesia, Boulder. Sufferlandrians know Neal’s work well, national and state titles. His studies tailoring her classes and routines specifically as he’s the designer of Sufferfest workouts such were in Integrative Physiology from to the athletes she’s teaching. With her as Blender, Nine Hammers, The Omnium, Thin Air the University of Colorado and has own interests including surfing, climbing and many, many more. Neal is a former Masters worked as a research assistant in the and running, she uses yoga to improve US National Champion on the track, a former CU Neurophysiology lab. her performance through conditioning, professional triathlete and has won medals at the recovery, and mental skills training. age-group world championships.
IWBMATTKYT 3 BEFORE YOU SUFFER
HERE YOU ARE IS THIS PLAN FOR YOU? Ten weeks away from greatness. Ten weeks away Can you tick these boxes? from a faster, more powerful, more BADASS you. This plan was designed by the expert coaches from APEX Coaching and the twisted...er, creative minds FF You started cycling in the past year or have just returned to the sport at The Sufferfest. By combining the cutting edge after experimenting with Couchlandrianism. philosophies and sports science training methods FF You’ve been riding a few times a week but have not really been used by world class athletes with our enterPAINing getting any stronger. workouts, we’ve created a training plan that can be used year-round - to the peril of any rider who tries to FF You’re fed up of getting dropped by faster riders. You want to get hold your wheel. out on a group ride and be one of the riders helping to set the pace. Perhaps even make others suffer a little bit? (Not that you’re mean, This plan takes a three-dimensional approach to mind you, but it would be nice to be the hammer instead of the nail.) improving you as an athlete by not only getting you suffering on the bike, but also taking care of your FF You don’t have that much time to ride - family, work, and other body and mind. This plan provides training structure, priorities mean you can’t spend a lot of time on the bike. discipline, and, most importantly, results through FF You’ve never really followed a structured training plan before but maximum effort in a minimum of time. you’re keen as the speed demon of Sufferlandria to roll up your Enjoy the Suffering! sleeves and start suffering.
Does this sound like you? Then, my dear Sufferlandrian, you’re in the right place. This will be a great introduction to structured training with the aim of building a solid base of mental and physical fitness, enhancing endurance and increasing your speed out on the road.
IWBMATTKYT 4 BEFORE YOU SUFFER
WHY YOU NEED THIS PLAN Because, quite simply, you want to be faster, stronger and enjoy your time on the bike more. The workouts in this plan each serve a specific purpose and are designed to take you from the plateau you’re at to a higher level of performance. When done, you’ll be more prepared to take on your first century, sportive or joining your local club ride and getting in the mix rather than hanging onto the back for as long as you can.
HOW FIT YOU NEED TO BE While the demands aren’t extraordinary, we do want you to be fit and healthy enough to push yourself and take your fitness to another level. If you’ve been riding about three times a week for the past three months, you’re good to go. If you’ve not been riding much and would struggle to finish an intense 90 minute session on the bike then you may struggle to keep pace with the intensity of this plan. Don’t fret! Build your fitness up by steadily and consistently increasing your saddle time and throwing in a bit of intensity here and there. When you’re ready for more this plan will be the ticket.
HOW MUCH TIME THIS TAKES We know you’re busy and this plan is designed for the BADASS-on-the- go. The first week starts off just under 4 hours of saddle time and as the weeks go by never asks for more than 5.5 hours. We’ve added in some yoga sessions (all 15 minutes or less) to supplement your suffering. It’s not that much, so you should be able to find the time to make it all happen if you get organised and plan ahead.
IWBMATTKYT 5 10 WEEK NOVICE ROAD
PLAN OVERVIEW things back up with two sessions full Welcome to the 10 week novice road of longer sustained efforts that will training plan! Over the next 10 weeks continue to benefit that baseline you will dive into a highly structured fitness. training regime. This might be your first experience with periodised Week 3 is your first rest week, so enjoy training, and that’s okay! Everyone it! As a Sufferlandrian, rest will feel has to start somewhere! This plan strange and you might think that it is not only has killer workouts to too soon for a rest week, or that you can increase your fitness, but also utilizes dig deeper. Cool your jets! We need you a combination of Yoga and Mental to recover so you can be fresh so you Training to keep your body in top can crush week 4’s sessions at 100%! shape and sharpen the mental skills And don’t worry, there’s just enough required for true Suffering. The next sting in the middle of the week to sate 10 weeks will test you physically and your appetite for Suffering. mentally, but you will come out the Weeks 4 and 5 will hit your top end other side an even fitter, stronger and power super hard, so it’s good you are tougher Sufferlandrian! fresh from that recovery week! Week 4 To get the most out of a structured has an awesome back to back start to training program you need to have the week with sprint work on Tuesday training zones that are set correctly to followed by Nine Hammers, which will your own fitness level. That is why we be your first introduction to proper VO2 start off with a maximal power test, training - so brace yourself! After some the dreaded Rubber Glove. This test easy days you will be fresh enough will shed light on your current fitness. for the ultimate sprint workout that Rubber Glove is also a great way to is Violator. Week 5 starts a bit easier familiarise yourself with the pain, but you will be back to Suffering by misery and AGONY on tap throughout Wednesday, with more short high this plan! intensity efforts in Do As You’re Told. You will also have to get through Such an intense start means the rest the sustained efforts with surges on of week 1 is dialed back. Don’t worry, Saturday with The Best Way Is Blended, the efforts will increase your baseline which will leave your legs feeling heavy fitness without requiring you to go too enough that your Endurance+ ride deep too early. Week 2 ramps sunday should feel extra unpleasant.
IWBMATTKYT 6 10 WEEK INT. ROAD
Don’t thank us just yet! bests! WEEK Week 6 is rest week number 2! Things By the end of this 10 week plan you will will be just about fully backed off, but not only be riding faster and longer with we throw in The Wretched at 80% to ease, but you will be more flexible, have 1, 2 A fitness test and steady state efforts to remind your legs that they still can suffer. greater core stability, and be mentally work on your baseline fitness. tougher, making you truly well rounded starts off full gas, with Week 7 athlete. By the time you hit week 11 you another dose of back to back days of 3 A low volume recovery week to let your will be ready to hit your target event at intensity. Starting the week off with the best of your abilities, or if you don’t body process the work of the previous The Omnium wouldn’t be so bad if it have any particular event on the horizon weeks. wasn’t followed the next day by Do As you will be good to start your next You’re Told. Fortunately for you that rest block of training. Now go out and show 4, 5 Working on your top end fitness with week allowed your legs to regain their everyone the true Sufferlandrian you strength so you should be able to smash back-to-back sessions and a focus on have become! both days at 100% Your weekend will high intensity. continue to raise your baseline fitness, while not being so hard that you aren’t 6 Your second easier week with just ready to hit week 8 at your best. Where enough sting to keep you out of week 7 was all about the short efforts, week 8 takes you back to those long Couchlandria. sustained burning efforts that you enjoy so much. 7 A big dose of short, high-intensity Weeks 9 and 10 are all about letting your intervals to develop your top-end power legs recover just enough to really absorb and speed. all the hard training you have done over the past 2 months. You keep in just 8 A return to longer, sustained efforts to enough intensity that you keep your legs boost your fitness. sharp and your body ready for some real Suffering. To cap off this 10 week plan you get to see just how much you have 9, 10 Walking the line between training and improved! The only downside is that recovery, weeks nine and ten keep you means another round of Rubber Glove, sharp but not fatigued and finish off with but after all the Suffering you have been another Rubber Glove session to test how through for the past 10 weeks you won’t have any problem hitting new personal far you’ve come.
IWBMATTKYT 7 NOTES FOR SUFFERING
Reviewed the plan and have THE ‘MAJORITY RULE’ REST DAYS & RECOVERY a few questions? Here are the answers to five of the Despite your best intentions, there will You might think that a Sufferlandrian common questions that come come the day when ‘life’ gets in the way training plan wouldn’t have any of these. After all, across The Minion’s desk. and you miss a workout or two. Now, in an what does resting have to do with Suffering? A ideal world you would be able to hit each and every LOT, ACTUALLY, and recovery is, in the eyes of a Still not sure? Email workout, while getting eight hours of sleep every Sufferlandrian, a necessary evil. Suffering - especially [email protected] night and eating all your fruits and vegetables. The at the intensity that this plan asks of you - makes you “Majority Rule” means that if you can get in two thirds tired, and if you’re too tired, you can’t suffer enough. of all the workouts in a given week, you’re on track Improvement requires rest after hard sessions so and making improvements to overall fitness. Missing your body can make repairs and build itself back up a few workouts here and there should not be a cause stronger. When you’re well rested, you can then go of extra stress in your life, simply accept it and crush harder and suffer fully again. your next one!
REDUCED INTENSITY FUELING, HYDRATION & SLEEP WORKOUTS These three things will do more to make or break any workout than you might think. Sleep is your You’ll notice that several workouts are number one recovery tool and over the next 10 weeks prescribed at 80 or 90% (you can adjust the intensity should be considered your best friend. If you get into in the app before starting the videos). On their own, a rut of less than five hours of sleep a night do not be workouts like Hell Hath No Fury are fantastic, but as surprised when your workouts start to suffer. If you are part of an intense training plan they can be a little feeling extra tired it will be better for you to swap a much. The goal is to work you hard, but not so hard workout for an extra hour of sleep in the morning (or that you fail to complete workouts. Don’t worry about evening). When dealing with high intensity workouts turning the intensity down - you will get almost the carbohydrates and fluid intake are your two other exact same training benefit from these sessions at best friends. A good rule of thumb is 750mL (24oz) of 90% as you would at 100%. The difference, however, fluid and 30g of carbohydrates per hour of exercise. Of is that you will recover more quickly and be able to course everyone one is different so it will be up to you hit another hard session sooner. to find out what works best for you! You can configure the intensity of your rides before you start your workout in the ‘Ride Check’ screen. RIDING INDOORS DURING BAD WEATHER Is Mt. Sufferlandria erupting again and you’re stuck inside? No worries! You can do all the recommended rides in your bike torture chamber, even when they aren’t Sufferfest workouts! IWBMATTKYT 8 DEFINITIONS
Throughout the plan, you’ll see we use a few comfort. A scale from 1 to 10 is used, with 1 our Help Centre. different terms for the workouts that might being an easy effort you could maintain all sound a bit buzzwordy. Especially for the day, and 10 being a maximal effort like a FUNCTIONAL THRESHOLD POWER (FTP): cycling sessions. We use these terms not sprint. For more detail refer to the FTP & RPE Let’s take this one bit-by-bit. Let’s imagine only because they make us sound smart, but Mapping page. you’re heading out for a 1 hour ride. Since you because they have specific meanings when don’t have a lot of time, you go as fast as you it comes to training. Understanding these POWER AND WATTS: Simply put, power can for that entire ride, pushing as hard as will help you get more out of your training, is a measure of work over time and a Watt you can and not slowing down until you get and also allow you to hold your own when (w) is a unit of power. To be precise 1 Watt home. That effort is known as your ‘ Functional cornered at your next party by the local is equal to 1 joule per second. The reason Threshold Power.’ If you go above that, your know-it-all sports physiologist. this is such an important metric to cyclists ability to sustain the effort falls off substantially. is because it is an objective measure of the If you ride below it, you could practically ride energy you are putting through the pedals to forever. One of the main improvements you ACTIVE RECOVERY: This is low-intensity propel you forwards. Speed can be affected can make in your cycling is to improve your exercise. So low that it doesn’t even really feel by the gradient or wind, and two people can threshold - your ability to ride fast for an like exercise. On the bike, it’s just really light have vastly different heart rates when doing hour. When you raise your threshold, you can spinning to get the legs moving. Running at the same relative effort, but 1 Watt is and will go faster, hang with groups longer, and feel this level is nothing more than a jog and in the always be 1 Watt. One important thing to keep fresher toward the end of long rides. Still with pool you’re just working on technique. Why? in mind though is just because two riders are us? Good. Your threshold can be measured a Because it can help get rid of those nasty bi- both doing 150W does not mean they will go few ways. Heart Rate is a good measure, and products of intense efforts that are still hanging the same speed, you have to take other things when you understand your HR threshold, you around in your muscles and will speed up like weight and drag into account for that. The can figure out the appropriate HR Zones. The recovery from hard efforts in the previous days. real significance of measuring power is that best measure, however, is power measured It also prevents your couch from getting too you can track YOUR change in fitness over in watts. Power can be measured by a power possessive of you. time with objectivity. meter or by using virtual power, a feature of : These are a function of your our app. When you know your threshold in one TRAINING ZONES VIRTUAL POWER: Virtual Power uses known lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR) or lactate of these measures this is called knowing your parameters, specifically the change in FTP. threshold (FTP - based on your power or virtual resistance a trainer has based on wheel speed, power). These zones are specifically targeted to estimate your power output. Our App has a Complete the workout Rubber Glove and the throughout the training plan to develop your MASSIVE library (that is continuously updated) app will calibrate your FTP and LTHR if you’ve fitness and boost your ability on the bike. “Zone of trainer makes and models so that you can connected the appropriate sensors. 2”, for example, may be referred to as “Z2” in the have your (virtual) power displayed onscreen workout description, “Zone 6” as “Z6” and so on. during a workout. This ability to compare LACTATE THRESHOLD HEART RATE (LTHR): efforts from day to day and week to week on Lactate Threshold Heart Rate follows the same RECOMMENDED PERCEIVED EXERTION your own trainer will allow you to take your guiding principles at LT. Roughly speaking it (RPE): RPE is used to structure your workout is the maximum heart rate you can sustain based on your perceived work rate and (dis) training to new levels. For more info, refer to
IWBMATTKYT 9 DEFINITIONS
for a 1 hour effort. Knowing this value will allow can pair any compatible cadence sensor with place known and loved by all Sufferlandrians. you to set up your training zones in terms of our app to track your RPM during the workout. Think about the 9th hammer from Nine heart rate, and not power or pace. The nice Hammers, the 7th interval in Revolver, the thing about LTHR is that once you start training SPINNING & LEG SPEED: Pushing big gears on second set of Ugly 15s from Half Is Easy… any part a little it will not change by more than a few your bike at a low cadence for a long time can of Hell Hath No Fury and The Wretched - that’s beat per minute from year to. While your FTP make you stronger, but it can also make you what being in the box or in the red feels like. power might increase by 30 watts over a year sluggish and sap your strength. High leg speed, Incidentally, you also love to put others in the box ,While your FTP might go up by 30 watts on the AKA “spinning,” is essential to keeping your legs on group rides and races, and you can do this bike or decrease by 8 seconds per kilometer fresh and supple during active recovery and because you’re an all-powerful Sufferlandrian. while running your LTHR will not change at all. long rides. Training your leg speed can help you The nice thing about this that once you have respond to changes in pace just by lifting your your Heart Rate Zones set you will be could to cadence by a few revolutions a minute. It’s good follow them for a few years without needing to keep in mind that sometimes you just need to to make any serious changes. We should point “Pedal faster, not harder.” out that for most people their LTHR while : There you are, riding along, running is anywhere from 5-15 bpm higher than WHEEL SUCKER gracefully hammering the pedals and speeding their Cycling LTHR To Maximize your Return along like the BADASS that you are. You do on Suffering you might need to have different a head check and some other rider, to your zones for both disciplines. surprise (and dismay) is pedalling along right behind you. This is a wheel sucker. They didn’t announce their presence. They didn’t offer to THE GREATER RETURN ON SUFFERING: We want your pull a turn at the front. They’re just along for the THE SUFFERING, hard work (AKA Suffering) to result in the ride, and the 10-40% reduction in effort required optimal fitness outcome. That’s why we have to ride in your slipstream. Naturally, you take THE GREATER THE structured this training plan around the concept offence to this behaviour. PLEASURE. THAT IS of maximising your Return on Suffering. Sometimes that means crushing all 15* intervals BUNCH/PACK/PELOTON: Sufferlandrians NATURE’S PAYBACK in Revolver. Sometimes that means backing rarely spend much time here, unless they are TO RIDERS FOR THE off completely and kicking your feet up. Rest plotting their next attack, counter attack, solo assured everything is designed with your Return breakaway or any other variety of BADASS HOMAGE THEY PAY HER on Suffering in mind. activities Sufferlandrians commonly do. The pack, otherwise known as the bunch or peloton BY SUFFERING. CADENCE & RPM: Cadence is just a measure of is a large group of riders who like to soft pedal how many times your crank makes a complete and take it easy while riding. Mostly composed of TIM KRABBE revolution in 1 minute. Which is why the unit for non-Sufferlandrians. cadence is Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). You IN THE ‘BOX’/IN THE RED: This is that familiar
IWBMATTKYT 10 WORKOUT TYPES
VIDEOS You’re here to get the maximum Return of Suffering with the help of our enterPAINing video workouts. By subscribing to the app, you have access to over 30 cycling, running and triathlon videos, and another 20 yoga videos to help you achieve your fitness goals. The expert coaches at APEX have painstakingly pieced together the videos, modified the intensities when needed and programmed rest days as well as a few drills that achieve fitness outcomes not available in our current workout library.
DRILLS The Cycling Drills are not available in the app as video workouts. These workouts can be done indoors in your bike torture chamber OR completed outside if the weather is agreeable. The Minions recommend using the generic workouts named “Open 30” or “Open 60” to to execute these Drills using the app. Please use the RPE & FTP INVINCIBILITY LIES IN THE Mapping Worksheet to calculate your power and heart DEFENCE; THE POSSIBILITY OF rate zones to suit the goals and format of each drill and VICTORY IN THE ATTACK avoid using ERG mode when using the cues to structure your workout, as a certain amount of freedom is important, SUN TZU especially for the cadence and standing start drills.
IWBMATTKYT 11 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 22 inverse and matching intervals between 10 sec and 1 min DO AS YOU’RE TOLD long. Anarchy. BEST FOR: Getting seriously FAST. 45m
The little voice in your head is telling you to stop. DAYT is a workout designed by elite cycling coach The screams from your legs are nearly deafening. Sir Neal Henderson, KoS, of APEX Coaching. In it, But you hear none of it – you’re following orders to you’ll tackle two sets of 11 intervals each. The first THRESHOLD ATTACK. Do As You’re Told is the story of two men set is matching intervals, with efforts matching in a car, your team directors, who are guiding recoveries. The second set features inverse you to GLORY over the dirt roads of Italy and the intervals, where if the effort is long then the cobbles of Belgium. Ignore them at your own risk recovery will be painfully short (and vice-versa). – they will not tolerate insubordination. They also It’s an incredible session to develop explosive, have a car full of Pain Suckers and you don’t want maximum power and enhance your ability to them throwing that at you. recover quickly from big efforts and go again.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Drills to improve your efficiency and form ELEMENTS OF STYLE BEST FOR: Making you a better bike rider 40m
Can you ride? Really ride? Can you Suffer with commentators in the world, Eurosport’s Carlton style? Make profound Suffering look effortless? Kirby, you’ll get clear instructions about exactly what to do, when and why. We guarantee it will THRESHOLD Although it has very little Suffering in it, Elements change the way you think about your riding style of Style may just be our most important video ever. after doing it JUST ONCE. Do it five times and Developed with the expert team at CyclingTips, you’ll automatically adjust your position while this 40 minute video provides the very foundation out on rides. Do it 10 times and Sufferlandrian upon which all your Suffering must rest. angels will burst into tears at the sheer epic beauty of you kicking the crap out of your Narrated by one of the best cycling competition while making it look effortless.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Race simulation and short painful climbs EXTRA SHOT BEST FOR: Adding extra suffering to your training in the form of threshold and VO2 max workattack 20m
20m Coffee. Cocktails. Fights. Sometimes, you just need introductory ramblings as you get in the normal an extra shot. Same goes for workouts. There are ‘fest videos. Otherwise, it’s just like a normal ‘fest: those rare days when, after doing a ‘fest video, instructions, taunts, great music and much agony. THRESHOLD you think – just perhaps, maybe – you can handle more. Or maybe you don’t have much time and With Extra Shot, you go straight into a 20:00 race, need to get a workout in a hurry. featuring cobblestones, six nasty climbs and a final sprint. Featuring footage from Ronde van And so you reach for our Extra Shot. This is a 20:00 Drenthe, and the women’s Tour of Flanders and ‘Booster’ you can add to any Sufferfest (or outdoor) UCI Road World Championship in Copenhagen, workout – or use on its own when you’ve got you’ll get that extra suffering you need. limited time. It has no warm-up, warm-down or
IWBMATTKYT 12 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 2 x 20-minute intervals with a 3-minute gut punch to top it off HELL HATH NO FURY BEST FOR: Handling long periods of high intensity and finishing like a BADASS 75m
Is there anything more boring than the classic – in one single Sufferfest video. Now, “it gets 2 x 20:00 interval workout? We weren’t sure we interesting.” Cue evil laugh. could make it interesting…and then we got our THRESHOLD hands on a full year of UCI Pro Women’s racing You are a Sufferlandrian. And you’re racing for footage from the World Cup. Emma Pooley, the Sufferlandrian National Team in the Tour Evelyn Stevens, Marianne Vos…the stars are all of Sufferlandria. You’re expected to take the there in races like the Tour of Flanders and the leader’s jersey (and a very special jersey it is), GP Plouay. And then we hit on the idea of doing take over the race and secure ultimate GLORY an entire stage race – The Tour of Sufferlandria during a painfully short team time trial.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A structured warm-up to get you ready to CRUSH IT IGNITER BEST FOR: Perfect for use ahead of major events, alongside any Sufferfest workout and for those Sufferlandrians who need a longer pre-suffering warm up 20m
A highly-tuned machine - like you - needs its high-cadence sprints. You’ll emerge ready to engine warmed up in order to produce the CRUSH EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU. Perfect for most power as efficiently as possible. Igniter is using before major events, in conjunction with THRESHOLD based on the highly successful warm-up session our Extra Shot videos or to extend your regular developed by British Cycling and used by Team Sufferfest workout. Sky as part of their ‘marginal gains’ programme. You’ll go through 20 minutes of progressive efforts before hitting a couple high-intensity/
WHAT IT’S ABOUT:Nine VO2 and threshold intervals NINE HAMMERS BEST FOR: Improving performance at your limit. 55m
Summiting Everest. Crossing the Sahara. Coach Neal Henderson of APEX Coaching, is Navigating the Northwest Passage. There are geared to improve your performance at the edge extreme journeys that capture the imagination. of your physical and mental capabilities. You’ll take THRESHOLD And now, Sufferlandria adds to those adventures on nine VO2 and Threshold intervals, lasting from with the journey of the Nine Hammers. Few 3 to 4.5 minutes and you’ll find yourself wondering can make it through this epic journey – but The whether you can hold on, but the brilliant balance Minions have confidence in you. in this workout means you’ll surprise yourself again and again with how hard you can push yourself. If ever an hour on the bike is going to make you Just don’t get distracted by the donuts. faster, this is it. The workout, designed by Elite
IWBMATTKYT 13 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: An unstructured ride where you can set your own pace and intensity. OPEN: 30 Tracking recovery rides and adding training volume. BEST FOR: 30m
Sometimes you just need a steady tempo ride instructions, storyline or music with this video, to clear the legs and head - you know, to make so load up your favourite playlist and hit Enter more room for Suffering. This workout is set, as Sufferlandria so you can track your indoor THRESHOLD a default, to RPE 6 (85% of FTP), but you can training and earn the stamp in your Passport. adjust the intensity whenever you like (before and during the workout).
The video for this session is from on-bike cameras at the Tour de Suisse.. There are no
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: An unstructured ride where you can set your own OPEN: 60 pace and intensity. BEST FOR: Tracking recovery rides and adding training volume. 60m
Sometimes you just need a steady tempo ride The video for this session is from The Col to clear the legs and head - you know, to make Collective’s descent of the Col de Nivolet. There more room for Suffering. This workout is set, as are no instructions, storyline or music with this THRESHOLD a default, to RPE 6 (85% of FTP), but you can video, so load up your favourite playlist and hit adjust the intensity whenever you like (before Enter Sufferlandria so you can track your indoor and during the workout). training and earn the stamp in your Passport.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Smashing 1 minute and 15 second efforts at your max REVOLVER IS EASY BEST FOR: When the simple agony of Revolver OR Half Is Easy just won’t do 45m
After the Revolver + Revolver stage of the When a maniacal laughter was heard coming 2016 Tour of Sufferlandria, many concerned from GvA Lair, Sufferlandrians knew this onlookers (Couchlandrians) asked if there were new, easier, take on Revolver was ready. Thus, THRESHOLD a way to make Revolver...easier. Grunter von Revolver is Easy was born to the world - the Agony immediately held a press conference combination of the first 11 intervals from where he declared he would indeed find a way Revolver and the second set of 20* x 15 second to do so, and for many weeks the world eagerly intervals from Half Is Easy. awaited the result. It’s not easy. Bring a bucket.
IWBMATTKYT 14 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A 20-minute functional threshold power (FTP) test RUBBER GLOVE BEST FOR: Setting a fitness baseline for training programs 60m
This one hour workout is specifically designed to power) and lactate threshold heart rate (or LTHR get you ready for performing a gruelling 20 minute for short, if you’ve paired a heart rate monitor). If cycling Functional Threshold Power (FTP) test. you haven’t paired any of your ANT+/BTLE devices THRESHOLD With Rubber Glove you get a solid warm-up, some with our app follow the instructions in the video to high-cadence drills and then it’s straight into a 20 calculate your FTP or LTHR. minute maximum effort interval. Clear instructions Rubber Glove is beyond tough, but in true will pace you to get the most accurate FTP Sufferlandrian style, we also throw a snail, a pro possible. Once you’ve completed the ride, our app cyclist cooking breakfast on rollers, a monster will calculate your FTP (if you’ve connected your truck, a power lifter and the apocalypse at you. power meter or calibrated your setup for virtual
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Blending three very different videos into one enterPAINing THE BEST WAY IS BLENDED workout BEST FOR: Finding your breaking point and Suffering past it 65m
After passing a tandem bike on the lower slopes Give it a try - we think that in the end you’ll of Mt. Sufferlandria (he was doing endless agree that The Best Way is Blended. repeats), Grunter decided that he could open THRESHOLD a whole new world of Suffering by blending existing workouts together. He decided to test the concept out by combining three climbs from THE WAY OUT, the infamous ‘pain shakes’ from BLENDER, and the race simulation from THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Time trialling with the best in the world THE LONG SCREAM BEST FOR: Maintaining concentration while putting out serious watts 35m
They look so composed on television. So smooth The Long Scream puts you into a 30 minute and effortless when they fly by in person. But time trial. After a brief intro to get you ready, you inside the time trialist, there is a loud, agonizing, stop pedalling….focus……and GO! For the next half THRESHOLD never-ending scream of despair and hope. The hour, you’ll be following the best in the world din of the constant fight between mind and legs, during the UCI World Championship Time Trial a clash of will and lactic acid, of determination in Copenhagen, Denmark. As this is an extra and one’s better sense. To the observer’s ear, there shot, it is meant to be used in conjunction with may be heard a whimper, there may be a grunt, other Sufferfest videos. So, there is no meaningful but you’ll never hear the chaos going on inside. warm-up or warm-down.
IWBMATTKYT 15 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Six intervals replicating track racing’s Omnium. THE OMNIUM BEST FOR: Simulating chaotic race scenarios and getting you to sprint to your maximum capacity. 50m
You know what we love about you? Your stress of the Points Race, you’ll need to dig versatility. You can Suffer anywhere, anytime deep into every corner of your COURAGE for and in any way. That’s why Grunter von Agony, this one. With a workout designed by Sir Neal THRESHOLD Sufferlandrian Team Director, is sending you Henderson, KoS (who happens to be a former to compete in The Omnium at the UCI World national champion on the track), this is perfect Track Championships. Over the course of 50 for anyone who wants to work on top-end minutes, you’ll do battle with the world’s elite in speed and power at high cadences. which you take on the six different races which make up the Omnium competition. From the searing agony of the Kilometer to the frantic
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 8 climbs that focus on hitting the sweet spot - effort level THE WAY OUT right below your threshold BEST FOR: Boosting your threshold without inducing the same level of fatigue 60m
You gotta get out of here. This life in Couchlandria Zoncolan - you’ll spend an hour working hard - is simply too comfortable. So we’ve enlisted but not too hard. epic endurance cyclist Michael Cotty of The Col THRESHOLD Collective to take you on a journey - or an escape, The benefit of training just below FTP is that you rather - from the comforts of idyllic village life can spend a lot of in that zone with minimal rest. back into Sufferlandria. The recovery from the workout will be shorter (compared to the typical Sufferfest) and we find Winding through the alps of France and Italy, and that there are improvements in lactate clearance tackling some of the most famous mountains in when training in this zone. the area - including the Col de L’Iseran and Monte
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A pure attacking, climbing, fighting Tour de France stage THE WRETCHED BEST FOR: Making you grovel and overcoming moments of despair 50m
Perhaps one of the most difficult Sufferfests, The Unlike the other Sufferfest videos, this workout Wretched is the tale of a Sufferlandrian who has does not have a clear structure. But that’s racing fallen from Local Hero to Zero. Now, faced with – you have a general idea of what the course is THRESHOLD the final stage of the Tour de France, you need like, but you don’t really know how the race will to remember how to Suffer and race with more unfold. The Wretched will keep you guessing. courage than you’ve ever done before. And no You’ll never know when an attack is coming rests. It will push you to the absolute limit – but – and they usually come when you wish they then again, nobody ever said winning a Tour de wouldn’t. France stage was easy. Keep the bucket nearby. And don’t you dare lose that final sprint to the line.
IWBMATTKYT 16 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A brutal 40 minute climb THIN AIR BEST FOR: Building climbing endurance the likes of which the Sufferlandrian Volcano Climber would be jealous of 60m
You’ve struggled up the eight minute slopes VICTORY won’t come easy, though - not only do of Angels. You’ve clawed your way to the top you have an ambitious peloton to deal with, but of the 20 minute climb in The Hunted. Now rumour has it that The Shark - the most feared THRESHOLD comes your greatest challenge: proving to the cyclist in the world - is also in the hunt for world that you are a true cycling legend by GLORY. If ever a Sufferfest tested your mental, emerging victorious at the summit of Thin Air’s as well as physical, strength, Thin Air has to be it. 40 (!) minute climb.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 6 climbs of various duration, intensity and cadences; meditating on beauty TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE BEST FOR: Building your endurance base and those easier days between all-out Sufferfests 90m
It’s taken five years and more than 20 videos, mountains like the Monte Grappa, Tre Cime di but we’re proud to release our first ‘not that Lavoredo, Passo delle Erbe and Passo Manghen. hard’ (we can’t bring ourselves to say ‘easy’) You’ll even pop over to Austria to scale the THRESHOLD video. Produced in collaboration with The Col fearsome heights of the Grossglockner. Collective, creators of the world’s finest videos Featuring local insights from Mike and the on famous cycling mountains, this 90 minute Minions, as well as a killer soundtrack and video takes you on a sweeping and dramatic stunning scenery, you’ll be planning your next tour through the Dolomite mountains of trip to the mountains even before you climb off Northern Italy. Following legendary endurance the bike. cyclist Mike Cotty, you’ll climb amazing
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Getting told what to do before finally declaring SHUT UP LEGS! TOLD OFF BY ANGELS BEST FOR: Handling changes in pace, surges and attacks and then recovering enough to do it all over again 55m
Many of The Sufferfest’s previous workouts focused Told Off By Angels will start you off with some on improving a single skill. For example, Do As matching intervals from Do As You’re Told, then You’re Told will build your speed, Angels will shift gears into a 10 minute race simulation from THRESHOLD improve your climbing and The Rookie simulates The Rookie before crushing the final climb up the a racing situation. Surely the only thing better than Angliru from Angels. Are you up to the challenge? that would be a workout combining all three. Well, that’s what we’ve done!
IWBMATTKYT 17 CYCLING VIDEOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: 64 sprints between 5, 10 and 15 seconds long VIOLATOR BEST FOR: Winning 70m
So you’ve trained your ass off and you find Featuring exclusive footage from the 2013 yourself at the very end of the race. It’s you Giro d’Italia, we’ll throw you into the thick against the others as you come to the final of the action and go head to head with the THRESHOLD 200 meters. Time to sprint — are you prepared? best sprinters in the world, including Mark Violator is THE essential sprint improvement Cavendish, John Degenkolb and Elia Viviani. video. Featuring a total of 64 sprints, with Oh, and a shark, a hamster, a leopard and an durations of 5, 10 and 15 seconds, this is focused, airplane. As the Speed Demon of Sufferlandria, determined training that will ensure you take we’re sure you can handle it. Right? your rightful place as the Speed Demon of Sufferlandria.
THRESHOLD
EXTREME HOPES ARE BORN OF EXTREME MISERY.
THRESHOLD BERTRAND RUSSELL
IWBMATTKYT 18 CYCLING DRILLS
PRIMERS CADENCE BUILDS 50m 45m
What? What? Primers are a workout designed How? This workout will ask you to How? to stimulate your system without Keep your cadence to what’s progressively build from a cadence Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM. comfortable, 90-100 RPM, unless overloading it with fatigue. of 90 RPM to your max over 30 seconds, recover and repeat. otherwise indicated. Primers are a moderate intensity Warm-Up Cadence builds are best done workout that can done on the • 7 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / indoors on a turbo trainer because Warm-Up turbo trainer or outdoors. The 70% of LTHR even small variations in terrain • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / • 1 minute @ RPE 6 / 90% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR bulk of this workout is spent in can affect your ability to properly 95% of LTHR • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / execute this workout. The majority heart rate Z1/2, 50-75% of your • 1 minute @ RPE 7 / 95% of FTP / 75% of LTHR of this workout is done in heart rate threshold power or RPE 2-5. 100% of LTHR • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / • 30 seconds @ RPE 8 / 110% of FTP / Z1/2, between 50-75% of FTP or HR < 85% of LTHR 105% of LTHR RPE of 2-5, though the effort level • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / Why? • 30 seconds @ RPE 9 / 120% of FTP / will be quite high during the peak 90% of LTHR Primers are for the day before HR > 105% of LTHR cadence output. • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP a big workout or event. The • 1 minute recovery @ RPE 2 / 45% of / HR < 70% of LTHR FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR purpose of Primers is to activate Why? Main Set the system for the Suffering Main Set Cadence builds are designed • 30 second cadence build from at hand (and make sure your • 3 minutes @ RPE 7.5 / 100% of FTP / to improve the way you recruit 90 RPM to your max cadence. Try bike is up to the task!). The 100-105% of LTHR your leg, glute and core muscles to keep your effort < 6 RPE / 90% • 6 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / throughout your pedal stroke of FTP / 90% of LTHR key to a good workout here HR < 70% of LTHR 7 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / by progressing to your maximal • is completing enough efforts Repeat threshold and recovery HR < 70% of LTHR • cadence. By reaching your highest until your legs are feeling good, efforts 3 times • Repeat 4 times 10 second surge @ RPE 9 / 120% of cadence possible you are training and then saving your energy for • FTP / HR > 105% of LTHR the “on/off” switch in each muscle Cool Down tomorrow. #IWBMATTKYT. • 3 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / group to not only work faster, but • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR have less overlap with your other HR < 70% of LTHR • Repeat sprints and recovery efforts muscle groups. You’re training 3 times (but skip the last recovery your hamstring muscles to “turn and proceed to cool down) off” when your quads “turn on” and vice-versa to achieve a more Cool Down efficient pedal stroke. • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR
IWBMATTKYT 19 CYCLING DRILLS
CADENCE BUILDS / SINGLE LEG / HOLDS 1hr
What? Why? This workout combines multiple The goals of this workout are: technique driven intervals that • To hold as high a cadence as possible while fully will improve your overall form engaging your core so that you are not bouncing and smoothness on the bike. in the saddle. Cadence holds and builds are • To steadily increase your cadence over 30 designed to improve the way seconds until you are hitting your absolute you recruit your leg, glute and maximal cadence. core muscles throughout your pedal stroke by sustaining a • Keeping a smooth pedal stroke when pedaling cadence that is just above what with only one leg on the pedals. is comfortable and by hitting This workout is best done indoors on a turbo trainer your maximal cadence. Single leg efforts involve unclipping How? one leg and riding at a steady Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM, unless otherwise indicated. effort pedaling with a single leg, this forces you to pull up on the Warm-Up 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR pedal instead of just pushing • • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / 75% of LTHR down. This workout is best done • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / HR < 85% of LTHR while riding indoors on a turbo • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 90% of LTHR trainer because even small • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR
variations in terrain can affect Main Set your ability to properly execute • 30 second cadence BUILD from 90 RPM to your max cadence. Try to keep your effort < 6 RPE / 90% of FTP / 90% of LTHR this workout. The majority of • 60 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR 30 second cadence HOLD at 110+ RPM (maintain the highest RPM while maintaining stable on the saddle). this workout is done in heart • Try to keep your effort < 6 RPE / 90% of FTP / 90% of LTHR rate Z1/2, 50-75% of threshold, • 60 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR RPE 2-5, keeping the effort level • 60 seconds pedalling with your RIGHT leg only. Try to keep your effort < 6 RPE / 90% of FTP / 90% of LTHR. below threshold (heart rate Z4, • 60 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of • 60 seconds pedalling with your LEFTleg only. Try to keep your effort < 6 RPE / 90% of FTP / 90% of LTHR. LTHR 100% of threshold, RPE 7-8) • 9 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR during the max cadence efforts. • Repeat set 3 times (but skip the last recovery interval and proceed straight to the cool down)
Cool Down • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR IWBMATTKYT 20 CYCLING DRILLS
STANDING STARTS 1hr
What? Why? Standing starts closely simulate Standing starts will train your ability to generate a lifting session on the bike force through the pedals by forcing you to because it requires the recruit all of your musculature. No matter your engagement of your core, upper prefered discipline, these efforts are key to and lower body. The majority teaching your body to recruit all of the muscle of this workout is done at a low fibers in your legs. The saying “Use it or Lose it” to moderate intensity (heart actually does apply here. rate Z2, sub-70% of FTP, RPE 4 and lower) with the exception of multiple 20 second maximal How? efforts. 15 seconds before each Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM except during the Standing Starts where your cadence will ramp up progressively over 20 seconds. effort, change into a heavy resistance, such as 53x14 (or 50x13 Warm-Up for compact) gearing, and slow • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / 75% of LTHR down to nearly a complete stop. • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / HR < 85% of LTHR The goal is to get this big gear • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 90% of LTHR spinning as quickly as possible, • 1 minute @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR 2 x 5 second flat out sprints with 5 minutes recovery between each sprint. so that by the end of the effort • you reach 90+RPM. For each Main Set effort it is important to both • 20 second Standing Starts at your hard gear/resistance level. push down and pull up on the Effort should start after you slow down to less than 5mph/8kph. These are MAX efforts so this should feel AWFUL! pedals. You must also focus on • 8 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR not rocking back and forth on • Repeat set 4 times (but skip the last recovery interval the bike for the first 10 seconds. and proceed straight to the cool down)
Cool Down • 10 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR
IWBMATTKYT 21 CYCLING DRILLS
ENDURANCE+ ENDURANCE+ 1hr 1hr30m
What? What? This is a long, easy ride. Almost so How? This is a long, easy ride. Almost so How? easy a Couchlandrian could do Keep your cadence to what’s easy a Couchlandrian could do Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM. comfortable, 90-100 RPM. it, but not quite. Endurance rides it, but not quite. Endurance rides are a low intensity workout that Warm-Up are a low intensity workout that Warm-Up can be completed on the turbo • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / can be completed on the turbo • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / trainer or outdoors and there HR < 70% of LTHR trainer or outdoors and there HR < 70% of LTHR • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / is no video associated with 75% of LTHR is no video associated with 75% of LTHR Endurance+ rides, though you • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / HR Endurance+ rides, though you • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / HR can tune in to the Open 30/60 < 85% of LTHR can tune in to the Open 30/60 < 85% of LTHR 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / rides in the app catalogue. • rides in the app catalogue. • 90% of LTHR 90% of LTHR • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / Why? HR < 70% of LTHR Why? HR < 70% of LTHR The goal of this workout is to The goal of this workout is to develop your aerobic fitness by Main Set develop your aerobic fitness by Main Set • 15 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / • 30 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / keeping to the aerobic cardio 75% of LTHR keeping to the aerobic cardio 75% of LTHR zone (everything below heart • 30 minutes @ @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP zone (everything below heart • 45 minutes @ @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP rate Z3, less than 70% of FTP, / HR < 85% of LTHR rate Z3, less than 70% of FTP, / HR < 85% of LTHR RPE 5). Stick to flat or gently Cool Down RPE 5). Stick to flat or gently Cool Down rolling terrain if possible, avoid • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / rolling terrain if possible, avoid • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / group rides (because we all HR < 70% of LTHR group rides (because we all HR < 70% of LTHR know you’ll want to show off know you’ll want to show off how BADASS you are) but keep how BADASS you are) but keep it social by stopping for a coffee it social by stopping for a coffee or two. or two.
IWBMATTKYT 22 CYCLING DRILLS
ENDURANCE+ RECOVERY SPIN 2hr 30m
What? What? This is a long, easy ride. Almost How? A short and easy ride. Please did How? so easy a Couchlandrian could Keep your cadence to what’s not write this short ride off, as it is Keep your cadence to what’s comfortable, 90-100 RPM. do it, but not quite. Endurance an essential part of your recovery. comfortable, 90-100 RPM. rides are a low intensity workout Warm-Up Warm-Up that can be completed on the • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / Why? • 5 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / HR < 70% of LTHR turbo trainer or outdoors and Don’t be afraid of the Two Rs: rest HR < 70% of LTHR • 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / 2 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / there is no video associated and recovery. Believe it or not, you • 75% of LTHR 75% of LTHR with Endurance+ rides, though • 1 minute @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP / HR get faster when your body is taking you can tune in to the Open < 85% of LTHR it easy after all that Suffering. A Main Set • 1 minute @ RPE 5 / 75% of FTP / 30/60 rides in the app catalogue. recovery spin is a very low intensity • 20 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP 90% of LTHR / HR < 70% of LTHR. Keep your Feel free to split these longer • 30 seconds @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / ride, so easy that you’d feel cadence above 90 RPM and the ENDURANCE+ rides into two HR < 70% of LTHR embarrassed to ride so slow if you resistance light. rides (half in the morning and didn’t know you were helping your Main Set half in the evening). body get much faster. Recovery Cool Down • 45 minutes @ RPE 3 / 55% of FTP / • 3 minutes @ RPE 1 / 40% of FTP / 75% of LTHR spins can be done on a turbo HR < 70% of LTHR Why? • 55 minutes @ @ RPE 4 / 65% of FTP trainer or outdoors on flat terrain, / HR < 85% of LTHR The goal of this workout is to but keep it in the little ring and the develop your aerobic fitness by Cool Down cadence above 90 RPM. Stick to keeping to the aerobic cardio • 10 minutes @ RPE 2 / 45% of FTP / heart rate Z1, less than 50% of your HR < 70% of LTHR zone (everything below heart FTP, or RPE 3 and under. rate Z3, less than 70% of FTP, RPE 5). Stick to flat or gently rolling terrain if possible, avoid group rides (because we all know you’ll want to show off how BADASS you are) but keep it social by stopping for a coffee or two.
IWBMATTKYT 23 YOGA WORKOUTS
When it comes to overall health no one can argue that cycling is bad for you. Well, Couchlandrians might, but they don’t count. Cycling is fantastic for improving cardiovascular fitness and as a low impact sport it puts minimal strain on joints like your hips and knees. Regular aerobic exercise (like cycling) also increases levels of endorphins in your brain which can reduce anxiety and improve your mood. However, as a proud citizen of Sufferlandria, you do more than just ride a bike. You Suffer on a bike. You make bikes Suffer. You make other people riding on bikes Suffer. As joyous as that sounds, it can, believe it or not, lead to some problems. Not that any of us would ever think of doing something else, but being hunched over handlebars while your legs make 13 inch circles isn’t exactly what humans were made to do. The two biggest problems that come about from riding a bike are limited flexibility and poor core strength. This is where the new Sufferfest yoga program comes in. Yoga has been around for thousands of years, but only recently has it gained widespread acceptance within all forms of elite sport. Adding just a few yoga sessions a week can begin the process of loosening the tight hamstrings and hip flexors you have likely developed through all your glorious suffering. The dynamic nature of many yoga moves have the added benefit of constantly engaging your core muscles. That means throughout a session you will not only improve your flexibility, but also your core strength. Just like all aspects of physical fitness there are no quick fixes. Improving your flexibility and increasing your core strength will take time, but with a little time on a regular basis these exercises can make you faster on the bike. Getting more flexible will allow you to get a little bit more aerodynamic, and better core strength with help you put even more power into your pedals. With that in mind, it’s not a question of whether you should be doing yoga. Rather, the only question you should be asking is “When can I start?” Your training plan has yoga practice thoughtfully scheduled into your daily and weekly program. Each exercise is scheduled in conjunction with cycling workouts in order to optimise the training adaptation. The exercises are scheduled with beginner practitioners and a low time commitment in mind. If you are more experienced with yoga or you find yourself capable of repeating the beginner modules without fatigue or loss of form, you Your Yoga Guide in may wish to add some more exercises to your regimen. Sufferlandria, Abi Carver of Yoga15
24 YOGA WORKOUTS
CATEGORY: LEVEL: BREATHING TO CRUSH THEM Breathing Beginner 3m
Perhaps the only people more Badass than Sufferlandrians operations. Learn and use this technique before heading into are Navy Seals. And this is the breathing exercise that Navy your own major events and races. Seals do to calm down and focus themselves before major
CATEGORY: LEVEL: BREATHING TO CALM DOWN Breathing Beginner 3m
In 4-7-8 Breath your exhalations are twice as long as your help to reduce pain and calm your nervous system. exhalations. It is a therapeutic breathing technique that can
CATEGORY: LEVEL: BREATHING MORE DEEPLY Breathing Beginner 3m
Diaphragmatic Breathing is a calming exercise that encourages you to breathe deeply into your abdomen.
CATEGORY: LEVEL: CORE STRENGTHENERS Core Intermediate 15m ALL THAT The power to crush non-Sufferlandrians comes not just from You’ll also suffer less back pain. With those goals in mind, your legs, but from your core. When your core is strong and this sequence strengthens the abs, obliques and lower back. YOU SUFFER IS stable, you can generate more power, more efficiently. ALL THAT YOU ARE. CATEGORY: LEVEL: GUIDED MEDITATION Breathing Beginner 5m SMASHING PUMPKINS
This a short guided meditation that focuses on your breath and the sensations in your body.
IWBMATTKYT 25 YOGA WORKOUTS
CATEGORY: LEVEL: LOOSEN NECK & SHOULDERS Flexibility Intermediate 15m
Cycling can put a lot of strain on your neck and shoulders, will release tension in this area and have you feeling relaxed especially if you spend a lot of time down in the drops or in an and ready to Suffer again. aero position. We’ll sort that out with a series of exercises that
CATEGORY: LEVEL: RECOVERY BOOSTER Recovery Beginner 15m
Sufferfest sessions tear your body down. It’s in the periods time, relaxing you and ensuring giving your body the chance to between Sufferfest sessions, when you’re recovering, that you grow stronger. become more powerful. This session helps boost your recovery
CATEGORY: LEVEL: YOGA IN COUCHLANDRIA: THE OFFICE Travel Beginner 15m
If you’re spending a lot of time sitting down in an office, stiffness, damage done at the desk and ensure your body is ready to tension and soreness can creep into your body. That can affect Suffer properly once you get on the bike. your performance on the bike. This routine will counteract the
CATEGORY: LEVEL: MORE BREATHING TO CALM DOWN Breathing Beginnger 3m THE SALVATION 3-Part Breath is a therapeutic breathing technique that OF THE WORLD IS encourages you to use your full lung capacity. MAN’S SUFFERING.
WILLIAM FAULKNER
IWBMATTKYT 26 FTP & RPE / MAPPING
RPE EFFORT TYPE ZONE POWER ZONE HEART ZONE INTERNAL HOW DOES IT FEEL? (PERCEIVED (PZ) (HRZ) MONOLOGUES EXERTION) Active Recovery 1 <55% of FTP <70% of LT I’M HARDLY TRYING • Beer, pizza, donuts. 0-2.5 Your power Your HR range: OVER HERE! • Easy spinning and minimal pressure on the pedals. range: • Concentration required to maintain such an easy pace (unless you just finished an interval) • Used for recovery between intervals and on days of active recovering.
......
Endurance 2 55-75% of FTP <70-87% of LT NOT TOO HARD, • “Not too hard, not to easy, this feels just right!” 3-4.5 Your power Your HR range: NOT TOO EASY, THIS • All day pace. range: FEELS JUST RIGHT! • Sensations of leg effort/ fatigue will be low for up to 4 hours at this pace • Some concentration required to maintain (especially when outside: easing off on an uphill and pushing a bit on a downhill)......
Tempo 3 75-91% of FTP 87-95% of LT IT’S NOT THAT IT’S • “It’s not that it’s painful, I just don’t want to be here all day” 5-6 Your power Your HR range: PAINFUL, I JUST • Pace you would be able to maintain for a few hours, if done continuously will not feel difficult range: DON’T WANT TO BE for the first 45-60 min HERE ALL DAY • Greater sensation of fatigue and moderate amount of force on the pedals......
Sub Lactate 4a 91-100% of FTP 95-100% of LT HEY, THIS IS • “This is starting to get painful” 6.5-7 Threshold (LT) Your power Your HR range: STARTING TO HURT! • About the effort you could sustain for 60-90 minutes at most. range: • Fatigue is starting to build up in the legs. • Concentration is required to maintain a steady effort at this level. • Conversation is possible, but you won’t feel like talking after extended amounts of time at this ...... effort. Supra Lactate 4b 100-110% of FTP 100-105% of LT MY GOODNESS... • “I don’t have to do this for that long, right?” 7.5-8 Threshold (LT) Your power Your HR range: PLEASE MAKE IT • The effort you could hold - with difficulty - for 30-60 minutes when completely fresh. range: STOP • You need to stay focused when doing these types of efforts, especially towards the end of an effort when the pain is really hitting you
......
VO2Max 5 110-135% of FTP 105%-MAX of LT I WOULD RATHER • “My goodness... Please make it stop!” 8.5-9.5 Your power Your HR range: RIP OUT MY • This is the effort you can sustain for 3-8 minutes (continuously) range: TOENAILS THAN GO • You might be able to get out a word or two, but you certainly won’t want to. THROUGH THIS! • Due to the short length of these efforts average heart rate is not the best way to gauge these ...... efforts (since heart rate is slow to respond to efforts)......
Anaerobic 6 135-∞% of FTP N/A I’M GOING AS HARD • “I would rather rip out my toenails than go through this!” 10 Capacity / Your power AS I CAN! I CAN’T GO • This effort level ranges from 1-30 seconds in sprint type efforts, and 30 seconds - 3 minutes for Neuromuscular range: ANY HARDER! more “controlled” efforts. Power • Concentration requirements are: “Keeping going as hard as you can” ...... YOUR FTP IS
IWBMATTKYT 27 PLAN OVERVIEW / NOVICE
WEEK TYPE MON TUES WED THUR FRI SAT SUN Breathing to Crush Guided Meditation Breathing More Breathing to Calm 1. AND SO IT Them Deeply Down BEGINS Ride Time: Primers Rubber Glove The Way Out Endurance+ Moderate Arrrrrgh! Moderate Easy 3h 50m Day Off Recovery Booster Loosen Neck and Shoulders
Breathing to Crush Breathing to Calm Breathing More 2. GETTING Them Down Deeply ACQUAINTED WITH Elements of Style The Wretched Recovery Spin Thin Air @ 90% Endurance+ SUFFERING Moderate Arrrrrgh! Easy Arrrrrgh! Easy Day Off Ride Time: Recovery Booster Core Strengtheners Loosen Neck and 4h 30m Shoulders
Breathing to Crush Breathing to Calm 3. BREATHE Them Down EASY Ride Time: Cadence Builds Told Off by Angels Recovery Spin Endurance+ Moderate @ 80% Arrrrrgh! Easy Easy 3h 10m Day Off Guided Meditation Core Strengtheners Recovery Booster
Breathing to Crush Breathing to Crush Breathing More 4. THE NAIL & Them Them Deeply THE HAMMER Ride Time: Standing Starts Nine Hammers Violator Endurance+ Moderate Arrrrrgh! Arrrrrgh! Easy 5h 10m Day Off Day Off Loosen Neck and Core Strengtheners Recovery Booster
Shoulders
Breathing to Crush Breathing More 5. HALF FULL Them Deeply Ride Time: Elements of Style Revolver is Easy The Best Way is Endurance+ 4h 30m Moderate Arrrrrgh! Blended Arrrrrgh! Easy Day Off Day Off Core Strengtheners Recovery Booster
IWBMATTKYT BREATHING CYCLING YOGA 28 PLAN OVERVIEW / NOVICE
WEEK TYPE MON TUES WED THUR FRI SAT SUN Breathing to Calm Breathing More 6. ABSENCES Down Deeply MAKES THE HEART GROW Cadence Builds/ FONDER - FOR Recovery Spin Thin Air @ 75% Endurance+ Easy Moderate Hold/ Single Leg Easy SUFFERING Day Off work Moderate Day Off
Ride Time: Recovery Booster Guided Meditation Loosen Neck and 3h 30m Shoulders
Breathing to Crush Breathing to Crush More Breathing to 7. DOUBLING UP Them Them Calm Down Ride Time: 5h 20m The Omnium Do As You’re Told Recovery Spin To Get To The Other Endurance+ Arrrrrgh! Arrrrrgh! Easy Side Moderate Easy Day Off Core Strengtheners Yoga in Couchlandria: Office
Breathing to Crush Breathing More 8. GOING DEEP Them Deeply Ride Time: Cadence Builds Igniter + The Long Hell Hath No Fury Endurance+ 5h 20m Moderate Scream @ 90% + Extra @ 90% Arrrrrgh! Easy Day Off Shot @ 90% Arrrrrgh! Day Off
Recovery Booster Yoga in Core Strengtheners Couchlandria
More Breathing to 9. PHEW! Calm Down Ride Time: Elements of Style The Best Way is Endurance+ 3h 15m @ 80% Moderate Blended @ 80% Easy Day Off Day Off Moderate Day Off Yoga in Couclandria: Guided Meditation Recovery Booster Loosen Neck and
Office Shoulders
Breathing to Crush Breathing More Breathing to Crush 10. RAISING THE Them Deeply Them BAR Ride Time: Cadence Builds The Omnium Primers Rubber Glove Moderate Arrrrrgh! Moderate Arrrrrgh! 3h 25m Day Off Day Off
Core Strengtheners Recovery Booster Yoga in Loosen Neck and
Couchlandria: Office Shoulders
IWBMATTKYT BREATHING CYCLING YOGA 29 WEEKLY 01/ OVERVIEW
AND SO IT BEGINS.... CYCLING Mark your starting point and set your goals for the next 10 weeks. Above all else, get ready to Suffer! TIME: Once you finish Rubber Glove and the app configures your training zones, start your first weekend with 3h50m some lower intensity rides to work on building your base fitness. Just as important is your first crack at some sufferfest yoga this week. Cycling puts the body in a fixed position for hours on end and many cyclists end up with very poor flexibility, which can lead to a great risk of overuse injuries. By YOGA TIME: incorporating yoga into your training regime you can offset that negative aspect of cycling and become a 45m more well rounded athlete. Now get ready to embark on 10 weeks of PAIN, MISERY and AGONY as you head towards HONOUR, GLORY and VICTORY!
IWBMATTKYT 30 NO PERSON CAN REFORM THEMSELVES WITHOUT SUFFERING AND HARD WORK. WEEK 01 / THOMAS CARLYLE
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing More Breathing to Crush Them Deeply Calm Down
Remember, these The best cyclists BREATHING are optional… but breathe with their Day Off these exercises diaphragm and now are helping you T.G.I.F so do you. Practice become more THERE’S this technique while BADASS (so they’re Suffering until it not really an SUFFERING becomes second option). TOMORROW nature.
Primers Rubber Glove The Way Out Endurance+ START OFF Moderate | 50m Arrrrrgh! | 1h Moderate | 1h Easy | 1h ON THE CYCLING The key to a good Tests… they have This is your first Jump on the bike RIGHT FOOT. set of ‘Primers’ is never sucked so time back on the and get some OR THE LEFT. to go just hard much as Rubber bike since your quality riding in WHICHEVER enough to get Glove. Lay it all fitness test. It today. It’s easy, the legs firing for on the line for make take a bit but not too easy. IS STRONGER. a big effort the 20 minutes of of adjustment Be mindful of next day without pure Suffering to getting used to how you’re coping over-fatiguing set your fitness your new training with the addition your system. baseline for the zones so don’t be of yoga and high Make a note of next 10 weeks. surprised if this intensity training how you feel workout hurts into your routine. after tomorrow’s more than you workout and make expect it to. adjustments for the next time you do an Primers session.
Recovery Guided Loosen Neck Booster Meditation and Shoulders
This exercise will YOGA help you maximise your Return on Suffering. ONLY NINE WEEKS OF THIS LEFT. SO SAD. IWBMATTKYT 31 WEEKLY 02/ OVERVIEW
GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH SUFFERING CYCLING Now that you have your Sufferfest App calibrated with Rubber Glove (whether it be power, heart rate or TIME: RPE) it’s time to get to Suffering. What do the Minions have in store for you this week? 4h45m You get a hefty dose of long, drawn out Suffering - that’s what! The main focus this week is to continue to hit those longer efforts that will increase your baseline fitness. We are laying the foundation for the next 8 weeks so YOGA TIME: that when the shorter, high intensity efforts come around you will be able to smash every last one of 55m them!
IWBMATTKYT 32 THERE’S NOTHING WRONG IN SUFFERING, IF YOU SUFFER FOR A PURPOSE. WEEK 02 / H.G. WELLS
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing to Breathing Crush Them Calm Down More Deeply RESET. REFRESH. BREATHING Day Off RELAX. CONTEMPLATE CRUSHING THEM. ALL OF THEM.
WHAT Elements of The Wretched Recovery Spin Thin Air @ 90% Endurance+ Style WOULD A Arrrrrgh! | 50m Easy | 30m Arrrrrgh! | 1h Easy | 1h 30m CYCLING BADASS Moderate | 40m If you thought Active recovery It’s not a question Get into the DO? The secret to Rubber Glove was - it’s what of IF, but rather routine of backing improving your hard, just brace BADASSES like you WHEN, you will up a tough ride #WWABD performance on yourself for what do now. crack during this with an easier, the bike comes The Wretched workout. Our bet endurance- from incremental has in store for is that it’s towards focused effort. improvements you. Use the tools the end when to your form and from Elements of the attacks come efficiency. If you Style and apply fast and furious struggle with some them while under and your tank is of the drills make pressure here. already depleted. it a focus and see if The important you can improve in thing is that you the coming weeks. stay focused, keep your effort up and struggle to the finish.
Recovery Core Loosen Neck Booster Strengtheners and Shoulders
Core strength YOGA can make the difference between powering over a climb or fading half-way through. What would a BADASS do? (HINT: They wouldn’t skip this session.) IWBMATTKYT 33 WEEKLY 03/ OVERVIEW
BREATHE EASY This is the first of your “recovery weeks” which means it’s a great time to take extra care of your body. But CYCLING remember, just because it is a rest week doesn’t mean you are off the hook! TIME: A smooth pedal stroke is an efficient pedal stroke, so you get your first crack at improving yours with 3h10m Cadence Builds this week. We also throw in a dash of intensity on Wednesday with Told Off By Angels just to keep things interesting. This rest week isn’t just about letting your body absorb the work you have already done, it’s also about making sure you are fresh YOGA TIME: to hit the next two weeks of training as hard as you can! So stay on top of your yoga, and get in some 40m extra hours of sleep!
IWBMATTKYT 34 TRUE, I AM IN LOVE WITH SUFFERING. WEEK 03 / SAINT IGNATIUS
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing to Breathing to Crush Them Calm Down Calm Down
BREATHING FEELING STRONGER YET?
Cadence Told Off By Recovery Spin Endurance+ Builds Angels @ 80% Easy | 30m Easy | 1h CYCLING Moderate | 45m Arrrrrgh! | 55m Keep it easy and You’ll feel fit and Like hard work but A great tempo just flush any fresh and ready to without too much session to keep residual fatigue ATTACK the road. soul-scorching your legs tuned from your muscles. Reign this desire intensity typical of without all the in and save it for
. a Sufferfest. These fatigue of a full another day. moderate days will on session. Trust challenge you and us here and resist help you transform the impulse to your fitness - so complete this
“EASY” stay focused and session at full nail this workout. intensity. THAT WAS “EASY”! DON’T GET USED TO THIS FEELING, IT
IT’S AN EASY WEEK, EASY AN IT’S USED WE BUT SURE, SUFFERLANDRIANTHE OF DEFINITION WON’T LAST.
Guided Core Recovery Meditation Strengtheners Booster
YOGA WWABD?
IWBMATTKYT 35 WEEKLY 04/ OVERVIEW
THE NAIL & THE HAMMER The name of the game this week is high intensity. We start things off with some Standing Start efforts, CYCLING which will help improve your pedal stroke at max power. That is just the warm up for the week though! TIME: Wednesday will see you facing off against Nine Hammers, and it will be your time to see if you are the 5h10m hammer or the nail! After two days of (needed) rest you get to see what sort of speed your legs have left by tackling the 64 sprints of Violator. Don’t let the first set fool you, because the third set is where the real fun happens. YOGA TIME: This week might sound a daunting, but The Minions expect you to handle it after such a restful 7 days last 55m week.
IWBMATTKYT 36 ONE MUST CHOOSE IN LIFE BETWEEN BOREDOM AND SUFFERING. WEEK 04 / MADAME DE STAEL
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing to Breathing Crush Them Crush Them More Deeply
BREATHING Day Off Day Off
Standing Nine Violator Endurance+ Starts Hammers Arrrrrgh! | 1h 10m Easy | 2h CYCLING Moderate | 1h Arrrrrgh! | 1h You read that right Your legs may feel Who needs a squat You will not enjoy - 64 sprints! Brace a little ordinary rack when you this session until yourself. The last at the start of this have a perfectly the oxygen gets set will be very ride, but shake good bike? diverted from your messy, but try to it off and ride brain to your legs, maintain form your legs into and then it’ll feel and focus under compliance. just fine. Turn up pressure. the music and dig real deep, it’ll be over before you know it.
THE CALM BEFORE MT. MT. BEFORE CALM THE ERUPTS. SUFFERLANDRIA
Loosen Neck Core Recovery & Shoulders Strengtheners Booster
YOGA WWABD? SUFFERLANDRIA: SUFFERING, THE FOR COME SUFFERING THE FOR STAY
IWBMATTKYT 37 WEEKLY 05/ OVERVIEW
REMIX MASTERS The end of this week marks the halfway point of this adventure. In honour of this milestone we will CYCLING celebrate with two days of back-to-back intensity. After last week you might be feeling a little tired, but TIME: that’s what you are here for, right? After some technique building on Tuesday you get to 4h30m experience the (dis)pleasure of the mashup - Revolver is Easy. It’s a shorter workout, so don’t hold anything back! The weekend starts out with another mashup of some classics, combining a full range of effort YOGA TIME: intensities that will hit all the right spots, or maybe we should say sore spots. To cap off this 2 week block 40m you have a nice long ride Sunday, just remind yourself you have another rest week to look forward to when it’s all said and done.
IWBMATTKYT 38 SUFFERING IS PART OF THE DIVINE IDEA. WEEK 05 / HENRY WARD BEECHER
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing Breathing Crush Them More Deeply More Deeply NOTHING BREATHING SHOULD GET Day Off BETWEEN Day Off YOU AND YOUR REST DAYS.
Elements of Revolver is The Best Way is Endurance+ Style Easy Blended Easy | 2h CYCLING Moderate | 40m Arrrrrgh! | 45m Arrrrrgh! | 1h 5m Those legs? They Think back to your We used the are no longer first time doing Sufferlandrian yours, but Grunter Elements of Style definition for “easy” von Agony’s legs and gauge any again with this and they will do improvements one. as they’re told you’ve made. and get in 2 hours of not-too-easy riding.
Core Recovery Strengtheners Booster
WWABD? YOGA I WILL BEAT MY ASS TODAY TO THE KICK YOURS MIDWAY TOMORROW. POINT. IWBMATTKYT 39 WEEKLY 06/ OVERVIEW
ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER - FOR SUFFERING CYCLING
Rest week number two! After another solid two weeks TIME: of Suffering under your belt you have earned a little break. Get your mind and body ready to hit next week 3h30m hard, because next week will be looking to hit you hard! Thin Air on Wednesday will be backed off enough that you might even find your space...fun! You also get your first taste of single leg work on Friday, because a smooth pedal stroke is an efficient one! YOGA TIME: This is also a good week to make sure you get all your 50m yoga in, we want you loose and limber going into the next two weeks!
IWBMATTKYT 40 A MAN WILL GIVE UP ALMOST ANYTHING EXCEPT HIS SUFFERING. WEEK 06 / JOHN CLEESE
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing Breathing Calm Down More Deeply More Deeply
BREATHING Day Off Day Off
THIS ISN’T SO BAD.
Recovery Spin Thin Air @ 75% Cadence Endurance+ Easy | 30m Moderate | 1h Builds/Hold/ Easy | 1h Single Leg CYCLING Keep the legs This should tickle a An easy day to turning over and bit, but try to hold work round off an easy shake out any back a bit (if you Moderate | 1h week. Keep the aches and pains. can) and prevent legs ticking over yourself from going How smooth is and resist the urge too deep into the your pedal stroke? to dig deep. Keep red. There is very Time to find out! your easy days little rest in this You might just be easy! workout and it’s surprised how hard tough to finish this it is to pedal with strong - even at only 1 leg at a time, reduced intensity.
Recovery Guided Loosen Neck Booster Meditation & Shoulders
YOGA AIN’T NO TIME LIKE CHAMOIS TIME. IWBMATTKYT 41 WEEKLY 07/ OVERVIEW
DOUBLING UP Yep, that’s right - two glorious back-to-back days of high intensity Suffering! Not only will this power CYCLING combo make you faster, but it will give you some insight into the type of Sufferlandrian you are. Pay TIME: attention to which day you feel better on - The Omnium or Do As You’re Told. Some Sufferlandrians 5h20m get the most out of themselves the day after a full dose of Suffering, others do better going in completely fresh. Figuring that out now will ensure you can get the most out of yourself on the day of your choosing! As a reward for your midweek Suffering you get to YOGA TIME: enjoy some “easier” steady state intervals on Saturday, and another long ride on Sunday to cap off an 55m awesome week of training.
IWBMATTKYT 42 MAN HAS TO SUFFER. WHEN HE HAS NO REAL AFFLICTIONS, HE INVENTS SOME. WEEK 07 / ADAM CRAIG
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing to More Crush Them Crush Them Breathing to Calm Down BREATHING Day Off
The Omnium Do As You’re Recovery Spin To Get to the Endurance+ Arrrrrgh! | 50m Told Easy | 30m Other Side Easy | 1h 45m CYCLING SUFFERING We asked ourselves Arrrrrgh! | 45m Shake out two Moderate | 1h30m Remember, don’t ON THE how could Remember that days worth of Who knew get roped into we bottle the your legs no longer fatigue from your suffering could be any tough bunch HORIZON. maximum amount belong to you. legs. Keep it short so beautiful? rides. Keep it of pain into the Today, they belong and sweet. easy verging on least amount of to two kindly- moderate and time. We came up looking gentlemen save your blinding with something in a car who are speed for another too easy, so we anything but kind. time. designed The Omnium instead. You’re welcome.
Recovery Core Yoga in Booster Strengtheners Couchlandria: Office YOGA Killer session again tomorrow - you MY LEGS This may attract I COULD better not skip this! DOTH some curious GET USED looks from your PROTEST colleagues. Explain TO FEELING that you’re a TOO MUCH, Sufferlandrian and THIS METHINKS. use the activity to BADASS. convert them too. IWBMATTKYT 43 WEEKLY 08/ OVERVIEW
GOING DEEP Last week was hard, so we might as well keep that trend going right? Getting into a second week of hard CYCLING Suffering some of that sharpness in your legs might be gone, but that just means we get to power through TIME: some longer “less intense” efforts! More cadence work Tuesday will prep you for the triple video session you 5h20m have in store Wednesday! Just because Extra Shot and The Long Scream are backed off to 90% doesn’t mean they will be easy! That’s why you get a full on race warm up from Igniter before starting. Since you smashed that Wednesday session you get YOGA TIME: to enjoy a pair of 20 minute efforts on Saturday from Hell Hath No Fury. Once you make it to Sunday you 50m only have 2 hours of steady endurance riding standing between you and your final rest week!
IWBMATTKYT 44 ENDURE AND PERSIST; THIS PAIN WILL TURN TO GOOD BY AND BY. WEEK 08 / OVID
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing Crush Them More Deeply
BREATHING Day Off Day Off
Cadence Igniter A GOOD Hell Hath No Endurance+ DAY TO Builds + Fury @ 90% Easy | 2h CYCLING Moderate | 50m The Long PRACTICE Arrrrrgh! | 1h 15m Scream @ 90% YOUR Longer, steadier Have you noticed ride. How do you + You know this is feel after these how this simple yet CHAMOIS an insanely tough effective workout Extra Shot longer, sustained DANCE. workout, but you’re rides? has improved the @ 90% fresh after two easy way you recruit days so NO MERCY! and activate your Arrrrrgh! | 1h 15m muscles? We did Get fired up for too - you’re looking a double shot of good! Suffering.
Recovery Yoga in Core Booster Couchlandria: Strengtheners Office YOGA We’re watching you.
YOU CAN TAKE THE RIDER OUT OF OUT RIDER THE TAKE CAN YOU TAKE CAN’T YOU BUT SUFFERLANDRIA, RIDER. THE OF OUT SUFFERLANDRIAN THE OUT RIDER THE TAKE CAN’T YOU ACTUALLY, EITHER. SUFFERLANDRIA OF
IWBMATTKYT 45 WEEKLY 09/ OVERVIEW
PHEW! Those were two big weeks! Now is the time to lift your foot off the gas and let your body absorb all that CYCLING Suffering. You have entered the home stretch, but that doesn’t mean you get to start slacking off! TIME: Some more form-based riding on Tuesday and some reduced intensity efforts Friday will keep your legs 3h15m ticking over while allowing you to fully recover from the last eight weeks. The focus this week should be on your yoga and ensuring your body is well taken care of. That might mean an extra 30 minutes of sleep a couple nights this YOGA TIME: week and even a massage if you can! 1h5m
IWBMATTKYT 46 IF SUFFERING BRINGS WISDOM, I WOULD WISH TO BE LESS WISE. WEEK 09 / WILLIAM BUTLER YEATES
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
More Breathing to Calm Down BREATHING Day Off Day Off Day Off
LOOK HOW THE MIGHTY Elements of The Best Way is Endurance+ Style @ 80% HAVE Blended @ 80% BECOME Easy | 1h 30m | | CYCLING Moderate 40m EVEN Moderate 1h 5m You know the drill. Third time’s a Hop on the bike I KNOW WE Dialled back to and force yourself charm. How MIGHTIER. 80%, this workout has your form to take it easy. SAID THAT give you a nice Believe it or not, improved since dose of tempo (Z3) your first crack at THIS WEEK this restraint is still training and keeps making you faster. Elements of Style WOULD BE it interesting. The during the second hour will be over week? EASY... WELL before you know it! IT IS - EXCEPT TOMORROW. YOU’LL HAVE FRESH LEGS TO TACKLE THE BEST WAY IS BLENDED!
Yoga in Guided Recovery Loosen Neck Couchlandria: Meditation Booster & Shoulders Office YOGA ON THE SEVENTH DAY THE DAY SEVENTH THE ON RESTED. SUFFERLANDRIAN
IWBMATTKYT 47 WEEKLY 10/ OVERVIEW
RAISING THE BAR Let’s see how far you have come! This week continues to keep the volume low but we crank up CYCLING the intensity to prime all your Suffering systems to operate at 100%. This is the bread and butter of any TIME: proper “taper” which will make sure when Sunday rolls around you can see exactly how much faster 3h25m you’ve become. Remember when you had that back to back day in Week 7? (Of course you do, that’s the type of suffering you live for.) Well if you felt better during The Omnium, you know that on Saturday your YOGA TIME: Primers should be pretty relaxed. If you felt better during Do As You’re Told then you can feel free to 1h10m unleash some Suffering during your Primers so you can crush your power test! At the end of this week you will be able to look back at 10 weeks of pure unadulterated Suffering and you will be a better Sufferlandrian for it!
IWBMATTKYT 48 INVINCIBILITY LIES IN THE DEFENCE; THE POSSIBILITY OF VICTORY IN THE ATTACK. WEEK 10 / SUN TZU
WORKOUT TYPE MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN
Breathing to Breathing Breathing to Crush Them More Deeply Crush Them
If there were ever BREATHING a time for this Day Off Day Off exercise, it’s today.
Cadence The Omnium CAN YOU Primers Rubber Glove BELIEVE Builds Arrrrrgh! | 50m Moderate | 50m Arrrrrgh! | 1h CYCLING Moderate | 45m IT’S Your second crack ALMOST Go easy or go The time has come Final week, fresh at this brutal hard - reflect for you to show EYES legs. Let’s see what session. You’ve OVER? WE back to week 7 the world what you got and gauge learned so much and apply what you’ve become. 20 ON THE how far you’ve about yourself MISS THE you learnt there minutes of pure, come. since then, so show in preparation for blinding, Suffering. SHREDDED us what you’ve got! SUFFERING tomorrow’s test. GO! CHAMOIS. ALREADY.
Core Recovery Yoga in Loosen Neck Strengtheners Booster Couchlandria: & Shoulders Office YOGA TOTAL BADASS! NOW, TIME FOR REFLECTION AND TIME TO PLAN WHAT’S NEXT.
IWBMATTKYT 49 CONGRATULATIONS... YOU COMPLETED YOUR 10 WEEK PLAN!
Wow, time flies when you’re Suffering! There are several reasons to take a moment (or two) and be pleased with yourself. You are stronger, fitter and faster than you were less than three months ago. You’ve discovered your inner Sufferlandrian. And perhaps, most importantly, you’ve shown yourself that you can improve when you put your mind to it and stick to a structured plan.
We trust you will enjoy the ass kicking you will be able to inflict on your friends, frenemies, rivals, arch-rivals and non-Sufferlandrians in the races and sportives to come.
IWBMATTKYT 50 WANT A PERSONALIZED TOUCH WITH YOUR TRAINING PLAN? APEX IS HERE TO HELP!
The Sufferfest Training Plans are more than adequate for the vast majority of athletes, but if you want something tailored to your unique needs, let us know. EMAIL APEX AT [email protected] TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP We have several options to accommodate your fitness goals:
$ THE LEAD OUT PLAN $ THE DOMESTIQUE PLAN $ THE RACE DIRECTOR 49 99 139 PLAN
The Lead Out Plan gets you a 30 minute The Domestique Plan gets you a 30 minute Maybe you’ve already made your way through Skype consultation with an APEX coach Skype consultation with an APEX coach to one of the Sufferfest Training Plans and like the to make some alterations to one of our make more substantial alterations to one of way the plans are set up, but want something standard Sufferfest Training Plans. our standard Sufferfest Training Plans, with more personalized. In that case, our 12-week Ideal for Sufferlandrians who: the option of having the plan delivered to plan will fit you like a new pair of bib shorts. you through a Basic Training Peaks account. The Race Director Plan gets you two separate • Need small tweaks in the schedule, for Ideal for Sufferlandrians who: 30-minute Skype consultations with an APEX example you know during weekend 5 of a coach and a personalized 12-week plan. plan you won’t bem able to train. We can • Like the basic layout of the Sufferfest Plan but alter the days leading in and afterwards so have commitments that will make following How exactly does this work? your training is minimally affected. the plan difficult. • The first 30-minute Skype consultation will • Are looking to do a century at the end of a • Want to use a plan, but have an important be to identify your goals and needs for the plan and want to add a bit more volume to race or event in the middle of the plan that following 12 weeks. That includes things like some weekends. We will identify weekends you want to be fresh for. your time available for training each week where it would be appropriate to add and what specific aspects of your riding or • Have a regular group ride that you want your fitness you want to focus on. We will that extra training in so you don’t overload to do every week or weekend and want to yourself. then write up a 12-week training plan for you make sure the rest of your training takes that that you can access through a Basic Training • Want to make a few (1 to 5) tweaks into account. Peaks account. throughout the plan. If you are looking for • Want to follow the standard plan but want to • The second 30-minute Skype consultation more substantial changes then this is not have multiple weekend days off from training the option for you. will be sometime around the halfway to spend time with friends/family. point of your 12 week plan to discuss your Get in touch progress and to see if modifications need to be made. Maybe you missed a few sessions or got sick and need a few tweaks for the remainder of the plan.
IWBMATTKYT 51 THESUFFERFEST.COM
Copyright 2016 The Sufferfest Pte Ltd. Unauthorised reproduction or distribution not permitted.