Sufferfest training video help....

Simon1890

Hi,

I don't want this to turn into a "I love/hate the sufferfest videos" so please refrain on opinions on that front please!!!

I'm having a few issues with the Sufferfest vids and understanding my body when completing them:

1. When the videos talk about going flat out (as in Revolver and Downward Spiral) , so we're talking about 9/10 or 10/10, I'm struggling to work out what I should be doing. Should I be churning as big a gear as possible or spinning as fast as I can? Because for me thats totally different things!! If I churn the biggest gear possible my legs burn like mad and die very quickly. However if I spin as quick as I can I quickly die aerobically (no matter what gear I'm in). Yet in both cases my HR is the same.
If I find a 'middle' between the two then I don't feel I'm pushing 10/10 as asked!!!
Any advice?

2. Im finding the above two videos stupidly hard and have yet to complete them properly (ie without missing one or two intervals). When I read reviews of the Sufferfest videos people seem to suggest the other videos are harder, and these two with their relatively short intervals are less strenuous. If I find these two videos the hardest (by a long way!!) then what does that tell me about my cycling fitness? Do I need to work on power or aerobic fitness?

Thanks in advance.

amaferanga

No point in doing the intervals so hard that you can't complete the set.

How long are the intervals? Any less than about 5 minutes and you'd be better to ignore HR and go off PE.

SBezza

If you know the length of the interval, go as hard as you can for the length of interval. Obviously you can't go flat out for 2/3 mins, flat out will be only really possible for up to a min IME. I know it might say flat out (and that in itself could be a error), but go as hard as you can for the interval length.

For example I could do 4 mins at xxx power, but there is no way I could do the same for 20 mins, and likewise what I could do for 1 or 2 mins will be higher than I could do for 4 mins.

As for cadence and gears, you have to choose them for what is best for you personally, if you were using a power meter you might find there is not much in it power wise. The feelings you experience will probably always be there, just as you get fitter you will get more powerful. Intervals always hurt though.

As for not completing a complete set, this sometimes happens, just have to accept they are very hard work, and sometimes the body isn't up for that sort of punishment, you can complete the session by backing off a little touch, or canning them completely.

Simon1890

In terms of intervals, the two vids I'm talking about are basically the following:

Revolver is essentially 1 min at 10/10 then 1 min 3/10, then that's repeated 15 times...

Downward Spiral is two sets of defending intervals (2 min at 9/10 then 2 min rests, 1 1/2 min 9/10 then 1 1/2 min rest and so on down to 15 sec on/off)

bigpikle

I think you're over thinking these a little....

Firstly, just do all you can. If you have to take a rest or skip an interval to complete all of them then just do that. If you need to work a little less hard to complete all of the intervals then thats what you need to do. No point in killing yourself in 2 reps when you have 15 to do, but you need to go hard enough to get the training effect you want from 1-2 min intervals eg L6+. Over time as you gain fitness you'll be able to go harder or do more.

Secondly, there is not an absolute science about all this. I believe David comes up with workouts he thinks are challenging and effective, and I suspect based around commonly used interval structures, so dont get hung up on 9/10 or 10/10. The point is to go hard. Choosing whether that is grinding a big gear or spinning is down to what YOU want from the training - what is relevant to the riding/racing you do? I also think HR is pointless on such short intervals as it is much less relevant over such periods and and high intensities. RPE would be much better if you're not using power.

At the end of the day I believe these are really just good ways to get variety and entertainment on the turbo. They are great to keep you interested and if you want it, some structure. I own most of them and use them when on the the turbo, but dont always follow them very closely as I have my own goals for those sessions. I typically only use the turbo in the worst of winter and in reality dont want to be doing short hard 1-2 min intervals like these in winter! They are great for relieving the boredom during 20 min FTP intervals though

Just my view...

kayakerchris

I think I agree with most of what has been said. I aim to start revolver with a fixed position on the turbo and in my very top gear. I switch between the big front chain ring and the little chainring for the hard/easy as it is the easiest to switch quickly. I keep the turbo setting the same throughout. By the 7th or 8th interval I will have dropped a gear by the 12th another gear and then I might take it back up a gear for the last couple if it is a good day. If the body is feeling really bad then i will drop another gear.

You know he lies about the 15 reps in revolver, don't you?

amaferanga

Simon1890 wrote:

In terms of intervals, the two vids I'm talking about are basically the following:

Revolver is essentially 1 min at 10/10 then 1 min 3/10, then that's repeated 15 times...

Downward Spiral is two sets of defending intervals (2 min at 9/10 then 2 min rests, 1 1/2 min 9/10 then 1 1/2 min rest and so on down to 15 sec on/off)

I think you need to be sensible with your pacing - if you really did go 10/10 for a minute then you're unlikely to have recovered after a minute to match the effort on the second one, let alone do it 15 times.

ut_och_cykla

In my opinion intervalls should to be done at an effort that allows you to complete the set - but only just. Personally I'd start off slightly easier - with short recovery/rest times the training 'effect' is often cumulative - ie the effect is best when done as a whole because you are training the body to go harder longer with more lactate than it's used to.

Choose a gear & cadence that feels good for you (unless teh session is aimed at cadence work. As you progress through the winter you should find that you can go up a gear/increase cadence and maintain same pulse /PE.

Just my thoughts but I know that personally all out at the beginning and not completing the set of intervalls just leaves me stuffed - but doesn't improve my fitness over the weeks much.

Chinley Churner

Just got and did The Hunted.... probably easier to manage effort as it's longer intervals.

I took their 1-10 scale and, taking their 6/10 recommended intensity of just below TT pace, equated that to around threshold power. I then scaled up and down from there and used that to set the power load on the turbo (Tacx Flow)...

This worked well and I was pretty well cooked by the end.

Intherain

I've got the Downward Spiral vid and think its great. I am sure at the start it tells you what sort of cadence to aim for - think its 80 - 90 rpm - so this should give you an indication of what sort of gear to aim for.

I have not been able to complete all sets of the the intervals either, but my approach is to work up to a level where I can complete the full set, and from that point ride each interval 'harder'.

I cannot go flat out either as the longest interval is 2 mins which is impossible to sustain, so I just go as hard as I can go for the 2 min block (if that makes sense?)

Enjoy the workouts! I think they are a great way of brightening up an otherwise dull turbo session.