The Sufferfest: The Elements of Style

    The Sufferfest has released a brand new workout :) It’s called The Elements of Style and it isn’t your typical Sufferfest. Unlike other Sufferfests, its end goal isn’t to break you down and destroy you. It aims to increase your body awareness and efficiency while you’re on your bike. Not only does Grunter von Agony want you to suffer, he wants you to do it with style. 

     Bonus points for starting with a Star Wars-inspired crawl!

     The Elements of Style is also unlike other Sufferfests in that it’s narrated. The narrator is Carlton Kirby, a well-known cycling commentator whose hypnotically smooth, deep, British voice made me feel like I was watching a twisted nature documentary. (Which is a good thing.)

Length: 40 minutes

Format: The Elements of Style consists of 6 drills to “make your suffering look effortless”. The drills are:

            *systems check

            *pedal stroke drills

            *low cadence drill

            *high cadence drill

            *systems check under pressure

            *climbing with your core

My favourite drills were the systems check (and systems check under pressure) and the pedal stroke drills. The systems check is a mental checklist to raise your body awareness and to ensure you know what “all your bits and pieces are doing”. I found it surprisingly useful to pay attention to what my ankles, knees, shoulders, were doing, as they aren’t body parts usually associated with cycling. But they all play a role in your form and, therefore, your efficiency. The “systems under pressure” drill takes you through the same checklist but at a much higher cadence, since that’s usually where your form falls apart.

The pedal stroke drill takes you through the four “segments” of your stroke (the top, the down, the bottom and the up). First you focus only on your right foot and only on the muscles that should be engaged on the top stroke. You work your way through all the segments on your right foot before moving to your left. I’ve been a road cyclist for ten years and a pretty serious spinner for the last year but I had never paid much attention to the different segments of my stroke and I enjoyed working through this drill.

           

Music: unlike in most Sufferfests, where the music is front and centre, the music is really more in the background since Carlton speaks through most of the workout. It’s mostly a mix of dance and electronica.

Footage: The Elements of Style was filmed in New Zealand and the scenery is gorgeous.

Difficulty: this isn’t a beat-you-down-and-break-your-spirit-until-you’re-cursing-Grunter-von-Agony-type Sufferfest but you still work hard. Physically, I’d give The Elements of Style a 6/10. Even though there are sections where you’re pushing hard, the overall length and lots of rest intervals make this one of the easier Sufferfests. However, throw in the mental challenge of paying attention to your form and efficiency and the challenge rises to 7/10.

Other Random Thoughts: I enjoyed The Elements of Style a lot. I loved the scenery, the music and Carlton’s narration.  The drills were valuable and they moved quickly enough so as to not drag on and feel tedious. This is a fantastic resource for new cyclists or spinners. Due to its nature it probably won’t find it’s way into my regular rotation but I can see pulling it out every few weeks for a “systems” check.  Overall score: 8.5/10.