We’ve just released two new SUF videos in the app – ATTACKER and COBBLER. Like Hell Hath No Fury, Cobbler is another twist on the classic 2 x 20 workout – this time, however, the twist is extending it to three efforts and lengthening those to around 25 minutes each. On the plus side, the effort is a touch lower. Er – one out of three ain’t bad?
What’s brilliant about the 104 minute (!) Cobbler – other than Sufferlandria saving the cycling world from the Couchlandrian Plague by hosting the cancelled Paris-Roubaix (which brings with it another Sufferlandrian twist) – is that you get a solid hour of effort just under your FTP.
This series of sustained efforts teaches you how to pace yourself over longer durations, learning to settle into the effort and deal with the accumulated fatigue that develops over the session. You’ll notice that your perceived exertion for the same power increases quite a bit as you move through the 25-minute blocks.
Workout here is by Sir Mac Cassin, our Senior Cycling Physiologist, and the edit is by Sir Francois Guguen with voice talent by Sir Dylan Robbins.
As someone with a sustained weakness, I think I’ll be putting this right up there with Defender as one of the most beneficial sessions I can do, but one which is also mentally challenging. Those of you with a sustained strength are just going to love Cobbler. Let us know how you get on with it!
Looks a great addition! Going into the TT plan, and having a sustained weakness, I can this being in my future. Out of interest, how long does it take for new videos to be incorporated into the plans?
My in-season MTB plan called for a practice race and Cobbler fit perfectly. I really enjoyed the low camera angles, tight track and dust flying everywhere. The 3 efforts had lots of great mid to low cadence riding below FTP through the cobble sections. Effort number 2 with the steep climb in Arenberg, the crash and the subsequent race to the front my favorite but all 3 efforts fits well together. Well done!
**** UPDATE: ALL FIXED. SUF! ****
We’re getting some reports of Cobbler not working for people and crashing their app. Apologies for anyone who was hoping to SUF with this one. We’re working on fixing this ASAP.
Thank You, I was wishing I had tried Cobbler(sustained efforts is my problem) before Attacker (I really enjoyed it, so I must need new numbers). I can not thank you all enough, for your work. I have learned a lot.
Chapeau Sir @Francois-Wahoo in the video and music! A question for Sir @Coach.Mac.C , are the very specific cadence targets there for a reason or is it something that’s just a result of the way this one was programmed into the app? Oh and of course kudos to you to for a great workout!
Are Cobbler and Attacker available in the plans yet? I already setup my next three plans to get me to end of March 2021, and I tried re-inputing two of my plans to see if these workouts show up, but haven’t seen them yet in the All purpose road advanced or the building blocks tempo.
Have to say I liked seeing those “very specific cadence targets”, not that 72 is any more or less specific than anything else. Always thought it odd that cadence has been set at a multiple of 5. Also liked seeing it because my legs can do 72 all day long
Here’s the totally not scientific answer (although there is some sort of science behind it). For most parts, those cadences are synced to the music BPM as a 1:1 or 1:2 factor.
I say most because I couldn’t get it to work with all the tunes.
So when you have a 72RPM (and like James says, why not after all. We don’t always pedal to a multiple of 5 when we ride outside, do we?), it is because the tune is at 144RPM. An 82 or 84 RPM will be a tune at 82 or 84 BPM, etc…
This is a (very loose I’d like to add) attempt to interpret research the “Effects of Music on Cycling” by Pr Costas I Karageorghis.
But really, it is also because no one pedals at super high cadence on cobbles. So that wouldn’t be very good to have you do it, would it? As you probably know, the key to “smoothering” the cobbles is to pull a low gear and churn it. Glad you enjoyed the workout!
Loved how the cadence matched the music. Really helpful stuff!
The footage is amazing and the second block. That build up to the crash. The music. The pace. The footage. Just stunning.
Even though it’s a long un it’s a favourite already!!
