Simulating hill-climbing on IDT

[Bianchisti]

I live around hours of pancake and have to take a 2 hour drive in the car to get to hills. I suffered cramps on Chappies this year after which I did some base-training, didn’t cramp in the 94.7 but didn’t have much power on the hills either. My speed slowed down to the mid teens on the N14. So I downloaded a vid from sufferfest that takes me through a warm up, 10 intervals of over/under threshold followed by 3 sessions of climbing, 8 minutes long with 3 minutes rest between. Climbing sessions are at a RPE of 7-9.

 

1.) Is this a realistic way to simulate hills and will it be effective?

 

2.) Also I do 3 IDT sessions during the week and group rides weekends. What’s better? Doing a group ride or riding on my own where there’s no place to hide? Does riding alone improve strength?

[Bigshow]

get a tacx trainer it will **** you up good and solid

get fortius or new genius

[Bigshow]

**** even

[SwissVan]

Its difficult to simulate hills on an IDT, all you really can do is increase the resistance and try ride at a cadence equal to what you normaly would ride uphill at.

Doing some lower than normal cadence high restistance sessions will help from a strength perspective.

Problem is if you like to spin uphill, thats difficult to simulate on an IDT.

I’ve tried and found that raising the front of the bike by placing an object (+/- 10cm high) under the front wheel helps to simulate the body positioning assosciated with climbing.

[Tiny K]

the best way to 'simulate' hills is to ride hills! Replace an IDT session with a hill repeat session. get strong, 'fresh' air and good training

[MTB_Roadie]

the best way to 'simulate' hills is to ride hills! Replace an IDT session with a hill repeat session. get strong, 'fresh' air and good training

 

That is the only way of doing it!

[gummibear]

the best way to 'simulate' hills is to ride hills! Replace an IDT session with a hill repeat session. get strong, 'fresh' air and good training

 

He lives in the UAE and it's a big flat desert with no hills except for the dunes;)

 

You can try running as it also strengthens your legs.

Edited December 8, 2011 by gummibear

[SwissVan]

Erhmm chaps

I think the OP said something about the nearest hill being 2 hrs driving time away from him

[Tiny K]

He lives in the UAE and it's a big flat desert with no hills except for the dunes;)

 

You can try running as it also strengthens your legs.

 

Ah, didn't spot that. Dune running repeats should work

 

I remember from Surf Lifesaving days doing those. Killed my legs and lungs!

[Tiny K]

Erhmm chaps

I think the OP said something about the nearest hill being 2 hrs driving time away from him

 

Can't you do the man a favour and shoot a laser beam from Planet Zug and create a hill near his place?

[Bianchisti]

I’ve tried and found that raising the front of the bike by placing an object (+/- 10cm high) under the front wheel helps to simulate the body positioning assosciated with climbing.

 

Does that work the muscles you use when actually climbing?

[SwissVan]

Does that work the muscles you use when actually climbing?

 

I think it does to some extent, i never used to do it until this last winter when i tried it out. I could feel it straight away in my lower back which usualy complains on real hills.

[nuge]

if it's pancake flat then the wind probably blows evenly and probably from a steady direction. find a stretch of road that'll take you straight into it or pretty darn near straight into it and ride in a big gear at low cadence (50-60 rpm).

 

for "hill repeats" (or if the road isn't straight enough) turn around, rinse, repeat.

 

hill training on the flat. done!

[DJR]

Agreed, straight into the teeth of a stiff wind will help getting ready for the hills.

[Underachiever]

All the climbs in the 94.7 are "power climbs" Obviously training on hills will help. But I hear your issue. I suggest you do lots of riding into a strong headwind (20-50km) - that will make you stronger!!!

 

I also stay in a flattish area and did all of my Cape Epic training in that way. Did not do THAT badly!!

[Underachiever]

Only saw the nuge and DJR's posts now......