How do I climb better

[Wyatt Earp]

A hill is just like a level stretch of road, except that gravity adds a bit of resistance (the more you weigh the more the resistance) and due to the slower speeds you have less of a headwind (less benefit of wheelsucking).

 

The best way to get better a climbing is to lose weight (if you have weight to lose) and simply get better at cycling: ride more and do more high intensity intervals. Whether you do the intervals on the the flat, a stationary trainer or an actual hill makes little difference as you use your gears to keep your cadence stable. Forget about all this nonsense of sitting back, sitting forward, pulling up or down, relaxing, getting a singlespeed and most importantly DO NOT START RUNNING MORE (doing more of another activity when you are not doing enough of cycling to start with is a no-brainer).

My climbing idol :wub:

[TNT1]

if that place your genes does not make you a climber nothing will!!

 

 

That said, increasing your power to weight ratio will help.

[TNT1]

My climbing idol :wub:

 

fark steaks, he did speak some sense, didn't he.

[Wyatt Earp]

 

 

fark steaks, he did speak some sense, didn't he.

Some 10% of what he said, yes.

[TNT1]

Some 10% of what he said, yes.

 

So, about 10% more sense than most of the other advice here?

[TheV]

So, about 10% more sense than most of the other advice here?

 

Agreed- but you should not discount the fact that some people are immune to the good advice of others... they were just born that way...

 

However, it doesn't stop there, sadly some people are even allergic to opinions which are not 100% their own.

Edited March 26, 2012 by TheV

[Wyatt Earp]

 

However, it doesn't stop there, sadly some people are even allergic to opinions which are not 100% their own.

Explains why you have been gone all day, been treating that rash.

[RoboLuke]

I used to suck at climbing... o...I still do

[Slowbee]

for those with a lack of understanding of english .... what does it mean to do more high intensity intervals ?

 

how does this relate to cadence ? I thought training was heart rate based ?

[Agteros]

for those with a lack of understanding of english .... what does it mean to do more high intensity intervals ?

 

how does this relate to cadence ? I thought training was heart rate based ?

Heart rate based training is for your cardio system. Does not do as much as hills/cadence for strength/pedalling efficiency

[Mads]

I used to suck at climbing... o...I still do

 

I also used to suck at climbing but after 6 months of hill intervals etc ...... I still do - just a little bit less - but still do.

 

But patience is a virtue. And I will get there..........one day

[TNT1]

what does it mean to do more high intensity intervals ?

 

When you taste blood at the back of your throat, you done one.

[Slowbee]

_{Heart rate based training is for your cardio system. Does not do as much as hills/cadence for strength/pedalling efficiency}

 

_{so do you start out with HR based training and then move to cadence training ?}

 

_{At the moment, I get to keep my heart rate down, simply because my legs keep on giving in on me! How do you go about building strength in your legs without doing damage. I mean some pain is good - but all the time ?}

[Slowbee]

When you taste blood at the back of your throat, you done one.

start at the start.

 

you warm up, then you go into your red zone on your heart rate? Then slow down, then start again? Till you get blood ? And if your legs drop off first ?

[covie]

start at the start.

 

you warm up, then you go into your red zone on your heart rate? Then slow down, then start again? Till you get blood ? And if your legs drop off first ?

 

Are you taking the piss out us again?

[SwissVan]

for those with a lack of understanding of english .... what does it mean to do more high intensity intervals ?

 

how does this relate to cadence ?

 

I thought training was heart rate based ?

 

Loosely speaking it would mean training at a high heart rate i.e. HR training uses % of max HR, so high intensity would normaly be 75% or higher

 

HR does not really relate to cadence, some folks like to use a high cadence and other a low cadence, both have various advantages and disadvantages depending on the person.