How do I climb better

[TNT1]

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 ?

 

Warm up. Forget about your heart rate and your power meter and all that crap, and all this pre-occupation with this % of that meaningless number. The point is to learn your body. The silly numbers and percentages hold you back.

 

Find a nice clear 2-3km stretch of flat road.

 

get into a nice mid range gear. Like a 42/15-ish.

 

Roll along for about 1km, and then pedal as fast and hard as you can for 1km, and then recover for the last km. Turn around. Do it over and over for about half an hour. Slowly increase you time (as in from the half hour up to about 1 hour). And then you can think about getting onto the big ring.

 

The blood in your throat will tell you if you've gone hard enough. If you don't taste it, you haven't. Don't try get there your first time.

 

Proviso, I was trained by a guy that finished 10th or something in Rapport Tours in the Seventies. If you looking for a soft-cock approach, don't listen to me.

Edited March 26, 2012 by TNT1

[Mads]

Are you taking the piss out us again?

 

When I started with hill intervals this happened to me. My program said something about HR 85%-95% , but the moment I started climbing, my HR shot to 95% and then my legs gave in . I then slowed down and first tried hills that were no steep and built myself to the steeper hills.

[Slowbee]

Are you taking the piss out us again?

 

honestly! no! I often find my legs give in before I can get my heart rate to really be up there for a long time.

 

But then I am old school. Just get on your bike and ride. Heart rate in "the zone". And just enjoy the day on the bike

 

None of this racing nonsense.

[covie]

honestly! no! never done intervals on a bike. didnt even bother to find out what they were till now. Kinda old school. Just got on the bike and rode around, keeping the HR in the "zone".

 

oh lol, I know what they are but dont do them religiously, every now and again when i get bored on a flat peace of Tarmac (and it doesnt happen often that i go on tarmac) ill do intervals to alleviate the boredeom and cramps in my ass, and to expulge the fumes ive been sucking.

 

My idea of mixing up my training is doing a different MTB route everyday each route gives its own little uniqueness.

[SwissVan]

honestly! no! I often find my legs give in before I can get my heart rate to really be up there for a long time.

 

But then I am old school. Just get on your bike and ride. Heart rate in "the zone". And just enjoy the day on the bike

 

None of this racing nonsense.

 

Just remember there is more than one zone, the narrower the zone the less you enjoy the day on the bike....

[Slowbee]

Warm up. Forget about your heart rate and your power meter and all that crap.

 

Find a nice clear 2-3km stretch of flat road.

 

get into a nice mid range gear. Like a 42/15-ish.

 

Roll along for about 1km, and then pedal as fast and hard as you can for 1km, and then recover for the last km. Turn around. Do it over and over for about half an hour. Slowly increase you time (as in from the half hour up to about 1 hour). And then you can think about getting onto the big ring.

 

The blood in your throat will tell you if you've gone hard enough. If you don't taste it, you haven't. Don't try get there your first time.

 

Does it have to be a km ?

 

AS I have said, I find the legs "give in" really fast. I gather this is something you need to build up to.

 

Where does this fit into a training program WW had some nice ideas. Do you do this twice a week ? With an easy ride in the middle ? Intervals Tues and Thurs. Easy rides Wed and Fri, do hills on a Mon. Long ride Saturday ?

[Slowbee]

SwissV, I use this program for the HR. I mostly ride in zone 3, but sometimes go into zone 4, but I dont there alot as the legs dont last long (usually up a hill). Here I am speaking specifically on my mtn bike. My cadence is usually low, in the 80 range. Going up hill this drops alot (exponentially to my heart rate )

 

http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/heart_rate/heart_rate_zone_calculator_abcc_bcf.html

[MTB_Roadie]

I weighed 97kg at one stage, i still climbed okay but noticed I struggled to hang on on the very long climbs, since then I lost 17kg's, weighing at 80kg's now I climb a lot better! Main thing is I did not lose muscle, so I still trained my climbing, etc....so I lost 17kg's of fat, what an incredible difference it made...I am still planning on shredding another 10kg's...you also get someone like Tiny K who is not your skinniest cyclist but he climbs very well, we say he has 100kg of muscle. So if it is not the weight, then start with strength training.

[fran7802]

 

I have never been a good climber, and it's starting to really bother me now. Today I passed some riders on a gentle downhill like that we're looking for parking, but the minute the hills started they steadily closed the gap.

 

I seem to climb at around 7 k/h on longer climbs, how can I get better physically? I do the position on the seat etc. my legs just don't want to allow me to keep the cadence high even in granny gear.

 

Hi,

 

So ive also not been the best climber, having said that, first of all im 6ft5 (so quite tall), i weighed 105kg, ive been hitting the gym, running in the gym 30mins at a really good pace, some leg presses....and more..... atleast 3 times a week!

 

More saddle time, up at 5:30 saturday mornings, small bran based cerial and then 20 - 30km, then real good breakfast! Sometimes sunday 20km rides as well, Tuesdays and Thursdays night rides 20km each.

 

i now weigh about 100kg maybe 99. Im riding better, im climbing faster, oh and i only ride 1 x 10 (36 / 11-36).......so my legs have gotten stronger and im far fitter!

 

So bottom line whats working for me, running, gyming, eating, focus and pushing the limits, the more you train the better you get, simples!!!!

 

Have goals, time yourself, push yourself and the results will come!!!!

[Zac.A]

I just do all my training up hill, that way I know all the climbs well when it comes down to racing, and I prefer it to the flat.

[TNT1]

Does it have to be a km ?

 

AS I have said, I find the legs "give in" really fast. I gather this is something you need to build up to.

 

Where does this fit into a training program WW had some nice ideas. Do you do this twice a week ? With an easy ride in the middle ? Intervals Tues and Thurs. Easy rides Wed and Fri, do hills on a Mon. Long ride Saturday ?

 

No, it doesn't, start off with the distance between two lamposts.

 

Do it on a tuesday or a thursday to start off with.

[Wonder Woman]

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 ?

 

Slowbee you've been on the Hub now for how long???

 

Haven't you learnt anything yet????

[SwissVan]

SwissV, I use this program for the HR. I mostly ride in zone 3, but sometimes go into zone 4, but I dont there alot as the legs dont last long (usually up a hill). Here I am speaking specifically on my mtn bike. My cadence is usually low, in the 80 range. Going up hill this drops alot (exponentially to my heart rate )

 

http://www.machinehe...r_abcc_bcf.html

 

Slowbee first matter is to make sure you are using the correct MHR or better the LT (Lactic Threshold) HR levels for your zones. These need to be determined by doing an actual cycling test rather than by the usual MHR formula 220 – age….

 

Zone 4 is an important zone to train in as it will improve your ability to ride at LT, LT is typically the average race pace HR a person could maintain if they were racing an event lasting about 2 – 3 hours.

Zone 4 is not the zone to start out with doing hill training unless you are already used to hills and training at Zone 4 intensity, rather start off doing longer and less steep hills at Zone 2 and 3 for a few months before progressing to Zone 4.

[Azonic]

Got to have the correct mindset for hills. If you hit the climbs expecting/knowing that whoever will catch you, they probably will.

[Ed-Zulu]

1.Lose weight.

2.Start the climb in the right gear.

3.Approach with the correct attitude, don't attack the climb.

4.Get in to a rhythm.

5.Spinning like a helicopter gets you nowhere.

5.Keep looking to the top of the climb.

6.Pull your quads towards your chest and push your knee forward on the downstroke.

7. Check your breathing is not frantic or panting like a horny dog...

8. Some helicopter spinning at the start of the session is good, but avoid the whole session turning into flight training...

9. Pick your line, stay your course

 

As most hubbers mentioned...additional leg workouts, deadlifts, squats, lunges etc work wonders...I do hill intervals on say a Tuesday, jog 5km's for warm up on Wednesday, followed by a leg session as above...rest Thursday and on Friday go for 70-80% of HR ride to get the artillery back in shape for stamina training...it has worked well for me...the loosing weight part however, is a different story!

['Dale]

Grinding a slightly higher gear on the ascent also adds to leg strength.

 

If you experience knee pain, discontinue.