Cycling Training for Climbs When You Don’t Have Hills
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Cycling Training for Climbs When You Don’t Have Hills
I'm posting a link to a CTS article about subject which comes up in this forum from time to time. What particularly interested me is that I do all my outdoor training in a hilly area, and I use the principles outlined in the article anyway, like focus on holding high effort for long periods, stand more than I need to, worry about getting high TSS per unit time and weight will take care of itself. And I use the gym rather than wait for riding lots to make me strong. I'd rather be strong to begin with.
https://trainright.com/cycling-train...nt-have-hills/
We did a couple long hard climbs yesterday on the tandem. The sorest thing this morning was my obliques, from reefing on the bars during short max OOS efforts. Side planks.
I have no connection to CTS other than subscribing to their email articles.
https://trainright.com/cycling-train...nt-have-hills/
We did a couple long hard climbs yesterday on the tandem. The sorest thing this morning was my obliques, from reefing on the bars during short max OOS efforts. Side planks.
I have no connection to CTS other than subscribing to their email articles.
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#2
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I hear of folks in Florida doing "hill repeats" in the tallest parking garages they can find. I suppose the big climbs on Zwift would do it too.
I live in Silicon Valley, so I do not have that problem and can only go on what I've heard.
I live in Silicon Valley, so I do not have that problem and can only go on what I've heard.
#3
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I used to do that too but wasn't very effective.
You need a long steep climb. If you can't find one, your next best option is probably the indoor trainer.
If you are quite well disciplined however, you do it in the flats by riding at your threshold (highest power output you can hold at a slightly higher gear) for at least 10 minutes without any rest, no easy intervals, and definitely no coasting/freewheeling. You should be catching your breath during and after such workout and your lungs and throat will probably feel like it's on fire.
You need a long steep climb. If you can't find one, your next best option is probably the indoor trainer.
If you are quite well disciplined however, you do it in the flats by riding at your threshold (highest power output you can hold at a slightly higher gear) for at least 10 minutes without any rest, no easy intervals, and definitely no coasting/freewheeling. You should be catching your breath during and after such workout and your lungs and throat will probably feel like it's on fire.
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I'm posting a link to a CTS article about subject which comes up in this forum from time to time. What particularly interested me is that I do all my outdoor training in a hilly area, and I use the principles outlined in the article anyway, like focus on holding high effort for long periods, stand more than I need to, worry about getting high TSS per unit time and weight will take care of itself. And I use the gym rather than wait for riding lots to make me strong. I'd rather be strong to begin with.
https://trainright.com/cycling-train...nt-have-hills/
We did a couple long hard climbs yesterday on the tandem. The sorest thing this morning was my obliques, from reefing on the bars during short max OOS efforts. Side planks.
I have no connection to CTS other than subscribing to their email articles.
https://trainright.com/cycling-train...nt-have-hills/
We did a couple long hard climbs yesterday on the tandem. The sorest thing this morning was my obliques, from reefing on the bars during short max OOS efforts. Side planks.
I have no connection to CTS other than subscribing to their email articles.
edit:
This increases FTP. But what got me the sub-hour t-shirt was 8 weeks of no cookies, no candy, no fries, no chips, no soda. The denominator is just as important.
Last edited by caloso; 05-09-21 at 10:00 PM.
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#5
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Only thing I've found that helps a bit here with our roller coaster terrain is riding into the wind as much as possible. It's the only thing I've found that feels pretty close to continuous climbing. There are a few segments of 1-3 miles of mostly inclined (averaging 1%-4%) undulating terrain, and tackling those into a headwind is about as good as it gets here. Fortunately we have those kinds of segments facing every compass direction, so I'll plan my route according to the prevailing wind.
We have a few short, steep double-digit climbs, but doing hill repeats makes for an interval session, not continuous climbing.
Resistance settings and using the tilt platform doodad on my indoor trainer doesn't really feel like climbing. Maybe newer, more sophisticated trainers are better, I dunno. My older Cycleops trainer just feels like a trainer, not like riding outdoors on any terrain.
We have a few short, steep double-digit climbs, but doing hill repeats makes for an interval session, not continuous climbing.
Resistance settings and using the tilt platform doodad on my indoor trainer doesn't really feel like climbing. Maybe newer, more sophisticated trainers are better, I dunno. My older Cycleops trainer just feels like a trainer, not like riding outdoors on any terrain.
#6
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The question wasn't what worked for you, or what you were forced to do by your circumstances, but why you would recommend that routine for someone else. It's one thing to say, "Here's what I did and how it worked," but quite another to say "here's what you should be doing."
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I'd like to offer one more: push a bigger gear than you normally do.
Biking uphill demands more peak pedal force than spinning on the flat, so riding in a big gear also puts more demands on your muscles than when you are spinning a high cadence.
In sports physiology terms, this added muscle effort causes "muscle fiber recruitment". Climbing "recruits" lots more muscle fibers than spinning at a high cadence on a flat grade does. Recruiting muscle fibers for a long time, when they are usually only used for a short bursts, causes fatigue, and your power output will drop off.
When no climbs are available, I also like to stay in a big gear over rollers, in the saddle, trying to keep the cadence going. That puts a high demand on those climbing muscles.
#8
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Oddly enough, I recently ran across this product: https://airhub.com.au -- it's an expensive way to solve the problem.
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#9
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IMO the only way to train for hills, without having hills nearby, is to get a smart trainer and use a virtual platform, such as Zwift. I find there's a mental component to riding long climbs that can't be replicated any other way. There's also the physical element to it, of course: cadence, power, bike handling, body position etc all contribute to the sensation of climbing that need to be practiced on the real thing.
All my opinion, of course.
All my opinion, of course.
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I was looking for a way to do 'real climbing training' in my rolling terrain with no long climbs. The constant (short) downhills are a killer WRT trying to simulate a real climb (IMHO). I don't have a smart trainer but do have a decent quality spin bike that I can set up like my road bike. And it has Vector pedals so the best thing for me would seem to be to use this for my climbing training. I just don't get a sense that the tilt of a bike on a real climb matters, but I could certainly jack up the front of my spin bike if I choose.
It is actually kind of frustrating.
dave
It is actually kind of frustrating.
dave
#11
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I was looking for a way to do 'real climbing training' in my rolling terrain with no long climbs. The constant (short) downhills are a killer WRT trying to simulate a real climb (IMHO). I don't have a smart trainer but do have a decent quality spin bike that I can set up like my road bike. And it has Vector pedals so the best thing for me would seem to be to use this for my climbing training. I just don't get a sense that the tilt of a bike on a real climb matters, but I could certainly jack up the front of my spin bike if I choose.
It is actually kind of frustrating.
dave
It is actually kind of frustrating.
dave
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if you don't have a smart trainer, I'd say the best way to simulate hills is to get a dumb, wheel on trainer, with friction resistance, so the rear wheel doesn't coast. Put it on a hard setting and have a video of someone climbing Mt Ventoux on the TV in front of you.
dave
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Here you go - all the climbing training you want right from the couch in front of the television. dave
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I don't think it is possible to become good climber without actually climbing real hills. If you want to be a strong climber there is no substitute for going outside and riding real hills. Indoor training just doesn't cut it, high efforts on flat terrain isn't good enough. You need to climb real hills if you ever hope to become a strong climber. ..Go ahead and disagree with me if you want, I don't care, I stand by what I said.
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I don't think it is possible to become good climber without actually climbing real hills. If you want to be a strong climber there is no substitute for going outside and riding real hills. Indoor training just doesn't cut it, high efforts on flat terrain isn't good enough. You need to climb real hills if you ever hope to become a strong climber. ..Go ahead and disagree with me if you want, I don't care, I stand by what I said.
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then that is a different problem. not the one being discussed. with dedication and perseverance it can be done. the author of the article made that quite clear.
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actually, I completely agree, I'm a climber, day long headwind is what's soul sucking, not climbing, but I was just needing to post ten quick posts so I could post the one I really wanted to! But I still think that riding into wind is good training. Its just nowhere as fun as climbing!
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actually, I completely agree, I'm a climber, day long headwind is what's soul sucking, not climbing, but I was just needing to post ten quick posts so I could post the one I really wanted to! But I still think that riding into wind is good training. Its just nowhere as fun as climbing!
We knew it was 25 mph because when we turned around to ride that leg in the other direction, we were in still air at 25 mph. We got lots of kudos at the turn-around point.
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I don't think it is possible to become good climber without actually climbing real hills. If you want to be a strong climber there is no substitute for going outside and riding real hills. Indoor training just doesn't cut it, high efforts on flat terrain isn't good enough. You need to climb real hills if you ever hope to become a strong climber. ..Go ahead and disagree with me if you want, I don't care, I stand by what I said.
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SW FL riding where 100 miles = 100' OR LESS Back in 2016 with a few weeks to prepare for SIX GAP >>>
https://caamevents.com/event/six-gap-century-three-gap-fifty/
104 miles with 11,684' I began riding in the 53/12 for miles at a time holding 15mph to 19mph standing into the wind. Worked for me at age 66
https://caamevents.com/event/six-gap-century-three-gap-fifty/
104 miles with 11,684' I began riding in the 53/12 for miles at a time holding 15mph to 19mph standing into the wind. Worked for me at age 66
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His successes suggest the opposite. Stress is how one gets strong. When I do high rep deep squats, my cadence is 20-30. My knees are fine. I also do low cadence seated pedaling, whereas this strong man was doing it standing.
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It's still a very good idea to gradually build up the effort. A strength imbalance in your leg or hip muscles can cause knee injury.
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