bikerdave

Finished last road race of the season 2 weeks ago and then had about 5 days off the bike then just some light spinning.Beginning to start the winter training but ive got a hill climb in a few weeks time,which id like to do well in,but dont want to start getting back into heavy training.

Think just adding some hill sprints on say tuesdays easy run, and hill repeats on thursdays run would be ok.Id planned for the weekends to just be long endurance rides or should I fire in some hills within the run(usual run is rolling hills, nothing major).any suggestions?

SirSpinsalot

A typically accepted minimum block of training for a particular discipline is 4 weeks. Focus on that discipline and recovery, mixed bag training will usually yeild mediocre performance in several areas but not stellar performance in any one area.

demoncyclist

The above reply is correct. Focus on what you need to improve. For you right now, hills, hills, and, uh, more HILLS!!!

DEMON

travis200

Hills are your friend till the hillclimb. So for 3x's a week I say go for some hills. Short sprints to long ones. Good luck.

jacob

Hills are your friend till the hillclimb. So for 3x's a week I say go for some hills. Short sprints to long ones. Good luck.


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"People ask me what am I on. What am I on? I'm on my bike, 6 hours a day, busting my ass! What are you on?" Lance Armstrong



I might add if I will, that to climb a hill one must elevate oneself stepwise. By stepwise I mean that even with a wheel one must apply some physical force in order to generate the necessary work. For example, when a car accelerates to resist and then overcome the powerful gravity of the earth, it, in the case of a Ferrari, for example, can use ten pistons moving up and down to power its gears. The energy is transmitted to the wheels, later on. When a runner does this, he or she uses the legs, among other things. Otherwise, one simply falls forward to the road and does not move that far. However, the arms are also used in running, walking, cycling, etc., just as a car has a steering wheel to make sure the car goes uphill and not downhill. This is all very complex, of course, so be careful! Lots of physics can be misinterpreted. It is based on food, like a car, in the case of a Ferrari, uses high octane gas. That Lance is really something else! He is on his bike 6 hours a day, busting his ass! How does he do it? Lance is similar to a Ferrari, using high octane gas!

To climb a hill, I would, if I were you, (if not done before), stand, and then quickly squat/fall/drop (call it what you will) to the floor in a push-up position, do a pushup, and then bring the legs forward almost to the hands again, then stand up. I would do about 9 reps. This helps, in addition to what the sherpa said. Of course, there is not a substitute for actually climbing a hill.


happy trails,


Jacob

late

Hi,
I am not up on current technique. But I was wondering if carrying an extra 10 pounds once a week might not help build those legs up a bit.

jacob

"carrying an extra ten pounds once a week"

maybe, but your (excuse the physics terminology, again) momentum going down a hill with ten pounds will help you ascend the next hill immediately (or just keep you going longer on a flat part). A better way to carry an extra ten pounds would be for a longer period of time, which is extremely difficult given physiological demands on weight-bearing parts of the physique(such as ankles when wearing ankle weights, etc.), unless you became fatter... This technique is recommended (I heard) to those who wish to hike the eastern USA Appalachain Trail (becoming fatter). I have not heard or read so much about this technique for shorter bursts of effort like cycling.


Jacob