HILLS. How can i improve?

[Dave 123]

Using a low gear- If you can, see if you can go up a gear or two and get off the seat. Pedalling with a bit more resistance rather than just spinning might help. It helps me. But make sure you keep an eye on the gears, I've been known to get 10 yds up a hill and thinking "bugger....!" too high a gear won't be too good.
Break the climb up visually- aim for the second tree, once there just get past the gate, then........ bite sized
Stamina helps- The more you do it the easier it is

But to be honest I still stand by my Dutch suggestion!

 

[jdtate101]

I'm female, 5' 2 and 9st 5lbs, my fitness is not that good, i've been riding my Giant SCR1 over the winter but only very short rides. I had my Giant TCR Alliance out today, (only 45 miles, so very much a beginner yet) and it's bottom gear is higher than the SCR1. I did have a wee monitor on my bike for a while which told me my RPM's but it stopped working, and i haven't replaced it yet. I do have a heart rate monitor but i havn't used it in ages, would you recommend using one on every ride? As you can see i have a lot to learn.

Ok, your BMI is normal, so you probably don't have that much excess weight you can lose. Having a HRM is not vital, you should be able to gauge when running above your threshold, as it's when you can only sustain that effort for a short while, but since you do have a monitor wear it. You will be able to track you avg heart rate over time, and it should drop, showing you are getting fitter. Max HR can be roughly calculated as 220-age. Having a cadence monitor is very useful for forcing yourself to a set cadence, so if possible get it replaced.
Two exercises I started doing off the bike, do seem to help quite a bit. First is deep squats (knees down to 90 degrees), keep going until you feel the burn. Do something like 3 reps of 30 daily. The other one is called the plank (look it up online...takes too long to explain it here). The plank is a core strength exercise and will help you keep the power on whilst seated.

 

[cyberknight]

Don`t buy upgrades ride up grades

Practise makes perfect .

 

[Dan_h]

The only way to improve at climbing hills is to... climb more hills! Your technique and strength will improve over time but you have to put in the miles slogging away on the climbs. Even then climbing will still seem hard 'cos you will want to push a bigger gear and get over them quicker!

 

[gb155]

Don`t buy upgrades ride up grades

Practise makes perfect .

Absolutely brilliant!!!

 

[compo]

I know this might sound silly or strange but try getting a rythem going in your head to match your pedal strokes such as 1234 - 1234 - 1234. This takes your mind off the climb and helps you maintain a rythem.

Works for me, especially on long hard climbs

I sometimes do this, though I sing to myself a song with a beat/rhythm to maintain cadence.

I wish I could sing going up hill. It is all I can do to breathe without using breath to serenade all and sundry.

 

[jjc89]

also build up as much speed as you can before going up the hill, for the momentum to carry you up.

 

[cyberknight]

Absolutely brilliant!!!

I only quote the man many consider the best ...

 

[lulubel]

also build up as much speed as you can before going up the hill, for the momentum to carry you up.

This is what I used to do when I was a kid, and I always ended up walking because I'd worn myself out building up speed before I even got to the hill!

I now take the opposite attitude. If I know there's a difficult hill coming, I take it steady on the approach, so I've got plenty of energy spare for the hill itself.

Hills do get easier. The most important thing is to get into a rhythm. Find a level of effort that's sustainable, and try to stick with it, changing up or down gears as you need to if the gradient changes. Also, vary how you tackle the hills on different rides. Sometimes, try to push yourself, and see how fast you can get up them without "blowing up" before you get to the top. Other days, just take it nice and steady. The more hills you do, the more your body will get used to it, and the easier/faster it will get.

 

[lulubel]

Ok, your BMI is normal, so you probably don't have that much excess weight you can lose.

Yes, BMI is in the normal range, so there's no reason to lose weight unless you want to do it to improve your power to weight ratio. (Basically, if you're putting out the same amount of power, but you weigh less, you'll go up hills faster.) The normal BMI range is quite wide, so if you wanted to go down the weight loss route, you could lose 2 stone before you became underweight.

I do want to make it very clear, however, that you are a healthy weight. You are NOT overweight, and do not need to lose weight. The only reason to lose weight would be because, the lighter you are, the easier it is to cycle up hills!

 

[pepecat]

I hate hills.
I don't ride clipless, but i would agree with the following that has been given above:
Practice...... the more hills you ride, the easier it becomes (I have found)
Take it steady at the start, try not to stop half way up for a breather ()
Sing to yourself (in your head) if it helps....

And the other bit i would add is, some days you'll feel great, others your legs will burn less than half way up. That's just cycling..... in my experience. We all get better days than others. I find even if i'm puffing up at 6-8mph, but I can maintain that, then that's cool. It's better that starting off at 14mph and then stopping or getting off and walking.... well, that's what i try to do anyway - keep going!

 

[Shadow]

Plenty of good advice here.
A couple of other tips:
Think of hills as your friend, look for them and embrace them - weird I know, not always easy but the change of mindset does help, you will eventually get up ones you thought were impossible;
Hills do not get any easier, you just go up them faster.

 

[bubbles3]

Ok, your BMI is normal, so you probably don't have that much excess weight you can lose. Having a HRM is not vital, you should be able to gauge when running above your threshold, as it's when you can only sustain that effort for a short while, but since you do have a monitor wear it. You will be able to track you avg heart rate over time, and it should drop, showing you are getting fitter. Max HR can be roughly calculated as 220-age. Having a cadence monitor is very useful for forcing yourself to a set cadence, so if possible get it replaced.
Two exercises I started doing off the bike, do seem to help quite a bit. First is deep squats (knees down to 90 degrees), keep going until you feel the burn. Do something like 3 reps of 30 daily. The other one is called the plank (look it up online...takes too long to explain it here). The plank is a core strength exercise and will help you keep the power on whilst seated.

That's great, thanks for all your help. You have certainly gave me plenty to work on.

 

[bubbles3]

Plenty of good advice here.
A couple of other tips:
Think of hills as your friend, look for them and embrace them - weird I know, not always easy but the change of mindset does help, you will eventually get up ones you thought were impossible;
Hills do not get any easier, you just go up them faster.

Thanks shadow, when i was a runner i was strong on the hills and loved the up hill part. one day i'm hoping i'll feel the same on the bike.

 

[bubbles3]

Yes, BMI is in the normal range, so there's no reason to lose weight unless you want to do it to improve your power to weight ratio. (Basically, if you're putting out the same amount of power, but you weigh less, you'll go up hills faster.) The normal BMI range is quite wide, so if you wanted to go down the weight loss route, you could lose 2 stone before you became underweight.

I do want to make it very clear, however, that you are a healthy weight. You are NOT overweight, and do not need to lose weight. The only reason to lose weight would be because, the lighter you are, the easier it is to cycle up hills!

I do want to loose about a stone and as i can't run any more because of a dodgey knee, i'm hoping cycling will work. And the power to weight ratio certainly sounds a great advantage.