Mental Strategy for Hills

[Matthames]

On long hills, I find that my best strategy is to know how long it is then set my trip computer to show me distance. I then just keep spinning away looking at how far I have gone and saying to myself not far now just keep going.

 

[Banjo]

For me it's a zen thing... smooth, calm, controlled peddle motion in the saddle, just keeping the power flowing into the peddles through as much of the stroke as possible. The more laid back & relaxed I am up the climb the faster I can go.

Plus one to that. I cant fully understand how its possible to relax muscles that are working hard but its noticeably easier to climb the hill once you do manage to relax.

Re singing tunes in your head,I ride a lot of quiet country roads and sometimes forget and start singing out loud much to the amusement of anyone I do pass on the way

 

[gf1959]

I have a regular route i cycle to keep fit featuring some very steep sections,the first of which is a mile long. It helps having landmarks,a farmers gate,a signpost etc. I tell myself as long as i can just keep going(however slowly)then i'm doing ok,i know that because i seldom see other cyclists doing the same route,the really steep climbs aren't for everyone. Excellent for fitness tho so that's why i do it,be it at my own pace.

 

[Eddy_Mc]

My mental strategy is thus

"get up there you big pansy, what the little hill too much for your puny legs.... go on walk up it you little failure if you can't get up there why not just lay down and DIE yes DIE you little whiney sod..................."

Thats about it, works every time

 

[Matthames]

I have a regular route i cycle to keep fit featuring some very steep sections,the first of which is a mile long. It helps having landmarks,a farmers gate,a signpost etc. I tell myself as long as i can just keep going(however slowly)then i'm doing ok,i know that because i seldom see other cyclists doing the same route,the really steep climbs aren't for everyone. Excellent for fitness tho so that's why i do it,be it at my own pace.

+1 for that. I have ridden up Cheddar gorge a couple of times, there is one section that is so steep that I swear is as vertical as the faces of the gorge itself. I know that once I have tackled that section then the rest is easy....er.

 

[GrasB]

I wish they'd make a Cheddar Gorge hill climb motorsport even, that'd be seriously challenging. Been up that 3 times on a bike, it's a fun climb that

 

[repairtec]

As with all things in life rid yourself of negative thoughts imagine yourself already at the top and concentrate on the 100m or so that lies before you, the mind will see this as a target and you'll think less about the pain in your legs, best to spend the first 10 minutes warming up and adapting to the gradient by twiddling a gear slightly lower than need be, once you feel the extra heat generated by the legs flowing up through your body its time to turn a bigger gear, concentrate on pulling down the diaphram to induce more air, at the slightest increase in breathing and heart rate ease of just a bit, by the time the top is just a few km away you'll have plenty of punch in the legs left, contrary to popular belief a harder saddle makes a climb faster failing that load your MP3 Player with Dido or Dire Straits, great stuff for getting you moving faster.

If you know the climb up Reigate Hill in Surrey well, multiply that by at least 20 for an idea of the rides round here and you'll realise strength of character and the will to succeed are what gets you to the top.

 

[slinky malinky]

I take one look at the top for safety, then fix a point about 5 feet on the ground in front, don't look up just keep stamping down, if you can sprint at the top then you havent been trying hard enough at the start.
Its the usual in cycling just keep training, Im actually starting to enjoy the up hill more than the fast down hill (think i must be mad)

 

[jimboalee]

I take one look at the top for safety, then fix a point about 5 feet on the ground in front, don't look up just keep stamping down, if you can sprint at the top then you havent been trying hard enough at the start.
Its the usual in cycling just keep training, Im actually starting to enjoy the up hill more than the fast down hill (think i must be mad)

If you can sprint at the top, you've paced yourself correctly to counteract a breakaway at the summit.

 

[RSV_Ecosse]

If you can sprint at the top, you've paced yourself correctly to counteract a breakaway at the summit.

Don't see many breakaways on my usual early morning commute.

A little thing I do at the bottom of a climb is take 3 or 4 really deep breaths in through the nose and exhale hard out through the moth, which purges CO2 from your system.

 

[byegad]

I climb at an easy pace and enjoy the views. If I try and power hard up every hill I find I turn for home earlier than if I climb at my own pace.

 

[jimboalee]

Don't see many breakaways on my usual early morning commute.

A little thing I do at the bottom of a climb is take 3 or 4 really deep breaths in through the nose and exhale hard out through the moth, which purges CO2 from your system.

A BIG thing I do ALL THE WAY UP the climb is take really deep breaths, which get oxygen into the blood.
The CO2 will come out on its own.

The body has a clever little trick. It has sensors in the Carotid artery which detect CO2 in the blood. If it detects a high level, it stimulates the heart to beat faster and the lungs to expand and contract more.


Just concentrate on getting the O2 in.

 

[RSV_Ecosse]

LOL, reading back I typed "moth".

 

[GrasB]

Don't see many breakaways on my usual early morning commute.

You're riding in the wrong way, it's the best time to let the club riders know you're a serious road pounder (sorry I've just got a real thing about club roadies who think they're the next Armstrong/Hoy).

On a side issue why do a lot of early morning roadies have the most pathetic lights & ride in the full on messenger"f**k everyone else" style? I mean these guys should know better!

 

[Tollers]

I chant in my head over and again "Light as a feather". It doesn't help!

Tollers