Ever wanted to climb the hills faster? I bet you have. Just like any other rider, you can see the clear benefit of riding faster uphill.
This post is the first in my series:
How to Become a Better Climber
Know what you are preparing for
When I make an individual training program I always take the race profile into my considerations. What are the decisive points in the race you prepare for? Is it a short, steep 500m hill or is it a long, steady 4km climb? It’s important to keep in mind what kind of hill you want to ride faster because there are some differences in the physiological requirements that will affect your training.
Some hills require focus on threshold power, others on VO2 max, anaerobic or sprinting power. Body weight and bike weight should always be a part of your planning, but I have to emphasize that it’s not just a question of Watts per Kilogram. I will come back to that later.
If you expect a specific a certain hill to be the decisive moment in a cycling race you prepare for, you must optimize your training for it.
Describe the hill as detailed as possible:
- Finishing time (length)
- Steepness
- Standing /seated pedalling
- Gear choice
- Drafting opportunities (tactics)
When you’ve made a detailed description of the hill, it’s easier for you to plan your training. Stay tuned for my next post in this series!
Image by LATriBri.
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