Enough's enough!! Help me get up hills!

CharlieH

It will be easier to find the time through winter as I'm a wedding photographer so through summer I work around 70 hours a week Inc weekends. During winter I have lots more free time. I've got a spare set of wheels so I'm going to buy something less knobbly in the wheel dept and try to get out as much as possible, bearing in mind family commitments and a new baby

felix.london

there is obviously a certain amount of fitness involved but as nosnevets_semaj said above, it's mostly in your head & a very important part is knowing how to breathe properly

I was big into Shaolin Kung fu a few years back and the best things I got out of that training was learning how to breath 'properly' and always being able to get more from your body - to push yourself (mind & body) - and even when you've pushed yourself there's a bit more there if needed

Put it this way - if your life (or your children's lives!) depended on it you'd get up that hill - no question

As you can imagine I have some serious 'hills' over here in the 'High' Alps - and the breathing is even more important with the lack of oxygen up here but when I'm struggling a bit I just drop a couple of gears take 10 long, deep breaths - in through your nose, try and get each breath all the way down in to your abdomen and slowly (controlled) out through your mouth - then take a mouthful of drink, focus and push on.

If you really are finding it very hard; Stop for a few minutes, take some breaths as above, rest your legs, take on some liquid and push on

Works for me anyway. the techniques I learned while kung fu training I use everyday of my life and not only when exercising - you'd be amazed how a few proper breathes can clear and focus your mind.

Wax lube on, wax lube off...

1mancity2

My mates the same and I say its all in his head, yeah its harder but just keep going.

I have a big hill just outside my front door so I ride it and time myself then repeat it to a max of 5 runs, takes about 30mins but Im completely knacked after it but it helps.

jndb72

I find I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to the hills (and there's plenty of them around where I live). I'm OK on long fire road type climbs, but come to a singletrack type climb and I'm usually done for before I've even started. I usually take one look at the hill and before I know it I'm planning on where I'm going to stop for a breather etc. What I've found recently is if I keep my head down and only concentrate on the 6 feet or so in front of me (and not look at the climb overall) it's much easier to get to the top. Recently took this attitude and managed to get to the top of a climb I've done loads of times before without stopping once, which was a first. Suprising thing about it is when I got to the top I looked up and though "is that it". I wasnt even that much out of breath. Suprising the control the mind has over you.

griffter18

One more suggestion for you.
As your strength improves it will get easier and you will need to do more or longer climbs to keep up the pressure.
Alternatively carry a rucksack and load it with weight as you improve.
This will mean you are having to carry more weight up the hill and your legs will have to work harder again.
When you come to your real rides drop the weight and you should be quicker and less tired.

Sneaky alternaitive 2 is just before going out with your mates, drop a rock in thier bags, drop a bit of pressure out of thier tires and tighten thier brakes just enough that they bind.
By the time they realise why they are slower than you youll be at the top waiting for them lol

CharlieH

My wife challenged me to ride up a very steep hill near to where she lived as a kid. I made it to the top without touching the granny ring so I was well chuffed

The "in the mind" thing has a lot to do with it as its the sinking feeling as everyone else vanishes into the distance that starts to get to me the most and makes me feel angry with myself so being so damn slow

Stevo_666

Another one here who needs to practice hills - I was wheezing like a barsteward going up the White's climb at Afan a couple of days ago and it was really p1ssing me off !

Some good tips there on breathing and the psychological side of things: will give those a try when I am out next. I also go out on my road/commuter hack and practice hills (for what they're worth round my way) as its so much easier to get out on the road and do that when you live in suburbia. Not quite the same as a techy trail climb but it definitely helps on leg strength and aerobic fitness IMO.

junglist_matty

If you struggle to find time to get out of the house with working from home, get a Turbo trainer... That will help.

CharlieH

junglist_matty wrote:

If you struggle to find time to get out of the house with working from home, get a Turbo trainer... That will help.

Already looking but money is tight and have a new baby due next week so I'll have to do it discreetly

Stevo_666

How do you get a turbo trainer disceetly? She's bound to spot it

CharlieH

Nah, she has a cleaning OCD so refuses to go into the garage as I'm always in there messing around with the bikes and it looks like a bomb site, lol

CharlieH

and if she does spot it I'll just use her excuse and say "what that? I've had that for ages"

CharlieH

Well I've been out as much as I can since starting this thread and I've been timing myself over a 5 mile loop with a mix of off road, muddy tracks and road, once a week, ending in a big hill and the times are as follows

Week 1 29:10
Week 2 28:02
Week 3 27:44
Week 4 27:34
Week 5 27:00

Not exactly record breaking but at least it looks like I'm going in the right direction. I know I can get that down much more, just need to keep going out. Today was the first week that I didn't have to use the granny ring for the final big hill, woohoo

gixernick

Google Kettbells and have a look at some routines on youtube. They're brilliant for strength, cardio and weightloss. nd you'd be amazed what you can achieve in 30-60 mins with them.

CharlieH

Well due to the fact my wife was due to give birth, she decided to go halves on a turbo trainer for the garage.

My turbo trainer arrived last week, I downloaded a couple of sufferefest videos and have done several "rides" in the garage as well as a proper ride last Sunday. I guess only time will tell how much this will help with the hill climbing but I guess it can't help.

And the proper rides will have to be on hold for a few weeks as my wife gave birth to our second son this morning

1mancity2

Congratz on the Baby boy!!

The more riding you do the better your body becomes at it, so just keep plugging away and remember a hill is flat, its only a hill in your head, attack it and kick its butt. (works for me)