Is training either/or?
phreak
Posts: 2,907
Being quite small I'm not too bad at climbing but would like to improve my power on the flats so I'm not tired by the time I get to the hills.
If I concentrate heavily on that side of things will my climbing ability suffer or does it not really work like that?
If I concentrate heavily on that side of things will my climbing ability suffer or does it not really work like that?
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Both. With active recovery or rest days in between. And you can work on power whilst climbing by doing seated big gear climbing intervals if you want to mix the two. But dont forget to work on points of technique and pedalling too!0
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Power is power. Your legs dont just use "different" power once you hit a hill.
To go faster on both the flat and hills, increase your power output and decrease your weight. Training hard on the flat and on hills both increase your power, so both will increase your speed on the hills and flat.
I do hilly rides a lot and really notice a difference when on the flat. Similarly, the high-power intervals I do when commuting can add up to a noticable difference when I go out to the hills at the weekend.0 -
No it shouldn't damage your ability to climb unless you start putting on a lot of weight.
Climbing is about power to weight and flat riding tends to be about aerodynamics and plain power with weight mattering less.
To get faster riding harder is important. but it depends what you're aiming for- if you want to improve for a flat 10 mile TT then intervals (2x20 mins at lactate threshold), if it's for long rides like sportives- then long rides are probably good training, or 2 hours going fairly fast along the flat to get you used to it."I hold it true, what'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost;
Than never to have loved at all."
Alfred Tennyson0 -
phreak wrote:
If I concentrate heavily on that side of things will my climbing ability suffer or does it not really work like that?
In a nutshell, no. If you're a small guy, unless you pack on serious beef your climbing won't suffer and may even well improve. Get out with a chaingang perhaps, or do some hard intervals on the turbo (the hour of power is an excellent one if you search for it.
(and contrary to popular opinion riding hills does not make you faster on the flat)"A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"
PTP Runner Up 20150 -
Fishing surely?ShockedSoShocked wrote:(and contrary to popular opinion riding hills does not make you faster on the flat)
If you increase power, whether it be from hill climbing or turbo training or whatever, you will go faster on the flat.
Can you expand on this theory?0 -
Infamous wrote:
Fishing surely?ShockedSoShocked wrote:(and contrary to popular opinion riding hills does not make you faster on the flat)
If you increase power, whether it be from hill climbing or turbo training or whatever, you will go faster on the flat.
Can you expand on this theory?
Fishing for what?"A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"
PTP Runner Up 20150
