Hill Reps

rob39
rob39 Posts: 479
Going to be difficult to get out on to my local routes for the next 4 weeks or so due to work but I live at the foot of a hill, will hill reps benefit power/endurance/speed on top of improving climbing of course Kerse Hill ToB cat 4 0.7 miles 5%

Comments

  • AK_jnr
    AK_jnr Posts: 717
    How long can you get out for?
  • Only one way to find out but warm up first. Increase the no of repetitions i.e 3 one week, 4 the next etc, give yourself some rest and report back.
  • Really does depend how you intend to incorporate the hill as part of a session. If you only have time to ride up and down it as a short session, say 30mins or less, you are less likely to see major endurance gains.

    If that is the case I would use it for lactate threshold, riding it hard back to back for as many reps as you can manage.

    If you can incorporate it as part of a short loop then you could use it for a more aerobic type session which helps with endurance and potentially power/speed.
  • rob39
    rob39 Posts: 479
    Really does depend how you intend to incorporate the hill as part of a session. If you only have time to ride up and down it as a short session, say 30mins or less, you are less likely to see major endurance gains.

    If that is the case I would use it for lactate threshold, riding it hard back to back for as many reps as you can manage.

    If you can incorporate it as part of a short loop then you could use it for a more aerobic type session which helps with endurance and potentially power/speed.

    I could incorporate it in a small 4 mile loop so how can I use it for an aerobic session
  • rob39 wrote:
    Really does depend how you intend to incorporate the hill as part of a session. If you only have time to ride up and down it as a short session, say 30mins or less, you are less likely to see major endurance gains.

    If that is the case I would use it for lactate threshold, riding it hard back to back for as many reps as you can manage.

    If you can incorporate it as part of a short loop then you could use it for a more aerobic type session which helps with endurance and potentially power/speed.

    I could incorporate it in a small 4 mile loop so how can I use it for an aerobic session
    You don't say how much time you have, that piece of information is important.
  • I could incorporate it in a small 4 mile loop so how can I use it for an aerobic session

    I would start the session at the top of the hill so it becomes the end of the loop. I would ride the non hill part of the loop in Z3 (do you use HR/Power?), and then ride the hill itself at just above threshold so you are including a bit of an over/under in the session as well.

    To make it worthwhile probably need to do at least 45mins, so I guess 3-4 loops depending on how quick you are.

    I do 1-2 sessions a week like this myself and find it is pretty good for fitness gains.
  • stretchy
    stretchy Posts: 149
    I'd stick to the flats so I could utilise the entire 30 mins rather than coasting down the hill (wasting time).
  • On that length of hill you could probably do a tabata workout.

    After a good warm up, say 10 minutes then at the bottom of the hill 20 secs @ max 10 sec recovery and repeat 8 times, recover for 5 minutes and repeat, then cool down. Job done in 30 minutes
  • Tom Dean
    Tom Dean Posts: 1,723
    Probably not wise to do Tabata on the open road. Then again, if you can repeat the set you're not trying hard enough :)
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,706
    Some of Tejvan Pettinger's articles might be of interest:
    http://cyclinguphill.com/hill-climb-intervals/

    What you decide to do - how many, how hard, how often etc - depends on your fitness level and goals.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • sh-g
    sh-g Posts: 30
    rob39 wrote:
    Going to be difficult to get out on to my local routes for the next 4 weeks or so due to work but I live at the foot of a hill, will hill reps benefit power/endurance/speed on top of improving climbing of course Kerse Hill ToB cat 4 0.7 miles 5%

    Probably much to late for this answer to have an interest to you. However Hill reps will probably help your power and FTP but you will also possibly loose speed and endurance. Training has to be varied to have a good effect, unless of course you just want to be a climber or sprinter. Hope it went well for you. :wink: