hill repeats and again and again

seve65

Just wondering what kind of hill repeats people get up to trying to improve fitness ? I did the following just to see at what point my performance would dip.

I went up and down to the airport in Cork on the Kinsale road 12 times today from roundabout to roundabout (a couple of times i veered off up the steeper road behind Bull McCabes as an occasional 'treat' !). I wanted to do more but the light was failing.

thebouldwhacker

So at what point did your performance dip?

ajk24

seve65 wrote: »

Just wondering what kind of hill repeats people get up to trying to improve fitness ? I did the following just to see at what point my performance would dip.

I went up and down to the airport in Cork on the Kinsale road 12 times today from roundabout to roundabout (a couple of times i veered off up the steeper road behind Bull McCabes as an occasional 'treat' !). I wanted to do more but the light was failing.

lunatic - how long was it taking you for the roundabout to roundabout direct version. have done a few repeats on it. about 10 minutes 30 per section. would like to think I could do it in less than 9 if I was fit.

seve65

I dont think it did, perhaps I was taking it too easy, I havent got a trip computer so cant be accurate about that. I was going more on how I felt, I was doing approx 2 reps per half hour. I did feel like I actually picked up the pace a bit as the sun was going down. I know I need to be more scientific in future to make the exercise meaningful

FISMA

Seve65,
Try to stand for as long as possible. I find this is a great way to work out.

Also, remember that there's 360degrees in a circle. A lot of cyclists only use force on less than half of the circle. Concentrate on a nice smooth consistent power stroke all the way through.

If you can stand the whole way easily, then start doing some intervals.

IM0

if you're doing a nine minute climb 12 times you're probably not going hard enough for to be making that much difference, try doing it faster for less repeats and you should see more of an improvement.

thebouldwhacker

You spent 3 hours going up and down the airport hill..... nutter:D

well done though

iregk

My hill repeat is the climb coming out of hollywood heading for the gap. The nice flat run from Blessington to Hollywood gets me nicely warm and I take that climb on usually about 5 times trying to go up it faster each time. Run #4 is usually my fastest with 5 being a bit of a struggle.

IM0

I usually do long climbs, by Irelands standards anyway! up Dublin mountains about 20min+ repeated 3-4 times.

in other years training for the marmotte also I would do wicklow gap from Laragh 3 times, then up the shea Elliot, down the other side and repeats on that harder side 3 times, and then on way home up sally gap luggala a couple of times.

the whole point was simulating the climbs of the alps...here in ireland :rolleyes:

niceonetom

I did Stocking Lane and Edmondstown Rd. repeats early last summer in preparation for the Marmotte. Up and down five times each came to 3300m or thereabouts. That was one one of the toughest days I've ever given myself on the bike -mentally as well as physically. Doing it solo meant that there was an awful lot of time for introspection.

I found my performance dipped drastically after about 5 climbs but it came back again for the last 3. I actually felt I could have done a couple more but I was pretty bored by that stage. Learning that a decline in strength does NOT necessarily mean game over was an important lesson - second winds do come if you give yourself time to eat and drink and have faith that your body will recover a bit.

tunney

FISMA wrote: »

Seve65,
Also, remember that there's 360degrees in a circle. A lot of cyclists only use force on less than half of the circle. Concentrate on a nice smooth consistent power stroke all the way through.

A stroke that has uniform power generation is less powerful that one that has a phase in which the peak torque is significantly greater than the average torque.

seve65

FISMA wrote: »

Seve65,
Try to stand for as long as possible. I find this is a great way to work out.

Also, remember that there's 360degrees in a circle. A lot of cyclists only use force on less than half of the circle. Concentrate on a nice smooth consistent power stroke all the way through.

If you can stand the whole way easily, then start doing some intervals.

Thanks, I have been trying to stand a bit more, and have found different muscles getting tired. I am a million miles away from being able to stand all the way up the airport hill. A nice target though.

I have also been trying to work on pulling the pedals back, as well as pushing down. I cant really get a nice balance when I focus on doing that.

mtbireland

I think you need to get out and ride with a group... I never pull up.... not sure people do.....Do you ride with other people....?

Raam

tunney wrote: »

A stroke that has uniform power generation is less powerful that one that has a phase in which the peak torque is significantly greater than the average torque.

That very thought is always fore to my mind when riding uphill TTs.

seve65

mtbireland wrote: »

I think you need to get out and ride with a group... I never pull up.... not sure people do.....Do you ride with other people....?

I dont and I should ! That apart: http://www.roadcycling.com/training/smoothstrokes.shtml

thebouldwhacker

mtbireland wrote: »

I never pull up.... not sure people do

Not much point being clipped in otherwise

seve65

Raam wrote: »

That very thought is always fore to my mind when riding uphill TTs.

"A stroke that has uniform power generation is less powerful that one that has a phase in which the peak torque is significantly greater than the average torque."

Is this some kind of cycling poetry !

I think I had better take the radio out to keep all mentions of torque out of my brain !

Raam

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Not much point being clipped in otherwise

Sure there is. Keeps your foot in place, allows you to pull back, even if you don't pull up.

thebouldwhacker

I dont wear Sidi's to keep my foot in place god damn it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIJT14MSPtg

mtbireland

First, Yes, there was a difference between how the two groups pedaled, with the faster group "pushing harder", and the lesser group "pulling up" more, but the pulling up difference did not reach statical significance. And, this difference was only present when riding at their maximum sustainable power. There was no difference in technique when riding at lower power.

I got confused when I read the rest....

http://www.powercranks.com/study-cycling-coyle-technique.html

I know off-road on really steep really technical stuff you might pull up but never when riding hard.... more important to get the power down on each down stroke....