Hill fitness through the non-summer months

I'm annoyed that the days are already starting to get shorter. Hrmph. I've still got a few weeks of my "Hilly" commute to work, which takes 1.5hrs, but when I leave the house and it's dark/cold, I'm less likely to commit to that sort of thing.

Then I figure a few weekends of hilly rides, but even that is likely to drop off when it gets cold.

What's the best way to keep my hill fitness up over the next coming months? I'd like to not have to start from scratch in the spring again!

Fixie-commuting? Interval workouts? Any specific DVDs for the living room/trainer?

-- gnat!

Hill intervals is what a coach told me. Lowish (he said a number so low that I won't do, like 30-40) rpm, 15-20 minutes, 3x, at 10 bpm below AT. Well actually at 10 bpm above Lactate balance point, but that's the same thing for me. Done in an hour and builds watts, says he.

I spin in the winter and thankfully have one particular instructor who likes to "climb." That said, it still takes some time in the spring to get back into the swing of climbing. It's part of the challenge/fun of it for me! Or that's the way I try to look at it.

here too. for two seasons i took a spin class in the dark short days of winter.
it's not like climbing hills, really, but it helps.

Over the past two years I did a lot of running in the winter, which around here means a lot of running on hills, and very little cycling. I found myself much stronger in the spring when I took my bike out, which really surprised me.

If you live in a snowy area, perhaps cross-country skiing on hilly grounds, or snowshoeing on hills, would help too (and be softer on your joints...)?

I'm in a different situation as I go south to Flatland for the winters, but riding in the wind actually kept me in pretty decent hill-climbing shape. So just putting some extra resistance on the trainer, to build/maintain strength on some of your indoor rides, should be good.

I try to maintain some degree of cycling fitness during the winter through spinning and riding when I can, but I also see winter as a time to take a mental and physical break from it. I run, I go to more yoga classes, I get a little more rest, I catch up on other projects. When I came back this spring, it didn't take me long to feel really good again on the bike so something seems to be working. Right now, I'm starting to feel some burn out and am actually looking forward to the change of pace that winter will bring. Don't get me wrong. I'll likely whine and complain when the weather really starts to turn nasty, but I think there's something to be said for mixing it up.

Oops, you're in SF. No snow.

For the home trainer you can try some Spinerval DVDs. Some are hill-focused, and will wipe you out all right. :D

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

I'm in a different situation as I go south to Flatland for the winters, but riding in the wind actually kept me in pretty decent hill-climbing shape.

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I second that. I think it helps mentally, too.

I agree. Sometimes a break is what's needed most to keep your head clear and your mind strong for conquering the hills in the spring.

But, in the meantime, do you think squats and other leg exercises are a good primer for strength in the spring? I'm thinking of testing this theory this winter.

We have a "Total Gym" at home that I got second hand. I used one for back rehab years before I ever saw the infomercial with Chuck Norris. It's a nice workout.

The worst part is wrestling it in and out of the closet...well, that and avoiding thoughts of Chuck Norris.

San Francisco?
Cold?

pish posh

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Originally Posted by bluebug32

I agree. Sometimes a break is what's needed most to keep your head clear and your mind strong for conquering the hills in the spring.

But, in the meantime, do you think squats and other leg exercises are a good primer for strength in the spring? I'm thinking of testing this theory this winter.

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Absolutely. You can vary your stance for squats to hit different areas. Keep your feet closer together to hit the outer glutes & quads. Wide stance with toes out will hit the inner thighs (squeeze on the way up.) The lower you go the more you hit your glutes but be sure to keep a normal curve in your lower back. If you don't have a lot of flexibility, you might need to keep your squats shallow for awhile.

Low reps with weights build more strength (4-8 reps). Higher reps (12-20) will build endurance. Do both.

Lunges are good too. You can do stationary or walking. Steps ups are great for quads & glutes.

SF is not cold Gnat! What are you talkin about?

I think Perth's weather might be like yours in the winter..

Get on that bike dear & ignore the weather. Gentle rain & cold wind will not cause you to shrink.

Winter will soon be there..I know because Spring is def on it's way to Perth :D

Spinervals DVD The Uphill Grind. Boy, did that make me stronger over the winter when I was working too many hours to be able to ride much. And I know it sounds sick, but it's fun and it goes by fast. There's another one, I think called "Hillacious", but I don't have/know it.

one-legged drills on the trainer made a difference to me this year.

A trainer and evil Coach Troy.

I spent two winters in North Dakota ("40 below keeps the riffraff out"... so I left) and let me tell you, San Francisco is COLD.

Maybe not any colder in the winter than in the summer. But that place is cold.

Uhh....the temps you call "winter", I call "ooh, a thaw, let's get out the bikes"....sigh...temperature is all so relative....

But, I digress, Evil Coach Troy--Uphill Grind is short and fun (yes, fun). The intervals change frequently to keep you from forgetting the pain. Hillacious is longer, but good. It has some long intervals at the beginning, but I think they helped. Tucson Training rides. Besides getting to see lots of cacti to thaw out your bones, both of the rides on it have you grinding the hills.

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Originally Posted by Dogmama

Absolutely. You can vary your stance for squats to hit different areas. Keep your feet closer together to hit the outer glutes & quads. Wide stance with toes out will hit the inner thighs (squeeze on the way up.) The lower you go the more you hit your glutes but be sure to keep a normal curve in your lower back. If you don't have a lot of flexibility, you might need to keep your squats shallow for awhile.

Low reps with weights build more strength (4-8 reps). Higher reps (12-20) will build endurance. Do both.

Lunges are good too. You can do stationary or walking. Steps ups are great for quads & glutes.

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Thanks!

In terms of the low/high reps and doing both. Do I do them both in one session or do high one day, low the next time I do legs?

Yes, I know, San Francisco does not touch the real winters that I grew up with in Wisconsin, but...

I do know not to push it when I'm not having fun, and commuting in the pitch-dark with full-rain gear and a headwind is about when I call it a day, never mind any hills on top of that. Just looking for alternatives that are close enough to keep the fitness rather than earn hardcore points. :)

Thanks for the ideas, everyone!

-- gnat!

I definitely recommend the Spinervals DVD "Hillacious" - I'm one of the cyclists in the workout. :D I'm the one stuck in the back on the stationary bike. That is a great workout and Evil Coach Troy is actually very nice.

Some chilly-weather hikes through Muir Woods might help to keep both quads and lungs in climbing shape. I hoofed it along one trail there a few years ago that was pretty tough, and I'm betting it was actually one of the easier trails.

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Originally Posted by Kalidurga

Some chilly-weather hikes through Muir Woods might help to keep both quads and lungs in climbing shape.

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Hah! You totally reminded me of a COLD ride near Muir Woods last spring:
http://www.specializedriders.com/blog/116/post/show/117

I believe the phrase was "I thought my IT bands would curl up into my buttocks for warmth if they could."

-- gnat! (wimp, I know...)

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Originally Posted by bluebug32

Thanks!

In terms of the low/high reps and doing both. Do I do them both in one session or do high one day, low the next time I do legs?

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High one day, 48 hours later do low. Rinse and repeat.

When I lived in the bay area, I didn't own any real winter stuff. It seems like there's no point in it because it is hardly ever cold enough.

I spent a miserable week in Honolulu (ok, really still lots of fun) because I only had clothes for 85 degrees and it was in the high 60s, drizzly and windy.

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Originally Posted by malkin

When I lived in the bay area, I didn't own any real winter stuff. It seems like there's no point in it because it is hardly ever cold enough.

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That's weird. Now that we go south for the winters, the only time I wear my winter stuff is when we go to Monterey every year. In July.

Like I said, 40 below is nothing compared to 45 above and 90% humidity. Brrrrrr!

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Originally Posted by makbike

A trainer and evil Coach Troy.

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I just love calling him "Evil Coach Troy" when I do Spinnervals!

Since I live in Florida I am ALWAYS looking for hill training. So even though I can ride all winter long--I find the trainer the best thing for this. Just building leg strength. And yes, the wind on the flats is another strength booster. With wind you never get the downhill! (Hard to believe but it seems there is never a tail wind always a head wind!)

Wow, so sorry to hear summer is ending for some of you. I am looking forward to some weather that allows me to not have to be up before the crack of dawn to get my workouts in!