Standing for Hill Climbs

**IFjane** · 06-25-2007, 07:03 AM

I only have a couple things to add:

RR, you mentioned climbing in the drops. I have found that I cannot do that because I feel like my chest isn't open enough and I can't breathe. Of course, I'm sucking air like a freight train when I climb anyway!

Second, when climbing try to keep the top half of your body steady. Many times I see people standing to climb and their whole body is moving up and down - bouncing, so to speak. That movement wastes a lot of energy that could otherwise go into the climb. Try to keep your upper body still and only move the lower half.

**lyca** · 06-25-2007, 08:23 AM

Oh how I wish that I had a mini equus to take with me on my rides. She could sit on my shoulder and advise me on how to climb...how to go faster...how to make my breathing return to normal. Oh equus, when you patent yourself, do let me know, kay?

**li10up** · 06-25-2007, 09:32 AM

I don't have any problems standing...I kind of like it. But I can't do it for very long. I think it looks cool - the pros just stand for minutes on end while climbing a hill. After about 30 seconds I'm toast...which leaves me to my question. Would standing be a good training tool - a way to get a good workout in a short amount of time? Or would it not really benefit me to train that way?

**SouthernBelle** · 06-25-2007, 09:56 AM

Well I think the only way you can improve at it is to do more of it.

Plus it does improve your climbing. So yeah, do it.

**RoadRaven** · 06-25-2007, 10:50 AM

li... its taken me about a year to build up to being able to stand up a hill for a minute... and thats a moderate hill...

It is a fab workout, because you are actually demanding much more of your body when you climb standing, than if you stay seated... just watch your heart rate...

It is also great to train your body to recover more quickly - when you sit down, you often just want to stop/slow pedaling... but if you pretend you have been chasing Lance or Floyd, or Sarah or Onone, up a hill and when you get to the top you have to sit and thrash the pedals because you know that the top of the hill is where they will attack because everyone else is tired from climbing... well, if you can put the power in when you sit, its great practice for your heart and lungs and legs to respond to your demands...

(although my perceived power when I sit and try to "power" away, and my actual power/speed dont really correspond yet

but I am working on it...)

**Rumblefish** · 06-25-2007, 04:01 PM

I've also been working on my hill climbing and I'm slowly getting better. I've found it helpful to also practice on flat ground like others have already suggested. It's a good way to regain some speed too after slowing for an intersection!

I'll mention this just because no one mentioned it to me and I ended up realizing it on my own later. But when I stand to climb a hill I actually lean a little more forward over my handle bars...not a lot, but just a little more than usual and it helped me quite a bit, especially with my balance.

One thing my boyfriend told me about standing on hills that I also found useful was to think about kneading bread and that the side to side and pushing (I push on my handlebars as opposed to pulling, works better for me) on the bars mimics bread kneading. It was pretty helpful for me....however i do get hungry for bread now while climbing hills!

We'll all get better climbing those hills! and one day we'll be the riders that newbies look at and say "I wanna climb hills like THAT!"

For now it's practice practice practice

**luvs2ride** · 06-25-2007, 04:22 PM

Practice is working for me also. The more I work at it the better I get. I found when going up a steep hill if I alternate between standing up and sitting down it saves not only some of my energy but also my "buns." We gotta do what we gotta do !!

Blessings!
Susan

**equus123** · 06-26-2007, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by lyca

Oh how I wish that I had a mini equus to take with me on my rides. She could sit on my shoulder and advise me on how to climb...how to go faster...how to make my breathing return to normal. Oh equus, when you patent yourself, do let me know, kay?

Will do. Not a problem baby

If you would like help, send me a PM about certain situations or points in which you need advice. I'll see what I can do to offer some.

**smilingcat** · 06-26-2007, 08:21 AM

On a long climb, I tend to mix what equus had to say.

one mo' thing. Sometimes I get off the seat (stand) to let my legs take a break from the long climb. But when I do this, I shift up in gear.

Another important thing to remember is that standing up burns more energy and is less efficient.

Smilingcat

**equus123** · 06-26-2007, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by smilingcat

Another important thing to remember is that standing up burns more energy and is less efficient.

Yes. If you have a powermeter though you can hold the same wattage when you get out of the saddle so that you're not doing more work and can stretch or change it up for a few seconds.

**RoadRaven** · 06-26-2007, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Rumblefish

I've also been working on my hill climbing and I'm slowly getting better. I've found it helpful to also practice on flat ground like others have already suggested. It's a good way to regain some speed too after slowing for an intersection!

Yep... I do this too... around corners, and on straights...

Around corners to practice skills so i don't get dropped in a road race

On straights to practice building up speed again after an out and back time trial.

If you are standing for this reason, you can actually throw your bike araound quite a bit - watch some sprint finishes (le Tour is coming up if you have no opportunity before then) and you'll see what I mean...

**lyca** · 06-26-2007, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by equus123

Will do. Not a problem baby

If you would like help, send me a PM about certain situations or points in which you need advice. I'll see what I can do to offer some.

Sweet. You're the best.

**li10up** · 06-28-2007, 10:00 AM

Standing is fun - at least I like it - but, I agree, probably is not the best idea. I've noticed several times that I'll be sitting while climbing and another rider will stand to climb. I've noticed that I stick with him up the hill and I imagine that I've expended less energy by sitting. However, there are other riders that stand and can then leave me in the dust. So I guess it has it's place - especially for those that are strong and light and can recover quickly. I'd like to be able to do it 'cause it's fun but my strength-to-weight ratio isn't very good and it just wipes me out. More things that I need to work on...IF IT WOULD JUST QUIT RAINING. DOESN'T MOTHER NATURE KNOW THAT IT ISN'T SUPPOSED TO RAIN IN TEXAS IN JUNE AND JULY!?!

**coyote** · 06-28-2007, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by li10up

...IF IT WOULD JUST QUIT RAINING. DOESN'T MOTHER NATURE KNOW THAT IT ISN'T SUPPOSED TO RAIN IN TEXAS IN JUNE AND JULY!?!

Stop hogging all the rain and send it this way! We are waiting for monsoon to start but it keeps going your way

**Bklynmom** · 07-03-2007, 04:10 PM

I am just trying to stand too and got some great advice from a friend, similar to whats here.

I click up a few gears - 3 or 4! Then I stand but keep my butt over the seat. I also try not to increase my speed which seems to be the key to not expending too much energy - I even click up one more if I need to slow down.

I also try to stand up at a certain point at the hill in our local Park. Each week I try to start standing a bit sooner. It really works too

- I did a long ride and was able to stand and slowly climb a one block hill that often makes me tired.

Of course a few blocks later I crashed into a stone wall and had to go home on the subway, but it wasn't while I was standing!

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