Training for hills on a Trainer?

[indigoiis]

Get an old army canvas bag, or a duffle bag, and fill it with laundry.
Go to the lowest floor of the house.
Work up to climbing the stairs twelve times with that slung over your shoulders (evenly.)

I know it sounds silly. But it works! Even though you are not on a bike, you are working a lot of the same muscles, and you are getting a good heart workout.

[JaneE]

This week's RoadBikeRider e-newsletter addressed this very issue.

http://www.roadbikerider.com:80/currentissue.htm

Scroll down to #5.

[vinbek]

I have used two different ways indoors to prepare for hill climbing. When on an indoor trainer, I do intervals. I am not a gear masher and don't recommend high gears to simulate hill riding. Stay in easy low gears and pedal at a high rpm after a good warm up for 1-2 minutes if you can. Then back off on the rpm's and recover for 1 -2 minutes and repeat - it will build strength. I normally ride for 30 minutes. I do a 5 - 10 minute warm up, 10 minutes of intervals ( I ride hard for 2 minutes and rest for 30 seconds and repeat - but I have been riding for 30 years) and then 5 - 10 minutes of cool down. that's my first recommendation. the second is similar to what was already suggested - step ups. Find a two step, step stool and take hand weights and climb up and down the stool. This will build strength in your legs too. Good luck. Bekki

[Momonbikemob]

Thank you all for your thoughts, ideas and suggestions! I will be looking in to the Spinerval DVD's, read the roadbikeriders post, and will give reps a better try (I haven't been attempting them very diligently). I also might put my toddler in her backpack and go up and down our stairs several times... instead of a duffle bag with laundry (she's a good twenty-five pound and would love the ride, I'm sure!) Thanks for that fun one indigenoiis!
Again thanks for all your suggestions and will probably be trying them all a bit throughout the winter to get ready for our big hill!

[simi0712]

Try Cyclo-Climb DVD workout. Very intense. Just Google Cyclo-Core and it is one of the dvds offered. It's a great program.