Can't Breathe up Hills!!

[MartianDestiny]

Well, the commute hill this morning seemed to go better than normal! Maybe I'm just wishing it so or maybe it actually was? Either way I'm happy

Dropped a gear (to the middle ring on my bike), psyched myself up, and went for it. Today I had a "rabbit" and my goal was to keep up with him, and it worked! Granted he wasn't a cyclist, but he seemed in fairly good shape and wasn't on a huffy BSO (bike shaped object) so I'm happy.

I've been attempting to relax my upper body which is very good advice (thanks for the reminder) ; I just need to get better at it. My shoulders always tense and hurt going up the hill on my commute; I think that's a function of my pack. On actual rides my goal is to get rid of the "lance hump" I've discovered I have which is actually closing my diaphragm off to some extent. New bike might help with that since it's a hair longer as will ditching my camelbak for some bottle cages (I am a mtn biker after all)

[indigoiis]

I think a lot of it is psychological. A LOT. As Redrhodie said, shifting your focus off your speed and onto technique or (is it possible?) enjoyment of the task works wonders. After first doing a little stand and climb, I shift down to a spinnier gear, look at my front wheel, and start counting breaths. Often a song will come into my head, or I'll let my thoughts wander. I don't look at the other riders. A guy might hammer by me but by the top, because I'm not pooped, I can often pass other riders who were kicking butt at the bottom.

Slow and steady. Relax your shoulders. Move a little forward. Sing a song. Recite the alpahabet. Count your breaths. Ease up a bit. You'll find it much easier to breathe!

(p.s. this is all stuff I learned right here on TE!

[Biciclista]

I am also a masher not a spinner, but I noticed that you put yourself in an easier gear this morning and maybe that helped too? The fact is, if you use your granny gear for the big hills, you're not using as much power per stroke to put yourself over the hill and it might make the difference between running out of air and not.

[Karma007]

Hills! I recently moved froms coastal SC back to the Bay Area and have negative experience on hills. Last night it was sunny enough to sneak in a couple miles in after work. I tackled a short and steep hill near my home only to find that 1/2way up, I actually had to stop and walk it up.

It came in part I think from lack of experience with my gears (I'm working on that) and a recent 'clipless tip'. I'm still a little spooked, and when I saw that I was climbing the hill at 3 mph kind of panicked, thinking that I would soon stop, clipped in and fall again.

Nevertheless, the hill is ny new nemisis. I will conquer thee!

[ny biker]

I often find that I could walk up a hill faster than I am riding it. I haven't tipped over yet.

One thing I've noticed is that I speed up a bit if I focus on pedaling full circles, so I'm pulling up between 6:00 and 12:00 in addition to pushing with the other leg from 12 down to 6.

[OakLeaf]

Dropped a gear (to the middle ring on my bike),

Oh good grief, you were trying to climb in the big ring? No wonder you weren't going anywhere.

Sounds like a cadence monitor would be a good investment for you. Unless you're in your bottom gear and have no choice, you really want to be above 55-60 rpm on the hills to spare your knees.

Among other things, if you're mashing the gears you're likely not pedaling very smoothly, so you are at a bit greater risk of tipping over when you get below 3 mph or so.

NY Biker, I've heard people say that before, but not while they were walking up said hill. Your walking speed declines on a steep grade, as well...

[MartianDestiny]

Oh good grief, you were trying to climb in the big ring? No wonder you weren't going anywhere.

Sounds like a cadence monitor would be a good investment for you. Unless you're in your bottom gear and have no choice, you really want to be above 55-60 rpm on the hills to spare your knees.

Among other things, if you're mashing the gears you're likely not pedaling very smoothly, so you are at a bit greater risk of tipping over when you get below 3 mph or so.

NY Biker, I've heard people say that before, but not while they were walking up said hill. Your walking speed declines on a steep grade, as well...

O DEAR NO! I've never tried to conquer that hill in the big ring!!! Wasn't long ago I was dropping all the way down to true granny (bike is a triple).

I've started to work some single leg pedaling drills while out with my roommate (who likes to ride her comfort bike around town) and it's definitely helping my spin (not sure how she feels about me keeping up with her one-legged though! ). I'll keep up with that; just got to find a way to do it and not scratch up my top-tube...poor Yeti

I couldn't stand it anymore though and went and picked up my new toy. I've only taken it up the baby commute hill thus far (not the big one), but darn was the difference impressive; I just sailed right on up like it was nothing. I can't wait to try it out on some real rides this weekend. Watch, it will have all been a bike/fit issue (yea, right! "It's not about the bike").

[MartianDestiny]

It IS all about the bike! HRUMPH!! Here I was thinking I might have a medical issue and my bike just stunk! Well, ok, the motor still does need work, but the new bike is AWESOME. I flew up the hill everyone was dropping me on today; still out of breath, but not in a huffing and puffing, going to fall over sort of way and with more speed to show for it (and a much faster recovery). Rode with (well, LED! whoot!) the mellow group (with one first timer) today so I can't really judge yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing how long I can hang with the "big boys" next week.

Still going to work on intervals, breathing, and the other suggestions here of course. Obviously I should be able to ride any bike and not feel like I'm going to pop, so I still have stuff to work on for sure. Feeling much more confident that it's just getting into the swing of things though now.

I wish my DSLR wasn't in Nikkon's possession so I could post some pics for you guys.

[cylegoddess]

I have that quote but only cos I started riding to conquer chronic and terrifying illness( yes! I am on my bike,well not today but tommorow, when I can get out of bed again!)
I used to ride a cheapie chain store one, and man, that sucked! My subzero flys where the other one made knees hurt.

I take spin class, for strength too. Its hard for me, alot of days as virus flaring up makes even the light gear seem like a HUGE hill, at high altitude. Plus it tends to increase my lactic acid.( put it this way, I can barely break into run for a couple of meters without breathing heavy.) So I figure, its about equal to busting a gut riding after faster riders, up hills, sorta!

So what I do( rather than cry!) is pretend Im Lance.I picture my legs pumping away, like pistons( and I say this, my legs are pistons, my legs are steel springs!) and flying up alp d'euz or whatever. Then I forget for the most part, how hard it is. Then once I have that down, I do what he does, that is concentrate on breathing out of your nose and mouth in long breaths. Youll breathe all you need to in. I like to picture stuff I watched on facebook, of Tour greats, when I train so I dont get bored( even half dead, with fatigue my mind wanders, go figure!)

PLus a heart monitor will tell you if your really at your limit. If I know I am working at my hardest heart rate( I have one for bad days and one for good), and and am riding as hard as I can go, I figure - hey ! I am kicking *** for today!
Plus, stepping up intervals to four times a week helps build up to hills and keeping up.

Im glad to hear your bike helped out!
Id love a carbon bike,myself.

[tribogota]

I am in excellent shape and have no "breathing" problems outside of sports, but one wouldn't think so listening to me swim, bike, and run, I huff and puff my way through, even practicing breathing excers. I breathe so heavy you can hear me a mile away, but I am actually NOT that tired, and don't FEEL like I am gonna collapse or drown, so I have stopped worrying about it. At the pool the lifeguards come and ask if I am ok,(until they get to know me), when I am riding up hill, people turn around to see who is breathing so hard as I come up to pass, and running, even slow-ish, I breathe heavy. Just decided that some people breathe heavier, just like some people are more flexible.

[supercutie]

Hello,
I've been skimming this thread, and while I haven't read every single reply and update, I noticed a few things missing. Namely, no one has addressed technique. By this I mean, breaking up your pedal strokes on your climbs/efforts. Conventional cycling "wisdom" teaches "use the full rotation of the pedal stroke". In other words, when you pedal push down, scrape back, pull up all the time. The largest group of muscles is in the legs: quads, hamstrings and glut's. But how long do you think you could tow a motor home up a steep hill in a Geo Metro? Your body is no different. What if instead of the all torque all the time you break it up? How about scrape (like something nasty is stuck to the toe box of your shoe) back only, and for 10 pedal strokes to start with. Now gently lift your knees (like you have no feet, imagine a string at the top of your knee cap lightly pulling up. BE GENTLE THIS IS A VERY SUBTLE MOVEMENT) Do that for 10 pedal strokes. Oh! and while you do those two pedal strokes turn your hands into hooks and hook the middle of your handle bars, near the stem, while leaning back on the saddle, RELAX. It will feel a bit odd at first, but if you do this correctly you will see two dramatic changes take place: first- all the energy is now in your legs where you need and want it, second- you are very stable on the bike (but it must be a hook made with the fingers) and it's easier to relax. The last pedal stroke is going to involve going 1-2 gears harder and getting out of the saddle. Now all you have to do is push down, let gravity do the rest. Again, try it for 10 pedal strokes. Can't do 10? Do 4, or 5, or whatever works. How do I know this? I have an amazing husband who took me from:a 7 years absence from cycling, 150#, 5'3", 46 yrs old, a part time smoker, and a proud couch potato, who's best AVS (ever) was 13 mph, and the slowest climber on every ride I'd ever done. To: 16 mph AVS, and I just climbed the first 6 miles of Mt Lemmon (5-6% grade over 3,000 ft evelvation gain- after a 4 mile warm up at 19 mph AVS), ladies it took me 22 minutes to get to that 6 mile point, and it was only the second time I've done it. I say that's pretty good for this 47 year old who is still 130#.(BTW got on my bike for the first time in 7 years on 8/10/08, did a 33 mile ride that almost killed me, last to get up every 'hill' and to the turn around point, within 3 weeks I was the staying with the pack, 4 weeks after that I was staying with the leader who races-has raced her whole life- and is about 40# lighter and 7 years younger, AND on EVERY hill) My husband has always said cycling focuses on training and fitness, which are important, but technique can give you an edge that no amount of fitness can beat. He also made me learn to ride rollers. Yes, rollers. I hated it at first but in a hallway, with elbow pads and loud music, I'm a believer! 5 minutes is like an hour of any Spin Class on acid, and you will get strong, fast, fit and have better bike handling skills than you ever imagined! Anyone who rides them has that knowing smile right now.


I'd also watch, and avoid caffeine before and during your rides. i.e. Energy Gels and Performance Drinks! I noticed every time I got into a climb I felt like my heart was trying to burst through my chest and abandon me by the roadside. Got rid of the caffeine and now I'm fine. Alcohol too, makes your legs ache and/or feel like rubber. Starts depriving muscles of oxygen within the hour and lasts about 24 hrs.
Add the technique and nutrition tips to all the interval training and spin classes, and you'll soon be a monster on those hills!