Wavedancer,

Like you, changing my technique on hills has totally transformed my training - and I can now power up inclines that previously I would have really struggled on. Practice also helps - and there's no other way to master hills than to just keep climbing them. Repeatedly! Hills make you soooooooooo much fitter!

Like you, I discovered the lower body technique.
I realised that I was wasting so much energy, pushing with my upper body, using my shoulders to help move me forward, involuntarily swinging the handlebars a fraction, this way and that. It doesn't help - it upsets your balance, you can't keep your line (important, especially if you ever intend to ride in a pack) and it wastes so much effort.
I now keep from my hips upwards as neutral as possible (but relaxed - don't tense). My shoulders and upper body remain in a straight line, my biceps relaxed. My upper torso barely moves, and is just along for the ride. I visualise just my bottom half on the bike (a silly image, but works for me!). My abs are tensed - my butt is at the back of the seat - and my quads and calves and glutes are like pistons, making a smooth, circular motion with the pedals. In my mind, I become a machine - chugging up that hill!

As RoadRaven says - slow and steady. I used to go at hills hammer and tongs, wanting them to be over - trying to charge up them, but losing momentum and steam halfway up. Now I just take my time - I don't worry about speed, just technique and form - and because I'm now powering much harder for longer (as opposed to short erratic bursts) I arrive at the top faster and recover much quicker. On really steep bits I'll get up out of the saddle and lean forwards slightly, but again - all the effort and energy is coming from my legs - my arms are parallel, steadying the handlebars.

I've now adopted an almost zen-like approach to hills, however steep!

* Never say you can't - I chant to myself "I don't stop on hills"! And now I don't (well, 99.9% of the time, unless my pedals won't physically turn anymore - but that's because I only have a double and some of the hills I play on are STEEP!). I always ask myself "Is it because I physically can't, or I won't/don't want to". The battle with hills is often psychological - and I know I'll hate myself if I just wimped out.

* Never look at the top; you'll feel your heart sink - just focus on a few metres in front of you and make that your goal - and then the next few metres, and the next, etc. etc.

I'm even starting to enjoy hills - and I never thought I'd hear myself coming out with such a sick statement as that one!