Can Riding Up Hills Be Considered Strength Training?

[Over50Newbie]

I live in New England where I can't go out on a bike ride without hitting hills. No matter where I go from my house, it is always hilly!

As I was huffing and puffing up a hill today (clearly in my anaerobic zone) with my quads screaming at me to stop, I realized that my muscles felt the same way as when I weight train. It was like being on a quadricep machine in the gym and working my quads to failure.

So, I was just wondering...

When you ride up a hill, is that like lifting weights at the gym?

And does that mean that biking is not only an aerobic activity, but also a strength building activity (like lifting weights)?

Thanks to all of you expert cyclists for all your expert advice.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I didn't stop today while going up that "killer hill" - I hung in there, even though my legs were killing me.

Yea Me!

Lynette

[Crankin]

Unfortunately, it is not. You just aren't stressing your bones enough (muscles, yes). I am in a similar situation as you; living in New England, in a place where there is little flat riding. Those hills are tough, but they are not building bone density. In fact, there's research that shows many cyclists actually lose bone density because of all of the sweating, with no impact.
Not good for someone like me, who already has osteopenia. Weights, Pilates, hiking, maybe yoga will do it.

[Eden]

You've addressed an important topic, but I'm not sure you've answered the question the OP asked..... Climbing hills can be a strength building exercise - its just not a weight bearing one. My coach has me do big gear low cadence hill climbs for strength building and I can attest it works. It may not build my bone density, but it sure does build my muscles.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I alternate between biking and brisk fitness walking. The walking gets some weight bearing exercise in.

[OakLeaf]

Climbing (or sprinting) out of the saddle is weight bearing (besides being strength building). It's still non-impact and less than full body weight (some is always in your hands and the other leg), so it's not much use for building bones, but it has all the other benefits of weight bearing exercise.

[Crankin]

Exactly. It's weight bearing for muscles, but I wouldn't count on it to help with bone density. Believe, I know. No matter how many 15% grades I've climbed, the bones are still thinning. Well, until I started medical intervention.
Yes, my legs are stronger, but the bones aren't.