Tip for Hills

[MojoGrrl]

Climbed some gnarly hills today and I tried to "boobs to the tube" when I didn't feel like standing up, and it worked. I also kept saying in my head, "Boobs to the tube, power through that sh*t!" ha ha

[Catrin]

I do not stand and pedal, but have been trying to remember the "boobs to the tube" approach to hill climbing and it does seem to help I am unsure how it helps, in my case it probably makes me a little more aerodynamic since I've such a very upright riding position, but regardless, it helps

I was riding with my trainer and his wife a few weeks ago and did this - thinking about what we call it made me chuckle. I wasn't about to mention this to him but it was funny.

[itsalldownhill]

I've had luck with looking at the ground with quick glances up to "see where I'm at". Then I find a spot and say (in my head) "All I have to do is make it to that sign"...then when I get to the sign, I often feel like I'm okay to find the next point "All I have to do is make it to that driveway" etc. etc. and before I know it, I'm up the hill!

[Bike Writer]

I can give a tip that is more related about what not to do than what to do and that is to change strategy mid hill. Whenever I've done that it has not worked out well. Either stick to attacking the hill with power or decide to spin up it.

The one piece of advice or tip for hills is to keep doing them and doing them, eventually it does get better. When you are feeling particularly strong is a good time to go do the hill that you have avoided. You may surprise yourself.

There have been a lot of good tips here, good thread!

[Bike Writer]

I used all three tonight when climbing an ornery hill.

1. Boobs to the tube
2. Power through that sh*t
3. Shut up legs!

Worked! Made me giggle too.

[amb]

I'm not a great climber but I did some pretty good hills on my MS150 ride and I was actually doing all these things: boobs to the tube (thought I didn't know this clever saying) and look down. I only have a double ring in the front so I just have to buckle down and PUSH! It works!

And I'd wear that jersey too!

[ShubieGA]

I have to remember these on my next hill conquest!

[nscrbug]

Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but the "boobs to the tube" method doesn't seem to work for me. When I lean too far forward on a climb, my diaphragm feels like it's getting smooshed and I can't breathe well. I have to do the exact opposite, and sit very tall and upright with totally relaxed shoulders and light hands on the bars. This opens up my chest and lungs so that I can take in nice deep breaths. With all that being said, I still suck at climbs.

Linda

[smilingcat]

... totally relaxed shoulders and light hands on the bars. This opens up my chest and lungs so that I can take in nice deep breaths. With all that being said, I still suck at climbs.

Linda

Yes that is exactly what you want to do. Also don't grimace, keep a dead pan look. Watch the mountain stage of the Tour and watch the faces of the leaders. They are not smiling, they are not grimacing, their facial muscle is relaxed into dead pan look. And yes do breath all the way from the bottom of your lung and not just the top of your lung. And don't tighten your chest Try to relax your chest as much as possible. Pace yourselves and above all enjoy the climb.

If you want to get better on climb, only thing that will make it easier is to do hill repeats.

[ny biker]

Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but the "boobs to the tube" method doesn't seem to work for me. When I lean too far forward on a climb, my diaphragm feels like it's getting smooshed and I can't breathe well. I have to do the exact opposite, and sit very tall and upright with totally relaxed shoulders and light hands on the bars. This opens up my chest and lungs so that I can take in nice deep breaths. With all that being said, I still suck at climbs.

Linda

I sit up and put my hands on top of the handlebars rather than the hoods. You're right, this does allow you to open up your lungs better. I only stand sometimes on very short hills. Otherwise I shift into an easy gear and spin, slowing my cadence if needed to avoid triggering an asthma attack.

I learned to like hills by doing a few pancake-flat centuries and metrics. They were so boring. And you can never stop pedaling no matter how tired your legs might get.

Then I did a crazy hilly century that made me cry. But I finished. And I no longer fear hills because I know I can handle it.

[Ritamarie]

Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but the "boobs to the tube" method doesn't seem to work for me. When I lean too far forward on a climb, my diaphragm feels like it's getting smooshed and I can't breathe well. I have to do the exact opposite, and sit very tall and upright with totally relaxed shoulders and light hands on the bars. This opens up my chest and lungs so that I can take in nice deep breaths. With all that being said, I still suck at climbs.

Linda,

I agree completely. I don't get the "boobs to the tube" advice at all. If you watch good climbers, they sit up and back with shoulders down and relaxed, and hands light the handlebars, sometimes with fingers open. The position opens the lungs, keeps you from expending energy in the arms/hands which is useless, and allows you to use the big muscles in the back of your legs/butt, which are much stronger than those in the front. It's not an aerodynamic position but you don't need that on a climb generally.

[Ritamarie]

And I no longer fear hills because I know I can handle it.

Do enough hills and they lose their power over you.

[Bike Writer]

Regarding the boobs to the tube and breathing, agreed that for most of the climb I am upright and breathing in gulps of air. About mid hill I did the self talk of "power it up" followed by telling my legs to shut up. In the last leg of this I lowered myself down, attempting to make myself "small" (no small feat by any means) and for some reason got an additional boost of power to the top. I am thinking this is more of a mental boost than anything else. But whatever it takes

Plus I have been riding this same hill for several days.

[OakLeaf]

Well I know anyone in the TdF is a whole lot stronger than I am, but I think anyone who can keep a light touch on the bars while climbing is either a whole lot stronger than I am, or has much lower gearing. I have to pull up hard on the bars to get enough leverage to pedal a steep hill.

And +1 on not closing off the airway. Getting out of the drops is probably the first thing I do at the bottom of a hill - before I downshift, even, often. The hoods give me the best grip and the widest open chest (I don't really like bars wide enough for me to use the tops).

Sticking out your tongue really opens the airway - they do it for a reason when they climb and sprint - but I haven't needed to do that on the bike since I took up running.

[Catrin]

My riding position is quite upright all of the time, but I have found on harder climbs that it does help for that last bit if I lower my body a bit - closer to the boobs to the tube position. My bike doesn't have road bars, so I probably do this different than others. I have noted that for some reason when I do this if my legs were burning that it decreases and my breathing gets a little easier.

I am unsure what causes this - but as tall as I normally sit in the saddle it may be that this moderates things just enough to give me a LITTLE more aero position without restricting my airways.

The decreased quad burning is of most interest - I can't explain it, but it works for me.