Exercises to improve cycling uphill
April 19, 2020 8:37 PM Subscribe
I've been riding my bike more nowadays and I want to get better at uphill cycling. Besides practice, are there any exercises I can do to improve my uphill stamina or my cycling performance in general?
I don't have any exercise equipment but I do yoga and bodyweight exercises at home and was hoping there was something like squats or lunges that would work the right muscles to improve my cycling skills. I'm not a crazy cyclist and just go on 30-60 minutes rides around town, but it's pretty hilly here. I know about when to change gears etc. I just want to get in better shape.
I don't have any exercise equipment but I do yoga and bodyweight exercises at home and was hoping there was something like squats or lunges that would work the right muscles to improve my cycling skills. I'm not a crazy cyclist and just go on 30-60 minutes rides around town, but it's pretty hilly here. I know about when to change gears etc. I just want to get in better shape.
tall! tall building!
posted by muddgirl at 8:58 PM on April 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by muddgirl at 8:58 PM on April 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
A few years ago, I wanted to get better at (or, more accurately, less miserable after) climbing hills. A low-level pro cycling friend of mine said "you want to know the secret to getting better at climbing hills? Go climb hills. Then climb more hills. That's the secret". Annoyingly, there's really not a whole lot you can do to replicate the agony of a hillclimb - there's no shortcuts or alternate workout that will make it easier.
You can get your lungs and legs in better general cycling shape with stairs or a treadmill, but there's really no way to climb hills better except doing it. If you want to track it, set yourself a course in your neighborhood and do it every couple days; you'll see progress in a week or two. As that same cycling friend put it to me, you may not notice that you're getting faster at it if you repeat a course a lot, but you will notice it'll hurt less.
posted by pdb at 9:07 PM on April 19, 2020 [7 favorites]
You can get your lungs and legs in better general cycling shape with stairs or a treadmill, but there's really no way to climb hills better except doing it. If you want to track it, set yourself a course in your neighborhood and do it every couple days; you'll see progress in a week or two. As that same cycling friend put it to me, you may not notice that you're getting faster at it if you repeat a course a lot, but you will notice it'll hurt less.
posted by pdb at 9:07 PM on April 19, 2020 [7 favorites]
Yep, climb hills. The technical term for this drill is called a "hill repeat." In Chicago, where there are no hills, cyclists do hill repeats up those spiral parking structures. Because nothing develops your climbing like climbing.
Contrary to pdb, what I've heard is, "Hills never get any easier, but they do get shorter." Meaning, people tend to work at constant perceived effort, roughly whatever their pain tolerance will allow, and improved fitness mostly manifests as getting to the top faster.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 9:16 PM on April 19, 2020 [4 favorites]
Contrary to pdb, what I've heard is, "Hills never get any easier, but they do get shorter." Meaning, people tend to work at constant perceived effort, roughly whatever their pain tolerance will allow, and improved fitness mostly manifests as getting to the top faster.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 9:16 PM on April 19, 2020 [4 favorites]
There are some at-home exercises that can help, especially various types of squats and deadlifts. As always with strength training, zealous focus on proper form is essential to getting good results as well as preventing injury. Here's a video from British Cycling that demonstrates a few exercises you can do to build climbing strength.
One of my favorites is the Bulgarian split-squat, which you can do at home with or without weights, as long as you have a table or other furniture of suitable height. It has a number of advantages, including the fact that you focus on each leg separately so one leg doesn't dominate. It's also less likely to injure your back than the traditional barbell squat.
Also, I know everybody always talks about core strength being good for everything, but it really is beneficial for you to have good core stability and strength for cycling, and specifically for climbing. Here's pro cyclist Emma Pooley showing some core strength and stability exercises.
posted by theory at 12:29 AM on April 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
One of my favorites is the Bulgarian split-squat, which you can do at home with or without weights, as long as you have a table or other furniture of suitable height. It has a number of advantages, including the fact that you focus on each leg separately so one leg doesn't dominate. It's also less likely to injure your back than the traditional barbell squat.
Also, I know everybody always talks about core strength being good for everything, but it really is beneficial for you to have good core stability and strength for cycling, and specifically for climbing. Here's pro cyclist Emma Pooley showing some core strength and stability exercises.
posted by theory at 12:29 AM on April 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
As above, cycling up hills is the best way to get better at cycling up hills.
The most valuable advice I ever received regarding uphill cycling was regarding my grip - your touch on the handlebars should be light as a pianist. Gripping the handlebars wastes energy and makes your upper body tense.
posted by mani at 3:13 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
The most valuable advice I ever received regarding uphill cycling was regarding my grip - your touch on the handlebars should be light as a pianist. Gripping the handlebars wastes energy and makes your upper body tense.
posted by mani at 3:13 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
Yep, climb hills. Improving your core strength will also help. But for me personally, a proper bike fit (in particular, adjusting the length of my cranks) was the biggest boost. Getting the basic biomechanics right can be a huge improvement. I see lots of people riding with their saddle set far too low, for example. There is plenty of information online about basic bike fitting and, once they are open again, some bike shops also offer it as a service.
posted by wavelette at 3:14 AM on April 20, 2020
posted by wavelette at 3:14 AM on April 20, 2020
Setting the seat high enough for your legs, fitting slightly longer cranks, using toe clips or (preferably) cleated cycling shoes, and practice. Lots of practice.
posted by flabdablet at 6:02 AM on April 20, 2020
posted by flabdablet at 6:02 AM on April 20, 2020
Quick test for correct seat height: prop the bike up so it won't fall over or get somebody to hold it up, and sit on the saddle. Seat is high enough if your knee extends completely at the bottom of the crank stroke with your heel on the pedal (which it should never be while riding; pedal should always go under the ball of your foot). It's too high if you have to slip off the saddle to be able to reach the bottom of its stroke with your heel.
If you can sit on the saddle and touch both feet to the ground, your seat is set way too low.
posted by flabdablet at 6:13 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you can sit on the saddle and touch both feet to the ground, your seat is set way too low.
posted by flabdablet at 6:13 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
I agree with the advice that the way to get better at riding hills is by riding hills.
Perhaps just as important as having the legs and the lungs for it is one fundamental climbing technique: don't let up. On a long hill, there is always the temptation to back off the pedals for just a moment. Don't do that. Even assuming you are shifting down as you make your way up the hill, maintain your pedaling cadence until you have crested the hill.
posted by adamrice at 7:00 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
Perhaps just as important as having the legs and the lungs for it is one fundamental climbing technique: don't let up. On a long hill, there is always the temptation to back off the pedals for just a moment. Don't do that. Even assuming you are shifting down as you make your way up the hill, maintain your pedaling cadence until you have crested the hill.
posted by adamrice at 7:00 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
TECHNIQUE matters a lot on this, too.
You want a high cadence here. Don't be afraid to downshift. Keep spinning at 90 or so RPM as far up as you can, and shift when it gets too hard. It was hard for me to internalize this lesson, but holy cow does it help.
posted by uberchet at 7:01 AM on April 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
You want a high cadence here. Don't be afraid to downshift. Keep spinning at 90 or so RPM as far up as you can, and shift when it gets too hard. It was hard for me to internalize this lesson, but holy cow does it help.
posted by uberchet at 7:01 AM on April 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
I learned how to ride up Hoggs Hollow in Toronto, 1 tiny kilometer, by following some of the same advice you've been given (downshift, high cadence, keep using the same route).
But I benefited through these two additional elements:
1) NEVER walk partway up a hill that defeats all your current pedalling ability. Pedal as far as you can, then stop. Breathe. Get your strength back. This may take a few seconds, or it may take a minute (or two ...). Then start pedalling again. Repeat as necessary. If you're repeating the same hill in one session, as recommended above, you may finish it in one go the first time, but subsequent attempts will be segmented. That's OK!
2) Embrace how weak and awkward you are now and let it be a source of strength. The second day that I was trying Hoggs Hollow, spinning pinkly in my lowest gear, I started out ahead of a little old lady walking her dog on the sidewalk. She quickly gained on me, and as I stopped to take a breath (or twenty) before I started again, she told me that I was doing very well as she and her Bichon Frise smartly passed me. I think I gasped and nodded at her when I finally passed her again a few minutes later.
I had to stop twice on the first day of HH, once on the second, and I made it all the way up without stopping on day 3. I didn't advance like this because I suddenly had a lot more cardio fitness or strength: I learned that I could do this if I just kept trying.
Strength training is good for all kinds of reasons! Please start some of the recommended exercises. But you don't need a lot of physical strength right now to go up hills if you are sitting your self down and spinning. You need cardio fitness, stubbornness, optimism, and a lack of shame.
Now if you get to the point where you can go up any hill non-stop by spinning and you want to challenge yourself by getting out of the saddle and applying power so that you can go faster and feel more powerful, that's where any additional strength and core training will specifically help you out, but you can be a better hill climber this week by spinning, pausing, and persisting.
posted by maudlin at 7:45 AM on April 20, 2020
But I benefited through these two additional elements:
1) NEVER walk partway up a hill that defeats all your current pedalling ability. Pedal as far as you can, then stop. Breathe. Get your strength back. This may take a few seconds, or it may take a minute (or two ...). Then start pedalling again. Repeat as necessary. If you're repeating the same hill in one session, as recommended above, you may finish it in one go the first time, but subsequent attempts will be segmented. That's OK!
2) Embrace how weak and awkward you are now and let it be a source of strength. The second day that I was trying Hoggs Hollow, spinning pinkly in my lowest gear, I started out ahead of a little old lady walking her dog on the sidewalk. She quickly gained on me, and as I stopped to take a breath (or twenty) before I started again, she told me that I was doing very well as she and her Bichon Frise smartly passed me. I think I gasped and nodded at her when I finally passed her again a few minutes later.
I had to stop twice on the first day of HH, once on the second, and I made it all the way up without stopping on day 3. I didn't advance like this because I suddenly had a lot more cardio fitness or strength: I learned that I could do this if I just kept trying.
Strength training is good for all kinds of reasons! Please start some of the recommended exercises. But you don't need a lot of physical strength right now to go up hills if you are sitting your self down and spinning. You need cardio fitness, stubbornness, optimism, and a lack of shame.
Now if you get to the point where you can go up any hill non-stop by spinning and you want to challenge yourself by getting out of the saddle and applying power so that you can go faster and feel more powerful, that's where any additional strength and core training will specifically help you out, but you can be a better hill climber this week by spinning, pausing, and persisting.
posted by maudlin at 7:45 AM on April 20, 2020
The most valuable advice I ever received regarding uphill cycling was regarding my grip - your touch on the handlebars should be light as a pianist. Gripping the handlebars wastes energy and makes your upper body tense.
This gets at a larger issue which is about technique. If you're sitting and your upper body is pumping and your elbows are out, you're wasting a ton of energy. The ideal posture is a placid upper body, relaxed arms and light grip. If this is impossible use a lower gear or stand up. Your cadence should be high. When you stand up, you move around more and there are other techniques that apply. Don't dance like Contador unless you're Contador.
There are lots of good videos on youtube that can coach you on climbing technique.
posted by klanawa at 9:51 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
This gets at a larger issue which is about technique. If you're sitting and your upper body is pumping and your elbows are out, you're wasting a ton of energy. The ideal posture is a placid upper body, relaxed arms and light grip. If this is impossible use a lower gear or stand up. Your cadence should be high. When you stand up, you move around more and there are other techniques that apply. Don't dance like Contador unless you're Contador.
There are lots of good videos on youtube that can coach you on climbing technique.
posted by klanawa at 9:51 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
You want a high cadence here
Yeah, this is the #1 piece of advice. Your cadence should match what you do on flat ground. And ideally, you should be doing 70-80 "pedals per minute" no matter what.
Lots of inexperienced cyclists like to standup and just hammer out climbs. If you look at pros in the something like the Tour de France, you'll see that even some of best athletes on the planet only get out of the saddle for short bursts. Most of the time, the are sitting down.
Beyond that, it's mostly just ridding more hills to get better at ridding hills. And like others have said, they won't get "easier" per se, you'll just be faster over time as you do them.
posted by sideshow at 10:13 AM on April 20, 2020
Yeah, this is the #1 piece of advice. Your cadence should match what you do on flat ground. And ideally, you should be doing 70-80 "pedals per minute" no matter what.
Lots of inexperienced cyclists like to standup and just hammer out climbs. If you look at pros in the something like the Tour de France, you'll see that even some of best athletes on the planet only get out of the saddle for short bursts. Most of the time, the are sitting down.
Beyond that, it's mostly just ridding more hills to get better at ridding hills. And like others have said, they won't get "easier" per se, you'll just be faster over time as you do them.
posted by sideshow at 10:13 AM on April 20, 2020
Here's a video that basically reiterates everything said above.
(I looked to see if there's any videos specifically targeted at women, in case there were any differences, but I didn't see anything.)
posted by klanawa at 10:28 AM on April 20, 2020
(I looked to see if there's any videos specifically targeted at women, in case there were any differences, but I didn't see anything.)
posted by klanawa at 10:28 AM on April 20, 2020
Have you tried intervals? It's short bursts (30 seconds to 2 minutes) on flat ground in your highest gear.
posted by dlwr300 at 11:21 AM on April 20, 2020
posted by dlwr300 at 11:21 AM on April 20, 2020
I'm 100% on board with the best way is to do it more often. You'll also want to learn how to choose the right gearing. Not only should your cadence match your flat ground cadence, but ideally, you want to keep your perceived effort the same. I can't count how many times I've seen a newer cyclist freak out about an upcoming hill, dump all their gears and start spinning wildly and exhaust themselves in non-productive pedaling.
posted by advicepig at 3:39 PM on April 20, 2020
posted by advicepig at 3:39 PM on April 20, 2020
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posted by muddgirl at 8:51 PM on April 19, 2020 [1 favorite]