This climbing method developed by coach Andy Applegate of CTS will inject endless energy into your legs. Your riding companions will watch you soar. Start today, and see results within a month.
Mental Climbing Technique
Sit on the couch wearing a heart rate monitor and note your heart rate. Then clench your fists and grit your teeth. You’ll notice your heart rate rise. When you’re about to tackle a long climb, you definitely want to channel all your energy into your legs—not your face. So you need to relax. Applegate highly recommends the “qigong climbing technique”—a form of dynamic meditation. As you start the climb, think light thoughts: clouds, birds, fairies. While climbing, relax your body part by part, starting from your eyes: mouth, jaw, shoulders, chest, back, arms, and hands. Applegate says, “Try to relax your upper body as much as possible. If someone only looked at your upper half, they shouldn’t be able to tell whether you’re climbing or riding on flat ground.” You also need to pedal softly, moving your legs rhythmically. This helps avoid any unnecessary tension. He says, “This way, after finishing the climb, you’ll feel more comfortable, ride smoother, and have more energy to maintain intensity.”
Improve Your Lactate Threshold
Applegate says, “The key to fast climbing is the ability to keep pushing and maintain speed even after hitting your lactate threshold.” To improve this ability, do at least one lactate threshold interval session per week—but no more than two. Start with a thorough warm-up, then ride steadily for 10 minutes at a pace that keeps your heart rate just below your lactate threshold (slightly lower than your average heart rate during 30–60 minute time trials, or around 70–80% of your max effort). Recover for 10 minutes. Repeat that sequence twice. Then do two 20-minute intervals with 20-minute recoveries between them. Finally, complete one 30-minute interval.
Find the Most Efficient Riding Position
Open up your chest and straighten your back to take in the most air possible. Rest your hands on the brake hoods, relax your arms, and keep your elbows slightly wider than your hips. If you’re shorter, sit slightly farther back so you can generate more power when pedaling over the top, and let your heels drop as much as possible when passing through the bottom of the pedal stroke. If you’re taller, sit more forward so your hips are nearly in line with the bottom bracket, maximizing power output.
If you need to stand while climbing, shift down a gear first, and wait until one foot reaches the 2 o’clock position before standing up, to minimize power loss. Applegate advises, “Don’t lean too far forward when standing, as this creates a counterforce that can push the bike backward. Keep your hips directly over the saddle and your center of gravity above the bottom bracket.” You should feel like you’re running on the pedals. Let the bike sway slightly side to side, but don’t overdo it.
Practice Makes Perfect
Climbing at least one or two days a week will gradually improve your performance. If you incorporate the following exercises into your rides (try one per climb), you’ll get an extra boost.
Rocky Ride Training
To stay strong on undulating terrain and steep hills like rolling waves, try this two-minute sprint drill. Find a short hill or set of hills that takes about two minutes to climb. Make sure to warm up properly so you can begin the climb at your lactate threshold heart rate. For the climb, pedal at your lactate threshold heart rate for 90 seconds, then give it all you’ve got for the final 30 seconds. Repeat the entire sequence four to six times.
20 Climbing Sprints
Find a climb that takes 10–15 minutes to complete. Begin the climb once your heart rate hits your lactate threshold. After two minutes, stand up and sprint almost full out (at least 90% effort) for 20 pedal strokes. Sit back down and continue climbing at your lactate threshold heart rate. Repeat every one to two minutes (depending on your fitness level) until you finish the climb. Do this workout one to two times in a single day.
Anaerobic Peak Interval Training
Climbing with a small gear builds power per pedal stroke. By increasing your maximum force per pedal, you reduce leg fatigue when climbing long distances with larger gears. To improve pedal power, find a long, gradual climb and ride normally. After a minute or two, switch to a smaller gear and reduce your cadence to about 50–60 rpm. Maintain smooth pedaling and keep your heart rate low. Ride like this for a minute or two, then switch back to your previous gear and recover for five to ten minutes. Repeat until you reach the top of the climb.
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