Episode 54 - Workouts to Help You Climb Faster
Listen here: The Knowledge Podcast
Climbing fast is about more than a steady state. We explain why and share specific workouts to help you go faster uphill.
No matter who you are, you can climb more quickly. In this episode, Neal and Jeff look at the physiological demands of climbing and why itโs about a lot more than a steady state effort. After discussing broad workout types to get you up hills faster, they recommend specific SYSTM workouts based on the types of climbs youโre targeting. They also look at how to use virtual climbs on RGT to experiment with gearing, how body position on climbs changes muscle engagement and how cadence plays a role in climbing speed.
Enjoy it! Itโs Nice!
8 Likes
This episode was $$$ !
Is it possible for one living at sea level to prepare for a climb at a very high altitude? In your โHow Much Has Manonโs Fitness Improved?โ video it was mentioned that FTP is expected to drop 5-10% just by going from sea level to Boulder (altitude 5300โ). So if I plan on climbing at 10-14.000โ I can expect an FTP loss of 10-20%? (ouch)
Altitude tent is out of question. Maybe breath through a straw while riding ISLAGIATT?
3 Likes
This is a difficult one as altitude affects people in very different ways. Look at Tadej Pogaฤar, he often tends to struggle and lose some time when the altitude is higher where as Vingegaard and Rogliฤ seem to deal better with altitude. Yet they all probably spend the same amount of time training at altitude.
Unfortunately constricting airflow while breathing wonโt have the effect that altitude does. Altitude masks have promised to work this way but in reality do not, hence why theyโve been rebranded and respiratory muscle trainers.
A few ways to prepare for performing at altitude: increase mitochondria and muscle capillarisation. This occurs via different pathways but doing a mix of long slow duration and high intensity work. This will give you more capacity to utilise the reduced oxygen you can consume and hopefully reduce the amount of power loss that can occur from altitude. Another thing is to increase your capacity to consume carbs as itโs been shown that training at altitude uses more carbohydrates relative to intensity than at sea level. Itโs believed that this is due to the reduced oxygen available for our working muscles so utilising fats becomes harder as that requires more oxygen. Finally, spending some time in the area where youโll be climbing in advance can help your body to acclimatise to the altitude and limit the losses experienced when cycling at altitude. This is going off the procedures that a few well know Hour record holders have done who set their times in Mexico at higher altitude. They needed to balance the power losses against the reduced air pressure. For some it simply doesnโt work as well, possibly why Dan Bigham decided to set his at closer to sea level whereas the previous record was set in Mexico.
These should hopefully help you a bit when it comes to performing at altitude in the absence of being able to spend some time at altitude beforehand.
4 Likes
This is very helpful, thank you. Off I go to grow my mitochondria!
1 Like