Posted: Mon Feb. 19, 2007 6:28 pm
Here is the excerpt "Indoor Hill Climbing" from Dr. Baker's [i:82fba17721]High-Intensity Training for Cyclists[/i:82fba17721].
Arnie Baker. M.D., has won numerous U.S. championships to prove his concepts work. "Some benefits of stationary trainers are difficult to obtain in any other way," he writes. "There is value in trainer workouts all year."
[quote:82fba17721]
Live in a flat region and need to train for a ride up hills or mountains? That is a challenge.
Merely increasing resistance on a trainer does not do the job. The bicycle must be inclined.
Stationary training with the front of your bicycle/trainer elevated works to help train climbing muscles. This position is also more comfortable on the crotch. Most riders should always keep the front of their bicycle/trainer elevated.
You can use a block of wood, proprietary trainer block, or other device. CycleOps-brand trainer climbing blocks are stackable. Stability is important. (See "Make the Trainer Stable" on page 131 and Figure 64.)
As you gain experience, you can raise the front of the bicycle/trainer up to 8 inches. Since most trainers raise the back of the bicycle about to 2 inches, this amounts to a net front elevation of about 6 inches. Raising the bicycle/trainer more than this amount risks an accident, wheelieing backward.
Since percent grade equals rise over run, if the front of your bicycle/trainer is 6 inches higher than the rear, and the bike's wheel base is 40 inches, you have a roughly 15% grade.
If you raise the bicycle/trainer significantly, be initially cautious when performing sprints. Check whether your knees may hit your handlebar.
Choose a hard gear. Stand up and pedal 50 to 60 rpm. Build up to standing for 10 minutes. You will feel more confident and you will be stronger at getting over real hills when you meet them.
Trainer climbing volume is about half the maximum road-climbing rate. If you can climb 3,000 feet up a long grade in one hour, give yourself 1,500 feet of climbing credit for every hour on an elevated stationary bicycle/trainer.
(The remainder of this HIT chapter contains Dr. Baker's advice and workouts for getting the most out of indoor trainer sessions.)[/quote:82fba17721]
"If you brake, you don't win." Racer Mario Cipollini
|
