Let’s face it: for many cyclists, the word “intervals” ranks right up there with “root canal” in terms of appeal. But what if I told you there’s a way to reap the benefits of interval training without the mental anguish of watching your bike computer tick down the seconds?
Enter hill attacks. They’re intervals in disguise, cleverly masked as a natural part of your ride. After all, you have to climb those hills anyway, so why not make them work for you?
Here’s how to turn your local hills into secret training weapons:
- Warm up: Ride easy for 15-20 minutes to get your legs and lungs ready for action.
- Find Your Hill: Look for a climb that takes about 2-3 minutes to ascend at a hard effort. This is your battleground.
- Launch Your Attack: As you approach the hill, shift into a gear that allows you to maintain a cadence of 70-80 rpm. Then, as you hit the base, imagine you’re launching an attack in the Tour de France. Push hard, aiming for an effort level of about 8 out of 10.
- Recover on the Descent: Use the downhill as your recovery. Catch your breath, shake out your legs, and mentally prepare for the next “attack.”
- Repeat: Do this on 4-6 hills during your ride. They don’t all have to be the same hill – variety is the spice of life, after all!
- Cool down: Finish with 10-15 minutes of easy riding.
The beauty of this approach is its flexibility. You’re not tied to a specific location or duration. Every hill becomes an opportunity to improve. Plus, it mimics real-world riding situations much more closely than traditional intervals on flat ground.
Here are a few ways to keep it interesting:
- Vary Your Approach: Sometimes start your effort at the base of the hill, other times surge halfway up.
- Race a Friend: If you’re riding with a buddy, take turns attacking the hills. Nothing motivates like a little friendly competition!
Remember, while this approach feels more natural than structured intervals, it’s still intense training. Start with once a week. If you’re new to this type of effort, begin with just 2-3 hills and build up gradually.
Try using visual cues to pace yourself. Pick a point halfway up the hill and try to reach it feeling strong, then empty the tank to the top.
So next time you see a hill looming in the distance, don’t dread it – welcome it as a chance to become a stronger rider. Your improved climbing skills will pay dividends on your next group ride or event. And the best part? You’ll have tricked yourself into doing intervals without even realizing it. Sneaky, right?
I have done this in the past and it works really well. Kind of like runners doing “fartlek.” Riding with friends, I often let them bomb down hills while i relax, then on the climb up the other side I chase back. Hard. Really good workout when we are on a loaded tour!
>Ahem<
As an endodontist, I'd like to point out that root canal treatments are rarely unpleasant experiences when they are performed by those who know the ropes. Most people who associate root canal treatment with pain are remembering the pain that led to the treatment being necessary in the first place.
Interval training is much more likely to be unpleasant. 🙂
I wonder if grinding up a hill at a slow pace and with a heavy pedal load would work to build muscle mass similar to lifting weights.