Advice from the Stamina Building Rides

Thoughts on climbing a hill

1. Push pull legs 
So when your foot reaches the bottom of its revolution, start to pull the foot up , focus on the pull motion rather than the push motion when your leg is stretching and pushing down. this way you develop another group of muscles when you are riding , which will help on hill climbs as you are splitting the workload over two groups of muscles. 
2. Bottom Chain ring
Change to your  bottom chain ring at the bottom of a big hill even if you find it easy, as you climb you spred your energy and don’t waste energy on to higher gears
3. Pace your gears
Pace gear changes  with length of the hill, leave one or two spare  ie don’t drop down all your gears too soon , do it gradually.Try to not use your lowest gear, after a steep section of the hill try to go up a gear better to have gears in reserve so go up as soon as much as you can  
4. Stand on legs
Try to get off saddle only at the top of the hill, when you feel that you can achieve it this will strengthen your legs. if you stand too soon you use up energy and you can get demoralized if you have to sit again make sure you stand when its achievable for you.
Similarly stand and use your legs rather than gears on small hills
5. Use plateaus
On hills where there is a plateau on the way up, use this opportunity to go up a gear or two, these might come in handy if it gets steeper. 
At the top of the hill , go up a one gear and recover on the ride  , think of it like this you have been pushing hard on the hill so just going up one gear on the flat should not be hard this will build moor strength in your legs and make you more fitter. Remember fitness is about how quick you recover
6. Go at your pace,  its not a race try to ignore other riders on a hill, this is about you climbing a hill and getting to the top and felling you have achieved your goals

7. Is your bike set up properly Make sure your saddele is at the right height. when you sit on your saddele with the instep of you foot on the peddle your leg should be just off locking. don’t have your leg locking or to bent.

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