breathing on climbs

I am looking for strategies of breathing when it comes to climbing
hills. While I admit that I usually beat my ride partners up the
hills, I feel as though I am breathing harder than is necessary. I
have tried to slow my conserve my breathing because once I get halfway
up the hill, and the steepness hasn't really changed, my heart feels
like it's going to beat out of my chest. Then, once I get over the
hill, my speed slows down and then the other riders either catch up to
me, or pass me by as I recover. I know I'm doing something wrong, but
I am not sure what it is. I'm wondering if maybe I am using brute
strength to get up the hill, but I am not controlling or regulating my
breathing to the point that I might actually get up the hill faster and
with less stress so that I can maintain the pace even after I get over
the hill.

What are some are some home-grown strategies that some of you have when
it comes to tackling the hills?

mieshie wrote:
I am looking for strategies of breathing when it comes to climbing
hills. While I admit that I usually beat my ride partners up the
hills, I feel as though I am breathing harder than is necessary. I
have tried to *slow my conserve* my breathing because once I get halfway

Don't do that. If anything, you should be breathing *harder*. Limiting
you're breathing just means you're getting less oxygen. There is no
advantage to that.

What are some are some home-grown strategies that some of you have when
it comes to tackling the hills?

Start breathing heavier before you start the hill? Ride more? I'm not
really being facetious, that's pretty much all there is to it. Ride
lots of miles so you have the base conditioning, and work on getting
plenty of oxygen.

Terry Morse (IIRC) does an *awful* lot of climbing, maybe he'll chime
in. A good previous discussion: http://tinyurl.com/m2ntt

I'm a big fellow, but I still keep up with smaller riders climbing hills
decently. I'm never going to win any hill races, but I don't get
dropped when I'm out riding with other people.

Of course, it helps to have a nice local mountain to climb
recreationally.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=269445

--
Dane Buson -
Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names
the streets after them.
-- Bill Vaughn

mieshie wrote:
I am looking for strategies of breathing when it comes to climbing
hills. While I admit that I usually beat my ride partners up the
hills, I feel as though I am breathing harder than is necessary. I
have tried to slow my conserve my breathing because once I get halfway
up the hill, and the steepness hasn't really changed, my heart feels
like it's going to beat out of my chest. Then, once I get over the
hill, my speed slows down and then the other riders either catch up to
me, or pass me by as I recover. I know I'm doing something wrong, but
I am not sure what it is. I'm wondering if maybe I am using brute
strength to get up the hill, but I am not controlling or regulating my
breathing to the point that I might actually get up the hill faster and
with less stress so that I can maintain the pace even after I get over
the hill.

What are some are some home-grown strategies that some of you have when
it comes to tackling the hills?

Try to hyperventilate as much as possible (might be impossible if you
are already going hard) and when climbing take deeper breathes. I find
that for me (maybe not you) taking in a full 2 liters at a time not only
stretches the chest but stops that doggy pant style of breathing. The
shallow pant leaves a lot of CO2 in your airway where the deep breath is
more efficient. It works good for me but I have to actually think about
it to get into that rhythm or I will just pant my way up.
I guess you have to try things until one works for you.
Good luck.
Bill Baka

Kevan Smith wrote:
In article .com,
"mieshie" wrote:

What are some are some home-grown strategies that some of you have when
it comes to tackling the hills?

Go around them.

Of course, those of us living in flatter areas (like yourself)[1], might
have more luck than those of us in hillier areas (like myself).

[1] Louisiana, yes?

--
Dane Buson -
"sic transit discus mundi"
(From the System Administrator's Guide, by Lars Wirzenius)

try breathing exercises (obviously not whilst climbing).
http://holisticonline.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_breath_home.htm
http://panicdisorder.about.com/cs/sh...heproperly.htm
The first stage appears to be the diaphragmatic exercise (the one where
stomach 'distends'). Among other health benefits breathing helps to
increase muscle ATP thus giving muscles better energy generating properties.



mieshie wrote in message
oups.com...
I am looking for strategies of breathing when it comes to climbing
hills. While I admit that I usually beat my ride partners up the
hills, I feel as though I am breathing harder than is necessary. I
have tried to slow my conserve my breathing because once I get halfway
up the hill, and the steepness hasn't really changed, my heart feels
like it's going to beat out of my chest. Then, once I get over the
hill, my speed slows down and then the other riders either catch up to
me, or pass me by as I recover. I know I'm doing something wrong, but
I am not sure what it is. I'm wondering if maybe I am using brute
strength to get up the hill, but I am not controlling or regulating my
breathing to the point that I might actually get up the hill faster and
with less stress so that I can maintain the pace even after I get over
the hill.

What are some are some home-grown strategies that some of you have when
it comes to tackling the hills?

What works for me is to regulate my breathing on the climb. I tell myself
"in two three four, out two three four" as I struggle up the hill. It cuts
down on the gasping or struggling to breathe and make me feel as if I am in
control of that aspect so that I can concentrate on my legs.

Pat in TX

I know I'm doing something wrong, but I am not sure what it is. I'm
wondering if maybe I am using brute strength to get up the hill, but
I am not controlling or regulating my breathing to the point that I
might actually get up the hill faster and with less stress so that I
can maintain the pace even after I get over the hill.

I doubt that you are "doing something wrong" but you may not have
enough training to perform as you would like. Do you put in at least
200 miles per week and do these miles include 6% or better hills more
than a mile long?

Yikes, guess I'll have to stop doing big climbs then. I only get in two
regular rides each week (just 31 miles each, with about 3400ft of climbing)
plus whatever I can negotiate with the family on a Sunday, typically 50-65
miles or so, or an occasional century. If I had to ride "at least" 200
miles/week in order to climb reasonably well, heck, I might as well give up
cycling.

Besides, I don't see where the original poster has supplied us enough
information to come up with a training recommendation anyway. For all we
know, his hills are far less challenging than what you & I enjoy riding.

Not to mention that, when I raced, sure, I could win the Alba Road time
trial, but those midwesterners, who never rode any hill long & nasty in
training... they weren't that far behind, and tended to win the overall at
stage races because they trained better in general, while some of us in the
NorCal scene thought it was enough to do little more than climb and climb
and then climb some more. I still remember Steve Aldredge constantly on my
case for that. Guess I have to admit he was right about at least one thing
anyway.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


wrote in message
...
Mieshie who? writes:

I am looking for strategies of breathing when it comes to climbing
hills. While I admit that I usually beat my ride partners up the
hills, I feel as though I am breathing harder than is necessary. I
have tried to slow my conserve my breathing because once I get
halfway up the hill, and the steepness hasn't really changed, my
heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest. Then, once I
get over the hill, my speed slows down and then the other riders
either catch up to me, or pass me by as I recover.

I know I'm doing something wrong, but I am not sure what it is. I'm
wondering if maybe I am using brute strength to get up the hill, but
I am not controlling or regulating my breathing to the point that I
might actually get up the hill faster and with less stress so that I
can maintain the pace even after I get over the hill.

I doubt that you are "doing something wrong" but you may not have
enough training to perform as you would like. Do you put in at least
200 miles per week and do these miles include 6% or better hills more
than a mile long?

What are some are some home-grown strategies that some of you have
when it comes to tackling the hills?

There are no strategies and no techniques. There are only well
trained athletes with big lungs. Hill climbing is something that can
last hours at times, and there is no way of fooling your body using
"strategies". If you want to know if there is a future for you in
hill climbing, get your lung volume measured by your physician and
determine whether it is above or below the norm for your body weight.
You must be fit and trim before any of that has much effect.

Jobst Brandt

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article ,
wrote:
Mieshie who? writes:

I am looking for strategies of breathing when it comes to climbing
hills. While I admit that I usually beat my ride partners up the
hills, I feel as though I am breathing harder than is necessary. I
have tried to slow my conserve my breathing because once I get
halfway up the hill, and the steepness hasn't really changed, my
heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest. Then, once I
get over the hill, my speed slows down and then the other riders
either catch up to me, or pass me by as I recover.

I know I'm doing something wrong, but I am not sure what it is. I'm
wondering if maybe I am using brute strength to get up the hill, but
I am not controlling or regulating my breathing to the point that I
might actually get up the hill faster and with less stress so that I
can maintain the pace even after I get over the hill.

I doubt that you are "doing something wrong" but you may not have
enough training to perform as you would like. Do you put in at least
200 miles per week and do these miles include 6% or better hills more
than a mile long?

_ Sheesh, he's not talking about racing Cat 1, but trashing his
buddies on a group ride. I think you can do that on less than
8-10 hrs a week.


What are some are some home-grown strategies that some of you have
when it comes to tackling the hills?

There are no strategies and no techniques. There are only well
trained athletes with big lungs. Hill climbing is something that can
last hours at times, and there is no way of fooling your body using
"strategies".

_ What a load of crap! Of course there are strageties, pacing
yourself is a big part of climbing effectively. Learning to pace
yourself correctly for a long climb is something that takes
experience regardless of how in shape you are. I think the
question that is really being asked is how to pace himself better
on long climbs. It sounds like he's going out too hard and
blowing up, a pretty common mistake.

_ Breathing is a sign of how hard you are working, if you breathe
slower you're working less. Monitoring your breathing can be a
good way to guage your effort, but you can't breathe less without
going slower. What I would suggest is deliberately throttling
back on the beginning part of the climb and saving your effort
until you get near the top. You might not climb faster, but you
will be less blown out at the top. If it's a long climb, put
your bike in a lower gear much sooner than you normally would,
on a short climb try and spin rather than stand. On your
next ride when you come to the hill, drop to the back of the
group and stay there as long as you can stand.

_ Booker C. Bense








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mieshie wrote:
I am looking for strategies of breathing when it comes to climbing
hills. While I admit that I usually beat my ride partners up the
hills, I feel as though I am breathing harder than is necessary. I
have tried to slow my conserve my breathing because once I get halfway
up the hill, and the steepness hasn't really changed, my heart feels
like it's going to beat out of my chest. Then, once I get over the
hill, my speed slows down and then the other riders either catch up to
me, or pass me by as I recover. I know I'm doing something wrong, but
I am not sure what it is. I'm wondering if maybe I am using brute
strength to get up the hill, but I am not controlling or regulating my
breathing to the point that I might actually get up the hill faster and
with less stress so that I can maintain the pace even after I get over
the hill.

What are some are some home-grown strategies that some of you have when
it comes to tackling the hills?

You might want to install a chain set with a smaller cog to get up the
hills. You don't discuss your cadence, but it sounds like you're
overexerting to get up the hill, and your buddies pass you while you
recover.

Try to keep your cadence in a range you're used to, say 80-100. You'll
be a bit slower on the upslope, but you won't have that recovery time
at the top of the hill.

Booker C. Bense writes:

I am looking for strategies of breathing when it comes to climbing
hills. While I admit that I usually beat my ride partners up the
hills, I feel as though I am breathing harder than is necessary.
I have tried to slow my conserve my breathing because once I get
halfway up the hill, and the steepness hasn't really changed, my
heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest. Then, once I
get over the hill, my speed slows down and then the other riders
either catch up to me, or pass me by as I recover.

I know I'm doing something wrong, but I am not sure what it is.
I'm wondering if maybe I am using brute strength to get up the
hill, but I am not controlling or regulating my breathing to the
point that I might actually get up the hill faster and with less
stress so that I can maintain the pace even after I get over the
hill.

I doubt that you are "doing something wrong" but you may not have
enough training to perform as you would like. Do you put in at
least 200 miles per week and do these miles include 6% or better
hills more than a mile long?

_ Sheesh, he's not talking about racing Cat 1, but trashing his
buddies on a group ride. I think you can do that on less than 8-10
hrs a week.

Not if the competition gets a workout like that. If you ride to work
daily over hilly terrain such as the foothills behind where you seem
to work, that puts in 20 miles per day and a long ride on weekends to
Santa Cruz and back over the many great mountain roads in the area,
you'll get more than 200 miles in with no loss in the daily routine.

What are some are some home-grown strategies that some of you have
when it comes to tackling the hills?

There are no strategies and no techniques. There are only well
trained athletes with big lungs. Hill climbing is something that
can last hours at times, and there is no way of fooling your body
using "strategies".

_ What a load of crap!

I recall the proponents of secrets to greater speed on the flat and
climbing for many years were from believers in Jacques Anquetil's
ankling. A style that assures greater speed. What was overlooked was
that JA was a supreme druggist who was so out of it he could never
give an interview after finishing a race, he was so zonked, and you
could see it in his face.

Of course there are strategies, pacing yourself is a big part of
climbing effectively. Learning to pace yourself correctly for a
long climb is something that takes experience regardless of how in
shape you are. I think the question that is really being asked is
how to pace himself better on long climbs. It sounds like he's
going out too hard and blowing up, a pretty common mistake.

I think you'll have to give more details on how to do this rather than
roll out the old jargon on how to "relax when climbing" and the like.

_ Breathing is a sign of how hard you are working, if you breathe
slower you're working less. Monitoring your breathing can be a
good way to guage your effort, but you can't breathe less without
going slower.

Now you see it, now you don't. The amount of oxygen you can supply to
the legs is dependent on lung volume and breathing rate and you can't
do anything more if those two don't add up to the climbing rate. They
are intimately linked and the efficiency of these is dependent on
conditioning the muscles to receive that supply.

What I would suggest is deliberately throttling back on the
beginning part of the climb and saving your effort until you get
near the top. You might not climb faster, but you will be less
blown out at the top. If it's a long climb, put your bike in a
lower gear much sooner than you normally would, on a short climb try
and spin rather than stand. On your next ride when you come to the
hill, drop to the back of the group and stay there as long as you
can stand.

You are making this up as you write it seems. It reminds me of the
rider who suggested holding your breath helps increase speed. If you
witness the best riders in hill climbs, you'll see they are breathing
hard enough to hear them from the sidelines. It takes hard training
to achieve this sort of ability for longer hills. No tricks can get
you there.

Jobst Brandt