# Hill Climbing 20X20 vs Trainer intervals, + Hill climb Training



## DirtTurtle (Dec 21, 2007)

I swear i posted this earlier so hopefully it isnt elsewhere.

Anyway hey guys.

Have a few questions to ask. Firstly i used to do 20X20s on the trainer during summer months im in atm, but recently ceased them and have struggled in racing as a result. I am wanting to replace the intervals for 20X20 intervals on a hill climb of 6% @ about 6km long as this climb is only 3 kms from my house, and is better than trainer work. What i want to know is whether this work will not only improve my threshold for climbing, but also flat work/ or TT. I am about 5kgs lighter than my fellow racers, and due to low club numbers, i am having to do alot of the work into the wind, so am wishing to improve my climbing, but need need to keep my threshold high enough to compete on the flats.

Secondly, i am looking do to a couple of road races which finish on a hill climb in a month and a half (fairly low distance races), one as the climb described above, one @ about 7.5%. Am i best continuing 20X20 work on this climb, or should also put some low cadence work to build extra leg strength for this climb. Also is higher km usefully for these races, or since the shorter distance should i focus on mostly interval work?

Thankyou for your time


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

#1 Jealous.. I wish I had a good climb.
#2 as a guy that always climbed better than I covered flat ground, one thing I found that helped was to do cruise/long intervals trying to maintain the riding position/cadence that I would be using on the flats. I could never get enough out of myself on flat ground so I'd do seated climbs in the drops or on the hoods/low and concentrate on my pedaling. It made a nice difference.

Now I live somewhere where there aren't many big hills and I'm better in the wind. lol


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## WingNut (Oct 12, 2005)

*what's a 20x20?*



DirtTurtle said:


> I Firstly i used to do 20X20s on the trainer during summer months
> 
> Thankyou for your time


Excuse the ignorance, but what's a 20x20?


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## saird (Aug 19, 2008)

WingNut said:


> Excuse the ignorance, but what's a 20x20?


20x20 second flat out I guess.


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

I think he means 2x20's, meaning 2x20min. Sounds like a climb at 6% for 6km is in that range.

With that being said, I would recommend doing a group ride and then hit the climb as hard as you can. Nothing emulates a hillclimb finish better than a hillclimb finish.

IOW, specificity.


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