Hill Reps- Short or Long?

[Dynamo Dan]

If you only do one session of hill reps a week is is better to do a few reps of a really long hill, some medium length reps, or lots of short flat out reps?

[nikalas]

Depends what you're training for and what you perceive your weaknesses to be. For most people though best bang for your buck will be medium to long (5-20 minute) repeats on a runnable hill at an intensity best described as "sustainable discomfort". If doing the longer end of the scale one or two reps would do the job and it'd equate to more of a tempo session but, for shorter 5 minute efforts, 4-6 repeats at a slightly higher intensity and with equal rest to work would be appropriate.

Cue CL to pop up and rubbish what I've just said.

[mr brightside]

I do very short very steep reps, 15 in total with 10 squats at either end, but this pattern is not based on any advice and little knowledge it's just personal preference and convenience. Works though.

[Dynamo Dan]

Thanks Nikalas, my weakness is climbing in general at the moment! I've been doing four or five steep six minute reps and it's helped alot but I was wondering if it might be a good idea to drop the time down to about two minutes and increase the reps/intensity to help increase my lactic threshold.

[southernsoftie]

I'd agree that it depends what you're training for.

Years ago, when I was a road runner only, I'd kind of hit a plateau time wise - I couldn't break a certain min/mi pace (I won't disclose what pace exactly! ). So I started doing hill sprint circuits - 2x100-150m hill as fast as I could, recover on the jogs back down. After each pair of sprints I'd do a min's worth of exercise - e.g. as many burpees (great fun sprinting uphill after these)/press ups/squat thrusts/crunches as you can manage. I'd then do another two sprints and move on to the next exercise. Would do 1-2 cycles of this (so 8-16 hill sprints) depending on time. After a couple of weeks doing a two of these sessions a week, I'd finally broken that min/mi barrier and my time kept-a-tumblin'!

At the moment, I'm still trying to get the endurance back in my legs, and trying to make it so it doesn't hurt as much going uphill(!), so I'm doing a session with 4 climbs up Pendle: 3 of which are hands on knees/scrambling up on hands and feet jobbies, the other is a long, slow but runnable slog. It equates to c2,400ft on SportTracks in 6mi. You can knock off 2mi of that as the run to/from the hill, so probably 2,200ft in 4mi. It hurts but it works.

Be interested to know if folks on here thought they'd be more benefit in the runnable slog or the hands on knees type stuff as counting towards any ft of climb/week total.

[Stolly]

Well I think hill reps are for saddos

As for steep climbs versus long runnable slogs I think it pays to do both.

[southernsoftie]

Well I think hill reps are for saddos

*yawn*

[Truck]

You don't need to do hill reps mate.... now that you've got that flash new jacket :thumbup:

[Dynamo Dan]

You don't need to do hill reps mate.... now that you've got that flash new jacket :thumbup:

Fair point mate, tis a lovely jacket!! I don't want to be one of those all the gear no idea types though so I'd better get running up Hobson Moor after work...

[Truck]

Fair point mate, tis a lovely jacket!! I don't want to be one of those all the gear no idea types though so I'd better get running up Hobson Moor after work...

Hope you have a nice run. The weather is amazing.
I need get my ass into gear and go for a run with you after work one of these days.