Improvin ability on steep uns?

[trilathon]

Any tips/ experience please?

I struggle on really steep ascents compared to most...cramp/fatigue in calves
to the extent I'll alternate walking backwards uphill with forwards

I don't have any long particulary steep hills to train on, so have resorted to a plank of wood fixed at about 40 deg to lengthen/ stretch out my bulky calves...in the hope this will help

[Harry H Howgill]

Unfortunately its a bit like trying to train for swimming without a pool. Nothing quite beats the real thing; running and walking steep hills. Cycling can help, but again hills are the best on the bike. So if you have hills you may as well run them.

Steppers in the gym are good as they replicate the action best. Mrs H once spent a summer in the gym then nearly passed me climbing up Kirk Fell in the BOFRA Wasdale Head Show Race so they are effective.

[Tufty]

How about flights of steps? A few of our running club members use these for hill reps in the absence of steep hills in the town where I live

[fellgazelle]

How about flights of steps? A few of our running club members use these for hill reps in the absence of steep hills in the town where I live

I used to live in a third floor flat with 8 flights of steps. I found running up the stairs every time rather than using the lift really helped.

This is like subliminal conditioning, I didn't really notice it at the time it's only since I moved away that I've noticed a drop in ability.

[trilathon]

Thanks for those replies

I may have got the wrong end of the stick here but I don't find any more of a problem with the hills per se than anyone else , as I've been luck enough to finish as high as 4th in a BL cat race, it's more to do with those really steep sections you get in A cat races..

they usually seem to send you, atleast once up a hands scramble, or bent over double type gradient...

where the incline makes the toes signicantly higher than the heel...( I'm thinking Simons Fell on Ingleborough or third climb of the Wrekin or worrying about PPP ! )

I've never seen anyone run up such a slope and most are on threshold just putting one foot in front of tother

this is where my calves complain bitterly, i'm pretty proficient at yoga and generally supple so I'm wondering...is it better to go on tip toes or any other techniques etc ?

Thanks

[ratfink]

i find for 2 hills of the same steepness (i.e. very steep) - a grassy hill where the surface you are putting you foot onto is steep will put much more strain on your calves than a surface which is stepped due to rugosities/rocks etc.

Training on stairs, or steppers will help your quads and other stepping muscles but won't give your calves the same work out.

One thing to try might be standing on your toes on the edge of a step, lowering your heels down for a stretch, then standing up onto your tiptoes, if this is fine, or gets you warmed up you can try it on one leg.

[Stolly]

Ratfink is dead right. Going up steps is easier on your calves than steep, uneven, grassy banks.

[trilathon]

yes, that's it...steep grassy ascents...hate them

[trilathon]

unfortunately I already do the eccentric calve raises

[trilathon]

seems I'm just going to have to improve my pain threshold