Hills. You either love them or you hate them, right? Whether you enjoy a good climb, or dread the sight of one, there is no denying that incorporating them into your training will make you a stronger rider. Let’s talk about all the benefits of hill training and then you’ll find four workouts to try.It’s important to have a thoughtful approach to incorporating hills into your training, especially if you are not used to riding them! You can train on hills year round, in every phase of training, but the types of sessions will vary. If you aren’t used to riding hills, I recommend planning a route that has a couple of hills. Just ride and get a feel for how your body works differently when climbing. How does your cadence change? Are you comfortable seated or standing while climbing?

Endurance riding is one of the most important training sessions that you can add into your training because of the massive benefits it provides. Specifically I am talking about zone 2 training. It’s often overlooked because it’s not fancy, and dare I say, boring? The work requires a certain amount of concentration to stay within the proper power zone to get the most benefit.

Neuromuscular Power (NP for short) work teaches our bodies (and our brains!) to recruit muscles efficiently to produce power. When performing a task, the brain recruits specific motor units to contract the muscles. By training NP, the body becomes more efficient doing neuromuscular work. This means the brain can now recruit the exact motor units needed AT THE EXACT right time. This is done through a variety of short and intense efforts, ranging anywhere from cadence work to all out sprints.

It’s snowing and cold in Nashville - so join me for a fun Snow Day Series! Since many of us are stuck indoors, let’s make the most of our trainer time. I’ll be hosting daily Zwift rides to pass the time.