What I’m enjoying the most out of this is it’s giving me the tools to work on, but moreso the technical knowledge of how much body mechanics play into it… 🍻
Words that come to mind on this, priceless.......I heard the Navy Seals determined at the point of exhaustion when men give up after extreme training these guys had 60% left in the tank. Your second DTP test give up and shaming nicely shamed showed that Charles had plenty in the tank. I've learned men will go a long way to prove somebody wrong especially in Charles to himself. Hat tip. EF Coaching appears to be the new Training Peaks.
After I watched this video, I went back and watched Alberto Contador climbing out of the saddle. It's amazing how you can see the technique they show in this video..
I just watched a greatest hits on Alberto. In the old videos, he is in the 2-3 o'clock pushing, and body movement is tremendous even though he is still killing it. It the later, he is straight leg and 1-2 and no upper body movement - SMOKING up the hills. The efficiencies gained are present with the techniques in this series. Charles: This will be your MOST watched video even though all the content is amazing, super informational and perfectly edited. I commend you and whoever is helping you. It had to a be a nightmare to compile!
During off saddle climbs: Riding on a flat bar bike made me pull up on the handlebar. 17% grades made lean forward and bend my arms to maintain proper weight distribution. Getting tired made me drop my weight into the pedals instead of pushing down on them. This vid confirmed that i am actually doing it right, but i usually only climb off saddle near the top of the climb. I climb seated most of the time.
This is really great. I know I naturally use my weight to free fall into the pedal stroke because I’m so cooked and heavy. Can’t wait to get outside again and off zwift.
OK Charles! I had to go spring up Fort Roots in North Little Rock Arkansas to test what I think this video is showing - We always think we are perfect until recorded and critiqued. Fort Roots ia a fun challenge, and 5 miles to the top. I watched this video and I thought I was fairly complaint on the pull, downstroke, but the rear end up was questionable. I found I wasn't butt up at all, and I found I was a little off clock: 2-3 versus 1-2 because of it...Power gain here 30-40 watts (huge to me). I was pulling properly versus pushing, and I thought I had this down - Confirmed. I also noted my pedal stroke was fairly smooth which I have been working on for 6 months in the seated position with little to no head and body bobbing. I had to concentrate a little standing as I was flailing around a bit to start - Eventually smoothed it out a bit. However, I was pushing 400 watts up the hill while standing - Always, and superb for my status. When seated, I started at 400, then 350, 300, 275, 250 when seated. So, I have some work to do on fitness/endurance on seated. I thought I was powering well, but is seems I have just been sitting and pedaling more of an endurance pace to climb the bigger hills in North West Arkansas -developing some bad habits. Thanks for posting this. AMAZING footage, teaching, editing, and content. I can't wait for #6 to come out. I'll keep practicing before pulling the trigger on this bucket list.
A great way to practice out of the saddle technique is to do it on rollers. Any inefficient movement, especially the Stairmaster will just throw you off the thing. It really forces you to do it correctly.
Yay! I climb with my lats and my butt! Adding some olympic weightlifting style training taught me a lot I could apply to the bike. Especially for pedal ups!
I'm still working on the technique thanks to this video. Did a climb on the weekend and remembered to use my bodyweight and pull on the bars. It kind of worked and I noticed my legs weren't burning out like they normally would but my heart rate jumped up. The next day my lower back was hurting and it's still hurting now. It's been 4 days since I did the climb. I will keep working on it.
I would think that the side to side motion doesn't just add distance to the climb it appears to be it creates tire resistence . So a technique with less movement of the bike with tires going as straight as possible would be the most efficient . Now you may not generate as much power but with that your using up that power . Conservation of energy is paramount and most of that is directed by efficiency .
This is cool. Reminds me of high school. When I cycled in high school our morning routine was focused on strength and conditioning and the afternoon rides were more improving with drills and lectures and more drills.
Now that was an informative video. I will have to get a friend to film me while climbing and see how my natural form is. Then start to break it down and use this video for some free watts
Charles.by far your best cycling videoes ever. thanks for making these and great production..editing and helping the viewer to experience what you have.you've improved so much and very proud of you. keep it going safely...Barry from NY
@@CharlesOuimet Charles at 25 min 45 sec you discuss about 2 fingers when climbing and a break thru.but you never really show it.can you please explain more about what you were doing before vs new technique and why so much better?thanks..awesome work!
I've been watching your videos and learning too, just subscribe too. I also push down when I stand so I'm gonna try pulling next time I stand and pedal.
i get how that climbing technique can save energy and it comes naturally for most ppl but pulling up is also another way to save energy or get extra watts so i dont see why they wouldnt want to utilize that as well. if you need to save the legs or pull because the legs are burnt out then its a good way to get more watts out. often sometimes on climbs when im tired ill scoot back on my saddle some and sit tall to pull harder. and most ppl can pull a couple hundred watts, also just pulling and no pushing is possible as well.
I learned that way too.We were suppose to imagine our foot pushing the pedal in four directions like a square. I think it's a very old school way or maybe just because I was a teen that's why they explained it to me that way.
Hey man, when you put your saddle back, you need to also put it down a bit. Otherwise you're making your saddle effectively higher. (ideally also shorten your stem but that might be a it much for a short term adjustment hehe). Next to using new muscles, with starting your ride like this there is a big chance this is where your back pain comes from, especially when climbing like this. Also, great video man! super informative!
@@CharlesOuimet seriously i tried the pushing your weight down on the top of the crank rotation. it actually makes sense. although i'm not that efficient and still weak, i felt that it is working.
Great video. A friend of mine (Belgium ex pro) always. Suggested very similar tips, but one that sticks in memory was that the feeling was like running on the bike whilst standing, effectively using all of the power phase and not just pushing down. Effective, if you remember to do it and practice it. 😂
hmm, interesting, looks like I am mixed, sometimes I do staircase when I want to sprint at the same time, but when I'm prepared to do the climb I do it like it should be with whole body weight
I think Colby refers the lats has the biggest muscle per ratio of mass, but glutes is bigger mass overall. I'm no physio, but that's my understanding of it
its the FSA kforce-WE groupset. its semi wireless just like the 12speed di2's. is the FSA groupset new? no. but its new to most people because of how under represented it is. which is a shame. its been around for so long, but yet its never gotten a grasp of the market.
The basic way to describe better climbing technique is focus on pulling the pedal TOWARDS the body as though you are scrapping gum off your shoe. It's a pulling motion rather than a drive foward. Think of rowing. Body positition should involve wings in (elbows in) and use your monkey grip (little finger and finger next to it in vertical position) rather than using your thumb and index finger in horizontal hold. NO). Basically the monkey grip engages your core whereas the little fingers involve fine motor skills (thumb and index) when engaged these wiill injure your shoulders and wrists and are the WORST cycling position. They are even bad for stationary activities such as driving or using a computer mouse! Terrible! Bonk/crack uphill if you are just driving forward and have your hands horizontal. Unfortunately most cycling handbars encourage that bad horizontial hand postition. Change up the bars. Get ergo grips. Scrape gum off your shoes UPHILL. Elbows in. Viola!! Hills are a breeze.
I know this guy who's weight distribution is so perfect that all he has to do is stand up on a climb and he accelerates almost without trying. That's not something you can learn is it.
