Hills vs. level streets

[Xstatic1]

i gained a few pounds from holiday eatin' , so for the past coupla weeks, been doing some stomach crunches & trying to conquer a street that's at an incline. the first few times, i'd maybe go 5 feet and have to stop. pathetic, i know. :laugh:. i don't have to take a break on the level streets.

anyone know how much better hilly streets are? can it be quantified somehow, like is the distance of the hilly street equal to 3 level streets of the same length/distance?

my goal is make it up that hill without stopping. being realistic, i'm guessin it'll take me a few more weeks, hopefully not months.

 

[zebano]

Is this walking/running/cycling/sledding? What is the incline of the street?

Anyway, I'm sure it can be quantified, I just can't do it.

5 feet??

 

[InflatableBuddha]

I'm going to guess the 5 feet is just a bit of exaggeration .

Hill running is a great way to improve your fast-twitch muscles. A moderately inclined hill will provide roughly the same benefit as a hard run or sprint of the same distance on level ground.

Ex:
800m hill = 800m rep @ 80% effort
200m hill = 200m sprint

Seriously though, hills are rough. I'm in pretty decent running shape right now but I'm still not a fan of many of the looooooooong inclines near where I live. Weight lifting, especially for my upper body, has made the biggest difference. Even if your cardio is up to par, the muscular strength helps you power up the hill so much easier.

 

[Xstatic1]

Originally posted by: zebano
Is this walking/running/cycling/sledding? What is the incline of the street?

Anyway, I'm sure it can be quantified, I just can't do it.

5 feet??

how did i know someone would inquire about the grade/incline %?! :laugh: the street is about 1,000 feet (a guess).

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
I'm going to guess the 5 feet is just a bit of exaggeration .

Hill running is a great way to improve your fast-twitch muscles. A moderately inclined hill will provide roughly the same benefit as a hard run or sprint of the same distance on level ground.

Ex:
800m hill = 800m rep @ 80% effort
200m hill = 200m sprint

Seriously though, hills are rough. I'm in pretty decent running shape right now but I'm still not a fan of many of the looooooooong inclines near where I live. Weight lifting, especially for my upper body, has made the biggest difference. Even if your cardio is up to par, the muscular strength helps you power up the hill so much easier.

thanks so much for your response! this is more or less the answer i was looking for. i'll add weights (for my upper body) in another month or two.