Dictionary of Intervals: Progressive climb

Indoor Cycling Instructor Dictionary of Intervals - progressive climb

Position or interval: The progressive climb is an interval.
What it is: A longer climb (either seated or standing, or a combination of the two positions) that gets progressively harder.
Cadence: The cadence is between 60-85rpm. You'll give your riders a 10 or 5 rpm range. You have a choice with cadence - you can either stick with the same cadence right the way through, and increase the challenge by increasing resistance, or you can keep the resistance the same, but try to increase the cadence as you go through the stages.
Intensity: The intensity increases as you head through the stages of the climb. you may start pretty easy, and end moderately challenging, or you may start at a harder intensity and end really hard.
Length: A progressive climb will last for minutes - it's up to you how long you make it; could just be 3 minutes, or you could make it longer, 8 minutes or more. You also get to decide how long each stage within the climb is. We recommend an absolute minimum of 30 seconds, although 1 minute works very well. For very long climbs, spreading the stages out to 2 minutes each is incredibly challenging both mentally and physically. With each stage, you'll be adding challenge by either increasing resistance, or cadence, or both.
When to use: Use it anywhere outside the warm up. You can create two of these and 'bookend' your session with them. f you use two, they might be identical, or you may tweak resistance in one and cadence in the other. Or have a seated one and a standing one. A progressive climb is an excellent climb to finish a class on as it creates a marvellous climax.
What it does: Builds strength and endurance, and when used appropriately can build aerobic or anaerobic fitness.
Key teaching points:

• cueing: be clear about how long the climb is and how the riders have left in each stage.
• give pointers in technique, particularly if the intensity is hard; you want to minimise swaying of the upper body as this creates momentum from bodyweight and reduces the training effect.
• be encouraging. As riders get tired, they'll want to hear encouragement more than anything else.
• this interval is great for strengthening muscles so they can go for longer, as well as improving aerobic fitness which enables fat burn at higher intensities.

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