The winter can be a rough time for those of us who love to hike. If you’ve had to take long months off due to the weather, or are just starting to get interested in hiking, it can be important to start training for hiking before the hiking season starts. If you’re currently out of shape, training for hiking can leave you feeling stronger and more prepared for your other favorite outdoor hobbies by the time spring arrives. To learn of some of the best ways to train for hiking, read the article below.
To help you get started, here is a list of 7 ideas for training for hiking. I’ve also included pros and cons to each type of exercise as it relates to hiking, and suggestions to help address the cons of that exercise.
1. Walking on an Inclined Treadmill
To train for hiking by walking on an inclined treadmill, you can go to the gym and increase the incline and speed until you get your heart rate up, but can still maintain that pace.
Pros
To train for hiking, walking with an incline on the treadmill will work the same muscles as hiking will. Your leg muscles and cardiovascular system will be forced to adapt almost exactly as they would need to if you were hiking more. This type of exercise can generally be done for longer periods of time. This more accurately mimics the experience of hiking. It can also be modified to your ability level and specific goals. When training for hiking, it is important to measure your progress. The distance and speed you are able to walk on the treadmill can be easily measured for this.
Cons
The most obvious con to this can be that this is excessively boring for many people. Unfortunately, this also requires a treadmill or a gym membership, and even then, some gyms enforce time limits on treadmills. The final drawback is that many treadmills are not able to simulate the downhill that is experienced when actually hiking. This means your balance and hamstrings might not adapt as much as they would if you were actually hiking or if you were to focus on these areas.
Tips to Train for Hiking by Walking on an Inclined Treadmill
To mitigate one of the cons associated with walking with an incline on the treadmill to train for hiking, find a hill nearby to walk on instead. If it is safe, walk up and down the hill repeatedly, instead of just uphill on the treadmill. Additional strength training, especially hamstring exercises and balance training, can also help.
To alleviate the boredom, use the gym Wi-Fi to listen to music, a podcast, or an audiobook. Most local libraries offer free audiobooks through an app on your phone, so you don’t even need to pay money. Another idea is to bring your hiking buddy to chat with. This is also great for accountability!
2. Stair Stepper
Most gyms have a stair stepper. To use it, climb the steps until you can adjust the settings, and adjust the speed to a pace you can maintain. It should still feel strenuous.
Pros
Training for hiking by using the stair stepper is similar to using a treadmill on incline. It works the leg muscles and cardio, like a treadmill will. Some might consider this less boring than a treadmill on an incline.
Cons
Unfortunately, gyms don’t usually have as many stair steppers as treadmills, and this exercise almost certainly requires a gym membership. As with the treadmill, this also doesn’t benefit the “downhill” or stabilizing muscles as much as some other exercises would. It is more difficult to chat with a buddy on the stair stepper compared to on a treadmill.
Tips to Train for Hiking by Using a Stair Stepper
If possible, climbing real flights of stairs mitigates some of the cons of the stair stepper when training for hiking. You can go both up and down stairs. Downward movement, while it feels easier, is important for training your hamstrings for the increased impact they receive when moving downhill. Without training your hamstrings when training for hiking, you might have increased soreness in that area after a long hike.
3. Leg Strength Training
Leg strength training can be an important part of any plan when training for hiking, and there are a variety of ways to incorporate it. In general, it is most efficient to focus on movements that use large groups of muscles, rather than focusing on just one.
Pros
Strength training when training for hiking can work all necessary muscles, including stabilizing and “downhill” muscles. You can target specific muscles you know you need to work on, but even basic leg strength training will be effective.
Some people enjoy strength training more than cardio. It can be less mentally taxing and doesn’t require repeating the same motion endlessly.
There is also quite a bit of strength training that can be done using only your bodyweight, and there are plenty of resources and affordable equipment for people who do not want to go to the gym at all.
Cons
You might be more sore after strength training compared to when you focus more on exercise for your heart and lungs. This is partially because strength training requires more effort from individual muscles. When you are doing strength training, you are literally tearing your muscle fibers so that they can grow back stronger.
The specific pieces of equipment you want to use might require a gym or might be taken by someone else when you want to use them. In general, strength training alone doesn’t prepare your cardiovascular system enough to prepare for intense hikes.
Finally, strength training at home can require additional planning, since you might not have a good space to do the exercises, and you are more limited in which exercises you can do.
Tips to Train for Hiking with Leg Strength Training
If you can, I recommend going to the gym during less-busy hours. This can help ensure the equipment you want to use isn’t taken. Personally, I also like to use the gym when it’s less busy because I feel less self-conscious while I’m there. I don’t have to worry about using a piece of popular equipment that someone else is likely waiting for. Gyms are usually the most busy outside of the “normal” 9-5 working hours. When I go on my lunch break, for example, it’s almost completely dead. Mornings and immediately after work (between 5pm-6pm) are usually the most busy times for the gym.
Another option is to use a fitness video to do a bodyweight leg workout. Fitness videos can be found just about everywhere online, and they can take the work out of planning it for yourself. This is one of my favorite bodyweight leg workout videos. You should also supplement with walks or other cardio, since, again, strength workouts alone will not be sufficient when training for hiking.
Finally, be sure to use proper recovery techniques after leg day to mitigate soreness. This includes cooling down and eating properly after the workout.
4. Core and Upper Body Strength Training
Core and upper body strength training is more important for training for backpacking than training for hiking, but it is useful for both. To incorporate core and upper body strength training into your routine, please read the below tips first.
Pros
Training your upper body and core can give you an edge when it comes to comfort on long hikes or during backpacking trips. When training for hiking, it is more important to focus on your leg strength and endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness, but you will need a break from working these out sometimes.
When working out your core and upper body, you can really pinpoint areas that trouble you on hikes. For me, this means that I focus on my lower back and shoulders, which are the most sore after a long backpacking trip. Core endurance is somewhat important for training for hiking, since it is a major factor in walking with proper posture. If you have a weak core, supplemental core workouts are likely necessary for comfort on the trail.
The last major benefit is that these types of exercises can be done at home or at the gym, which makes them accessible to just about everyone.
Cons
Time-considering, your core and upper body are somewhat less relevant to actually hiking, so focusing on your upper body might not be as efficient with your time as you might be if you worked on something else. It is not cardio or leg strength, which are the most important components of any hiking regimen. With that being said, if you are interested in backpacking adventures or intense hikes, it is smart to dedicate a few workouts to preparation for the weight you will be carrying and to prepare for the stress on your core.
Tips for Training for Hiking with Core and upper Body Strength Training
Whether you plan on backpacking or not, if you decide to work on your upper body and core, I would recommend it as a supplement to your training plan.
5. Swimming
If you have access to a pool and know how to swim, swimming is a great way to stay in shape while training for hiking.
Pros
Swimming is one of the best cardio and strength exercises. It has the potential to work all muscle groups, depending on the stroke used, and is absolutely great for cardiovascular fitness.
It’s also not a weight-bearing exercise, so it can be done more frequently than say, running, for cardio. It is easier on your joints than weight-bearing exercises are. If you are especially injury-prone, taking breaks from weight-bearing exercise by swimming, instead, can be a great supplement when training for hiking.
Cons
The same reason that is a “pro,” the fact that swimming is not weight-bearing is also a “con.” This is because hiking is weight bearing, so you should do some weight-bearing exercise when training for hiking. If you don’t, your joints won’t be prepared when you put the added stress of hiking on them.
Additionally, swimming isn’t accessible to many people, since not all gyms have a pool. It can also be technically challenging or require additional knowledge that not everyone will already know.
Tips for Training for Hiking by Swimming
Local schools sometimes offer passes for the year that are somewhat affordable, and can be an option to look into if you enjoy swimming. Here is a great site to help you locate nearby pools.
If technical knowledge of how to swim is an issue, there are usually options for classes, and there are sometimes even free or low-cost classes. I would recommend checking through your county or city. If you live very rurally, you might not have a lot of options, but I’ve noticed that many local governments have classes that are at a reduced price.
Finally, watching videos is also an accessible option for people who need a refresher on how to swim. I used these videos, created by Average Joe, when I needed a detailed reminder on different swimming strokes.
6. Local Classes
As previously mentioned, your local government might offer affordable classes nearby. These are usually weekly 45-minute classes of various intensities, and can include such varieties as yoga classes, “boot camp” classes, and spin classes. Overall, you are meeting with other people to perform a specific kind of exercise.
Pros
Classes can be such a useful resource for people who are training for hiking. They can be fun and break up the monotony of a typical workout plan. You can work on cardio, strength, or flexibility and balance, depending on the class.
Because there are a variety of options that ensure there is something fun for everyone, classes help develop a habit that you’re more likely to stick to. It is even easier to continue to go to the classes if you’ve already paid ahead of time or have a more expensive gym membership because it includes these types of classes.
Cons
Unfortunately, in-person classes are not accessible for everyone. Sometimes the times available do not work with your schedule, for example.
Additionally, classes rarely exceed much more than 45 minutes, and hiking usually requires more endurance than that. Depending on how specific you are with your goals, and what classes you are interested in, you might not be able to personalize the class to fit your goals easily, like you can with strength training.
Tips for Training for Hiking with Classes
Ideally, you will live in a location where you are able to find a local place that is specific to the kind of class you would like the most. This would help with scheduling conflicts. Potentially, some people will even change gyms in order to experience more in-person classes. Luckily, if neither of these two options are suitable, there are usually online classes available with any gym membership.
To make your class more specific to you, you can talk to the instructor about your specific goals and how the class relates to them, so you can emphasize certain parts of it. For example, when I take a yoga class at the gym, I usually focus on the stretches that will help me feel relief from the other training I completed that week. In addition to any class, you should supplement with other physical activities.
Though it isn’t in the scope of this article, please note that there are differences among the various intensity of activities. Some classes might be more or less intense than what would likely be required for training for hiking. If interested, read more about the intensity of activities here.
7. Flexibility and Balance Practice
By “flexibility and balance practice,” I mostly mean stretching and some basic yoga poses. You don’t have to love yoga to appreciate the increased flexibility and balance that stretching brings.
Pros
This type of exercise is necessary for safety and enjoyment out on the trails, since it can improve posture and reduce the risk of injury. If you’re flexible and able to balance, navigating through any rough terrain can be smoother than it would be if you were more clumsy. It can easily be done at home or at the gym.
Stretching can also assist with recovery from the other workouts, and can be done every day. It’s also important for health in general. As we age, our balance deteriorates and falls become more likely; I, for one, would like to have good balance while I’m young, since it usually gets worse and eventually affects people’s quality of life.
Cons
As a “con”, flexibility should be done after a warm up. If you stretch when your muscles aren’t warm, you’re more likely to injure yourself. It’s better to do some dynamic movement before static stretching. It’s also sometimes more difficult to measure or to notice improvement, which, at least for me, makes me less motivated to actually do it.
Tips for Training for Hiking with Flexibility and Balance Practice
In general, especially for inexperienced people, I would recommend starting with an online or in-person yoga class. There are quite a few stretches that are helpful, but aren’t as intuitive as the ones you learned in high school gym class. A class will show you stretches you didn’t even know you want to do every day!
Personally, I work on stretching for flexibility and balance work as a cool down after every workout. This helps with recovery, too, since it helps release the tension and lactic acid buildup in my muscles.
When you take a recovery day, it is better to avoid static stretching right away in the morning. If possible, wait until your body has warmed up after sleeping.
Overall
Depending on your goals, training for hiking does not need to be repetitive or boring. While the wintertime sometimes keeps us from spending much time on the trails, we can still hit the gym or work out at home. We can still keep in shape so that we can get right back into it as soon as spring arrives.
