Stay in Shape- A Training Guide for Hikers & Backpackers

Need to make your fitness journey a little more fun and adventurous? I’ve got some great tips to share that help you enjoy the great outdoors while you work up a sweat. I may include affiliate links in this post, and if you click them to make a purchase, it helps me earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support. Now, let’s get busy!

Hiking is a great way to explore new destinations, see places of immense beauty and challenge your body and mind, but it can certainly be a drag if you are gasping for air, wincing over a cramp or too tired from the steep ascents. Adding these workouts into your training regime will ensure you are ready to tackle any trail.

It is easy to imagine the idyllic hike, winding through flower strewn meadows, past babbling brooks and high into the snow dotted ridgelines of a ferocious mountain range. Those summit views are mesmerizing an so fan-tas-tic. But the one thing missing is the physical strength and sweat equity required to handle the physical aspects of the hike. While it’s rewarding it is physically and often times mentally challenging,  requiring muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance. That is why it is so important to regularly incorporate workouts for hiking into your fitness regime. Exercises that will tone and strengthen muscles, increase your speed and agility and most importantly help with your endurance while ascending up steep trails.

GOAL SETTING

With any exercise regime the first thing you want to do is set a goal for yourself. Now you might want to spend the summer hiking 14ers in Colorado, backpacking along the Continental Divide Trail or just climbing your first mountain in your home state. Whatever your plan is, set a goal and aim high. Take a moment to say your goal out load and right it down on your calendar, in your journal, on a dream board, post it note or mirror in your bathroom.  Goal setting is super important in getting results, not just in athletic venues but in life too. Whatever endeavors I have done, from training for  marathon, to preparing to summit Mt. KIlimanjaro I have always set goals. The big goal is the race or the hike, but it ties in with small goals that you should be setting every workout and every week. Have a goal set for every run, hike and workout and you will stay on track. 

Weekly Workouts 

The best way to structure your training is to break it into several workouts spread out throughout the week.Your workouts should challenge and increase your endurance, strength and agility. Running is one of the best ways to get in shape for the mountains, but swimming and cycling are other options for those unable to pound the pavement. Try to spend 2-3 days a week at minimum doing endurance exercises, while aiming to walk at least 10,000 steps every day. 10,000 steps equates to about 5 miles of walking, if you have a pedometer, apple watch or other step counter wear it and start tracking how active you are during the day. You may need to add a morning, evening, or afternoon walk to your daily routine. MOving as much as possible is not only great for your overall health but your physical endurance. 

Running, Cycling and Swimming 

Running, cycling and swimming are three of the best ways to build your endurance. Choose to try all three or pick the one that suits you best. If you can swing, it is one of the best anaerobic, low impact workouts. For those just starting out try swimming 800 meters or 45 lengths of a 25yd pool, with a nice slow warmup and cool down. I like to vary my strokes, after a 5 lap warm up, try doing 5 freestyle, 5 breastroke, 2 backstroke and then repeat.

For runners and walkers plan to do one or two long run days of 4+ miles at a moderate pace, and two other days of interval training where you work on your speed and incline. You can optionally pick a time instead of a distance for your longer runs, for instance running for 45 minutes and then gradually increasing it. If you live in a place where running outside is not possible there are some great workouts you can do on a treadmill.  For treadmills- break it up into 1 long day of running at 0- 1 incline, a second day doing a speed ladder or gradual ladder,  5 minute warm up then 1 minute at each .5 up to 8 then back down. For the gradual you will do a 5 minute warm up and then 5 minutes at 5mph, 5.5, 6, 6.5 and 7 mph with a 5 minute cool down. a third doing an incline ladder, pick a speed and gradually go up in incline maxing out at 10 and then go back down to 0. I usually do about 30 – 45 minutes.  These days shouldn’t be consecutive but its whatever works best for you and your schedule. You can save or download the treadmill workouts below. 

Hills, Stairs and Incline Workouts 1x Week  

A weekly hike is probably the best way to get your fitness going but including incline workouts is another great way to get you in shape. Stairs and Hills will most likely be your least favorite exercise but the most vital for getting up the steep ascents on many great trails. If you can find a hill in your neighborhood jog to it and set a goal of running up it and walking down it 5-20 times once per week. If you don’t have a hill you can also look for a sports stadium at a local college or high school, a neighborhood stair climb or office building with many floors where you can set aside a workout to do a set amount of stair climbs. Vary your ascent with walking up, running up, skipping a step, skipping two, hopping on one foot up ne flight and walking down. This is not only going to spike your heart rate, but work on your agility. 

Plyometrics & Cross Training 2-3x Week 

Strength and agility are one of the most overlooked areas of a hikers workout regime. It’s super important to do strength exercises for your knees, shoulders and core as this is what supports you,  hikers and backpackers must deal with heavy backpacks and uneven terrain. A lack of strength and fast twitch muscles will leave you ill prepared for needing to act fast on a trail. Plyometrics and cross training should be incorporated into your weekly workouts 2 or 3 days a week.  HIIT workouts or high intensity interval training which consists of a mixture of total body exercises, in a circuit which will keep your heart rate raised while working on total body strength. A typical workout will consist of  lunges, squats, push ups, planks, cardiovascular exercises like jacks, jumping, and box hops, There are some great Youtube channels like Heather Robertson that provide 15-60 minute HIIT workouts.  

Yoga & Stretching

A super important aspect of exercise and hiking is stretching. It can be hard to include pre and post hike and workout stretching so I recommend adding a few days of yoga into your weekly routine. When you start hiking a lot you will have tight hips, hamstrings and achilles tendons, and it is really important to stretch out and roll out your muscles to keep things from stiffening up too much. A nice 15-30 minute yoga flow can certainly be a great way to keep your body loosened up and feeling its best. There are many varieties of yoga, another Youtube Channel I like is Boho Beautiful. 

Tips for Avoiding Altitude Sickness 

1. Stay at elevation for 1-3 nights before your hike to get acclimated 
2. Take it slowly 
3. Be very well hydrated and stay very well hydrated on the trail 
4. Eat well the day before your hike and during your hike
5. If you start to get a headache stop hiking, rest, eat and hydrate until the symptoms subside and go down in elevation if they do not. 
6. Skip alcohol for 3 days before you climb and don’t drink at elevation

Wherever you decide to hike and explore this workout guide will help you get in shape and stay in shape for tackling the toughest hikes all throughout the year. A mixture of running, swimming, cycling, plyometrics and cross training, yoga and incline workouts will not only prepare you for summiting mountains but get you in the best shape of your life. Don’t forget to download my 12 week training guide for hikers and backpackers and pack your 10 essentials when hitting the trail. Got a goal to backpack, then you will want to walk as much as possible with a backpack too, and make sure you have fully loaded up your pack with everything you will need for your backpacking adventures and taken it for a test drive, to see how heavy it is and whether or not you really need all those items. See you on the trail! 

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