Strength Training For Hiking

Are you ready to go trekking in Patagonia, or backpacking through the Tour Du Mont Blanc, or hike through the Dolomites? Hiking and backpacking can be some of the most rewarding experiences, but if you are not physically ready, it can also be one of the most miserable experiences. Trust me, I have hiked and backpacked when I wasn’t in shape. It is miserable! To make your trip a lot easier, it is best to train and be fit. Below I have come up with the best strength training for hiking routine. If you keep up with this schedule, you will be ready to climb that mountain. Enjoy!

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Also, always consult your doctor or trained professional before attempting these exercises.

What To Wear For Training For Hiking Beginner

• Water Bottle: If you get thirsty in the middle of your workout. Hydroflask is what I use on my hikes and when I work out. >Check It Out Here
• Electrolytes: I drink this on my hikes and when I am feeling a bit more fatigued after a hard workout. >>>Check These Out Here
• Towel: You will get sweaty, trust me! >Check Out This Towel Here
• Yoga Mat: To keep your bum nice and comfy when you do ab workouts. >See This Yoga Mat Here
• Leggings: These leggings are pretty comfortable. You can definitely wear them around the house. >Check Out These Comfy Pants Here
• Sports Bra: OMG I love this sports bra!!!!! Super cute and I love that it helps suck in my belly fat 😛 >Look At This Cute Bra Here
• Workout Shirt: Really love this new workout shirt! Super cute and comfy >>>Check It Out Here
• Shoes: These are known to be the most comfortable for running outside >Check Out These Shoes
• Socks: I am obsessed with Smartwool socks when it comes to hiking. It is not any different for working out. They have the comfiest socks ever! >Check Them Out Here

How To Train For A Hike When You Don’t Live Near Mountains

Training for hiking can be difficult, especially if you don’t live anywhere near the mountains. I used to live in the flattest place on earth (Texas) and would take weekend trips up north to the mountains. It was challenging to train for, but I felt like it was worth it! Here are some tips on training:

• Find an area with a lot of stairs and train on those stairs. Trust me, it will be hard, but it will strengthen your quads. Also, I have noticed that this training greatly helps with endurance with running. Running becomes a lot easier when I add in this exercise to my routine.
• Build your core muscles to the max. Having a good strong core is super important when it comes to hiking. A strong core helps carry that heavy backpack and when your legs are fatigued. Do not ignore your core! >>>Check Out My Core Routine Here
• Do cardio about 3-5 times a week. If you want to take it to the next level, take your hiking backpack with you and add more weights every week. Try to also add in some areas with hills.
• I know you probably don’t hear this a lot on other hiking websites, but add in some yoga at least once a week. Yoga helps with balance and helps stretch out those muscles that are working so hard for you. Training on your tired muscles without letting them heal or stretch can lead to injuries. Also, yoga balance practices can really help your feet balance even better on rocky or snowy terrain. I recommend trying out the Youtube Channel “Yoga with Adriene” for free. I do this many times throughout the week. I sometimes do it before or after a run or workout. If you don’t have time, she has some stretches that are only 5 minutes long.
• If you have a gym, take advantage of the inclines on the treadmills. Start easy by walking on an incline and eventually start trying to run on this incline. Finally, work your way up to sprinting on that incline.

Training Plan For Hiking

• 2 days of strength training per week. It can be the exercises shown below: Strength Training Leg Routines, Strength Training Core Routines, or Strength Training Upper Body.
• 3 days of cardio per week. You can either hike or do some cardio. I usually do cardio throughout the week and hike on weekends.
• 2 days of rest days in between strength training and cardio. I recommend doing yoga or stretching.
• 1-2 days before your trip relax.

Strength Training Leg Routines

Circuit 1 – Repeat 2-4 times

• Glute Bridges – 10 of these
• Hold Glute Bridges – 30 Seconds
• Squats – 30 of these
• Right Leg Single Leg Deadlift – 20 of these
• Right Leg Reverse Lunge – 20 of these
• Right Leg Side Lunge – 20 of these
• Right Leg Curtsy Lunge – 20 of these
• Glute Bridges – 10 of these
• Hold Glute Bridges – 30 Seconds
• Squats – 30 of these
• Left Leg Single Leg Deadlift – 20 of these
• Left Leg Reverse Lunge – 20 of these
• Left Leg Side Lunge – 20 of these
• Left Leg Curtsy Lunge – 20 of these

Strength Training Core Routines

Circuit 1: Repeat Twice

• Dead Bug Right Side – 30 Secs
• Hold Dead Bug Right Side- 10 Secs
• Dead Bug Left Side – 30 Secs
• Hold Dead Bug Left Side – 10 Secs
• Center Crunches – 30 Secs
• Right Elbow to Left Knee Crunches – 30 Secs
• Pulse Right Elbow to Left Knee Crunches – 10 Secs
• Left Elbow to Right Knee Crunches – 30 Secs
• Pulse Left Elbow to Right Knee Crunches – 10 Secs
• Ankle Taps – 20 Secs
• Bicycles – 30 Secs
• Hollow Hold – 20 Secs

Circuit 2: Repeat Twice

• Side Plank Right Side – 30 Secs
• Side Plank Left Side – 30 Secs
• Mountain Climbers – 30 Secs
• Leg Lifts – 30 Secs
• Table Top – 30 Secs
• Table Top and Toe Taps – 30 Secs
• Flutter Kicks – 10 Secs

If you want to read more about core exercises and examples click here.

Strength Training Upper Body

Getting your upper body ready for your heavy backpack is essential. You don’t want to be all lower body. The trick with hiking is to get your whole body strong. If one area of your body gets tired, the other area can kick in and help you get up that mountain! Here are some exercises that can help:

• Cat Cow – 15 of these
• Supermans – 15 of these
• Push Ups – 20 of these
• Crawlers – 60 seconds of this – Plank on hands and then move to elbows
• Tricep Pushups – 20 of these they are hard so you can definitely get on your knees
• Hold Tricep Push up – 15 seconds

Do Cardio

I recommend getting your heart rate up and running about 3-5 times a week. If you can find hills even better. I would try to change it up and do long-distance running and interval training. Trail running is also a great way to get ready for that mountain.

• Run for about 45-90 minutes one day.
• Do interval training for 20 minutes. Do a five minute jogging warmup. Then sprint for 30 seconds. Then jog for thirty seconds. Repeat this until the 20 minutes are done. I usually do this on a steep incline. It is tough!!!!

Do A Weekly Hike

When I am training for hikes, I am always trying to find challenging trails to train on. I know not everyone lives near trails, but you can do an urban day hike. Find areas in your city that seems more hilly, or find an area with a lot of stairs.

Try to put on the gear that you will use on the trails, like your hiking boots or hiking shoes. You don’t want to break your shoes in on difficult terrain. You might get blisters. Also, take your backpack with you and fill it with weights. Each week add a new weight. You will be ready for that hard trail in no time!

How To Prevent Altitude Sickness

• Drink a lot of water and eat a lot of healthy foods.
• Acclimate to the elevation gain for a day or two.
• Hike at a slow pace.
• If you start to feel symptoms which are headaches, and nausea, hike back down to a lower elevation.

Should I use Trekking Poles?

If you have concerns about your knees and ankles, consider getting some trekking poles. They aren’t just for older folks, I use them on strenuous hikes too (Maybe I am old but in denial). I did have problems with my knees in my twenties when I was trekking through Patagonia. They honestly saved my trip and my knees. So if you are training for a long trek or backpacking trip or a hard hike, think about how your body will react in that area and if you will need trekking poles.

I Write All About Trekking Poles Here: 10 Best Trekking Poles In The Market

Find The Perfect Backpacks

• Make sure to pick out the perfect backpack for you on your adventure. It has to have a great frame so that all of the weight is not on your back. This is especially true for backpacking. >>>Check Out The Best Hiking Backpacks Here >>>Check Out The Best Backpacking Backpacks Here
• You can practice carrying your backpacks when you are doing cardio. Add more and more weight every time.

Final Thoughts On How To Train For Hiking

Thanks for reading all about how to get in shape for hiking. Make sure to check out some of my other posts on the outdoors:

• Core Exercises for Hiking
• 13 Best Places To Buy Discounted Outdoor Gear
• The Best Adventure Books For Outdoor Lovers

Pin For Later: Hiking Training Plan