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Getting fit for the trail shouldn’t be a chore. In 6 Weeks to Trail Fit from Outside LEARN, professional guide Jason Antin teaches you the exercises and routines you need to know in order to feel comfortable and competent on the trail. Outside+ members can start learning today.
How to get in shape for hiking? Maybe the better question is how to stay in shape for hiking.
There is no official hiking season. Some places are mild and hike-friendly year-round, but in many parts of the northern hemisphere, the weather and trail conditions are only good for trekking from late spring all the way to mid-November. That’s six solid months for day hikes, backpacking, mountain climbing, and scrambling. Add snowshoes or skis, and there’s no reason you can’t get into the backcountry all year round.
But if you think you can just hop off the couch after a long layoff, slip on your boots, and hit the trail, think again. Most trails are uneven and have at least some elevation gain, so even the easiest hiking requires balance and strength to avoid injury. The good news: getting back into the swing of things isn’t as hard as you think.
Two of the most common hiking injuries are ankle rolling and ankle sprains. If you’re out of shape or just haven’t been active for a while, start with some basic exercises to warm up your muscles and get your heart rate up.
It builds the muscles that protect your knees and ankles.
Get a resistance band to strengthen your muscles through their full extension. Standing on a tennis ball or balance disc is great for this too as it builds the small stabilizer muscles around the ankle and knee.
Building your core strength will help you keep your balance on uneven surfaces.
Keep your back straight and take each squat and lunge slowly to strengthen your core muscles.
Good upper body strength (especially in your back) will serve you well on long trips where you need to carry a heavier pack.
Getting this is as easy as walking on a trail. (City-dweller? Hitting the treadmill or stationary bike at your local gym works too.) Whichever you choose, make sure to get your heart rate up. This will help build your lung capacity so you can hike longer.
Before a backpacking trip, weight your pack (use 20 lbs. to start) and step up onto a park bench 16 to 18 inches high. Add 5 pounds a week until your pack is as heavy as it will be on your hike. To prepare for an extended, multi-day hike, do this exercise three times a week until you can do 700 steps in less than 30 minutes.
You can do all the exercises on this page with a few, simple pieces of gear.
Free weights: A simple set of dumbbells will let you both lift and easily and precisely weight your pack. Resistance band: Useful for lunges and other leg-strengthening exercises, resistance bands can also be a rehab tool to help mitigate shin splints. Shoes: You can use your trail shoes, but if you’re cross-training, something flatter will let you lift and run on pavement without the wobbliness of aggressive tread.
If you’re a beginner or haven’t been out hiking for a while, celebrate the good weather with a day hike. But first, let your body know you’re going to be pushing it beyond your afternoon stroll. If you’re planning a hike for the weekend, here are some tips to get your body in shape.
Hold equal weights in both hands. From a standing position, step forward until both legs are bent at 90 degrees. Push up, bringing rear foot forward. Repeat with the other leg.
Lay flat on the floor and scoot your hips toward an elevated bench. Place your left foot on the bench. Lift your right leg up as high as you can bear. Press your left foot down into the bench, clench your glutes and hamstrings, and raise your hips off the ground. Do 10, then repeat on the other side.
Tie a resistance band around your legs, just above the knees, so there’s tension while you stand with legs at hip-width. Stand straight, tuck your abs, put your hands on your hips, and walk sideways while maintaining the band’s tension between your shins.
Take your fitness to the next level with our 16 exercises to help you train like a guide.
It may seem like a welcome break after a hard hike to the top of a peak, but don’t be deceived: Downhill hiking is tough on your legs, toes, and especially knees. On the downhill segment of a hike, your body is holding its own weight back, plus whatever you have in your backpack, to avoid falling. This repeated pressure can lead to injury. Scrambling over rocks and uneven surfaces can also strain joints. The best prevention is to exercise in advance of the hike to build your body’s strength for the task.
If you’re concerned about your knees or ankles, consider getting a pair of trekking poles. They aren’t just for newbies or older hikers: Poles help anyone keep their balance on very rocky or uneven terrain. They give you an extra two “limbs” to hold yourself up while you navigating the trail. People with joint issues are especially wise to invest in a pair. Here’s how to use them:
We cannot stress it enough: No matter how fit you are, your footwear will make or break your hike. More to the point, it will either protect and support your feet and ankles, or it won’t and you’ll want to rip it off your feet at mile two and throw them off the cliff. When shopping for hiking boots and shoes, make sure your pick complements your fitness and packing style: While you’ll spend a lot less energy hiking in trail-running shoes, you may need the extra support of a mid-cut boot if you’ve injured your ankles in the past. Likewise, ultralighters won’t need as much support as everything-but-the-kitchen-sink packers. Buy your boots someplace where you can be fitted by someone who knows what to look for. Some boots are designed for specific terrain and even certain strides, so it’s worth doing some research before making a purchase.
If you’re planning a multi-day hiking trip, the last thing you want is to wake up on day three too sore to keep going. Give yourself time to prepare for several days of hiking—like anything else, you’ll want to work your way back up.
Fitness coach Jordan Smothermon recommends building a good strength base early in the season (early spring, for those who live where winter isn’t good for hiking). As you need more endurance, you can easily trade short-burst power for long-burn performance. Think of your muscles as savings account for fitness. As you move from segment to segment, build on the fitness and strength gains you’ve made.
Anyone planning a hike that will take them above 8,000 feet, especially flatlanders, needs to know how to recognize and treat altitude sickness. Medical experts have researched the best ways to beat altitude sickness and stay healthy overall at high elevation, but here are the most important tips to keep in mind.
Mountaineering, technical or not, is a huge strain on the body. Steep ascents to high altitude tests your lung capacity and requires extra strength. At higher elevations, the weather is also less predictable, which can create challenges for hikers.
“Mountain athletes put their bodies on the line,” says Smothermon,. “The way to test our fitness is, if the weather changes, can we get down or out quickly and safely?”
Training for mountain hiking requires all of the same gradual conditioning as backpacking, Smothermon recommends starting earlier and adding weight-bearing exercises. It takes at least six months to prepare for a basic mountaineering trip. Mt. Rainier, for example, is a 9,000-foot elevation gain on snowy and crevassed with only ⅔ of the available oxygen compared to sea level. Add a 50-pound pack and you’re looking at a major undertaking.
If you’re planning a mountaineering trip in the summer, start your conditioning around New Year’s. (Pro tip: Training for a big goal makes for a great resolution.) Conditioning for a mountain hike is best done in three phases:
A thru-hike is a commitment. Hiking a trail end-to-end involves long distances and takes multiple weeks, if not months. If you’re planning to hike the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail, you’ll need to consider mental as well as physical preparation. A thru-hike is like a pilgrimage. Give yourself six months to get ready, both physically and mentally. It’s smart to really consider what weeks of hiking will feel like and prepare for what to expect.
The Pacific Coast Trail is 2,650 miles long and takes about five months (the entire snow-free season) to complete. A thru-hike of this length is different than a backpacking trip because the first weeks can act as part of the training. Use shorter hikes to train for your thru-hike and set up a six-month conditioning schedule with cardio and strength-building exercises.
The best way to prepare is to check out the advice that long trail alumni and other thru-hikers have to offer. You might be wondering how to condition for your first thru-hike, or even how to work a months-long hike into your life without quitting your job. Whatever your question, the thru-hike experts will have the answer.
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