Many of you want to embark on the Camino de Santiago. While this long-distance hiking trail requires time, solid logistical and mental preparation, it also demands proper physical preparation — even for experienced walkers — to avoid injuries and chronic fatigue. Here we'll outline the key elements of physical preparation for the Camino de Santiago, so you can undertake your journey with confidence.
The Camino de Santiago doesn't present insurmountable difficulties in itself. Each stage is accessible and achievable. The real challenge is the long-term accumulation of repeated efforts. These often cause minor injuries (tendonitis, mild sprains, muscle strains...) but also more serious ones like tibial periostitis. These injuries, often painful and uncomfortable, can quickly worsen and hinder the smooth progress of your hiking — many walkers abandon their trip because of one of them. It's striking to see the number of walkers strapped up and wearing knee braces, struggling painfully through sometimes overwhelming discomfort towards the end of the trail, as they approach Santiago Cathedral.
Train as often as possible, on flat terrain and ideally also on mountainous terrain. At the start of your preparation, complete weeks with a minimum of 3 outings of 10 km. Increase the distance over the weeks to reach 25 km stages easily by the end of your preparation. After 4 weeks of preparation, do weekends where you chain two 15 km outings, then 4 weeks later, 20 km outings. You should be normally tired on Monday morning, without excessive pain or debilitating fatigue.
If you can find stairs in town to build elevation gain and strengthen your lower body muscles, that's perfect: choose a staircase of about fifteen steps and do one evening per week 3 sets of 10 round trips with 5-minute breaks and stretching between each set.
In your physical preparation for the Camino de Santiago, you should include 2 or 3 walks over longer distances of around 28/30 km or even 35 km. This will give you extra stamina and endurance plus a safety margin. It will also ensure you can extend stages when necessary, as sometimes happens on the Spanish section due to accommodation issues. Finally, in the last month you must walk with your backpack loaded approximately with the items you'll carry during your walking journey. This is important not only for your training but also to identify any harness defects or potential pain points and adjust your positioning if needed.
The Camino de Santiago doesn't present insurmountable difficulties in itself. Each stage is accessible and achievable. The real challenge is the long-term accumulation of repeated efforts. These often cause minor injuries (tendonitis, mild sprains, muscle strains...) but also more serious ones like tibial periostitis. These injuries, often painful and uncomfortable, can quickly worsen and hinder the smooth progress of your hiking — many walkers abandon their trip because of one of them. It's striking to see the number of walkers strapped up and wearing knee braces, struggling painfully through sometimes overwhelming discomfort towards the end of the trail, as they approach Santiago Cathedral.
A physical preparation programme for the Camino de Santiago
Your physical preparation plan should be adjusted in intensity and duration according to your fitness level and walking experience. But a 12 to 15-week preparation plan should be the minimum if you regularly practice walking or any other physical activity. If you have no walking habit or endurance activity experience, be cautious in your approach: you'll need a minimum of 6 months' preparation to be ready, and perhaps you shouldn't attempt the entire route. The baseline preparation over roughly 3 months before departure is essentially a progressive ramp-up in your physical conditioning.
Train as often as possible, on flat terrain and ideally also on mountainous terrain. At the start of your preparation, complete weeks with a minimum of 3 outings of 10 km. Increase the distance over the weeks to reach 25 km stages easily by the end of your preparation. After 4 weeks of preparation, do weekends where you chain two 15 km outings, then 4 weeks later, 20 km outings. You should be normally tired on Monday morning, without excessive pain or debilitating fatigue.
If you can find stairs in town to build elevation gain and strengthen your lower body muscles, that's perfect: choose a staircase of about fifteen steps and do one evening per week 3 sets of 10 round trips with 5-minute breaks and stretching between each set.
In your physical preparation for the Camino de Santiago, you should include 2 or 3 walks over longer distances of around 28/30 km or even 35 km. This will give you extra stamina and endurance plus a safety margin. It will also ensure you can extend stages when necessary, as sometimes happens on the Spanish section due to accommodation issues. Finally, in the last month you must walk with your backpack loaded approximately with the items you'll carry during your walking journey. This is important not only for your training but also to identify any harness defects or potential pain points and adjust your positioning if needed.
