Whether you're heading out for a simple stroll or a multi-day trek, mountain hiking is not something you improvise. Even a short outing can prove demanding if the terrain is technical. Good physical fitness is therefore essential for venturing out into nature with peace of mind. Find out how to optimise your physical preparation for hiking.
Key takeaways:
- Good physical fitness reduces the risk of injury while hiking.
- Cardiovascular endurance helps you manage sustained effort over time.
- Strength training improves strength, stability and helps with carrying your backpack.
- Mobility, balance and flexibility are essential for moving over uneven terrain.
- A gentle progression, good gear, and appropriate preparation and recovery all help to prevent injuries.
Why should you prepare your body before a hiking trip?
Hiking puts significant strain on your joints, muscles and tendons. The main risk of mountain hiking therefore involves injuries. These are mostly linked to the rough terrain covered by hikers. Without adequate preparation, you risk sustaining a sprain, developing tendinitis, or injuring your lower back or cervical spine.
Before a hiking trip, your body needs to be well prepared to make the most of your outing and enjoy the moment. Proper preparation helps you avoid prolonged breathlessness, cope with the weight of your backpack and tackle technical sections with flexibility, balance and strength. You'll also stay focused while taking in the scenery around you.
Finally, a well-trained person will have fewer aches and pains and will recover more quickly from hiking. This advantage is all the more significant if you are planning a trek, where effort is sustained over several days.
Key elements of physical preparation for hiking
Physical preparation for a mountain hiking trip starts with defining an objective. Indeed, it will vary depending on the planned outing, its elevation gain, altitude, terrain and distance to be covered. It also depends on each individual's prior experience and capabilities.
One of the key elements of physical preparation is cardio. It helps you manage sustained effort, avoid breathlessness — particularly on climbs — and stay focused throughout your outing. To properly prepare for maintaining pace, we recommend mixing steady-state endurance training with interval sessions.
Another key element is strength training. It is essential for absorbing impact, stabilising joints, moving over uneven terrain and building the strength needed to carry your trek backpacks. You should therefore prioritise the legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes) and the core (abs, lower back), then the upper body (shoulders, back, arms).
Other factors such as balance, mobility and flexibility should not be overlooked. You need to prepare yourself for navigating unstable surfaces, clearing obstacles and moving efficiently in the mountains.
How to structure your training?
To make effective progress in your physical preparation for hiking, you first need to set a training frequency and duration. We recommend training three to four times per week. Your preparation period can begin approximately three to four months before departure.
For a complete preparation, it is essential to combine several types of sessions each week. On the cardio side, you can train twice a week with brisk walking, jogging, cycling or swimming. Don't forget to incorporate short interval sessions or hill repeats for solid progression.
For strength training, incorporate one to two weight training sessions using weights or bodyweight. Circuit training (squats, lunges, core work, glute bridges…) can be a great option for building your muscular endurance.
At the end of your sessions or during a dedicated session, you can also do yoga, Pilates, stretching or proprioception exercises on a balance cushion. These will help you work on your mobility, flexibility and balance.
Finally, don't hesitate to plan hiking trips or long outings roughly every other weekend. It's the perfect opportunity to get familiar with the terrain, test your gear, gradually add weight to your backpack and build your endurance.
How to avoid injuries while hiking?
As injuries represent the greatest risk in hiking, you must take every precaution to avoid them. For this reason, gradual progression is paramount. Make sure to progressively increase the duration, intensity and weight of your backpack. Just as your training sessions should evolve over time, the same applies to your hiking outings.
The recovery phase is also not to be overlooked when it comes to injury prevention. Allow for rest between training sessions, remember to stay regularly hydrated, eat in line with your needs and stretch properly after exercise. Warming up is equally important. Mobilise your ankles, do a few bends and walk gently before getting into the serious work.
To reduce the risk of injury, make sure you take all the essential hiking gear. Choose technical clothing and accessories to protect yourself from heat or cold. Take care to adjust your backpack properly and distribute the weight wisely. Opt for walking shoes suited to mountain terrain, with good support and a grippy sole. To relieve your knees and improve your balance, walking poles are also recommended.
You now have everything you need to know about physical preparation for hiking. On your first mountain outing, don't hesitate to scale back your ambitions, settle into a steady pace and take the time to rest. It's better to slow down and arrive in good shape than to push too hard and risk injury.
Photographer: ©Delphine Danielou
