Training

[jgerke]

I was curious how people train for a thru hike. Do most people just do a lot of hiking or are there a significant number of people that incorporate trail running into their training? When time is limited during the week it seems logical to do some trail running then hike on the weekends when there is more time. How much mileage are you putting in per week? Doing a hike with lots of vert seems like another good way to get in a more intense workout when limited on time.

[JC13]

I train to hike regardless of length, 15-18 miles jogging a week on hilly roads, weights three times a week. Has worked so far to be able to do 4-5, 20+ mile days after not "hiking" for 4-5 months at a time.

[Gambit McCrae]

I would say if you stick to 8-10 miles a day until i40 they trail will train you to be competent yet not injure yourself. Your body will let you know when your doing too much, too many miles etc and if you listen to your body I think peoples success rate would be much higher. People have this need for speed and I hate to break it to them but walking is walking. aint none of it "fast"

[TNhiker]

my training? one foot in front of another......

[martinb]

Doing a hike with lots of vert seems like another good way to get in a more intense workout when limited on time.

In addition to lifting, biking, etc, I load up an old Bora pack with 50lbs and hike a few miles with it. Seeing your location, you could add vertical to your weighted pack, no problem.

[randall_mcduberson]

I know a lot of people also recommend strengthening your core as well. It will help prevent some pain and make your hike more enjoyable.

[OCDave]

I pack my gear in my backpack then, I hike into the woods, unpack my backpack, eat in the woods, sleeping the woods, repeat.

Training to pack well, use your gear well and learn from your mistakes is of greater value than any exersice regimen.

[NCC1701]

I've been training for 2 months. Mostly running and hiking with a 30 lb bag of dog food in my pack. It's basically flat here. I thought I was I good shape and went to Oklahoma to hike a difficult trail with lots of hills. I thought I was going to have to call for rescue. The reason.............I did no incline training and the hills kicked my butt. Whatever you do, do some incline training. Lots of it.

[Dogwood]

Jumping on a trampoline, bicycling to/from work and the grocery store wearing my pack, walking in light surf or in the pool or on sand dunes on the sandy beach preferably wearing a weighted pack, running stairs, and using the elliptical are my favorites for the physical boost. I start weening from big meals - start grazing more, eliminate caffeine, no AC/heat on in house, reduce or eliminate electronic usage, start walking in inclement weather with the intention to be joyful, start being more grateful and less self absorbed. I start looking over trail logistics...resupply, strenuous days, bigger and lesser mileage anticipations, transportation to/from the hike, water issues, fording issues, and researching what else I want to experience beyond hiking - caving, botanical gardens, regional geology, climbing, historical sites, overlooks, museums, music festivals, paddling opps, old growth forests, trail maintenance or botanical garden volunteering, etc.

[Slow Trek]

In 2016,at age 55,I walked 4 miles with a pack on flat ground. A week later,we started the approach trail and walked to Harper's Ferry. In three weeks,with no training,we are headed back to HF to continue north. Did the uphills suck? Sure. Did we hike big miles? not at first. But we did multiple days over 20,and one 26 mile day. I never thought it was a race,and we had an unforgettable great time. Should you train-probably. Must you train? No

[shelb]

You are in Utah, so hike within the mountains. I think the people who have the most difficulty training are the "flatlanders," such as Michigan and Florida people. I can "hike" 20 miles a day here in Michigan, but that does NOT EVEN COME CLOSE to preparing me for the AT. Yes, I can do elevations, to a degree; however the AT is not just about elevation climbing, it also involves all the twisting your ankles, knees, and hips have to deal with due to the rocks!

[jgerke]

Thanks for the input everyone. I am coming from a trail running background but transitioning into more hiking than running. My body isn't handling the running as well as it used to as I get older. I was thinking getting into long distance hiking might be better on my body but worried that I might loose fitness by not running. Hence I was curious what you guys do to stay in shape for thru hiking. I already do quite a bit of vert living next to the Wasatch Mountains. I typically get in between 10-15k of vert per week.

[shelb]

The Trail-running you are doing in the mountains will help! I might suggest working with some weight on your back or working with a lot of steep inclines.

[Dogwood]

Your motives are the same as mine. I switched from high impact joint jarring 60 min high aerobics 3x/wk, cement hard court 3 hr tennis 5x/wk, running full court basketball on hardwood 5x/wk, road running 60-80 miles/wk, hard surface trail running of 50 miles/wk to water aerobics, pilates, clay and softer tennis court surfaces, running sandy beaches for much shorter distances, trampolines, elliptical, bicycling, and stair master.

Further, although this sounds silly to some, intentionally aim to backpack/hike/walk with an efficency of motion in lower impact ergonomic ways. All this factors into LD hiking ability,... less medical/physical issues, greater endurance, and happier hikes. Watch someone backpack like Andrew Skurka in vids. He comes from a LD running background. Note his efficiency and breeze of motion. It's beautiful. He's just one example of many long time LD backpackers who've managed to have great physical and mental durability.

Trekking poles used properly can reduce fatigue and impact too.

[garlic08]

I was a fit cyclist and hiker (and volunteer firefighter) when I started hiking the long trails in middle age. Physical strength wasn't an issue, and I lived in Colorado so neither were hills or altitude. But I'd done a few longish (100 mile) backpacking trips, and knew I wasn't going to be able to hike thousands of miles with my current set-up. My training consisted of shake-down trips with less and lighter gear, learning how to manage consumables (food, water, fuel), and finding the right footwear. You're coming in from a different perspective and may have different training needs.

[Deacon]

Here in northern Ohio along the lakeshore, there aren’t a lot a trail to train on.

There’s a football stadium a few miles from me, so for about a month before a LASH, I’ll walk the steps for two hours a day. First without a pack, then gradually add weight.

It’s enough to get me started on a hike and sustain a daily pace, especially at my age.


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[Epsilon>0]

Thought I'd add a few ideas:

(1) I live in southern Ohio, within a short drive of Wayne National Forest. There are two hiking trails I use routinely: one is 8.25 miles and a little easier (gentle ups and downs), and one is 17.5 miles and has a few nice climbs. I go there all the time to hike either of them (sometimes both). If I'm strapped for time and really want a hike, I just do the shorter one quickly. 2 hours later and I'm back in my car.

(2) If you're untrained (never lifted weights before) or "detrained" (haven't lifted in years), then lifting free weights for 3-6 months 3 times per week really *can* help you develop strength that will translate to a better experience on a long trail. The magical interwebs are full of great advice here, but I'll just mention this: I've heard a lot of hikers who like to lift championing the benefits of the "big three" for hikers: deadlifts, squats, and barbell overhead press. Sure, these are all great multi-joint exercises, and yes, they will get you stronger all over, and fast. They are also rather technical, and doing them wrong is a one-way ticket to Pain Town. But there are lots of great alternatives that are easier to perform (and more forgiving if you break form a little), and that probably deserve a place in every hiker's arsenal: goblet squats (for legs; people--including those with flexibility issues--find these much easier to perform that the traditional squat), cable pull-throughs (great for glutes!), split squats (like a lunge but maybe a little easier to perform), the bent-over barbell row (great for developing a strong back and a strong posterior chain, generally), the trap-bar deadlift (kind of squat-deadlift hybrid that might be single best exercise for overall strength development--maybe I should have put it first), and the overhead barbell press. If you're curious and you haven't heard of some of those exercises, you should maybe Google video search those exercises. I mention these because they are (i) great for strength development, (ii) they develop strength where is counts for us hikers (and everyone else), (iii) they're easier to perform than many other alternatives, and (iv) some of them (like the cable pull-through or the trap-bar deadlift) are not as well known as other lifts, but are superior to other lifts that many do know about.

(3) Much as I hate the treadmill, I find that cranking up the incline as far as it'll go and walking at a slower pace for 30 to 60 minutes is a pretty good simulation of a sustained hill climb (provided I keep my hands at my sides, not clinging to the treadmill, which defeats the purpose of having an incline). Some gyms will have a weighted chest vest for pull-ups. I've never done it, but throwing on a weighted vest while on the treadmill might be a good way to simulate the weight of a pack. Some of the vests allow you to vary the weight, too.

These are the things I do to stay in shape. And thanks for asking this question! I'm curious to see all the responses you'll get.

[Epsilon>0]

Thought I'd add a few ideas:

(1) I live in southern Ohio, within a short drive of Wayne National Forest. There are two hiking trails I use routinely: one is 8.25 miles and a little easier (gentle ups and downs), and one is 17.5 miles and has a few nice climbs. I go there all the time to hike either of them (sometimes both). If I'm strapped for time and really want a hike, I just do the shorter one quickly. 2 hours later and I'm back in my car.

(2) If you're untrained (never lifted weights before) or "detrained" (haven't lifted in years), then lifting free weights for 3-6 months 3 times per week really *can* help you develop strength that will translate to a better experience on a long trail. The magical interwebs are full of great advice here, but I'll just mention this: I've heard a lot of hikers who like to lift championing the benefits of the "big three" for hikers: deadlifts, squats, and barbell overhead press. Sure, these are all great multi-joint exercises, and yes, they will get you stronger all over, and fast. They are also rather technical, and doing them wrong is a one-way ticket to Pain Town. But there are lots of great alternatives that are easier to perform (and more forgiving if you break form a little), and that probably deserve a place in every hiker's arsenal: goblet squats (for legs; people--including those with flexibility issues--find these much easier to perform that the traditional squat), cable pull-throughs (great for glutes!), split squats (like a lunge but maybe a little easier to perform), the bent-over barbell row (great for developing a strong back and a strong posterior chain, generally), the trap-bar deadlift (kind of squat-deadlift hybrid that might be single best exercise for overall strength development--maybe I should have put it first), and the overhead barbell press. If you're curious and you haven't heard of some of those exercises, you should maybe Google video search those exercises. I mention these because they are (i) great for strength development, (ii) they develop strength where is counts for us hikers (and everyone else), (iii) they're easier to perform than many other alternatives, and (iv) some of them (like the cable pull-through or the trap-bar deadlift) are not as well known as other lifts, but are superior to other lifts that many do know about.

(3) Much as I hate the treadmill, I find that cranking up the incline as far as it'll go and walking at a slower pace for 30 to 60 minutes is a pretty good simulation of a sustained hill climb (provided I keep my hands at my sides, not clinging to the treadmill, which defeats the purpose of having an incline). Some gyms will have a weighted chest vest for pull-ups. I've never done it, but throwing on a weighted vest while on the treadmill might be a good way to simulate the weight of a pack. Some of the vests allow you to vary the weight, too.

These are the things I do to stay in shape. And thanks for asking this question! I'm curious to see all the responses you'll get.

[Dogwood]

I was a fit cyclist and hiker (and volunteer firefighter) when I started hiking the long trails in middle age. Physical strength wasn't an issue, and I lived in Colorado so neither were hills or altitude. But I'd done a few longish (100 mile) backpacking trips, and knew I wasn't going to be able to hike thousands of miles with my current set-up. My training consisted of shake-down trips with less and lighter gear, learning how to manage consumables (food, water, fuel), and finding the right footwear. You're coming in from a different perspective and may have different training needs.

These training for backpacking/hiking aspects are often overlooked! They incorporate many aspects beyond just physical ability.


On backpacking training threads another aspect sometimes ignored is psychological training. By some people's estimates the aspect that leads most to AT thru-hikers and all types of hikers abandoning their anticipated hikes is the mental side. It's been observed many hikers in dismal physical condition able to hike themselves into better physical condition when their minds were able and willing.

[perrymk]

I'm late to the party here. I'll give a little about what I'm doing to prepare.

First, my general fitness routine. Weekdays, I stretch a few minutes (half of which is adapted from physical therapy stuff from injuries over the years), then do 10-20 minutes of weights and calisthenics. I'm a fan of the 20 rep squat routine and generally hit each bodypart 1-2 times per week. After my brief workout I walk my neighborhood, 2.25 miles, with a 20 pound pack. On weekends I go for a longer hike on a local trail, usually 7-8 miles with a day pack, probably 10-15 pounds but not really weighed.

Now that I'm in the early stages of prepping for the AT (2-3 years away) I'm gradually adding to my routine. At the end of my leg workout (already includes a set of 20 reps squat with more than my bodyweight on my shoulders), I've added a final light set of squats. Last week I did 60 pounds for 45 reps. My goal is to do 100 reps but I'm in no hurry getting there. I've also added to my weekend hike. Now I do at least 10 miles with a 25 pound pack. I'm working towards 12 miles with 35 pounds. Again, no hurry in getting there so if it takes a year, then it does. I have time. I live in north Florida so long elevation gains don't happen but it rolls more than south Florida. I work with what I have.

Plus I'm doing the other normal stuff. Prepping my gear, shake down hikes (when winter hits), testing recipes, reading memoirs and how-to books because I enjoy it.

I'm in my 50s. I have no desire to try to walk myself into shape from a totally detrained condition as I believe this opens the door to injury. Maybe some other people can do this, but I'd rather not. By taking a long term approach to conditioning I hope to have a better hike. I think back to army basic training. Those of us who showed up a relatively good condition had challenges but successfully completed basic training. All of those who washed out looked like they had never done a pushup or run a mile in their lives. A few guys in poor starting condition did manage to whip themselves into shape, but all of the guys who showed up in good physical condition were successful.

I believe the mental is much easier to deal with if one is not completely physically exhausted. I'm talking about the mental aspect of hiking, not genuine mental health issues. See a professional for that.

I'm guessing there are as many approaches to preparation as there are people. I've presented a part of my plan. Time will tell if it works for me.