Exercise Guide

Hiking

Walking on hills or trails, usually with a pack. Long, low-intensity work that builds an aerobic base without wrecking your legs.

BeginnerCardioCompound
Form
Hiking - Start position
Start
Hiking - Mid position
Mid
Hiking - End position
End

Illustrations by Bryl Lim for Workout Guide, after Everkinetic. Used unchanged under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Details

Primary Muscle

Cardio

Equipment

Other

Difficulty

Beginner

Category

Cardio

Mechanic

Compound

Secondary Muscles

QuadsGlutesCalves
How to Perform
  1. 1

    Start at a pace you could hold a conversation at.

  2. 2

    Shorten your stride on the climbs and let your legs turn over faster.

  3. 3

    Take shorter steps on the descents and let your knees stay soft.

  4. 4

    Log the distance, the time, and the ascent if you have it.

Tips
  • A loaded pack turns a walk into training - start light and add weight slowly.
  • The descents are what makes you sore, not the climbs.
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