Boost Your Hiking Stamina with Intervals

Boost your hiking stamina with intervals using this simple workout. If your endurance isn’t where you want it to be, consider incorporating aerobic intervals. Intervals are especially effective after the offseason or if you’re starting to prepare for a trip. Aerobic intervals are also easy to progress and can be done on a variety of equipment or while on a walk.

The workout is structured around higher-intensity intervals followed by periods of rest or lower-intensity activity. To maximize the benefits of this workout, it’s essential to nose breathing only. Nasal breathing will keep the intensity where hikers need it the most by utilizing the aerobic system.

Here’s how to structure your aerobic interval workout:

In Week 1: 2 minutes of higher intensity followed by 1 minute of rest
For Week 2: 3 minutes of higher intensity followed by 1 minute of rest
In Week 3: 4 minutes of higher intensity followed by 1 minute of rest

Repeat the cycle for the duration of the workout, which could be 30 to 60 minutes, depending on your warmup and cool-down time.

Boost Your Hiking Stamina With These Progressions

In weeks 4-6, increase the working interval time to 5 minutes, 6 minutes, and 7 minutes, respectively. However, you’ll keep the rest time unchanged at 1 minute. You can use various equipment for this workout, including rowers, bikes, air bikes, treadmills, and ellipticals.

The timer on your equipment can help you keep the interval times concise, or you can download an interval app on your phone. If you’re tight on time, you can pair this workout with a loaded pack walk to simultaneously work on conditioning and endurance. This is a great way to combine two activities and maximize your workout time.

Overall, aerobic intervals are a short, essential, and super-effective workout that you can drop into your program, especially in the first half of the program. Incorporating this routine into your training regimen will set you up for success on your next hiking trip. Happy trails!

Lee Welton Owner

Lee has been helping hikers feel strong and confident so they can enjoy their adventures, not endure them since 2017. He's hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, scaled Mount Rainier, and hiked through the Dolomites in Italy.

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