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Top 10 Exercises to Crush Your Backpacking Adventure: A Beginner's Guide to Preparing for the Trail

Writer's picture: apriladventuringapriladventuring

Preparing for a backpacking trip goes beyond picking and packing the right gear; your physical readiness is just as important. Whether you are trekking through the mountains for a weekend or embarking on a longer journey, being fit will enhance your experience and keep you safe. In this guide, we will explore the top 10 exercises you should include in your workout routine to prepare for backpacking, focusing on strength and endurance.


If you're feeling a little nervous about an upcoming backpacking trip, I've got two things to say:

  1. Great! Use those nerves to fuel your training so you'll be nice and ready

  2. You've got this!


Maybe it's your first time (or first time in a long time) backpacking or you're increasing your distance or duration for this trip. Either way, there's nothing a little pre-trip training can't prepare you for.


Since backpacking is such a full-body activity, any exercise you can get leading up to your trip will help. This list of exercises is meant to serve as a starting point to work the main muscle groups you'll be using, in addition to increasing your cardiovascular stamina. Use this as your foundation and add onto it with whatever your body needs.


Note: I'm not a personal trainer or exercise professional (just an enthusiast), so use this list as inspiration, not a prescription. As with any exercise routine, you know your body best and should cater any workouts to your comfort and abilities.


1. Squats


Squats are foundational exercises for backpackers. They target your many muscles in your legs, including quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes, all of which are vital for climbing hills and navigating uneven terrain.


Why Include Squats?


Strengthening these muscle groups builds the endurance necessary to carry a loaded backpack over various terrains. Squats mimic the movements you will perform on the trail.


Variations


  • Bodyweight Squats: Start with your body weight to master your form. Aim for 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

  • Weighted Squats: As you progress, add weights. For instance, using a 20 to 40-pound dumbbell simulates carrying a backpack.


  • Jump Squats: Adding a jump to the top of your squats increases the difficulty and improves the power in your legs. This is also a great, quick burst of cardio.


2. Lunges


Lunges are excellent at working the major muscle groups in your lower body and engaging your core for stability.


Why Include Lunges?


Lunges improve your balance and coordination, essential when traveling on uneven terrain with a heavy pack on your back.


Variations


  • Weighted Lunges: Step forward and lower your body by bending at the knee until both knees are at right angles, then push back to the starting position. When you're able to complete 3 sets of 10-12 reps on each leg, start adding weights by holding dumbbells in each hand.

  • Reverse Lunges: Step backward to the same position of right angles in both knees. This targets the same muscles differently, which can reduce stress on the knees.


  • Lateral Lunges: From standing, step out to the side with one leg, keeping the stationary leg straight. Bend the moving leg into a squat position, keeping your hips back and chest up. Push back to the starting position with feet together and switch sides.


3. Step-Ups


Step-ups are a great addition to your leg strengthening routine since they mimic the movement your body goes through for elevation changes that are common in backpacking.


Why Include Step-Ups?


Strengthening your legs and improving cardiovascular fitness allows you to handle steep ascents more easily.


Variations


  • Weighted Step-Ups: Hold dumbbells while performing the exercise. Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps per leg.

  • Lateral Step-Ups: Instead of stepping forward onto the box, stand to the side and step left or right onto the box.


  • Step-Downs: Just as important as step-ups, building strength and stability in the opposite direction will help you with the decline portions of your hikes.


4. Plank


Although often overlooked, core stability is essential when carrying a heavy backpack. A strong core helps maintain posture and reduces injury risks.


Why Include Planks?


Planks enhance your overall stability, allowing for better balance on uneven surfaces. I recommend including a variety of core exercises into your routine in the weeks or months leading up to your trip. Some of my other favorites are Russian twists, bird dogs, bicycles, and woodchops (can be done with any type of weight or cables).


Variations


  • Standard Plank: Hold a plank on your forearms for 30 seconds to 1 minute, aiming to gradually increase the duration.

  • Sawing Plank: In a high plank or forearm plank, slowly shift your body forward and backward or left and right.

  • Side Plank: Incorporate side planks to target your obliques and improve side stability. Start with 30 seconds and increase time or add dips to further challenge yourself.


5. Deadlifts


Deadlifts target the muscles in your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, key for lifting and carrying in backpacking. The single-leg variation below is one of my favorite exercises to prepare for backpacking!


Why Include Deadlifts?


This exercise prepares you for lifting your backpack off the ground, keeping your back strong. The primarily target the muscles along the back of your body, which are heavily utilized during backpacking.


Variations


  • Dumbbell Deadlifts: Start with dumbbells for an accessible version. Aim for 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

  • Barbell Deadlifts: Progress to a barbell for added weight as you build strength.

  • Single-Leg Deadlifts: Holding one or two dumbbells, hinge forward at the waist while standing on one leg. Raise the other leg straight up behind you, keeping your hips square. If using one dumbbell, hold it in the hand on the same side as the leg that is off the floor.


6. Calf Raises


Calves are often forgotten in training, but play a huge role in getting you up and down mountains. These muscles have a high percentage of slow-twitch muscle fibers, which means you can do a high number of reps to build strength and endurance.


Why Include Calf Raises?


This exercise helps with the repetitive lifting and lowering your legs will be doing while backpacking, in addition to strengthening your lower legs and aiding in ankle injury prevention.


Variations


  • Single-Leg Calf Raises: Stand with one leg elevated on a plate or box and your heel hanging off the edge. The other leg will be bent and lifted in front of you while you do calf raises on one foot.

      

  • Weighted Calf Raises: Add weights of your choice or even wear your loaded backpack to increase the difficulty. Start slow and build up over time.


7. Supermans


The Superman exercise is one of my favorite ways to build back strength. It look deceptively easy, but these burn and are perfect for targeting an important and often overlooked part of your core.


Why Include Supermans?


These work the major muscles along your backside, including glutes and hamstrings. They're great for improving your stability for backpacking.


Variations


  • Alternating Superman: Start laying on your stomach with your legs straight and arms extended above your head. Lift your right leg and left arm, pause at the top, then release and repeat on the othe side.

      

  • Swimming Superman: Similar to Alternating Superman, but your arms and legs stay raised. Keep your chest and quads lifted off the ground and alternate paddling your right leg and left arm up, then switch sides.


  • I-Y-T Superman: This variation involves changing the angle at which you raise your arms to target different muscle groups. Start by raising your arms directly overhead, then at a 45 degree angle, then out to the sides, creating the shapes of the letters I, Y, then T with your body.


8. Cardio


Endurance is crucial for backpacking and is often the limiting factor for people getting into the activity. Consistent cardio training boosts your aerobic capacity meaning you can hike farther and longer.


Why Include Cardio Training?


Improving cardiovascular fitness enables you to tackle long hikes with less fatigue and recover more quickly.


Variations


  • Running: Incorporate moderate-paced runs into your week. Gradually add interval training for additional benefits.

  • Cycling: Cycle outdoors or on a stationary bike to both enhance leg strength and endurance.


  • Jump Rope: If you want a killer cardio workout in less time, jumping rope is the perfect option. It has the added benefits of working your coordination, stability, core, and many other muscle groups.


9. Hiking-Specific Training


Incorporating actual hiking practices into your routine offers immense benefits. Practicing the activity itself is one of the best ways to prepare.


Why Include Hiking-Specific Workouts?


What better way to improve your hiking than to get more miles in? It ensures you’re comfortable with the conditions you'll encounter, building confidence and endurance.


Variations


  • Incline Treadmill Walking: If weather, time, or distance makes hitting the trails impossible, use a treadmill set to an incline to mimic hill walking. Gradually increase the incline or duration as you improve.


  • Stairmaster: This combines the cardio workout of hiking with the muscle-building of step-ups. This one piece of gym equipment is an amazing tool to prepare you for backpacking.


  • Trail Walking: When possible, practice hiking on actual trails while carrying a weighted backpack to gain practical experience.


10. Flexibility and Stretching


Finally, we can't forget about stretching. Flexibility and stretching are crucial for preventing injuries and improving range of motion. Having a few favorite stretches to do on the trail will also help ward off those dreaded DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) on multi-day trips.


Why Include Flexibility and Stretching?


Maintaining flexibility helps your muscles recover and reduces soreness after hikes.


Variations


  • Calf Stretch: The stretch I need the most on longer hikes, especially if there's a lot of elevation gain. Raise your toes and press the ball of your foot against any object, such as a tree or rock, keeping your heel on the ground. Lean forward to deepen the stretch.


  • Quad Stretch: The easiest way to stretch your quads on the trail is by standing on one straight leg and bending the other until your foot is as close to your behind as possible. Gently pull your raised foot with your hand, keeping both knees together.


  • Wide-Legged Forward Fold w/ Shoulder Stretch: This is a great full body stretch. Stand with your feet wider than hip width apart, keep a straight back and legs, and hinge forward at the hips. To incorporate the shoulder stretch, clasp your hands together behind your back, keep your arms straight, and rotate them overhead. Keep your shoulders away from your ears, let your head and torso hang heavy, and take slow, deep breaths.


  • Chest Opener: This is another great one to counteract the hunched position we find ourselves in while hauling heavy backpacks. This works best when you have a tree or other tall object to press against. Raise an arm so your elbow is shoulder height and your forearm is vertical pointing up. Press your palm and forearm into the tree, rotating your body to push your arm toward your back. Hold for several breaths and repeat on both sides.


Get Ready for Your Adventure


Preparing for your backpacking journey requires a blend of strength, endurance, and flexibility. By integrating these top 10 exercises into your training, you will elevate your physical fitness and gain the confidence needed for a safe and enjoyable experience. Start slowly, listen to your body, and go out to crush those backpacking trips.


I'll see you out there!


Happy adventuring,

A

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