Effective exercises to build stamina for your next trek. (Image via Pexels / Saikat Ghosh)

6 Best Exercises to Get Better at Trekking

Timeless

Are you looking to get better at trekking? Trekking can often be seen as just a walk in the woods, but that is far from the truth.

Hiking requires great physical fitness and strength for you to make it safe to your destination and back. If you're hiking for extreme distances over difficult terrain, you'll want to build up your leg muscles with exercises that'll help you feel less sore the day after a hike and also help you feel stronger while trekking.

Moves to Help You Build Stamina For Trekking

These six exercises will help get your body fit for hiking so that your body will be ready for whatever challenges are thrown at you:

1) Goblet Squat

Goblet squats are a great exercise for trekking enthusiasts, as they not only target the quads, glutes and hamstrings but also activate the adductors, making them a total body exercise. As you get stronger, increase the weight you use, or perform the squat atop a BOSU ball to add an extra challenge to your core and balance.

To do Goblet Squat:

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointing forward or slightly outward.
Your hips should also be externally rotated.
Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell up at chest height, and inhale, pushing your hips back as if you were sitting in a chair.
Make sure your core is engaged, chest up and back straight. Exhale, pressing through your heels to return to the starting position.

2) Weighted Step-Up

Step-ups with a weighted vest, your actual hiking pack, or dumbbells are a good way to get the blood flowing during a hike. They're also a great way to get your heart pumping and build strength in your legs.

To do weighted step-ups:

Find a bench, plyometric box or step that's about knee-height or slightly shorter.
Relax your arms at your side while engaging your core and glutes.
Step up onto the box with your right foot.
Drive upward using your arms while bringing your left leg up onto the box as well so that you are now standing on top of it.
Step back down with your right foot first, then left.

3) Bulgarian Split Squat

Bulgarian split squats are a great trekking exercise, as they strengthen your lower body, core and spinal extensor muscles. This variation increases the activation of your hamstrings, quads and hips.

To do this exercise:

Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides.
Take a step forward till your front knee is bent at a 90 degree angle and doesn't extend past your toes.
Squat down as far as you can by bending both knees till the top of your back knee nearly touches the floor.
Step back to the starting position by pushing through the heel of your foot.

4) Stability Ball Hamstring Curls

Hamstring exercises are great for uphill climbs, and they also help you build strength throughout your entire lower body. This move engages your core muscles and hip flexors, allowing you to take your hiking skills to the next level.

To do this workout:

Lie down with your legs straight, heels on a stability ball.
Your arms and hands should be at your side, palms down on the floor.
Engage your abdominal muscles and buttocks to lift your hips up so that your body is in a straight line from your heels to your head.
Put your shoulder blades on the mat.
Engage your hamstrings, and press the ball away from you. Bring it back again.

5) Jump Squats

Jump squats are a great way to strengthen your glutes, quads and hamstrings. Moreover, they’ll give you a cardio boost that'll make you feel less breathless after steep uphill climbs.

Here's how you do it:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees, sitting your hips back as if you're sitting in a chair.
Keep your chest up, core engaged and back straight as you lower yourself into a squat.
Jump vertically as high into the air as possible while reaching toward the ceiling.
As soon as you land, bend your knees to cushion the landing, transitioning immediately into another squat position.
Repeat this exercise several times for the best results.

6) Heel Touches

When trekking, it's easy to stumble and fall when you lower your body off a boulder or log. This exercise works your glute and quads to help you step down in control, especially when you're tired or carrying a heavy pack.

To do heel touches:

Stand on a step or curb. Lift your left foot off the stair so that it's just hovering right about the stair with the toes facing toward the ceiling.
Bend your right knee as if you're going to step down onto your leg foot, but don't touch the ground or stair.
Keep yourself going with a burst of energy from your right foot.

Bottom Line

Trekking is arguably more of a mental activity than a physical one, but the physical demands it places on your body are nonetheless very real.

After all, long-distance trekking tend to be long and difficult, so you'll need every shred of endurance and concentration you can get. The best way to prepare your body for this challenge is through routine exercise.

Edited by
Bhargav