Trail Running/Walking

Also called trail running, hiking and trail walk.

Works

Quads, plus calves, glutes and hamstrings

Equipment

Bodyweight

Level

Beginner

Type

Isolation

How to do it

Setup. Running or hiking on trails will get the blood pumping and heart beating almost immediately. Make sure you have good shoes. While you use the muscles in your calves and buttocks to pull yourself up a hill, the knees, joints and ankles absorb the bulk of the pounding coming back down. Take smaller steps as you walk downhill, keep your knees bent to reduce the impact and slow down to avoid falling.

1. A 150 lb person can burn over 200 calories for 30 minutes walking uphill, compared to 175 on a flat surface. If running the trail, a 150 lb person can burn well over 500 calories in 30 minutes.

Cues

• Short steps on the climbs.
• Eyes 3 steps ahead.
• Walk the steep sections.
• Easy pace you can talk at.

Common mistakes

• Overstriding downhill.
• Going out too fast.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

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