Train For Hiking Without Mountains
No Mountains? No Problem!
How to Train for a Mountainous Adventure Living in the Flatlands
A common myth—often spread by doom-scrolling social media trolls—is that “you don’t need to train for hiking or backpacking.” Maybe, if you live in a mountain town with endless trails at different altitudes, you can get away with it. But even then, strength training across different planes of motion will enhance your performance and significantly reduce injury risk.
But what if you don’t have easy access to trails? What if your schedule doesn’t allow for weekly escapes into nature? And perhaps the most common challenge—what if you live in the flatlands but are training for a mountainous adventure?
We cover the same key strategies in this video—perfect if you’d rather watch than read!
These are real concerns that outdoor enthusiasts face all over the world. The fear of showing up underprepared for a once-in-a-lifetime trek can cause stress and doubt—but it doesn’t have to.
No matter where you live or what terrain you have access to, you can train effectively for elevation gain, long endurance days, and steep descents. In this guide, we’ll break down practical, accessible strategies to build cardiovascular efficiency, power through climbs, and develop downhill resilience—so you can crush any trail that comes your way.
Cardiovascular Efficiency
Cardiovascular training is a complex topic, but rather than diving into the physiology behind specific adaptations, we’re focusing on practical strategies you can start using today. One key advantage mountain town hikers have is the frequency with which they activate their aerobic system.
Frequency refers not just to how often you train each week, but also to the duration of each session. Research consistently shows that building a strong aerobic base—the system that keeps you moving at a steady pace for hours—requires consistent, low-intensity efforts over time. Put simply, the more time you spend moving at a slow, sustainable pace, the longer you’ll be able to keep going.
There’s no shortcut. Developing endurance takes time on your feet, week after week, gradually increasing both how often and how long you engage in aerobic movement.
Aerobic Fitness
Heart Rate Zone 2 is the sweet spot for developing aerobic endurance. In recent years, Zone 2 training has gained traction in the health and fitness world, thanks to experts like Andrew Huberman and Dr. Peter Attia—and for good reason. Training in this range stimulates your cells to produce more mitochondria, increasing ATP production and ultimately leading to greater energy efficiency.
Zone 2 is typically defined as 60-80% of your heart rate max, which can be estimated using 220 minus your age or more accurately determined through a Heart Rate Drift Test. In practical terms, if you’re truly in Zone 2, you should be able to read this article aloud in full sentences, feeling slightly winded by the end of each one but still able to continue.
For endurance training, aim for at least 180 minutes of Zone 2 cardio per week. Ideally, this should be done in a sport-specific manner—walking with a pack if you’re training for hiking or trekking—but any aerobic activity will provide benefits. In general, 60-70% of your total cardio training should be in this zone.
There’s no shortcut to building endurance—no HIIT class will give you this adaptation. The only way is time on your feet. Lace up your shoes, start walking, and remember: go slow to go fast.
Anaerobic Fitness
What about the other heart rate zones? Zone 1 is primarily used for recovery, active circulation, and low-intensity movement—think of it as your casual walk around the neighborhood or an easy warm-up.
But Zones 3-5? That’s where things get anaerobic. We generally recommend that clients spend 30-40% of their total cardio training hours in these zones, particularly in Zone 3-4, where you push your anaerobic threshold. This is especially important for sea-level dwellers preparing for high-altitude treks, as exposure to reduced oxygen levels requires the ability to function efficiently in lower-oxygen conditions.
Anaerobic workouts are far more taxing—as the name suggests, you’re working without relying solely on oxygen. This means burning through glucose more rapidly, requiring more frequent refueling to avoid bonking. These workouts are best done in structured intervals, which simulate the short, high-intensity bursts required for steep ascents and high-altitude efforts.
Uphill Performance
One of the biggest concerns we hear from flatlanders training for high-altitude treks, steep trails, or summit pushes is How will I make it to the top? The good news? With the right approach, you can. But it’s not just about making it—you want to enjoy the climb, take in the views, and still have enough gas in the tank for the descent.
Here are some key strategies to build the strength, endurance, and mental resilience needed to power through the climb.
Strength Training
Uphill movement relies heavily on specific muscle groups—primarily the glutes and hamstrings, also known as the posterior chain. When walking uphill, the back leg extends fully, engaging these powerhouse muscles to drive you forward. By strengthening the glutes and hamstrings, you can significantly improve balance, endurance, and power for those big climbs.
While traditional strength exercises like squats and deadlifts have their place, we prioritize sport-specific movements that translate directly to the trail. After all, you don’t squat your way up a mountain—but you do use movements like step-ups and lunges to haul yourself (and your overstuffed backpack) to the top. That’s why these exercises are a staple in our training, building the posterior strength and power needed to reach your summit with confidence.
Uphill Cardio
Unfortunately, all the lunges and step-ups in the world won’t fully prepare you for the cardiovascular demand of a long, relentless climb. Strength matters, but so does the ability to sustain effort over time. The key is finding ways to replicate continuous uphill movement—even without access to real elevation.
For those lucky enough to live in a mountain town, training is as simple as stepping out the door and hitting the trails. But what if you don’t have that luxury? What tools can you use to build endurance and climbing power when the steepest thing around is a parking garage? Let’s break it down.
Incline Treadmill
The incline treadmill is a great tool for building uphill endurance, offering a controlled way to train without the obstacles of real trails. Most gyms, even local YMCAs, have treadmills with incline settings, making it an accessible option.
For sustained climbs, a Zone 2 incline treadmill workout (see Cardio Section) builds aerobic endurance, while anaerobic threshold intervals develop power for steeper ascents. Want an added challenge? Load up a backpack—start with 10% of your body weight—to better simulate the demands of carrying gear uphill.
When training for steep hikes, treks, or summit attempts, vertical feet per hour is a far more relevant metric than miles per hour. Covering 3 miles on flat terrain is vastly different from gaining 1,500+ feet of elevation over the same distance. The demands on your muscles, cardiovascular system, and energy reserves increase exponentially with incline.
Training with a treadmill incline helps mimic this effort, making it one of the best ways to prepare for real-world climbs—especially if you don’t have access to mountain trails. By tracking vertical gain per hour, you ensure that your training reflects the true challenge of the ascent, helping you build the strength, endurance, and pacing strategy needed to reach your summit feeling strong.
Stair Master
The StairMaster is one of the best tools for building uphill endurance, mimicking the relentless climb of a steep trail. Unlike a treadmill, it forces consistent step-ups, making it a powerful way to develop leg strength, cardiovascular fitness, and mental toughness. But to get the most out of it, don’t cheat—avoid leaning on the handrails, as there won’t be one on the trail. Instead, focus on good posture, strong hip extension, and controlled steps. For an added challenge, wear a backpack loaded with 10-15% of your body weight to better simulate real-world conditions.
The StairMaster is a powerful tool for simulating real-world elevation gain, making it an excellent option for flatlanders preparing for steep hikes. Using a standard 8-inch step height, we can estimate vertical gain per hour based on steps per minute, providing a direct benchmark for training. If your goal is 1,500 feet of elevation gain per hour, maintaining around 40-50 steps per minute will replicate that effort. This approach ensures your training aligns with the demands of your hike, giving you a clear, measurable way to build uphill endurance without access to actual trails.
Find Some Stairs!
The best for last—find a set of stairs! You’d be surprised how easy it is to locate a vacant staircase—whether it’s at a high school stadium, university bleachers, an apartment complex, or even just a small staircase at home. Unlike a treadmill or StairMaster, stairs provide a less controlled environment, making them a more realistic training tool. You can’t rely on handrails, but if you plan to use trekking poles on your trek, this is a great place to practice.
And perhaps the most overlooked benefit—you have to go down. While most hikers fixate on making it to the top, as a guide, I worry about the descent. This is where most accidents happen and where your muscular system and joints take the biggest hit. Some level of impact training is necessary to prepare your body for the stresses of downhill movement, which demands eccentric strength and control.
Plus, stair workouts offer variety, allowing you to move in different planes of motion and break the monotony of an incline treadmill session. You can mix up your approach—taking two steps at a time, incorporating lateral movements, or adjusting speed for different training effects. And as always—don’t forget your backpack!
Downhill Endurance
“Going up is optional; coming down is mandatory” – Ed Viesturs
If you’ve ever been on a big hike or trek, you know the descent can be just as—if not more—challenging than the climb. You’ve spent all your energy reaching the top, worked through your water and snacks, and figured the way down would be a breeze with gravity on your side. But that’s exactly why it’s tougher than expected.
While uphill hiking puts about three times the stress on your knee joints compared to walking on flat ground, downhill movement can generate forces up to ten times your body weight. This increased load makes proper preparation essential—not just to protect your joints but to ensure you have the strength and endurance to descend efficiently and safely.
So how do you train for this in a flat environment?
Strength Training
Building strength in the muscles that control eccentric deceleration is key for handling descents. While the posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings) powers the climb, the anterior chain (quadriceps) takes over on the way down. The quads are large but fatigue quickly—leading to that jell-o-leg feeling if they aren’t prepared.
Lunges are great for downhill training because they not only work the glutes and hamstrings of the front leg but also engage the quads in the back leg. Our top pick for strengthening quads for descents? The Reverse Step Up—a slow, controlled movement that loads the knee and fully engages the quad to handle downhill impact.
Any exercise that emphasizes deceleration or isometric control will help: plyometrics, step-downs, and even wall sits or single-leg holds are all effective ways to build strength for the descent.
Find More Stairs!
While strength training is key, it doesn’t fully prepare you for the balance, coordination, and real-world impact of downhill movement. Unlike the controlled environment of a gym, descending on trails requires your body to react dynamically to uneven terrain, shifting footing, and unpredictable forces.
This is where actual downhill movement becomes critical. The StairMaster won’t train you for descending, and most treadmills only offer a minimal downhill grade. If you don’t prepare specifically for the descent, that’s where fatigue and failure tend to hit the hardest. Even if you live in a flat area, stairs can be a great tool to simulate repeated eccentric loading—one of the best ways to strengthen your legs and joints for the demands of hiking downhill.
Practicing controlled stair descents, side-stepping for lateral stability, and adding a weighted pack can make a big difference. The goal isn’t just building strength but developing the control and resilience needed to handle long, steep descents without trashing your legs.
Final Considerations
Progress in training—just like in hiking—should be gradual. Your body needs time to adapt to new challenges, so ease into the workload and be mindful of recovery. While these tools are valuable for building strength and endurance, nothing replaces real-world experience. Whenever possible, get outside for actual hikes to test your fitness, evaluate recovery, and refine your approach.
If you’re training for multi-day treks, don’t just focus on single-day efforts. Back-to-back hikes or long walks with a pack help build fatigue resistance, ensuring your body can handle consecutive days on the trail. Prioritize mobility, stretching, and proper nutrition to aid recovery—your strength doesn’t come from the hike itself but from how well you bounce back. Finally, experiment with hydration and fueling strategies ahead of time so there are no surprises when you’re deep in the backcountry. Train smart, recover well, and enjoy the adventure!
Backpacker's Bootcamp
Designed for backpackers aiming for everything from weekend trips to long thru-hikes, our Backpacker’s Bootcamp enhances stability, strength, and cardiovascular endurance. This top-rated program prepares you for any terrain, ensuring you’re ready for the wilderness’s demands with confidence and robust fitness.
