Physical preparations

How to prepare for a hiking trip in the Alps

We are often asked by our team members how best to prepare for one of our alpine hiking tours. The honest answer is that it depends. Everyone are different so physical preparations should be tailored individually and it is clearly not possible for us to provide tailormade physical advice. Therefore, we highly advice that you seek assistance from a personal trainer, physiotherapists or other medical practitioner if you have any doubts about your physical conditions and preparations for a specific trip or activity.

Having said that, the below notes may help as a starting point. Please note that this is meant as a general guide line.

Preparing physically for your trip is very important for your enjoyment and well-being. The better physical condition you arrive in, the more you will enjoy the hiking, and the lower the risk of strain injuries or similar.

Physical fitness doesn’t happen overnight so we recommend that you start your physical preparations several months before your trip. Exactly what, and how much, training is required depends on your starting point and individual circumstances. The daily hiking distances and height gain/loss in your trip itinerary should give you an indication of what you need to aim for.

What surprises most people on our alpine trekking trips is the impact of the daily ascent and descent on the leg muscles, and the impact of the rocky terrain on joints - primarily ankles, knees and hips. On our alpine trekking trips, the terrain is rarely flat, so you always walk either up or down. This puts additional strain on muscles and joints. Add to this the rocky and uneven nature of the terrain, which means that it is harder to get into a rhythm like you can do on a treadmill, exercise bike or even walking/running/cycling on flat, even ground. You are also working at altitude, which means that your body needs to work a little harder for each step than if you were working at sea level. On top of this, you have the additional weight of your rucksack. All of this means that the daily effort of walking 20km (13mi) in the alps is significantly greater than walking 20km (13mi) on the flat. Your legs and joints need to be stronger and your fitness level and stamina higher.

The best preparation for a hiking trip in the mountains is, not surprisingly, hiking in the mountains. In addition to general fitness, it gets you used to hiking in mountainous, rugged terrain and using your equipment e.g. hiking poles, rucksack and boots. However, for most people, this is not entirely possible. Instead, cardiovascular exercise, which involve medium to long distances using the legs i.e. walking, running, cycling, is a great way to prepare. Gym sessions and personal training sessions can be great supplements for muscle and joint strengthening and general health but should not be the primary source of preparation for a long-distance trek in the alps.

Members arriving from overseas may also be impacted by jet lag and general fatigue from travelling the first couple of days. If at all possible, we recommend getting as much sleep as possible the days before setting of and staying well hydrated and rested during your journey.

So, in summary, gym sessions and personal training sessions can be tailored to increase muscle and joint strength in the legs, but should always be combined with cardiovascular exercise over increasing distances. We would highly recommend doing some hikes of 15-20km (10-13mi) in a terrain that simulates the terrain in the Alps as closely as possible, wearing your hiking boots and carrying your rucksack. If you live in a city where access to the outdoors is impossible, then walking up and down the stairs of the tallest building you can find (with your rucksack and boots) is not a bad compromise. For comparison, climbing 750 meters (2500ft) is the same as climbing to the roof of the Empire State Building twice.

Enjoy your preparations!