If you follow our blog, then you’ve probably heard us talking a lot about running hills.
Why?
Performing interval runs has been proven to burn a tremendous amount of body fat than running steady long distances by increasing your metabolic rate.
Its also one heck of a workout for the legs and butt.
It also puts the stress on the muscles instead of the joints, so if you have aching knees or weak ankles, using these different ways to train hills will be helpful, not hurtful.
The reason for writing this article is to open your eyes to a few different workouts that you can do when you visit some of the local hills.
Here are your 10 Different Hill Training Workouts:
1. Simply walk up the hill, walk back down and repeat.
Seems simple enough, but depending on the hill, just walking up several times can be quite a challenge. Depending on how long and steep the hill is, will determine how many times you do it. If its really steep, but only 50 yards long, you may do more repetitions. If the trail is super long, then you might only do it once. Use your own discretion.
2. Walk and jog intervals.
This hill training workout is a great way to slowly build endurance, soft tissues, and strength for more intense hill training. Jog for as long as you can, and then start walking slowly to let your heart rate go back down, and then turn on the jogging again.
3. Jog it, walk down, repeat (20 seconds-1 minute of jogging
Depending on the hill and your endurance and strength, you can try jogging all the way to the top, and then use the walk down to let your heart rate fall back into a safe zone. Repeat as you are able.
4. Sprint , walk down, repeat (5-12 second sprints)
For those that are looking to spike their intensity and feel the burn, try sprints to the top, instead of a jog.
5. Capacity Work (20-60 seconds of work/5-30 seconds of rest)
If you are trying to improve your aerobic capacity, needing adaptations or improvements in your VO2 Max, Cardiopulmonary efficiency and effectiveness, increases in your capillary density, biochemical processes, and mindset–this hill training workout for you. Go until you reach the highest SAFE heart rate, and then rest for only long enough for your heart rate to drop 20-40 beats per minute, and then start again. This tells your body to adapt on your days of rest between hill training workouts, to improve your aerobic capacity.
6. Maximum Efforts with Complete Rest (5-15 seconds of work/30-90 seconds of rest)
If you are trying to improve your power output and force output, or as some say, top end performance, this hill training workout is for you. In this you are going to go as hard as you can running up the hill for as long as possible, as soon as you start to slow down – stop, rest, and reset. Let your heart rate fall back to 90-120 bpm before you start again. This will drastically improve your performance through nervous adaptations, muscular activation, muscle growth, muscle recruitment, body awareness, body control, and focus.
7. Backwards Hill Climbing
Walking, jogging, or running backward up a hill is crazy hard. This will create great strength in your heart, mind, and thighs!! If you are looking to improve body awareness, body control, proprioception, and strength, this is the hill training workout for you!
8. Sideways Hill Climbing
Another doozy! You thought backwards was difficult. Sideways or lateral movement uphill is very challenging, but builds incredibly strong hips, thighs, and minds.
9. Crawl Forward Uphill
Ready to get your abs, chest, and triceps involved in the strength and endurance gains from all of your hill training? Try crawling forward.
10. Crawl Backward Uphill
If you want even more strength and endurance in your chest, shoulders, abs, triceps, and mind, give backward crawling uphill a try.
Enjoy these 10 Different Hill Training Workouts, and make your next one, your BEST one!
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