Cross-training for hiking: what actually carries over to the trail
Cycling, swimming, rowing, the cross-trainer. They all build fitness, but not all fitness carries over to a trek. Here's what's worth your time, and what isn't.
By Nathan Gee, BSc Sports Science, strength and conditioning coach · 6 min readFour good reasons to cross-train
Bigger engine, less pounding
Cycling or rowing add aerobic work without the impact of more walking, useful for heavier bodies and tired joints.
Training through a niggle
A sore foot or knee might rule out walking but not the bike or the pool. You keep your fitness while it settles.
Weather and dark evenings
Indoors and warm beats skipping a session altogether.
Keeping it fresh
Variety keeps training enjoyable, and enjoyable training is the training you actually do.
How each option compares for trekking
- Hill walking with a packThe real thing. Nothing beats it.
- Incline treadmill or stair machineClimbing legs and engine. No descents.
- CyclingBig engine and thighs, low impact. No walking or descents.
- Elliptical (cross-trainer)Low-impact engine work with a walking-like motion.
- RunningBig engine, but high impact and no pack or climbing legs.
- RowingEngine plus back and hips. Little leg specificity.
- SwimmingGreat for heart, lungs and recovery. Least specific.
Fitting it into your week
- Swap an easy walk for an easy cross-training session when your legs need a break from impact.
- Keep the effort mostly easy, the same talk test as your walking.
- Never let it replace your long walk or your strength sessions in the last two months before a trek.
- If you're injured, ask a physio which options are safe for you before you start.
Keep the trail-specific work: How to build endurance for multi-day hiking · Incline treadmill sessions · Strength training for hikers
Questions people ask
Is cycling good training for hiking?
Cycling builds your aerobic engine and your thighs with very little impact, so it's a useful extra. It doesn't train walking uphill with a pack or descending, so keep hiking-specific sessions too.
Is swimming good for hiking fitness?
Swimming is great for your heart and lungs and for recovery, but it carries over the least to trekking because your legs don't bear weight. Use it as an extra, not a replacement.
What's the best cross-training for hiking?
Incline walking and stair machines carry over the most, then cycling and the elliptical. Rowing and swimming build the engine but are less specific.
Can I train for a trek if I can't walk much because of an injury?
Often yes: cycling, swimming or the elliptical can keep your fitness while you recover. Get advice from a physio on what's safe, and build walking back in gradually once you can.
The free readiness check shows where your endurance, strength and climbing stand for your trek. About five minutes.
Want it built around your trek, your body and your week? That's what Peaksted coaching is for. Or follow Trek Ready, our eight-week plan.
