Downhill hiking is an activity that can be done in groups or individually, with varying degrees of difficulty. Downhill hiking is one of the most popular activities in Switzerland. The activity consists of hikers going down a slope that is often steep and mountainous.
There are some great trails with beautiful views in the Alps, and there is more than 50 downhill walking trails in Switzerland. The official Swiss Alpine Club has over 2,100 hiking sites for downhill hiking. Most of these pathways consist of steps cut into the mountain.
Read how to get in shape for trekking here.
Training to hike downhill is a requirement for any person who wants to minimize the chances of falling on their way down and developing acute knee joint pain.
The best way to help hikers decrease the risk of injury from overuse and suffering other lower-body injuries is to use a hiking pole. The pole helps reduce the impact on your knees and feet while providing stability on steep inclines.
In addition, it protects your knees from getting crushed by the weight of your pack and helps minimize the risk of an ankle injury. Like many other activities, downhill hiking requires good physical conditioning to keep your muscles strong and flexible enough to climb the steep slopes safely.
When using a hiking pole, you will take some time to get used to its weight and balance, but you will feel much safer while on the mountain once you do.
If you’re looking for a challenge, nothing beats downhill hiking. The steep declines require a good deal of leg strength and balance. However, with proper training, anyone can do it.
Benefits of downhill hiking
- Downhill hiking is a good way for beginners to build up endurance in a fun way. It is a low-impact sport that allows you to enjoy nature and get some exercise.
- It is also an excellent way to get strong legs.
- Once you start as a downhill hiker, you can always move on to other more challenging sports like rock climbing, mountaineering, and cross-country skiing. Just remember these tips when you’re looking for a great new athletic activity to do or if you are already an expert avid hiker looking for new challenges.
- Hiking downhill is a great way to escape the heat.
- It can also be a workout in itself as gravity helps you move farther with each step before needing to stop and rest.
- Downhill hiking is a great way to stay in shape
Strategies for downhill hiking
Walk at your own pace
The best way to hike downhill is to walk carefully and take your time. It will help you enjoy the hike more. It also allows you to notice small features of the landscape, the wildlife, and the surrounding area.
Don’t worry about speed and quick pace when hiking downhill as much as you do when walking up a hill.
Knowing how to hike downhill can help you avoid injury when descending large hills or even berms. If you’re going to be enjoying a leisurely pace while hiking downhill, make sure that everyone in your party can keep up with you.
It is essential to take your time. Hiking downhill can be tricky, and going too quickly will make you more likely to fall or lose your footing. Make sure you are walking comfortably and taking your time.
Walk with the correct posture
When people start downhill hiking, they often try to maintain a straight posture. It does not work well.
Typically, going downhill is faster than moving uphill. It is usually easier to lean slightly forward rather than standing straight up. You should angle downhill much like the way you would angle downhill skiing.
The curved shape of a ski requires the skier to lean forward and push with his or her legs for propulsion while running downhill on level ground.
When hiking downhill, keep your head up and don’t look down at the ground. Keep your elbows bent so that they are parallel to the ground. It will help prevent a fall with a sudden stop. It will help you keep your body relaxed and reduce strain on your joints.
Use trekking poles
Use trekking poles to help you on your way. These long, collapsible sticks provide support when you’re hiking or walking at high altitudes. They can also be used as improvised stretchers if an injury occurs during your hike.
They will also reduce the amount of stress on your knees and ankles if you’re hiking on a very steep hill.
Also, when walking downhill, you can use them to lean on to maintain your balance. It will help you move faster and safer. Make sure to get poles from a reputable equipment store where you can test the pole’s sturdiness before you leave.
When using trekking poles for hiking downhill, being sure to adjust their length so that they are even with your shoulders is vital. Remember that you can also use the poles to push against trees or rocks for support if your footing is unsteady.
Adjust the length of the pole to match your stride. Then, place one pole in front of you with its tip on the ground. Use your arms to help push yourself forward. Push down with one arm and pull up with the other arm, creating a slight lean forward as needed. Repeat with the other pole.
For long downhill stretches, walk sideways instead of facing forward. This way, you can use both poles for extra stability and support, helping prevent a slip or fall.
Read how to pick the right trekking poles for you here.
Beware of loose surfaces
Loose surfaces include snow, gravel, dirt, sand or mud, and loose rock. These surfaces can slow you down, make walking difficult and even cause a fall.
When hiking downhill, be careful on loose surfaces and choose your steps carefully. Make sure that you do not take too big a step. Instead, spread your weight evenly over the surface area of your foot. It will help prevent a slip and make it easier to maintain balance while walking downhill.
Take care on gravel or dirt roads when your shoes’ soles are wet or covered with mud or snow. It will easily cause you to slip or lose your balance. Be sure to keep your shoes clean and dry so that they can grip the surface.
Keep in mind that if there is snow on the ground, then walking downhill will be easier than walking uphill because of the added gravity assist.
Start with slight inclines first.
If you live in a location with hills, start walking up and down gently sloping hills before trying any steep ones.
Gradually work your way up to more giant inclines and longer distances of downhill walking until you’re ready to go for it on a steeper hill. It avoids muscle soreness or injury caused by starting too fast or going downhill too quickly.
Learn to shuffle over large rocks.
Rocks make hiking uphill and downhill much more difficult because they dig into your legs, knees, and ankles as you walk or run over them. Learn how to shuffle over them while hiking downhill so that you’re not doing much damage to your legs, knees, and ankles.
Go with the flow of the terrain
It is a crucial point, and it should apply to any hike. If you try to move far ahead of the flow of the terrain you’re hiking through or take substantial steps and turns; you’ll risk falling behind or taking extra damage moving downhills.
Avoid difficult situations while walking
It is crucial when hiking fast and moving down a steep hill. To move down hills without slipping or falling, learn how to position yourself correctly as you walk downhill. Work on using your knees and arms to push off the ground and keep yourself upright even as you’re scurrying downhill.
Explore different terrains
One of the best ways to improve at downhill hiking is to take on various trails and terrains. The more that you practice downhill hiking, the better you’ll become at it.
Try out different types of terrain to keep your body from getting too used to the same exercise over and over again. This way, it will be easier for you to progress without becoming bored with your routine because you’ll have various terrains and inclines to work with.
Training tips
Training for downhill hiking is an excellent way to get your body in shape for this sport. They will teach you how to properly use your equipment and techniques that will help you avoid injury. Always consult certified trainers for advice and to prevent injury.
Here are the training tips for downhill hiking:
Warm-up
Because downhill hiking is a lot like running, you need to be prepared before starting out. Warm up by walking up and down shorter hills for at least 5 minutes each time. Then stroll down the hill back to the car or your destination before starting on a longer hike. Starting cold and then coming down a steep incline can cause muscle soreness, cramping, and injury.
Stretching and core strengthening.
Along with cardiovascular exercise, you need to stretch your muscles after a long hike or workout to prevent injury and keep you athletic and healthy. Strengthening your core helps keep you upright while walking downward. Make sure to include those exercises in your workouts as well.
Cardiovascular training
To effectively prepare for downhill hiking, you need a good cardiovascular base.
It requires some long-distance walks and uphill climbs that you intend to hike downward in the same amount of time. It will help you get accustomed to different inclines and help build stamina for this sport.
Start with short walks down gentle hills. Once you get comfortable with this, you can increase the length and steepness of the inclines. You can go jogging as well.
Weight training.
Downhill hiking is a lot like running, so you need to do some weight training to build ankle strength. Work with ankle weights or do various leg lifts and squats to get your legs in tip-top shape for this sport.
Practice proper techniques for downhill hiking from the start.
Downhill hiking requires a lot of strength in the legs and back. Work on exercising these areas from the very beginning to avoid getting muscle soreness or injury.
Do some lunges, calf raises, and knee bends to build up your leg strength before going downhill. Also, practice proper posture for uphill and downhill hiking so that you get used to carrying extra weight. It will help prevent injuries when you’re actually on a hike.
Sidestep like a pro.
Sidestepping is a great skill to learn when hiking downhill as it allows you to move quickly without having to readjust your feet or step down and then up again for each step. It simply involves shifting your feet from side to side while taking steps downhill.
It will help you cover a lot more ground and is great for long downhill hikes.
Treadmill Decline
The decline in treadmills is not because Americans are getting lazier.
Treadmill declines are a relatively new type of equipment that simulates downhill trekking. These machines are perfect for those who live in hilly areas but would like to improve their cardio and leg strength. They use many of the same muscles as downhill hiking and running, so they provide a full-body workout while working out.
The treadmill declines to perform on flat ground by putting an incline of about 10-12 percent for a few minutes at a time. It will help your body get accustomed to moving down steep hills.
Before you try this, make sure that the area you live in doesn’t have any mountain steeper than those found on treadmill declines. If it does, find someone who has used one and ask them how it went for them.
Resistance Training With Slow Contractions
You may be able to avoid muscle fatigue by exercising your muscles with slow contractions before you go downhill hiking. Resistance training with slow contractions will prepare the muscles for the downhill trek so that they are not overtaxed. This way, you won’t experience muscle fatigue even if you’re hiking for a long time.
You can use a resistance band or a yoga ball while training to strengthen your core muscles.
Lower-Body Resistance Training
The best way to prepare your lower body for a trek is by doing leg exercises like walking downhill lunges, goblet squats, and leg presses. You can also use a weighted barbell or kettlebell and do a few sets of weighted squats, leg presses, and walking lunges. Make sure you do these exercises with your knees locked out (bent at 90 degrees) to work the quads and hamstrings very hard.
Click here to check how to do the workouts.
Another great lower body exercise that can help you prepare for downhill hiking is ankle curls or calf raises. It will help build your lower legs up to prepare for downhill hiking so that they won’t become exhausted from the extra weight and strain that they’re under on a hike like this.
Stretching Post-workout
Always make it a point to stretch your muscles after you exercise. It will help prevent injury and keep you healthy and fit. Make sure to stretch your muscles for downhill activities as well as uphill activities. The former will help you recover faster from the downhill trek so that you can enjoy more of it on other hikes in the future.
Isometric leg training
Isometric leg training for downhill trekking may help to reduce the risk of injury. This training type is more beneficial than eccentric training and can be done anywhere with no equipment needed. To perform this exercise:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and an object in front of you. The thing can be a chair or trash bin.
- Take one step back until your heel is off of the ground and you’re standing on your toes.
- Stand up as fast as you can, without bending your knee.
It will help strengthen your leg muscles so that they won’t have to work very hard when hiking downhill.
Balance training
Hiking downhill is a beautiful way to spend the day, but it’s not without its risks. You can reduce the risk of injury from falls and sprains by doing balance training before your hike. Balance exercises will help you keep your balance as you walk downhill and will allow you to walk more nimbly than if you were walking without them.
Train With Extra Pack Weight
When hiking downhill, it is essential to adjust the backpack’s weight to be heavier than on flat terrain. Training with extra pack weight for downhill trekking will help you prepare for the additional burden and prevent injury.
Run Uphill on Hilly Terrain
When you’re first starting, running uphill will help improve your balance and keep you upright for your hike. It also helps to build up your leg muscles, which can help prevent injury during other types of hiking.
Be careful when running straight up a hill, though, since this can wear out your quads and hamstrings quite fast.
So here we have it, the strategies and the tips on how to train for downhill hiking. Hope this article was informational for you.
If you have any more ideas, feel free to comment below.
