The 6 Core Exercises For Hikers (plus pre hiking trip workout)

Hiker’s love getting outside, travel and focus on exploration. Most arn’t to worries about their abdominals or muscle growth. That being said, some form of strength and conditioning will massively help prepare your for your next hike or hiking trip. Here are some excellent core exercises for hiking that you can add into your training regime.

4 min read
Sean Klein
Written by
Sean Klein
Published on
06/04/22
Last updated
12/01/23
In This Resource
  • The 6 Core Exercises For Hikers
  • Sample Core Workout For Hikers
  • More Exercises For Hiking
  • Common Questions
  • How Do You Engage Your Core When On A Hike
  • Is Core Strength Important For Hiking
  • Does Hiking Build Your Core
  • Can You Get Abs From Hiking
  • Does Hiking Improve Leg and Knees Strength

Hiking can be very physically demanding yet it often goes underestimated and isn’t approached as a challenging task, resulting in people putting themselves in difficult and sometimes dangerous positions. People just getting into hiking can use strength and conditioning training to bolster their physical resilience and help them focus on nature while their rambling, rather than struggling physically. Check out these six core exercises you can use in your training while prepping for your excursions.

The 6 Core Exercises For Hikers

Sample Core Workout For Hikers

Complete 3 rounds

1. Front Rack and Farmers Carry

Move for 10 meters

2. Russian Twists

Complete 12 repetitions

3. Side Plank Kneeling Leg Raise

Complete 8 repetitions

More Exercises For Hiking

Common Questions

How Do You Engage Your Core When On A Hike

You don’t really, or shouldn’t be trying too. Having a strong core and robust physicality may help when hiking, but there should be no need to think about engaging the core when hiking.

Is Core Strength Important For Hiking

It can help somewhat, but it’s not super important or required to enjoy hiking. Some form of leg strength may be extremely beneficial especially for those with knee issues.

Does Hiking Build Your Core

To a very minimal degree. It might help build hip stabilisation but not more than that.

Can You Get Abs From Hiking

No. It may help you create a calorie deficit, but will not build the abdominal musculature to any degree that you will se a difference.

Does Hiking Improve Leg and Knees Strength

Yes, it can be very beneficial. Again it will reach a point of diminishing returns but if you pick progressively more difficult hikes then it can be great for increasing leg strength. For knee injuries, some gym based rehab is probably a much easier way to fix knee issues rather than strengthening them with hiking.

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This resource was written by Sean Klein. Sean Richard Klein has thousands of hours of coaching experience and a BSc in Sports Science with Management from Loughborough University. He owns a gym in Bayonne France, CrossFit Essor, which runs group classes and a Personal training studio.

Sean Klein

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