Training Plan for How to Hike Downhill

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When you pose the question “which part of hiking is the hardest”, many people will respond that it’s the uphill. If you’re researching how to train for some of the toughest hikes out there, a lot of focus often goes into training for the uphill climbs. And while that is absolutely important, a lot of seasoned hikers also know that the downhills can be just as tough and demanding as the uphills. They can also wreak havoc if you are not properly trained for them, especially if your downhill is particularly steep or lengthy. So while it may seem more obvious what to do to train for uphills, it’s also just as important to train for the downhill portion of any challenging hike. The key is to have an intentional training plan – like this training plan for how to hike downhill! This guide will show you just how to TRAIN for downhills by addressing strength training, mechanics, form, posture, pacing, and more!

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Table of Contents

How to Hike Downhill

Where to start with training to hike downhill? Well, if you have great natural terrain on which to train (mountains, canyons, etc.), then you already have a leg up on a lot of people. If you are a flatlander, don’t worry, this guide will address strategies to help supplement a lack of natural training ground.

Training to Hike Downhill on Natural Terrain

But before you assume that you have zero natural options, make sure to do some research. When I work 1:1 with clients, many who claim to have no natural trails locally to train on, almost 99% of the time we find a solution.

Let’s say you’re training to do a hike like the Grand Canyon’s Rim to Rim hike, a trek with some major uphills and downhills. You get on an app like AllTrails and see that you only have a handful of local trails that are only a couple miles long, and you don’t see any with elevation gain more than a couple hundred feet. So you automatically rule them out, because in your mind, you’re looking for a 10 mile minimum hike with at least 2,000 feet in gain.

If you’re like me, living in north Texas, this type of trail simply may not exist near you. BUT, as I have discovered, those humble 2 mile long trails with seemingly insignificant elevation gains can still play a role. I personally train on a 1.5 mile loop trail with about 350 feet of elevation gain. But, what do you get when you do 8 laps? A 12 mile hike with almost 3,000 feet in elevation gain. So while the options may not seem obvious at first, look closer. I have worked with clients to discover training trails like these, or parks with multiple wooden staircases that add up, or clients who discovered they have significant hills in their own neighborhoods that they can do hill repeats on. Even if you have a trail with just one good sized hill on it, you in theory can do hill repeats. And while this might sound mundane, there are ways to stay motivated. Take that time to catch up on an audiobook or make phone calls to loved ones.

So let’s assume you DO have the natural elevation to train on in some form or other. Then that should be your starting point for training to hike downhill.

Gradually start building up in hiking length and elevation loss. Don’t tackle a 7 mile, 3,000 foot descent right off the bat. Work up in increments, all the while listening to how your body is responding. Monitor your pace. Does speeding up cause issues for you? Do you see better results and fewer issues when you go slower? This should be the first step in training for downhills.

Training to Hike Downhill with the Right Gear

Second, do you have the right gear? It is vitally important that you invest in good quality hiking gear if you’re planning to attack substantial downhills in your hiking. This most notably involves our hiking footwear and the potential use of trekking poles. It can also involve secondary gear items like knee braces, insoles, etc.

Footwear should be the top priority. You want footwear that 1st and foremost supports, grips, and cushions. You don’t want to roll an ankle or slide around when you’re hiking downhill. You also want to do what you can to lessen the repetitive impact of hiking downhill. You can train to hike downhill in traditional hiking boots or trail runners, but nowadays I almost 100% exclusively hike in trail runners. My go to’s are Hoka One One Speedgoats. I mention the Grand Canyon’s Rim to Rim hike a lot because that is one of the main testing grounds of my Hoka Speedgoats over the years, and they’ve performed flawlessly on the immense downhill portions (it is, after all, the deepest canyon in the world).

Make sure you test out and learn what works for you. Your shoes are an area you should not skimp on. Investing in the best shoes for you is cheaper long term than paying for procedures due to damaged knees.

On to gear item #2 for hiking downhill: trekking poles. Not everyone hikes with them, but it’s a valid argument that just about everyone probably should at least try them out to know for sure, especially if you are tackling substantial downhill hiking. Trekking poles can help to stabilize and reduce impact. The best advice is to try them out and learn if they are beneficial for you. Just make sure to lengthen your trekking poles by 5-10 cm when you are hiking downhill.

What are my favorite trekking poles? These Black Diamond trekking poles. Yes, they are pricier, but they are also the only pair I’ve ever had to buy in my hiking lifetime. I also love the cork handles on this particular model, because it helps to prevent slippage from sweaty hands that sometimes happens with rubber or plastic handled models.

As for other optional gear items, you can investigate more supportive gear items like knee braces, insoles/inserts, etc. For use of these types of items, I would advise speaking to a specialist on what might be best for you, if you still have concerns, pain, etc., after implementing the other options mentioned, including good footwear, trekking poles, and training.

Supplementing Your Downhill Training

Whether you have the natural terrain to train on or not, there are ways to supplement your hiking downhill training. And you should supplement your training hikes either way.

#1: Walking Backwards – no, this isn’t a new fad. It’s been around a while, as this study from 2022 demonstrates. Walking backwards is a form of strength training, that has also largely been used for preventative and rehabilitative purposes for those struggling with knee and/or joint pain.

Regular backwards walking can help strengthen the muscles that are utilized in hiking downhill, as well as strengthening the body’s built in mechanisms that help “apply the brakes” and stabilize downhill motion. Walking backwards is a fantastic supplementation to help prepare you for lengthy downhill hiking, but it should be implemented gradually, incrementally, and intentionally. Pace and incline can also be increased as well, in gradual increments.

So for example, let’s say you want to implement some walking backwards in your training plan. Start by doing a 10 minute backwards walk several times a week on flat terrain, at a moderate pace. Do this for 2 weeks. Then work up to 15 minutes with a few hills or a low consistent incline. In another week, bump up to 20 minutes several times a week.

You can continue doing this until you get to, let’s say, a 60 minute backwards walking workout several times a week (or more). This can be even more effective if you have hills or inclines built in, and if you gradually work on increasing your pace.

If you don’t want to walk backwards outside (which I completely understand), you can mimic this workout easily on a treadmill. Set the treadmill to the incline you want, unplug it, and then begin your backwards walk.

#2: Rucking – rucking is a great way to blend hiking, strength training, mechanics, and stability training all into one activity. What exactly is rucking? Simply put, it’s weighted hiking. There a lot of simple and creative ways to get started with rucking, it does not have to be overly complicated. There are a ton of benefits to rucking, one of which can help with the downhills. Rucking can help to improve posture, balance, and stability, which all come into play on downhills. It also enforces intentional feet placement and awareness of pacing on downhills, since you’re going to be aware of the extra weight you are carrying.

Additional Strength Training

Truthfully, strength training should be a part of any endurance event you are training for. Strength training on a regular basis makes you a more well rounded athlete, as well as a healthier and stronger one that is more resistant to injuries. Strength training keeps all the muscle groups working together towards harmony, strengthens and engages muscle groups that may be overlooked, and does wonders for combating injury. All of this applies to hiking downhill.

Strength training workouts that involve moves like forward and backward lunges, leg deadlifts, calf/heel raises, squats, step up and step downs, etc., all help strengthen and stabilize your body for downhill hiking.

Include strength training workouts like these at least several times a week to see the most benefit. You can do strength training workouts stand alone, or in conjunction with other workouts for additional cross training. For example, you could do a 30 minute cycle followed by a 60 minute strength training workout.

Check out this FREE “Choose Your Own Path” STRENGTH TRAINING WORKOUT to get you started!

Additional Cross Training

Additional cross training is just one more step in whole body functioning, which strengthens and stabilizes you for the downhills. For hikers, cross training can look like a lot of different activities, but some common ones that I see are trail running, cycling, swimming, walking, weight lifting, rucking, and strength training workouts like the free one I offered above.

Cross training (like strength training – cross training includes strength training by the way) should be done consistently several times a week if you are training for a big hike. Again, it’s for strength, stability, and also goes a long way in providing variation and preventing burnout. Make sure that your cross training is something you enjoy doing!

Mechanics, Form, and Posture

A highly under-rated topic when it comes to training to hike downhill. There is a better way to hike the downhills, and it takes into account mechanics, form, and posture.

First of all, make a conscious effort not too lean too far back when you are hiking downhill. This is often the body’s natural response to trying to maintain a center of gravity. Leaning too far back can put unnecessary strain on the wrong parts of the body. Conversely, people’s natural tendency is often too lean too far forward on the uphills as well.

Whether you’re hiking uphill or downhill, try to maintain an upright position throughout and not lean too far forward or backward. You don’t want to be rigid, just naturally maintaining an upright posture.

Another mechanics element involves your stride. Avoid over-striding or hyper-extending your legs and knees on the downhills. Shorten your stride, and slow your pace accordingly as needed. This also applies to uphills as well.

The third thing to keep in mind when considering mechanics, form, and posture is the use of sidestepping. While I will admit I find this easier to implement on uphills, the concept still applies to downhills, and is a strategy for how to tackle the downhills in training.

When most people face an aggressive downhill (or uphill too for that matter), they tend to face it “foot forward”, or head on with their feet. This can put a lot of unnecessary strain and awkward angles on feet and legs, and distribute the force coming down on the foot in a less than ideal way. Enter sidestepping.

Sidestepping is highly effective on the uphills, as it distributes the effort and force efficiently, strengthens the right muscle groups instead of relying on ankles, and ensure a flat foot on the ground for pushing off, instead of pushing off on just the balls of your feet. Sidestepping on downhills looks a little different and takes some practice, but it is also worthwhile in helping to prevent unnecessary pain or joint issues on the downhills.

Sidestepping on downhills ensures better distribution on a flat foot, more stability, and more engagement of the whole leg’s muscle groups. It does take practice, and while it may at some points feel like it is slowing you down somewhat, you may just notice the difference in your knees feeling wrecked or not following a significant and/or steep downhill.

Additional Tips for Downhill Training

I never tackle aggressive downhill hikes without taking a couple Ibprofen first. Same goes for my trail running. I have found that a couple Ibprofens before any hard, repetitive impact exercise works wonders for preventing inflammation from popping up during or later. Over the counter anti-inflammatories, for me personally, happen to be much more noticeable in preventing inflammation on aggressive downhills than uphills.

Be mindful of the “downhill adrenaline rush”. It’s easier to associate downhills with being “easier”, and therefore we can get a little carried away sometimes. Don’t assume the downhill will be easier, at least not before a lot of practice to know that definitively. Don’t count on the downhill being that much faster than the uphill either. I’ve done plenty of hikes where they took the same amount of time. Be mindful of your adrenaline talking on the downhills, and don’t let it get you carried away at a pace that is faster than what you know is best for you.

Don’t be afraid to slow your pace on downhills if you need to, and shorten your stride. No need to fly through downhills if your body starts complaining. This can catch up to you later.

Lastly, be kind to your body after a downhill. Rest and recover properly. Don’t skip this step.

There you have it, a beginners training plan on how to hike downhill! Whether you’re hiking into some of the deepest descents in the country, such as the Grand Canyon’s epic Rim to Rim hike, or descending from the tallest 14’ers in the Rocky Mountains, or hiking courses with constant rolling hills and consistent ups and downs, these tips will make you stronger, healthier, and more efficient at training to hike downhill.

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