Get Fit Quickly for Summer Hiking With These 5 Workouts

Did the heat affect anyone else, or just me? After above average snowfall in May here in Denver, it felt like a switch had been flipped. The days are long, the temperatures are pleasant and the trail conditions are impeccable.

If weather, work, or just life has kept you from hiking as much as you wanted to in the spring of 2026, you may be feeling a little wobbly on your feet heading into summer. But it’s not too late to take control of your legs: We’ve pulled together five of our best hiker-specific workouts for busy people to help you supercharge your fitness on the trails in an easier, less grueling, and more rewarding summer. You don’t need to devote a lot of time or treasure to these routines. All you need is a few hours each week and some simple tools you probably already have at home.

First steps in a fitness program? Find out where you stand. Compiled by personal trainer and physical therapist assistant Lee Welton, this four-step test requires no equipment and will quickly identify weaknesses in your conditioning, so you can spend your precious time focusing on what you need to improve.

If you’re working hard and looking for a compact workout, this is where you should start. Mark Monroe, strength and conditioning specialist at BoulderCenter for Orthopedics in Colorado, helped us put together this trail-specific routine that will help you boost or maintain your fitness in just one session per week. You’ll need at least 2.5 hours per week (3 to 5 hours is better if you can rotate it) and a local trail, multi-use path, or sidewalk to build up the miles.

From hiking to Olympic wrestling, the number one rule of any physical activity: don’t get injured. Injuries not only force you to stop doing what you love to do, but they also weaken your conditioning along with your rest. Knee injuries are one of the most common disadvantages of hiking, so it’s a good idea to dedicate some time to “prehab,” which strengthens the stabilizer muscles that let you walk confidently without altering the joints. These exercises are designed to help you do just that.

Feel too busy to exercise? Even a little activity can help you stay in shape between your tough days. In this article, Lee Welton shares six smart ways to incorporate exercise into your day, from walking more to making time for brief but intense workouts like fartleks.

As we age, changes occur in our body. If you (like me) plan to keep hiking for the rest of your life, your fitness plan needs it too. In this comprehensive package, we describe the physical challenges facing hikers ages 18 to 65 and older and share workouts, strategies, and information to keep yourself moving, no matter how many candles you have on your birthday cake.