If you’re only doing track or treadmill runs, you’re leaving gains on the table. Sure, you might throw some speed work in there. But when all your runs are on flat ground, there’s still more proverbial juice to be squeezed from your running workouts.
Credit: Raphael Daniaud / Shutterstock
Here, you’ll learn all about hill running workouts—what they are, why you should do them, and how to make the best of them. To help you put together a classic hill running workout that’ll leave your plateau running for the hills (see what I did there?), I sat down and had a chat with ultra runner and long-distance running coach Lee Whitaker.
What Is a Hill Running Workout?
A hill running workout is a method of training that every competitive runner’s training plan just needs. The workout is tough, but the process is simple. Just find an incline treadmill or an adequate hill—whether it’s a short hill or long hill—and run to the top of it. (Or to wherever your running coach tells you to stop.)
[Read More: Want to Learn How to Run a Mile Without Stopping? Tips From an Elite Coach]
Although there are different types of hill workouts, the most common will have you run to the highest point and then walk or jog back down.
Hill Running Workout
In his role as a distance coach, Lee has guided the distance runners on track teams to championships at all levels and distances. What’s more, Whitaker regularly includes hill runs in the workout programs of all his runners.
This workout assumes that you already have a solid cardiovascular foundation to build upon. At this level, you can probably run a 5K. If you can’t, no worries. Find a smaller hill, run a shorter distance, or even walk the course instead of jogging it.
[Read More: How To Build Stamina for Running: Tips + Benefits]
While you don’t need a hilly course, you will need a hill that’s at a grade of about six percent, and that is at least one-tenth of a mile long. Ideally, the hill would be a quarter of a mile long.
No hill at your disposal? Simulate the conditions—and create the perfect hill for your experience level—with a treadmill.
The Workout
Warm Up: One to two miles (15 to 20 minutes) of steady jogging on a flat surface
Hill Run: 200-meter moderate uphill run
Recovery Run: 200-meter downhill walk or jog
Repeat: 15 uphill runs and recovery jogs
Cool Down: One to two miles (15 to 20 minutes) of steady jogging on a flat surface
How Often to Do This Workout: If desired, you can do this workout every other day. Most trained runners will opt to mix some form of hill work into their training schedule at least once a week.
Modifications
Make it Easier: Reduce the number of reps to 10, and reduce the distance to about 160 meters (about one-tenth of a mile). You can also simply walk the course instead of jogging or running it.
Make it Harder: Increase the reps to as many as 20, and increase the distance up to 400 meters (one-quarter of a mile).
More Advice From a Pro:
“You should be moving at a moderate pace for a while, and as you build endurance through repeated workouts, you’ll probably naturally speed up over time, which is a really good marker of your progress,” says Whitaker. “If these ever begin to feel too easy, you can always add reps or distance. If you reach the point where you’re doing 10 runs of a quarter mile, you’re basically doing 2.5 miles of speed work, five miles including the recovery jogs, and seven miles including the warmup and cool down. That’s a really good workout for anybody.”
Benefits of Hill Running Workouts
The most straightforward benefit of hill training for a runner is that it prepares you for ascents on race day if you’re participating in a particularly hilly race. This is a common feature of courses that include trail running. But hill repetitions in your training isn’t just for aspiring racers. Here’s why.
You’ll Build a More Powerful Posterior Chain
Hill running is an excellent way to challenge and strengthen the muscle fibers in your legs that are specifically geared toward running. That said, you don’t want to use hill running instead of strength training—which is crucial for runners. But you’ll still build a whole lot of power and strength with these runs.
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“Your quads are going to burn, your glutes are going to burn, and you may even feel it in your back a little bit because of the way you’re leaning,” says Whitaker. “The hill is certainly going to work those muscles very differently than a lot of people are used to.”
It’s Speed Work in Disguise
Hill runs are often called hill sprints since it’s very difficult to run them slowly while remaining upright. In that sense, hill running is close to an all-out effort whether you want it to be or not. As a result, one of the key benefits of uphill running is that your body typically responds to it as if you were doing longer sets of true sprints during flat running.
[Read More: How Long Does It Take to Run a Mile? (Plus Tips From an Expert Coach)]
“You can actually get a lot of volume in and a lot of speed work in disguise on the uphill portion,” says Whitaker. “You get all of the changes within the body that you get from sprinting, like the elevated heart rate, the lactic acid, and the strain on the muscles, but with less impact and at a slower pace.”
You’ll Get a Natural Form Correction
It may come as a surprise that engaging with a hill actually forces you to adopt solid running form in ways that apply to your everyday running. (1) In short, running hills has a way of naturally correcting those lingering form flaws that have been hindering your progress.
[Read More: Learn How to Run Faster (At Any Skill Level) From a Triathlete Coach]
“Truth be told, hill running is one of those subtle ways that I like to use to help to improve form,” Whitaker admits. “If your mechanics are really bad, it just makes it a whole lot harder to get up the hill. Your brain and body will naturally adjust and get you up the hill more efficiently. Hill running forces you to run more efficiently. Your feet can’t be in a weird place when you’re on a hill. You can’t lean in funny ways. You’re forced to have a very quick and efficient foot strike, you’re forced to reach your cadence, and you’re forced to use your posterior muscle chain more. All of these will help you achieve good form.”
It May Help With Injury Prevention
Under most conditions, adding an extra obstacle or challenge to an otherwise straightforward workout may increase your risk of injury. But hill running is one of the situations where the opposite is true; if you’re injury-prone, you actually need to be more cautious during the easy jog you take during your descents. (2)
“You typically will not get injured with the same frequency as just running on a flat, level surface,” explains Whitaker. “The biggest reason is you can’t go as fast. Your stride and your impact has less depth, so the speed and the impact forces are controlled more running up the hill. So running uphill is a good way to maybe lessen the probability of an injury.”
It may be another story on the back end, though. “Running downhill can be very tough on the body, and you can develop some injuries if your body is not ready for downhill running because you’re loading your muscles in a different way than your body is used to on an everyday basis,” Whitaker cautions. “You have to do it with a slow and proper build-up, and you have to do proper strength training [and warm-ups] so that your body is ready for that downhill running.”
Start by walking downhill and build up your strength and tolerance from there.
Expert Tips for Your First Hill Running Workout
Hill workouts can certainly be intimidating. This is especially true the very first time you look up to see a steep hill looming that seems to extend forever. To keep that hill ahead of you from feeling positively mountainous, I asked a guy who has run up plenty of hills for his top tips. Read on for Whitaker’s advice.
Stay Relaxed and Lean
A hill workout may feel like a weird time to chill…but seriously. Chill. You can harm your form if you don’t relax and incorporate the natural lean that the hill will guide you into. By tensing up and fighting the natural positioning that your body is trying to adopt in order to climb the hill, you’re going to make all of your hill reps more difficult than they need to be.
[Read More: Should You Be Running Every Day? A Certified Personal Trainer Gives You the Scoop]
“I tell people to try to stay relaxed on their shoulders and to lean back a little bit,” explains Whitaker. “There’s a little bit of a natural lean just because of the gravity, the incline of the hill, and the lowering in your center of gravity toward the hill. So lower your arms and hands just a little bit, and think about lowering your center of gravity toward the ground to keep yourself a little more balanced going up the hill. It will make you a little more efficient.”
Don’t Overstride
Maybe it’s because you’re trying to match your race pace, or maybe it’s because running uphill makes you think that you’re taking shorter steps. Whatever the reason is, you might be tempted to overcompensate for the presence of the hill by taking larger strides. Not only is this unlikely to get you up the hill more quickly, but it will offset whatever form correcting that the hill is working on your legs.
[Read More: The Best Stretches to Do Before a Run, According to a CPT]
“You want to keep a natural gait when running on a hill,” advises Whitaker. “There’s a tendency for people to try to take these huge strides up the hill in order to reach the top faster…but it makes it a lot more difficult. If anything, you should be doing the opposite. If you shorten the stride a little bit, increase your cadence, and relax, you’ll typically get up the hill a lot more easily, a lot faster, and you’ll get more out of the workout.”
Don’t Get Frustrated
A run that ordinarily takes one minute might take you two minutes or even three minutes when you run uphill, and that comes with an equivalent escalation of fatigue. Chances are, you’re not going to like feeling more fatigued than normal while moving far more slowly than you’re accustomed to. Rest…erm, run…assured that you’ll appreciate the improvements to your speed once you’re back to running on a level surface.
“Your heart rate is going to go sky high depending on how long the hill is,” warns Whitaker. “That might be an uncomfortable feeling for people who are running a hill for the first time. It’s a weird sensation because your heart rate will be beating as if you’re sprinting as hard as you can. You may be used to sprinting across a football field and having your heart rate get high from that, but it’s a different sensation when your heart rate is sky high but you’re barely moving.”
Keep at it and listen to your body. Take breaks when you need to, but also know that the heavy breathing is extremely normal. It doesn’t mean you’re “not fit.” It means you’re getting a fabulous workout.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good hill running workout?
A good hill running workout requires you to run at least 100 meters continuously uphill, while permitting you to have a natural break between each running rep from walking back downhill.
Who should do hill training?
Any runner interested in safely building posterior chain power in their legs, and especially for the sake of improving sprinting performance, should consider hill training.
How many hill repeats should I do?
Hill repeats can benefit your running form and conditioning regardless of the number you complete during a workout. However, some of the hill running workouts that are most widely used by trained runners require you to complete between 10 and 20 hill repeats per training session.
Is it better to run on flat ground or hills?
Flat ground training is essential if you are a competitive runner who needs to apply all of your training adaptations to a flat competitive surface. Hill running enables runners to build the kind of power you just can’t build on flat ground. Don’t worry—it’ll translate into ground-based speed once you’re back on the treadmill or flat track.
Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.
References
Padulo J, Powell D, Milia R, Ardigò LP. A paradigm of uphill running. PLoS One. 2013 Jul 10;8(7):e69006.
Bontemps B, Vercruyssen F, Gruet M, Louis J. Downhill Running: What Are The Effects and How Can We Adapt? A Narrative Review. Sports Med. 2020 Dec;50(12):2083-2110.
Featured Image: Raphael Daniaud / Shutterstock
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