A hill that looks gentle can leave you breathing hard within a minute. That is normal, and it is not a sign you are out of shape.
On level ground each step carries you forward. Uphill, each step also lifts your whole body. Your heart and legs work harder, even at a slower pace.
The answer is not to push harder. It is to climb differently.
Why walking uphill tires you so quickly
The big muscles of your thighs and buttocks do most of the lifting on a climb. Bigger effort means they need more oxygen, so your breathing speeds up first.
Your legs start to feel heavy a little later. Most beginners respond by charging the hill to get it over with, which makes both problems worse.
Building joint strength and endurance on flat walks first gives your legs a base to climb on.
Shorten your steps and slow down
Long strides make every step uphill a big lift. Short steps break the climb into small lifts you can keep up for longer.
Slow down until you can still talk in short sentences. If you cannot get a few words out, you are going too fast for that hill.
On a hill, your pace drops. Your effort should stay about the same.
Easy trails give you short hills to practice on, and regular trail walking is how most walkers build up to longer ones.
Let your thighs and glutes do the work
Think of each uphill step as a small step-up, like climbing a stair. Place your front foot, press through the whole foot, and straighten that leg to lift yourself.
The front leg does the lifting. Shoving off the toes of your back foot tires your calves fast.
Hills also come up in what walking does for bone density: slopes ask more of your hips and legs than level pavement does.
Lean slightly forward from your ankles
Lean a little into the hill, from your ankles rather than your waist. That keeps your weight over your feet as the ground tilts up.
Keep your chest up and look a few steps ahead, not down at your shoes. Folding forward at the waist moves the work from your legs to your lower back.
The lean helps in three ways:
- Your thigh and glute muscles stay in charge of the lift
- Your lower back stays out of it
- You feel steadier on the steeper parts
Zigzag across steep sections
On a steep stretch, walk a gentle zigzag across the slope instead of straight up it. Each diagonal is less steep, so you climb the same height in easier steps.
Many trails already do this for you with switchbacks. Stay on the marked path: a shortcut between switchbacks is steeper, looser underfoot and wears away the trail.
Rocks and roots work the same way. Step around them on a short diagonal instead of high-stepping over them.
Notice fatigue early and pause
Heavy legs, a pounding heart and short, fast breaths mean slow down. They do not mean you have to turn back.
Stop for half a minute, have a drink of water, and start again at a slower pace. Short pauses taken early keep the whole climb steady.
Chest pain or pressure, dizziness, or breathlessness that does not settle when you rest is different. Stop, and call 911.
If you have a heart condition, ask your doctor how hard you should be working on a climb before you add hills.
Walking downhill: soft knees, short steps
Going down is where your knees take the strain. Your thigh muscles work as brakes on every step, which is why a long descent can leave them sore the next day.
- Keep your knees slightly bent, never locked
- Take short, controlled steps with your weight over your feet
- Go slower than feels necessary on loose gravel or wet ground
- Use a pole or a handrail on the steepest stretches
Poles help most on the way down. In a small lab study, eight men walking down a steep ramp with hiking poles had 12% to 25% lower forces on the knee joint than without them.
A later study of 15 hikers found the same pattern at the ankle, knee and hip, with or without a backpack. Both studies were small and tested only men, so read the numbers as a direction, not a promise.
If you are not sure poles are for you, start with whether you really need walking poles. If you have decided, here are four walking poles for beginners over 50.
Fix these common uphill mistakes
Most beginners walk a hill the way they walk the flat. These are the habits to change:
- Starting too fast: begin the hill slower than your flat pace
- Long strides: shorten them as the slope gets steeper
- Bending at the waist: lean from the ankles and keep your chest up
- Pushing off your toes: let the front leg lift you
- Going straight up a steep pitch: zigzag, or use the switchbacks
Start with one short hill on a route you know. Add a second one only when the first feels comfortable.