How to Climb: The art of walking up hills FAST! - Sport Walking Top Tips

[@INVESTYORI]

This is for me the best advice I've found on youtube (even after watching 20 other videos).

[@sportwalk]

Wow, thanks!

[@caroleelaschwa5294]

Great advice… I live on a hilly area and want to get my dog and I into top shape .. not gonna fear the hills anymore

[@kristine8338]

I grew up in a village with hills. A visit to a friend or going to school wasn’t done without ‘climbing’ one. I had the choice: climb 1, 2,3 or 4. I always imagined going back home. Flying down 🌬️💨.

[@nancynahnigoh3550]

I use zig zag walking up and walking down hill for hurting my knee this technique I followed from my grandparent as they ascending descending the mountains during my childhood times it is good

[@sportwalk]

Agree with that Nancy, especially on really steep descents. Thanks for sharing your experience with us 🙂

[@nancynahnigoh3550]

@@sportwalk you are welcome

[@NataMaceda-wg4zw]

Uphills ❤ it spices things up

[@mariahcaety4988]

I've managed to make around 10 accents and I can see that your tips are spot on! I made them intuitively, but it's great to see that you encourage them as well! Thanks!

[@sportwalk]

Thanks! 🙂

[@keithg9594]

Thank you for that and thank you for introducing me to sport walking. I've been a runner for over 30 years, particularly trail running. A few years off 70, I'm finding running harder, but I'm really getting into this, it's like trail running, but less high impact on the knee joints.

[@sportwalk]

Thanks Keith! Glad you’re getting into it. You’re absolutely right about the similarities with trail running. I run myself, although only up to about 10 miles and I know how sport walking can be as much of a challenge if you do it right, so it’s really great to hear a serious runner find value in it too. I hope you continue you to enjoy your walking! All the best. Roger

[@nancynahnigoh3550]

@@sportwalk as I comment earlier , we use zig zag technique walking up hill or down hill as to prevent from knee pains , this my grandparent told us cos long times is good for our knees

[@selloutsam]

My perfect ultramarathon would be uphill the entire way. I hate downhills. Treadmill is my best friend, tons of max incline work.

[@serenity8145]

I try to avoid hills and climbs maily because I get very slow, tired and tend to plod as you put it!, Will try out your advice...

[@DnBarPoet77]

Very informative and very well explained/demonstrated! I'm a trail runner and with practice this will help me improve my technique and efficiency on the varying climbs I come across. I've looked at a few videos over the years on hill techniques but this has been the best by far! Thanks!

[@sportwalk]

Wow, thanks! Really glad you found it useful! 👍

[@RamPMonyPers]

As someone who often worked in areas without road access, where climbing and descending hills was the only to get to the workplace, where people expected you to arrive at a certain time and so there was no time to stop and take a breath at the top of a hill, and going to work sometimes meant strapping on a rucksack. this video reminded me of many of the techniques I employed. I never used poles, couldn't get used to them. I did place my hands on my thighs when the slope got steeper, but often the thighs would hurt upon reaching the top of a hill. Didn't know about the swinging of the arms though, would have helped.

[@sportwalk]

Thanks for sharing your experience with us, sounds like my kind of terrain! 🙂 Roger

[@TheCikpiah]

thanks this is very helpful.. how to go down hill though

[@sportwalk]

This: Free Speed: The art of descending FAST! - Sport Walking Top Tips kzbin.info/www/bejne/l52uk6GqgbCXr7s

[@lizusedon9237]

Never heard of sport walking but wow! How helpful that was thank you! Spent many years trail running but finding it hard on joints so looking at hiking but this looks more fun 👌

[@sportwalk]

Give it a try Liz, you won’t look back! Dive in to some of our other videos for more guidance. Really glad you found it useful! Roger

[@CB19087]

I love hills. Going up. Not so much going down! I try to get into a sustainable breathing rhythm and slow down down to maintain 60%ish maximum heart rate. It's definitely harder with full on camping gear

[@chrisamies2141]

Very encouraging video, thank you. I am taking more and more to 'brisk walking' rather than running these days - I tend to mix the two especially on trails. I was reminded also of the advice re cycling up hills to take it steadily rather than attempting to rush it.

[@sportwalk]

Thanks Chris! Glad to hear you’re finding value in walking.

[@johnwiemer120]

Just climbed Mt. Ralston in the Sierras. 2730 rise up to 9200 feet. Poles were absolutely mandatory the whole hike . Not pressing myself too fast was what got me to the summit and back. I'm 69 years old doing this 8.2 miles hike.

[@sportwalk]

Looks beautiful! Would love to walk around the Tahoe area & the Sierras. Hope you have many more challenges like Ralston. All the best. Roger

[@stanleycornelius8925]

I'll keep this in mind when im doing tentors 55 miles, chrs mate 👍

[@sportwalk]

Good luck! 👍

[@TwanVanGemert]

Helpful video, but how do you use the glutes instead of the calves, because my calves explode uphill and not my glutes, and I need the calves for running.

[@sportwalk]

It’s all about your climbing action & getting all your drive from your rear leg to activate your glutes. Your calves are still used but if your glutes are taking the strain then the pressure on your calves will be a lot less, unless there’s something going on with foot placement, like being on your toes with heels lifted etc. Best way to make the transformation is to get yourself on a slope, then slowly go through the motion of moving uphill & as your front leg moves to just in front of your body, focus on powering the rest of the motion with your glutes. It may take a while to feel your glutes working (glute activation generally can take a lot of practice) but stick with it & once you can feel the glutes working, you’ll be better able to drive your climbing with your glutes not your calves. Hope that helps! Roger

[@viswanathanc.v4576]

Very Useful tips. Trying to trek 20 kms in Himalayas to go to Kedarnath.

[@sportwalk]

Glad you liked it & good luck with the trek!

[@michaelwilcox924]

How do you use your glutes over your quads?

[@sportwalk]

Hi Michael. As long as you’re pushing back with your leg, from when it’s directly under your torso, you’ll be using your glutes. When climbing, if you reach too far forward with your leading leg or if you try to pull yourself up with your leading leg, before it’s under your body, you’ll be using your quads or hamstrings (which you want to avoid over straining). So always try to make the effort with your stride from under your body backwards & then you’ll be using your glutes. Have a look at our ‘Leg Drive’ video for more guidance. Cheers

[@briandonahue2736]

Good stuff! Descents set my knees on fire. Need some advice coming down. Thanks.

[@sportwalk]

Glad you liked it! 🙂

[@yom103ama3]

Thanks man, I’m about to do the 48km Kokoda hike in a few weeks and this is definitely gonna bell out tones mate

[@sportwalk]

Thanks! Glad it helped & good luck on your hike! Cheers

[@yom103ama3]

@@sportwalk update: finished the event a few weekends ago, your advice helped keep my sanity on the hills lol. Thanks a million man 👍🏼

[@sportwalk]

🙌 Awesome, really glad it helped you!

[@bethcooper1789]

Thanks Roger- good information. Can't wait to try it

[@ifrancus9623]

Great advice, even for an experienced hiker. Thanks

[@sdriza]

This here is awesome - I was naturally gravitating toward this method trying to figure how to conserve energy.

[@shayeklump2853]

Just starting out. Is there a way to get over the charlie horse in my calves when I first start ?

[@sportwalk]

I guess the first thing to check is if you’re well hydrated before you start? Dehydration is a big cause of cramps or spasms & especially a lack of essential electrolytes. Also, if you’re just starting out it could be that your muscles aren’t used to the specific movement & level of activity, so make sure you start easy each time for the first kilometre or mile before pushing on. If you warm up, then stop & do some leg stretches, especially your calves this is not only a good habit to get into, it could help with the spasms. Massaging your calves if you get spasms can help & also you could just massage them before & after too, to help them adjust to being under more load. If none of this works it would be worth speaking with a doctor or physio, as it could be a sign of injury or inflammation in a muscle or tendon. I’d start with hydration & electrolytes though. Have a strong electrolyte sports drink with good levels of potassium & sodium about 30 minutes to an hour before you go out & see if that helps. Hope you find a solution soon 🙂 Roger

[@aggelosk.1652]

would this work for 12+ hour climbs? (accent and descent)

[@sportwalk]

Couldn’t say for sure as we’ve never climbed that long but the logic says yes. It’s the most efficient way to climb, so in theory it’s going to work whatever the duration & the longer you go, the greater the benefit from using a really efficient technique.

[@sirravi]

Thanks for the useful tips 👍

[@sportwalk]

No problem Ravi, glad you found it useful 🙂

[@ewegg1271]

Really struggle with calf pump when walking up hill. Don't get it when going up stairs. Am I walking wrong?

[@sportwalk]

It could be a couple of things. Firstly, when the incline gets steep, you will feel it in your calves, as your feet are forced to tilt upwards. If you go on your toes to try & alleviate this, you can end up with the same feeling, as the calves then take the strain from your feet not being fully supported. It’s difficult to avoid it to be honest but the more you climb & get stronger, your calves will be able to handle it more. You could also do some calf raises to build their strength up. Also, try to make sure you’re using your glutes (bum muscles) to power your stride, as this will ensure that your biggest & strongest muscles are taking the strain. This won’t remove any ache in your calves but it will lessen it. Hope this helps. All the best. Roger

[@RonGreenUK]

Some interesting tips there, thank you

[@sportwalk]

Thanks Ronald, glad it was useful

[@thibod07]

Thank you for your numerous advices!

[@sportwalk]

No problem 🙂

[@sethg4584]

Thanks for this, i walk 10-20km on hills each day for work, how would you approach contouring as in walking parallel to the hill?

[@sportwalk]

Hi, glad you liked it. So, with contouring, I’d split it into two options - the first is when the trail has a relatively steady incline, in which case I’d approach it pretty much as I’d walk on the flat, from a technique point of view, obviously with the pace fitting the steepness of the incline. The second would be where you’re still contouring but the trail rises steeply, in which case I’d revert to what we discuss in this video. The only caveat being the camber of the trail because there’s always a strong potential that a contouring trail will have a camber, in which case I’d be looking to move around as much as possible, to avoid picking up a repetitive strain. Hope that helps. All the best. Roger

[@omkarkibe]

Great video, very useful! Thanks a ton! 😇👏

[@sportwalk]

No problem 🙂

[@johnbee7729]

Great advice - especially after summiting. Thank you

[@sportwalk]

Thanks John, glad you liked it

[@java6727]

+ lean forward

[@lov2playtn]

Excellent coaching on walking hills! I am going to find some hills...even though Florida is pretty flat!

[@sportwalk]

Thanks Peter! Good luck with your search! 🙂

[@melindalabuguen4602]

Thanks do much for the very helpful tips.

[@abbaskashfi6172]

Hello sir , I exercise through a week but when i hiking up i get tired very soon , what should i do Thanks

[@sportwalk]

Hi Abbas. Difficult to say from here but it could be if the walking you do in the week is on easier terrain, when you go hiking, the trail is more difficult. The best way to train for what you experience when hiking is to try & match it in your week day walking, so if you have hills at the weekend, try to include hills in the week. Also, you can try to work harder all the time during your week day walks, so that you’re then stronger by the weekend but last thing would also be to do some weight training to build up extra leg strength. Hope that helps. All the best. Roger

[@shakeybeatz]

Great video, and the same music as I listen to on my hikes. I tend to walk to the beat of drum and bass music which is fast.

[@sportwalk]

Thanks, glad you liked it 👍

[@onerider808]

Thanks; it’s amazing how little things can make a difference. I walk at 8-10,000 feet altitude, and it’s pretty rocky (Rocky Mtns). My knee hurts a lot, but I keep at it. Thanks again!

[@sportwalk]

No problem Mark. Envious of your location! Hope the knee improves 🙂

[@Fitplusfate]

Gotta try this. Very informative, thank you so much sir

[@mattcordy2396]

Great advice as always Roger :)

[@sportwalk]

Cheers Matt!

[@janenyakairu7534]

Helpful tip as a beginner loved it thx

[@sportwalk]

Glad you liked it! 🙂👍

[@Kelly_Ben]

Another great video. Thanks!

[@sportwalk]

Thanks Kelly!

[@marcosabbatini4426]

Good info! Thanks

[@joellaing228]

Hey Roger Can I ask if the technique changes using poles when very steep and technical? As in is it still most efficient with small steps and high cadence when each step costs more energy due to upper body pole use, and when it’s steep and technical do we still want small steps or larger ones aiming for rock footholds etc

[@sportwalk]

Hi Joel. You want to keep everything the same, especially when it’s steep & technical because that’ll keep your momentum up. BUT…. it does depend on what we mean by technical. Steep on its own but with an undulating or rough surface is quite simple - you maintain small steps & high cadence because that’s the most efficient. Adding poles in this instance is more about maintaining momentum, rather than adding power as such, so the extra effort shouldn’t be as much as if you’re using poles to actually add momentum - it would be a lighter touch approach (hope that makes sense). That said, you would still need to judge the distance you’re going to be climbing & make a decision about whether using poles would tip you over the edge in terms of effort, so making sure it wouldn’t take you into the red. If the terrain is really rocky, very uneven or very technical in some other way, you’re not going to have the luxury of being able to maintain momentum with regular foot placement, so there will be some steps you have to make that will be longer than ideal but your overall objective should still be to use short steps wherever possible to give you that efficient climbing action. Poles in this instance are more about stability than momentum because of the nature of the terrain. Hope that helps? All the best. Roger

[@joellaing228]

@@sportwalk You are a legend Roger! Thank you. I am not sport walker but an ultra runner and usually do steep technical races. I already made huge gains on runnable climbs with the advice on your video. This makes sense. Thanks again for the reply

[@sportwalk]

@joellaing228 ☺️ No problem. It’s great to receive feedback that our advice works, so thank you too! All the best with your future races! Cheers

[@Genzaijh]

Any advice for descending quickly?

[@sportwalk]

Sure, we’ve got a video just for that. It’s called ‘Free Speed’. Should be one or two vids before or after How to Climb (can’t remember exactly). Basically though, just take the breaks off & offer no resistance. Hope the video helps but fire over any questions if not. Cheers. Roger

[@stevo728822]

It all comes down to how much weight you're carrying.

[@miguelmike2555]

very helpful thanks. I have an Ultra Marathon next weekend, my first one. The question is always when to start with power walk at the climbs, should I jogg as long as I am not in the "red" or should I power walk in earlier stages in order to save energy for later? Thanks a lot

[@sportwalk]

Hi Miguel. Glad you found it helpful. As this is your first ultra, I’d suggest walking as soon as you’re on a climb, mainly to see how you get on. If you keep a high cadence & walk quite strongly, the time difference won’t be that great. If you’re feeling good later on then you could push further into the climbs but golden rule is once you’ve spent your energy it’s gone, so better to play safe this time & to know that you’ve got it in you to run for longer on the climbs next time, than to run within your ability from the start only to suffer later on. Good luck with it. I hope you enjoy the experience & have a good time. All the best. Roger

[@Kelly_Ben]

Awesome, you must be excited! My two cents on walking... I just finished my second 50k last weekend. I'd like to say I killed it, but it felt the other way around. My online coach had told me to walk MORE than I thought I needed to to start, but I interpreted that to mean walk on hills and when tired... so I walked only the hills for the first 12 miles. HUGE mistake. For the last half, my run pace on the flat was 3 minutes slower than in training because I had no energy left. If I'd thrown in extra walk breaks to start, even when not tired, I probably could have maintained a faster run pace throughout, finished faster, AND felt stronger. Good luck with your ultra!!

[@genreartwithjb5095]

Keens are good they are a winter shoe but they offer a lot of support

[@EdinaViensBreakthroughCoach]

I love this video but do you have a video that explained it for beginners? I never heard so many terms you used during this video.

[@sportwalk]

Hi Edina. Glad you liked it. We will be producing some new videos this summer aimed at those starting out, so keep an eye out. We’re aiming to take people from starting to walk for fitness all the way to being able to take on challenges & as a part of that we’ll be explaining some of the terms used to describe techniques etc. If there’s anything specific you’d like to understand, just message back & I’ll explain. All the best. Roger

[@scorpiobabybkk]

I just found your channel. Very useful for my ultra trail training. I use my glutes when going uphill but my calves still get very sore and feel like they are going to explode. Any tips to fix this?

[@sportwalk]

Hi! Glad you’re finding the channel useful. Tricky to diagnose exactly but try looking at your foot placement - try to keep your feet flat on the ground & don’t go up on your toes unless it gets super steep. Also, keep your cadence high with short fast steps, so you’re minimising the effort you need to give to each step. Even with good glute activation, if your stride is long & your cadence is low, the stress on your legs is greater than with a high cadence & that can mean other leg muscles can become over worked. Can’t say for sure but I’d definitely check your foot placement & cadence as a starter. Hope it helps. All the best. Roger

[@piakellner37]

Very nice music! What is the name of the track? :)

[@sportwalk]

The track’s called ‘Twelve Speed’ by Slynk. It’s production music from the KZbin music library, so not sure if it’s available elsewhere but you should be able to find it on your KZbin account under KZbin Studio at the bottom on the left.

[@seanmckinney9959]

Great info. What weight is your backpack when out on the trail? I struggle with even 2kgs

[@sportwalk]

Hi Sean. It’s pretty minimal. Not sure of the weight exactly but my Raidlight vest is super light & I only take essentials in it so most of the weight is perishable really, in the shape of fluids & food (mostly bars). Think I need to weigh everything now & get a handle on the actual weight! I’m doing a piece on what to carry for different walks in the first episode of the Sport Walk Show this month, so I’ll include it in that. Cheers. Roger

[@seanmckinney9959]

@@sportwalk many thanks

[@annadeleon8622]

New subscriber! Great videos.

[@sportwalk]

Thanks Anna!

[@mosaicowlstudios]

I tell people all the time, I would ALWAYS rather walk up a hill than bicycle up a hill. Every time.

[@Playchess392]

I am the 1000th subscriber

[@sportwalk]

🙌🏆🍷🤩THANK YOU AND WELCOME! We’re only motivated to share our knowledge and encourage people to walk faster and challenge themselves with this channel BUT, this is a big milestone for us and we’re very grateful for all the follows.... especially yours! 😁

[@Playchess392]

Ok bro

[@peterpruimpjes]

How do I know what my target heart rate will be? How do I arrive at that? Thank you....

[@sportwalk]

Hi Peter. Without prior testing to see where your heart rate limit is on a climb, it would basically be about playing safe & operating at a pace where you’re working hard but you’re able to sustain it for the full duration of the climb. This may mean that on that occasion, you’re not going as fast as you could but without doing a range of measured tests on different gradients to establish what your optimum heart rate is, it’s always going to be a question of learning by experience. My advice would be to go hard on a few non-critical occasions & actually overdo it, so you know what going too hard feels like & how it feels when you’re in the red & need to stop. Then, make sure you go easier next time & eventually you’ll automatically climb at a speed & effort that is fast but sustainable & that will effectively be your optimum climbing heart rate. I hope that helps? All the best. Roger

[@aliabdelali2399]

Thanks a lot

[@Man_with_no_name]

whats that DNB I hear in the background ?

[@sportwalk]

It’s just some library production music. Think it’s from the KZbin library.

[@falsehoodbasher7240]

My abilities are nothing. I have no endurance. Haven't exercised in a 2 years. Doc's orders, I started rebounding around a week ago. This weekend I did a 2300 ascent 10 mile hike (I didn't really notice The "2300 ascension" tbh or I probably wouldn't have gone). I'm sorrre rn and on YT watching other people suffer ;-)

[@sportwalk]

Yeah, maybe that was a big bite for the first week but hey, you did it! Hope you keep at it & regain your fitness. The hardest part is always at the start. All the best. Roger

[@isaaccutlip5815]

I just don't enjoying running I like fast hike walking . Thanks

[@sportwalk]

No problem! We’re the same, good to have you along! 🙂