Getting fit for a trek

How fit is fit enough

A trek is several hours of walking a day, mostly uphill or downhill, often with a backpack, for several days in a row. You do not need to be an athlete. You do need to be able to keep walking steadily, recover overnight and do it again the next day.

A useful starting point is the World Health Organization’s baseline for adults: 150–300 minutes a week of moderate activity (brisk walking, cycling) or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity (running), plus muscle-strengthening on two or more days a week. For adults over 65, the WHO adds balance and strength work on three or more days a week. If you do not meet this baseline yet, start there before you think about a Himalayan trek.

Here is how we suggest you think about our difficulty grades. These are our own rules of thumb, not medical standards:

• Easy. Short days on clear trails, usually one or two days. If you already meet the WHO baseline and can walk briskly for two hours with a small bag, you are ready.
• Moderate. Longer days with steady climbs, sometimes several days in a row. Follow the 8-week plan below and be able to finish the week 8 targets comfortably.
• Difficult. Long, steep days, rough ground and higher camps. Finish the plan with time to spare, and add more loaded walks with real climbing.
• Challenging. High passes, snow, or very long days. Start training three months or more ahead, and plan around the trek organiser’s fitness test.

Some operators set a clear target. For winter Himalayan treks, Indiahikes asks trekkers to start preparing at least 1.5–2 months before and to aim to run 5 km in 40 minutes. It also points out that winter makes a trek at least one grade harder.

Fitness does not protect you from altitude sickness. Read our altitude sickness guide as well.

An 8-week plan

The WHO says some activity is better than none. If you are starting from low activity, begin small and build up gradually. That is how this plan works.

• Do the plan 5 days a week and rest on the other 2.
• Strength days (twice a week): squats, lunges, step-ups, calf raises and planks. Start with 2 sets of 10–12 of each.
• Before and after each session, walk slowly for 5–10 minutes. The American Heart Association recommends this warm-up and cool-down.
• For most sessions, work hard enough that you breathe harder but can still talk.

Week	Cardio (3 days)	Stairs or hills (1 day)	Loaded walk (1 day)
1	Brisk walk 30 min	10 min of stairs	1 hour, 4 kg bag
2	Brisk walk 40 min	15 min of stairs	1.5 hours, 4 kg
3	Walk–jog 30 min	20 min of stairs	2 hours, 5 kg
4	Jog 2–3 km	20 min of stairs, 5 kg bag	2 hours, 6 kg, with climbs
5	Jog 3–4 km	25 min of stairs, 6 kg	3 hours, 7 kg
6	Jog 4–5 km	30 min of stairs, 7 kg	3–4 hours, 8 kg
7	Jog 5 km, work on your time	30–40 min of stairs, 8 kg	4–5 hours, 8–10 kg
8	Jog 5 km, then rest 2 days before you travel	20 min of stairs, easy	3 hours, trek weight

If a week feels too hard, repeat it rather than skipping ahead. If you cycle or swim instead of jogging, keep the same time and effort. The loaded walk is the session that matters most, so do not skip it.

Stairs and loaded walks

Treks are mostly climbing and descending, so train for exactly that.

Stairs. Use your building’s staircase, a stadium or a temple’s steps.

• Walk up at a steady pace you can keep for the whole session. Do not run.
• Walk down carefully. Long descents are part of every trek, so practise them too.
• Add the backpack once plain stairs feel easy.

Loaded walks. These get your feet, shoulders and back used to carrying a bag for hours.

• Wear the shoes you will trek in, so they are broken in before the trip.
• Pack your trek backpack with water bottles or books, building up week by week to the weight you will carry.
• Find hills, a ghat road or a fort path if you can. On weekends, a short local trek is the best training of all.

If you live in a flat city, the stairs and the loaded walk become even more important. Do not replace them with gym machines alone.

Warning signs to stop

Training should leave you tired, not unwell. The American Heart Association lists warning signs that you are working too hard:

• pain, pressure, squeezing, burning or tightness in the chest, which may spread to the arm, shoulder, back, throat or jaw
• feeling lightheaded, dizzy or confused
• unusual or extreme shortness of breath
• a fast or irregular heartbeat
• feeling extremely tired after activity

If you notice any of these during or after exercise, stop and see a doctor. If chest pain lasts more than a few minutes, or comes with nausea or sweating, call 112 or get to the nearest hospital straight away. It may be a heart attack.

Talk to a doctor before you start this plan, and before a high trek, if you:

• have heart disease, lung disease or diabetes. The CDC advises seeing a doctor who knows altitude medicine before high-altitude travel, even if your condition is well controlled.
• are pregnant
• have been inactive for a long time, or are older and starting fresh

Ask your trek organiser what medical certificate or fitness test they need. Many Himalayan treks ask for one before you start.