Muscular Endurance For Hikers

Today, I want to share with you a great workout a hiker can use to develop muscular endurance for the trail.

Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle to produce force again and again and again and again.
 
And this is obviously super relevant for hiking and should be developed in any training for hiking program.
 
Traditionally, when we look at developing muscular endurance, we think of things like hill or stair intervals and high repetition strength training.
 
Which are great!   
 
But, admittedly, that may not always be convenient.
 
Another great option here is doing what is called a 'grind workout' on a stationary cycle.
 
 Here is how you do it:

• Find a stationary cycle which you can adjust the resistance
  
  
• Crank up the resistance to a level where you can not go quicker then 40rpm
  
  
• Maintain this for as long as you can (your legs should get super burny, but you shouldn't get too out of breath)
  
  
• Rest when necessary
  
  
• Repeat
  
  

This is a dead-simple way to develop muscular endurance in the quadriceps, which translates quite well onto the trail.
 
And it is a particularly valuable workout for anyone who struggles with some type of foot or knee pain (and need to be careful about making repeated descents under load).
 
As with any workout, the key to this is progression. So each time you do it, try to make the working intervals a bit longer, or the resistance a bit heavier.
 
So if you have been looking for another way to develop muscular endurance, or the changing weather is forcing you to train indoors, give this a go!
 
I think you will enjoy it.  
 
Yours in trekking,  
 
Rowan