What Muscles to Train for Backpacking?

By Anna Duncan

Backpacking can be an incredibly rewarding activity, allowing us to explore the great outdoors and take in the scenery. It is a physical activity, however, and it is important that you train your muscles properly in order to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. The muscles you should focus on when training for backpacking depend largely on the type of terrain you will be traversing and how much weight you plan to carry.

Upper Body Strength: For any type of backpacking, having strong upper body muscles is essential. This includes your arms, shoulders, chest and back.

Strengthening these muscles will help you keep balance while carrying a heavy pack over difficult terrain. Exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups and shoulder presses are particularly beneficial for building upper body strength.

Lower Body Strength: Having strong lower body muscles is just as important as having strong upper body muscles. This includes your legs, hips, glutes and core.

Strengthening these muscles will help you maintain stability while walking through uneven terrain with a heavy backpack on your back. Squats and lunges are great exercises for building lower body strength and endurance. Additionally, incorporating core exercises such as planks into your workout routine will help build abdominal strength which is also essential for backpacking success.

Cardiovascular Endurance: Backpacking can be an aerobic activity so it’s important that you train your cardiovascular system to ensure that you don’t become fatigued too quickly. Cardio exercises such as running, cycling or swimming are great ways to build up your endurance before heading out into the wilderness with a heavy pack on your back.

Conclusion: Backpacking requires a combination of upper body strength, lower body strength and cardiovascular endurance in order to make sure that you have an enjoyable experience in the great outdoors while staying safe at the same time. By focusing on strengthening your arms, shoulders, chest and back; legs, hips glutes and core; and improving your cardiovascular endurance through running or swimming; you can ensure that you are properly prepared for any type of terrain or amount of weight that comes with it.