Training to Hike the Grand Canyon: Gear, Tips, and Exercises

Ulrike says there’s nothing like getting out on the trail to train for a longer or more strenuous hike:

“Preparing for a long hike means, well, hiking! Before I attempted hiking up and down the Grand Canyon in one gorgeous day, I walked a lot to prepare! Time on the trail helps your body adapt to moving all day.”

No access or time to venture out to hiking trails? No problem.

“If weather or your schedule doesn’t permit getting out of town for a long hike, you can get in the distance by walking your local park or even your neighborhood,” Ulrike said.

“Being prepared for an epic amount of switchbacks out one of the world’s biggest canyons requires legs capable of climbing,” says Ulrike. “I remember standing at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and I couldn’t even see the rim I was climbing towards! While there was nothing quite like seeing the Colorado River up close and personal, there was also nothing quite like the final two miles of climbing out of the Grand Canyon.”

Training for the climb is essential to preparing for a Grand Canyon hike.

“The best way to do this is find a hill, and climb it,” she explains. “And then once you’re done with that, climb it again! Doing this 5-10 times can mimic the pressures of a whole lot of uphill.”

“Did I mention the uphills?” says Ulrike.

I think we’ve mentioned it a few times by now, but hiking the Grand Canyon requires a lot (and then some) of time going uphill and down.

“Hiking that much uphill requires a strong cardiovascular system.” Ulrike says. “There’s lots of ways to add cardio training in before taking on the Grand Canyon. Hiking is one example, but you can also add gym classes, a bike ride, jumping rope, or even jumping jacks in the living room.”

When you’re planning to cover 15-30 miles of distance — especially if you want to tackle it in a day — you’re going to need more than just a burst of energy. Here’s how Ulrike trained, and a few options she recommends:

“I knew hiking the Canyon would be a long, full day, so just working on cardio wasn’t an option — I also needed endurance! Cardio training might get your heart and lungs capable, but endurance training refers to building up your ability to “endure” on the trail. This means a combo of muscular training and cardiovascular ability.

HIIT [High-Intensity Interval Training] workout classes are great for both cardio and endurance. Adding one in weekly can increase your endurance significantly in less time. You can also add in brisk walking or those sweet hikes you’ve been meaning to try. Try to increase in volume and stamina every time you add this in.”

Our last tip is an important one for any outdoor adventure: always make sure you know how to use your gear before you hit the trail. Whether your stuff is brand new or you’ve owned it for years, pull it out well before the hike and practice using it. Part of training to hike the Grand Canyon is knowing you can handle your gear quickly and successfully in an emergency.

It’s also a good idea to pack everything into your backpack and do a dry run with the weight you expect to carry. If you’re uncomfortable from the start, make adjustments: find ways to lighten the load (without losing any of the essentials) or adjust your pack, playing with the straps and the way you load it.

Doing step ups on a park bench or your gym’s box will safely train your legs and core how to climb! You’ll start by keeping your chest as open as possible (try looking ahead, instead of directly at your own feet to help) and step your foot firmly onto an elevated surface. Follow with your second leg and make sure to fully extend your body at the top.

However, while step ups are great for learning how to climb, a lot of the Grand Canyon is downhill, so that’s where we can switch this step up to step downs. This time, you’ll start on top of the elevated surface of your choice. Look forward as you lower one leg very closely towards the ground and still keep your shoulders from curving towards your legs. You should feel your glutes turning on to protect those knees!

Aim for 1 minute of step ups, 1 minute of step downs, then a one minute break, for 9 to 15 minutes for big burn and big results.

Pro-Tip: You can add a dumbbell to your shoulder on the step-ups to add extra burn, switching sides at mid-way or each time, but don’t add it to your step-downs — your glutes already have lots to do.

Lunging is that pesky exercise that magically makes you better at climbing things! Carve out some space at the park, or a parking lot to lunge forward. Keep your chest level, make sure your ribcage is securely over your hips, and check that your shoulders aren’t sloping forward.

Then step one foot forward, aiming for a long stance where your front knee is now over your ankle and your back knee heads towards the ground (but doesn’t touch, in a parking lot that’s ouch!). Then, you know, keep going! Lunge the length of a few parking spots or aim for 10 lunges total, and then turnaround and lunge back the direction you came!

10 rounds of this will have you feeling prepared for the final two miles of climbing out of the canyon and trust me, you will want to feel prepared for those miles.

Pro-tip: Watch out for knee and ankle pain by making sure your lunges are long enough! Your body might feel like shortening the stance will somehow make these easier, but instead it can cause ankle instability or knee pain. Open heart and long legs will help you get the most out of this exercise!

Between packing it all in and out, the gravity, the climbs, and standing strong to enjoy all those amazing views, you need to be prepared for everything. Before getting to the real thing, get full body stability by adding in squats — specifically goblet squats or prisoner arm squats.

Start your squat with feet slightly wider than hip distance, and think of rooting your mid-foot to the ground. I like to pretend I’m growing an actual long root from my mid-foot into the earth! When you squat, drop down to parallel with your hips and then power back up to standing.

If you have access to a dumbbell or kettlebell, feel free to turn this into a goblet squat. Pick a weight that feels heavy but doesn’t cause your back pain. Squeeze the base of the dumbbell or hold the horns of the kettlebell between your hands and make sure not to let the weight pull your chest forward.

We’re adding weight to help create more upper body stability, but if you don’t want to add weight or don’t have access, you can still build lots of upper body stability by adding a prisoner arm stance to your squat. Lift your arms and put your fingertips behind your head, making sure to keep your elbows open wide.

Add 15-20 squats to each workout!

Pro-tip: If you have pain in your knees, check your stance! You might not have those feet wide enough and it’s causing pain. Make sure you have enough room for your hiker booty to fit between those legs!

It’s hard to believe, but your legs might not be the most sore part of you at the end of this adventure! Climbing in (and then out) of the world’s biggest canyon means packing in and out your own water, snacks, and even wardrobe for when it’s cold starting and really hot in the middle! Carrying a pack while adjusting to a lot of force pushing you and that pack forward while you hike down and the same force pushing you backwards while you hike up means some serious work on your mid-back.

Adding plank holds to your workouts before climbing the Grand Canyon will help you build stronger ab muscles and a stronger back, so you can carry everything you need without fear of pain.

To set up your plank, take it to the floor and roll those shoulders away from your ears, engaging your shoulders down your back. Don’t forget that your hands have muscles too, that can really help support a strong plank! Think about putting your index finger forward and engaging those fingers and finger pads into the floor.

Once your arms and shoulders are ready to rock, check in with the rest of your body. You can do this move in a full plank or make it easier by having your knees on the ground. If you have your knees down, make sure your body’s in one straight line from knees to neck. If you’re doing a full plank, lift those knees and press out through your heels, creating a long and strong plank!

Hold your plank for at least 20 seconds, building up to 40 seconds to a minute, and add in one to three rounds each time you workout. If you’d like more resistance, try putting your feet into some TRX straps to suspend your plank away from the floor.

Pro-tip: If you struggle with low back pain doing a plank, grab a yoga block or a mini exercise ball and tuck it between your inner thighs, close to your hips. Squeeze the ball with your inner thighs as you plank — it turns on those abs which will help mitigate back pain!