
Not having hill workouts as a part of your fitness routine is like having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich but without the jelly. They are an important part of any exercise routine, even if you are not a runner or training for a running event. Bonus–they are as easy to do as going outside and finding a hill.
Hill workouts are what we like to call around here as a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout. They are a great way to increase your heart rate fast and for a short period of time.
The two greatest things about doing a hill workout is that they strengthen you physically but also mentally as well. Physically you are working on leg strength by fighting gravity. Mentally you are challenging yourself to something that is difficult. You might like to look at is as, ‘If I can get up this hill, what else might I be able to accomplish.’
Here is an example of a hill workout you can try for yourself-
Give yourself about 10 to 20 minutes to warm up your body before the hill sprints. This could be just jogging around the streets where you are beforehand.
When you are ready. Spring to the top of the hill as fast as you can. This should be about 200-400 meters. Once you make it to the top, jog slowly back down the hill with short strides. Once at the bottom of the hill take 60 seconds to rest before your next sprint. Repeat 6-10 times.
Ready to add some hill workouts into your fitness routine?