Cardio Hill Workout

Hills have been a key element in my running training throughout my career. I've used them in many different types of workouts to help improve my performance.

In high school, we ran hill repetitions and circuits with intervals of other types of fast work in between.

In college, we ran similar workouts to high school, but added long repetitions and reps with “cruise recoveries” (in other words, even the recovery was run at a quicker pace).

Those were brutal…

We did hill workouts every season, including summer base training, cross country, indoor track, and spring outdoor track season.

If the goal race was 10k or 800m, workouts that included running up hills were on the schedule.

This is not surprising because hills provide speedwork in disguise, as Frank Shorter famously said.

But I think my favorite sentiment about hills comes from this anonymous quote:

Why do we try to avoid hills?
It's not hard to see that having flat things is generally not a good thing.
Hills are opportunities to test your strength and see how far you can push yourself. They are a symbol of challenges that must be overcome. Life is full of hills, but each one makes you stronger and more capable than you were before.
The thrill of skiing down the other side is only experienced if you attempt to ski up the mountain first.

The following text is a Hill workout. It is hard and unpleasant. It challenges your endurance, speed, and strength.

There’s no other workout like hills.

And that’s just why they’re so valuable.

Why Are Hill Workouts so Beneficial?

Running uphill puts stress on your body in a way that you can't copy on level ground.

That stress results in some fantastic adaptations and benefits:

There’s less impact running uphill so it’s easier on your joints and connective tissues
Hills “force” you to run with better form, reinforcing a more efficient stride
Running up steep grades builds power more safely than running fast on flat terrain
Hills provide the most specific strength work runners could ask for
Hill workouts build strength, speed, endurance, VO2 Max, and every other metric runners care about!

Hill workouts aren't just for training for races that are entirely uphill. They can be helpful for any type of training program.

Since they are so versatile, they can be used at any time during the season.

The difficulty of the hill workout depends on how it is completed.

The Benefits of Hill Running

Running uphill strengthens the leg muscles, improves fitness, and uses the muscles of the core, lower body, and arms differently than running on flat surfaces.

When you run uphill, you will use more of your calf muscles than when running on a flat surface. You will also lift your knees higher than usual and pump your arms vigorously.

This type of workout not only has benefits for your cardiovascular system, but can also increase your VO2 max and endurance.

Hill running will help improve your speed, strength and overall running abilities.

If you want to improve your running, adding hill workouts to your training program is key. This can involve anything from short hill sprints to long hill repeats, or adding drills into your hill workouts.

Please keep in mind that hill training is tough.

To avoid injury, wait until you have built a strong base of endurance and strength before you go to the hills.

Hill training is intensity to the extreme.

One per week is the maximum you should do them, especially if you're new to it.

When Should Hills Be Used In Training?

ALL DAY EVERY DAY. NO EXCUSES.

There are different types of hill workouts that can be beneficial to your training plan. By understanding how to best implement these workouts, you can improve your overall fitness.

Hill Workout #1: Short Reps

Most of us envision a traditional hill workout when we think of short hill repetitions.

The reps are generally 60-90 seconds in length, with a brief jog recovery in between (at the end of the rep, you turn around and run easy back to the bottom before turning around to start again).

Intervals are usually run at a fast pace on a short, steep hill.

This type of workout helps the body increase its ability to deliver and process oxygen to hard-working muscles.

The workout is not only great for those who struggle with injuries, but it is also beneficial for building strength.

Here are a few examples of short hill rep workouts:

10 x 90sec hills at 5k Pace
8 x 60sec hills at 3k Pace
Descending ladder: 3x90sec, 3x60sec, 3x45sec starting at 10k Pace and getting progressively faster

There is a lot of leeway in designing workouts that involve running up and down a hill multiple times. You can change the speed, length of time running, and number of repetitions to fit your needs.

Incorporating these hill workouts into the middle or late stages of your running season will help you focus more on power and speed.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. If the reps are shorter with longer recoveries, they can be used in the early phases of training as a precursor to more challenging workouts.

Hill Workout #2: Long Reps

I have very clear memories of being terrified of long reps that last 2-4 minutes.

Once a season during college cross country, my coach had us run 5 x 3min hills at a hard pace with a jog down for recovery. The undulating terrain made them particularly challenging.

I still get nervous thinking about the “Pig Hill” workout I did 12 years ago. Even though the reps weren't as intense, they were longer, which made them more mentally challenging.

These types of hill workouts can be used for a variety of reasons:

Early strength-building during the base phase of training
A type of tempo workout (if the pace is kept under control)
A replacement for shorter hill reps if an easier day is needed

This workout is more aerobic because it is slower and longer, so it is best used in the earlier phases of training.

Hill Workout #3: Circuit

Doing hill circuits is usually more challenging than other types of hill workouts because the recovery jog is done at a faster pace.

This makes it so you can't recover as much between repetitions and makes the workout more demanding for your aerobic system.

Here are a few examples:

8 x 90sec hills at 5k effort, jog down recovery at marathon effort
8 x 45sec hills at 3k effort, jog down recovery at 10k/half marathon effort

The following sessions are similar to track workouts. In these workouts, the “cruise recoveries” are run at a more challenging pace.

Because the workouts are demanding and the pace is fast, it is best to use them in the middle or later stages of a season when the goal race is at the half marathon or shorter distance.

The more difficult the workout, the more it is suitable for the later stages of a training cycle because it will help you reach peak shape more quickly.

The amount of time you can stay in peak shape is typically only 6 to 8 weeks.

Bonus Workout: Hill Sprints

Although I would not class hill sprints as a conventional workout, I have decided to include them in this post.

In the same way that strides are done after a run, hill sprints are also drills that are done after a run. The difference is that hill sprints are much shorter, only 8-10 seconds long. Even though they are short, they are very intense and are done up the steepest hill possible.

Because the hill is so steep – and the pace is literally as fast as you can go – they recruit as many muscle fibers as possible, helping you:

Increase stride power
Engage more muscle fibers
Improve running economy
Strengthens muscles and connective tissues (helping with injury prevention)

What if You Don’t Have Hills?

You can train for hills without actual hills by doing things like running against the wind, running upstairs, or even running with a backpack full of weight.

One suggestion for hill workouts is to use a treadmill.

Follow these basic rules to get the most from treadmill hill sessions:

Run a thorough warmup before any workout (hills or otherwise)
Hill reps can be run on grade of 3-7% depending on the type of workout (see above!)
Take 2-4 minutes of recovery on a flat incline at an easy effort in between reps

You can get all the benefits of hills by running a lot, lifting weights, and running on a treadmill.

How to Conquer Hill Running

If you're a runner who hates running hills, you might be doing your hill workouts the wrong way.

If you follow these guidelines for training on hills, you will be able to enjoy running up and down hills during your runs.

1. Find a Good Hill

If you have never ran hills before, start with the basics.

Avoid grassy areas as they provide little traction. Once you’ve found a good hill, face it and put your hands on your hips. First, find a runnable hill—one that’s not too long and not too steep. Avoid grassy areas as they provide little traction. Once you’ve found a good hill, face it and put your hands on your hips.

A beginner-friendly hill should be around 100-200 meters in length.

The angle of the incline should be difficult, but not so much so that you cannot maintain proper form the entire time.

The ideal angle for an incline on a treadmill is three to five percent.

No hills available?

If you live in a flat area like me, you can simulate hill training by working the incline on the treadmill between four and six percent.

2. The Warm-up & Cool-Down

Before beginning a hill run workout, or any other type of workout, it is important to warm up the muscles. Once the workout is completed, it is also important to cool down the muscles by stretching.

Running hills challenges both your muscles and joints, so you’d want to make sure to have performed a dynamic warm-up before attacking the hill.

Jog slowly for about five to ten minutes before you reach the bottom of the hill.

You should do a set of dynamic exercises as part of your warm-up to get the most out of it. My routine is linked here if you want to check it out.

Once you are done with hill training, your body will need time to recover and return to its normal state.

That’s where right cool down comes into the picture.

Check my favorite routine here.

3. Start Small – The Ideal Session

For those who are new to hill running, it is recommended to start with shorter hills that have a small incline.

Give yourself time to get used to going up and down hills before you try steeper or more challenging ones.

Here's what to do for your first hill workout.

Stretch your arms over your head and your legs out in front of you. To warm up, jog for 5 to 10 minutes on a flat surface. Stretch your arms over your head and your legs out in front of you.

Then, after a few minutes of rest, walk up the hill for another 10 to 20 seconds. To begin, walk at a comfortable and sustainable pace for ten to twenty seconds until you feel warm. Then, return to the starting point and rest for a few minutes. After that, walk up the hill again for ten to twenty seconds.

Run up again the hill, then walk down.

Do the sequence 15 to 20 minutes, or as long as you feel up to it.

Last up, cool down with a 10-minute easy jog.

4. Control Your Body

Running hills efficiently calls for good rhythm.

If you allow the hill to dictate your speed, it will exhaust you and you will have difficulty regaining your speed.

Here’s what you need to do.

Instead, take shorter, faster strides. Do not attempt to keep the same speed when running up a hill, instead take quicker steps.

Instead, shoot for an equal effort.

You will have more energy for the rest of your workout if you sweat a lot at the beginning.

What this means is that you shouldn't go all out when you first start climbing the hill, but rather pace yourself so that you can maintain a consistent effort.

5. When to Start

If you want to start hill training effectively, make sure you establish a strong foundation first.

Do not try to do any hill training until you have been running for two to three months to build up a base.

Who Should Run Hill Sessions?

Short answer: everyone!

Everyone who runs can improve their power, speed, and strength by doing hill repeats.

Foremost among them are those living in the world’s wealthy urban centers There are a few key groups of people who will disproportionately benefit from living in hilly areas, most notably those who live in wealthy urban areas.

Hills are a good alternative for people who get injured easily because there is less impact on their legs.

Running uphill forces you to use proper running form, as it is more difficult to over-stride or have poor posture while running uphill.

Doing workouts on hills helps build the specific type of strength needed for running. It takes a strong and fit runner to be able to run fast up a hill.

More economical runners are less prone to injuries.

Hills are a great way for new runners to build skill and power, which are not typical areas of focus for beginner runners.

The exception to this would be if you have just started your running journey and are still within the first few weeks. In this case, hill sprints and running hills at your easy pace on a regular run would be of more benefit.

If you are training for a race that has hills, it is important to incorporate hills into your training program.

Repeating a workout on a hill can help build the power and strength needed to be successful on hilly race courses.

It is important to not underestimate the psychological benefits of feeling comfortable on hills. If you do not practice, a hilly course could appear to be very daunting on race day.

There are more hill workouts in the author's book, 52 Workouts, 52 Weeks, One Faster Runner.

What types of hill workouts do you run? Do you do them differently than other types of workouts?