Power hiking is a technique of fast, powerful walking, specific to the steep climbs of trail running, which allows you to conserve energy and maintain a higher metabolic efficiency compared to attempting to run when the gradient becomes excessive.
- In trail running, walking uphill is not a sign of weakness, but a strategic and technically efficient choice.
- Beyond a certain gradient, the energy cost of running becomes unsustainable: your heart “redlines” and you burn precious energy. Power hiking allows you to maintain an almost identical pace, but with less effort.
- The technique is based on 3 key elements: leaning the torso forward (originating from the ankles), an active push of the hands on the thighs, and a cadence of short, constant steps.
- Specifically training power hiking with dedicated sessions is essential to build the necessary strength and technique.
- Mastering this skill is the mark of a mature trail runner who knows how to manage effort and read the terrain.
Uphill, the Strongest Aren’t Those Who Run, but Those Who Know When to Walk
There’s an image etched into the mind of every novice trail runner: the pro who, as agile as a mountain goat, runs up a vertical climb with no apparent effort. And so, we try it too. We start running, we grit our teeth, our heart rate skyrockets, our breath is gone. Thirty seconds later, we’re bent in half, hands on our knees, and we’re being passed by another athlete who, with serene calm, is simply walking. And they’re going faster than us.
Welcome to the first, fundamental, and counter-intuitive lesson of trail running: on the toughest climbs, the strongest runners aren’t the ones who insist on running, but the ones who know exactly when to stop.
What you’re seeing isn’t a surrender, but the application of a precise technique, an important tool called power hiking. It’s the art of walking in a powerful and efficient way, a technical skill that must be trained and mastered just as much as downhill running.
The Science of Power Hiking: The Point Where Running Becomes a Waste of Energy
Why do even the most experienced trail runners walk on certain sections of a race? The answer is simple: because it’s more efficient.
Think of your body as a car. Running up a steep hill is like trying to tackle a mountain pass in fifth gear. The engine (your heart) immediately redlines, entering Zone 5, you consume an enormous amount of fuel (glycogen), and your actual speed is only slightly faster than a brisk walk. You’re wasting precious energy that you’ll need later.
Power hiking is like downshifting. You switch to first gear. The engine runs at a lower, more sustainable RPM (your heart stays in Zone 3/4), you consume less fuel, and your forward speed is almost the same. The experienced athlete instinctively recognizes this “energy crossover point,” that moment when the cost of running outweighs its benefits. For us, a good indicator is the feeling: when you notice that to run you have to break your rhythm, bounce, or that your breathing becomes uncontrollable, it’s time to “downshift” and switch to power hiking.
The 3-Move Technique for a “Powerful Stride”
Power hiking isn’t just a simple walk. It’s an active, propulsive movement that requires a specific technique to be truly effective.
1. The Torso Lean (Starting from the Ankles)
The common mistake is to bend at the back, “hunching over” the climb. This compresses your diaphragm and fatigues your lower back. The correct posture involves keeping your back relatively straight and leaning your entire torso forward, with a movement that originates from your ankles and hips. Imagine you want to maintain a straight line between your ankles, hips, and shoulders, like a skier attacking the slope.
2. The Hand-on-Thigh Push
This is the most well-known and most important gesture. Your arms are not passive; they become a second engine.
- How to do it: With each step, place your hand on the corresponding thigh, just above the knee. As that leg straightens to push your body forward, actively use your arm to “help” the push, offloading some of the work from your quadriceps.
- The rhythm: The movement is alternating and fluid. Right leg forward, right hand pushing on the right thigh. Left leg forward, left hand pushing. You’ve just engaged all-wheel drive.
3. The Step Frequency (Short and Constant)
Uphill, your stride length drastically shortens. Don’t try to take large steps, which will only waste energy. The goal is to maintain a high cadence with short, quick, and constant steps. Think of a steam train, not a kangaroo. A steady rhythm helps you maintain momentum and makes the effort more manageable.
How to Specifically Train for Uphill Walking
Power hiking is a skill. And like all skills, it must be trained.
- Workout 1: Power Hiking Repeats. Find a very steep hill (on a trail or a treadmill with a 15% incline). After a good warm-up, perform 5-8 sets of 3 minutes of power hiking at the maximum intensity you can sustain, focusing on your technique. Your recovery is the slow walk back down.
- Workout 2: In-Run Integration. During your trail running outings, be deliberate. As soon as the gradient exceeds a certain threshold (e.g., 10-15%), immediately and consciously switch to power hiking mode. Don’t see it as a defeat, but as the execution of a technical skill. Train the transition from running to walking and back again.
Learning to master power hiking will change the way you experience the mountains. You’ll feel stronger, more in control, and more strategic. You’ll understand that sometimes, to go faster, the smartest choice isn’t to speed up, but to slow down your stride and switch gears.