The 3 Exercises That Will Save Your Legs on the Descent

Most hikers think that the ascent up a mountain is the hardest part. But it’s the descent that your legs will remember the next day, especially every time you step down stairs or sit in a chair.

As you place your foot on the ground, your quads absorb the impact and act like brakes, slowing your body down. This braking causes the soreness you’ll feel days later. If your quads fatigue early, it causes further stress on the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, which can lead to injury.

The remedy for pain-free descents? Don’t think about strengthening certain muscles. Instead, think about preparing your body for the three actions it needs to perform going downhill: absorbing impact, controlling each step, and controlling the foot.

Training these qualities three times a week over six to eight weeks leading up to your next backpacking trip can help your descents feel smoother, more controlled, and leave your legs fresher for the miles ahead.

The Best Exercise to Help You Better Absorb Impact Downhill

Move: Heel Elevated Goblet Squats

Why It Works:

This exercise elevates the heels by a couple of inches, allowing the quads to work through a longer range of motion. By taking four seconds to lower into the squat, you can create the time under tension needed for the trail.

How to Do It:

• Grab a weight and hold it close to your chest as you perform a squat with your heels elevated on a slant board or weight plates. (Choose a weight that allows for good form on all reps, but feels a little challenging.)
• With an engaged core, unlock your knees and bring your butt toward the floor with your hips going below your knees, taking four seconds to descend.
• Keep your torso upright and your core engaged, then squeeze your glutes to return to standing. Avoid letting the knees move inward during the squat.
• Perform three to four sets of 12 to 15 reps with a four-second lower.

The Best Exercise to Help You Better Control Each Step During the Descent

Move: Lateral Step-Down

Descending a trail is really thousands of controlled single-leg stability landings. The terrain, your balance, braking ability, coordination, and confidence will all affect how safely you can navigate a descent.

Why It Works:

One of the best gym exercises that carries over to hiking is the lateral step-down, which trains balance, eccentric control, and coordination, and boosts knee stability. It’s also a go-to for reducing knee pain during downhill hiking.

• Equipment Needed: Stairs or a step block that is between six and eight inches in height. You can use a lower step if you feel any knee pain.

How to Do It:

• Start by standing with your left foot on a 6-inch step.
• Bending your left knee, slowly lower your right foot until you can tap your heel on the floor.
• Try not to reach for the floor with your right foot; instead, lower yourself only with your left leg.
• Press through your left foot to return to the start position. Slow and controlled is the key here; fast reps won’t do you any good. Aim for a four-second lower.
• Do three sets of ten per leg and build up to four sets.

The Best Exercise to Help You Control Your Foot Movements When Going Downhill

Moves: Wall-Lean Toe Raises

The tibialis anterior, or shin muscle, works in a couple of ways during each step. One job is to lift the toes to clear obstacles such as rocks or roots. Its other role is to slow your foot down after your heel touches the ground; it’s basically a brake that keeps your foot from slapping the ground with each step. Long descents can leave this muscle sore because the toes land below the heel with each step, increasing the range of motion.

Why It Works:

This exercise helps strengthen and stabilize the muscles around the foot and ankle so you can descend pain-free.

How to Do It:

• For wall-lean toe raises, place your hips against a wall and walk your feet 18 inches out.
• From there, pull your toes up toward your shins while keeping your legs straight.
• To lower your toes, control the foot back down using a four-second lowering phase. Focus on feeling the tibialis muscle along the front of your shin engage with every repetition as you lift your toes.
• Perform three to four sets of 15 to 20 reps.

To make the exercise harder: walk your feet farther away from the wall.

To make it easier: move your feet closer to the wall.

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