Get ready for the part of the trek that actually breaks people.
Almost nobody struggles on day one. It goes wrong on the accumulation: four days in, tired legs, a pack that gets heavier every hour, and long descents that punish knees nothing in a normal week prepares you for. This is an 8-week plan built for those days, whether you want to feel stronger on your local weekend hikes or arrive ready for Everest Base Camp, the Inca Trail, Kilimanjaro, or Annapurna.
IS THIS YOU?
- You hike on weekends and feel fine, but you’ve never done four hard days back to back.
- You’ve never carried a loaded pack downhill for three hours.
- You’re going with a group or a guide, and you’d rather not be the one everyone waits for.
- Your training so far is stairs, cardio, or whatever the guide company sent, and you’re not sure it adds up to anything.
- You’ve booked, or you’re dreaming of, a bigger trek: Everest Base Camp, Inca Trail, Kilimanjaro, Annapurna.
- You can train a few times a week. No experience on big mountains needed.
WHAT YOU’LL BE READY FOR
- Your local trails and weekend hikes, climbs included, without dreading them.
- Long days on the trail, back to back, without falling apart.
- Carrying a pack over uneven ground with confidence.
- The descents that punish unprepared knees.
- Higher altitude, on a body that has done the work.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- 8-week plan, up to 4 days a week, 40 to 60 minute sessions.
- Trek-specific strength, cardio, and stability every week.
- A video for every movement, so technique is clear.
- Warm-ups and accessory work built into each session.
- Scaling options that meet you at your starting point.
WORTH KEEPING IN MIND
If you’ve booked the trip, you’ve already spent thousands on flights, permits, a guide and gear, and you get one attempt at it. The training is the cheapest part of the whole thing and the only part that decides how the days actually feel.
And if you haven’t booked anything yet, this still pays for itself on the local trails you’ll do in the meantime.
WHICH PLAN IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
- Training for a big trek, or building strength for long days on trail? You’re in the right place.
- Already handle long loaded days and eyeing glaciated peaks like Rainier or Mont Blanc? Step up to the 10-Week Mountaineering Fitness Plan.
A NOTE ON WHERE YOU’RE STARTING
This isn’t about how fit you are right now. Plenty of strong gym-goers have never spent days on a trail at altitude, and plenty of people start from scratch. This plan builds the specific fitness a trek demands, and it scales to wherever you begin. Start it now rather than waiting for your trip to get close. The plan is yours forever, so the best approach is to build a base with it now and then do it again in the eight weeks before you fly, going in stronger the second time.
Not sure yet? Try a week of it.
Enter your email and we’ll send a free sample week from the training plan.
Anne Essiembre –
Joining this program, Ascent, was the best thing I did before I did the 5 day/4 night trek on the Salkantey Trek to Machu Pichu, Rainbow Mountain and more in Peru! I am 65 years old. The program was demanding but very doable. Videos to help you support the descriptions of the movements. I was really well prepared for this trek. I had NO physical problems following the group (between 24-31 years old) during the trek and NO injuries/pain during and after the excursions. I highly recommend this program! Thank you to everybody from Ascent for making my Peru experience so great!!!
Rebecca Maguire –
Great training plan. I used this plan to train for a 5 day hut to hut hike in the Dolomites. It was easy to follow and extremely beneficial. It got me ready for my adventure and I highly recommend it.
Shanna Lakin (verified owner) –
I really appreciate the specificity of the prep work, warm up, mixed modal, and how easy it is to follow. Will use this program many times in the future. Ive looked for programming like this many, many times and this one is top notch.
Only wish the format was in an app but still worth it!
Mary –
8 week trekking prepared me for Colorado mountains, 3 day trek. I'm a.68 year old woman, ultra runner the program trained me for the incline and decline. Using the equipment I had available to : weights, resistance bands, kettle ball, Peleton bike, treadmill with incline, max trainer and weighted vest for those long walk run days.
I encourage you to purchase it works....
Elaine Richard (verified owner) –
I used the 8 week trekking plan to train for the Camino Frances and I was well prepared for my journey! I think it was a good mix of strength, and conditioning. The videos were very helpful. I would recommend the plan.
Ben Schneider (verified owner) –
Being from the prairies, I bought this plan in preparation for a backcountry hunt in the mountains. It was perfect and I even got a few of my friends onto it. It was progressive and focused on balance and strength where it actually counts out in field. I never felt overwhelmed as it grew with you and I can honestly say this plan played a vital role in our success
Alison Wood –
We are 2 women ages 52 & 59yrs with a historic fit(ish) background. We planned a 4 day walk across the Pyrenees from France into Spain carrying a 10kg pack. This is a WW2 escape route and quite challenging.
We signed up to a program with Ascent ready and bought minimal kit for our “home gym”. On first read of the program I was sceptical, as always. However as we progressed through and periodically tested ourselves on local hilly walks we were both pleasantly surprised at the difference a relatively painless program gave us. It builds strength and stamina gently. I swapped a few exercises out (I’m older and have a dodgy back) and replaced them with other suggested alternatives.
We have now completed the Pyrenees and having heard previous horror stories we have none to tell. We may not have been fresh as daisies by the end but apart from feeling tired we had no injuries, no aches and pains and are planning our next adventure. I would highly recommend this program as it conditions you perfectly for hill walking whilst carrying a pack. Thanks team.
Lionel R Orama –
Excellent plan, easy to follow and effective. My trekking condition has improved considerably. Looking forward for an intermediate trekking fitness plan.
Rafa –
Me parece muy adecuado el programa de entrenamiento. El único problema que encuentro es que para las personas que solo podemos hacerlo en casa algunos ejercicios no podemos realizarlos. Sería muy conveniente adaptarlos a los que solamente podemos realizarlos en casa
Jose Verhappen (verified owner) –
Heel blij ben ik met dit programma! Ik ben aan het trainen om een deel van de Camino te lopen. Dit programma is een hele fijne toevoeging aan mijn wandel trainingen. Mijn fysiotherapeut merkte ook op dat een programma als dit, zeer wenselijk is bij hiking of lange afstandswandelingen. Wat ook een voordeel is: het is een leuk programma!!! Ik heb echt plezier in de oefeningen en merk dat ik conditioneel vorderingen maak. De video’s van de oefeningen zijn kort en krachtig. Twijfels? Niet doen! Gewoon aanschaffen.