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7 Hill Running Workouts That Increase Power
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Hill running increases leg-muscle power; improves fitness; and uses the muscles of the legs, arms and core in ways that are different than running on flat surfaces. Hill workouts can serve as a way to transition into more formal speedwork, or to balance intervals performed on a track or flat roads. These seven workouts will make you a better uphill and downhill runner in no time.
Hill Run
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A basic run of 4 to 8 miles that includes hills of varying lengths and grades.?
Long Hill Repeats
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Run 5 to 6 x half-mile uphill (5- to 8-percent grade) at 5K race-pace effort with jog back down as recovery.?
Short Hill Repeats
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Sprint 8 to 10 x 100 meters uphill (15- to 20-percent grade) with jog back down as recovery.? Exaggerate your arm swing, lean into the hill, and focus on pushing off with the balls of your feet.?
Uphill/Downhill Repeats
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Run 4 x half-mile uphill + quarter-mile downhill (2- to 3-percent grade) at 5K race-pace effort with 3 minutes jogging for recovery.
Short Downhill Repeats
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Run 8 to 10 x 100 meters nearly all-out downhill (2- to 3-percent grade) with jog back uphill as recovery.
Hill Accelerators
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Run 4 to 8 x 200- to 400-meter hill, running the bottom at race-pace effort. Accelerate the last 50 meters of the hill and 100 meters from the top, with jog back down as recovery. Focus on the acceleration at the top. Pump your arms and lengthen your stride.
Hill Bounding
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Use an exaggerated running motion to bound 6 to 8 times up a steep hill (15- to 20-percent grade) for 40 to 50 meters; jog down. Strive for as much horizontal distance as possible. Extend your push-off leg fully and drive your knee of the forward leg up.
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