for the Camino de Santiago

The hiking on this trip is not difficult; however, walking 9-15 miles (7-12 hours) day after day, is challenging. Luckily, we have Creative Layover Days built into the pilgrimage, which give our bodies and feet a break. We walk primarily on pavement, through historic villages and along roadways. We also walk on dirt trails and roads and the terrain is mostly rolling hills, although there are some short steep sections. On the extra trip to Finesterre, we also walk on the beach. You should be in good physical condition and be able to enjoy hiking up and down hills.

And remember, we have a private driver who checks in with our group several times during our walking days, so you can adjust the mileage you walk to fit your needs.

Proper training will help to make your pilgrimage more pleasant. An adequate conditioning program for this trip could consist of all the following:

• Aerobic conditioning and endurance exercise, e.g. going for a 2-6 hour hike. If you don’t have hills, use a stair stepper at the gym, go up and down stadium stairs or in a tall office building for aerobic activity at least 1-2 times/week.
• Knee strength: Because of the uphill and downhill hiking we recommend strengthening and conditioning exercises specifically for your knees (e.g., squats, lunges). Lightweight upper body exercises or weightlifting will increase your overall conditioning and reinforce your core strength.
• Don’t forget your feet: Integrate foot and ankle exercises into your daily routine.
• Hike with your daypack, carrying everything you need for the day, including your rain jacket, an extra layer, 1.5 liters of water, sunscreen, personal first aid kit/medicines, snacks, etc.
• Increase your exercise level gradually. The key is to be consistent.

By June 1 (at least 3 months before the trip): Start doing some sort of aerobic exercise for an hour or more at least 3 times a week at a level sufficient to make you breathe deeply but not so vigorous as to make you pant. Start with 30 minutes and gradually include walks up to 2 to 3 hours long.

By July 1 (2 months before the trip): Increase your aerobic exercise to 3-4 times per week. Walk, particularly up and down hills, at least 5-8 miles 1-2 times per week.  Be sure to also start walking several miles on pavement.

By August 1 (1 month before the trip): Increase your aerobic exercise to 4-5 times per week. Add at least 1 hike/week with 10-12 miles. Continue to walk on pavement.

If you are comfortable with that amount of activity and/or your present fitness program is preparing you for that level of activity, you are all set!

If you think a structured program would be helpful to keep you motivated, consider hiring a trainer. We recommend Becky Rupp https://trailblazerwellness.com/. She will do a free consultation with you and create a program for you. You might also consult with a local gym/training center in your area to hire an in-person personal trainer.

We also like these training videos: