Essential exercises targeting legs, core, and shoulders to build the endurance and strength needed for weeks of walking with a backpack.
I'll be honest with you: the first time I walked the Camino Francés, I thought my daily runs and weekend hikes were plenty of preparation. By day three, my quads were screaming at me on the descent into Zubiri, and my shoulders felt like they'd been worked over by a particularly enthusiastic medieval torturer. I've now completed the Francés six times, walked the Via Podiensis twice (once continuing all the way to Santiago), tackled the rugged Camino Norte, done both the coastal and inland routes of the Camino Portugués from Lisbon, and made the journey to Finisterre five times. If there's one thing I've learned through all those kilometers—besides the fact that Spanish coffee is a gift from the heavens—it's that targeted strength training makes the difference between suffering and actually enjoying the experience.
Here's the thing about the Camino: it's not a sprint. It's weeks of repetitive motion, day after day, with a pack on your back. Your body needs endurance, yes, but it also needs the structural strength to handle that accumulated stress. Without it, you're setting yourself up for tendinitis, joint pain, and the kind of muscular fatigue that turns every uphill into a personal crisis.
So let's talk about the eight exercises that I wish someone had drilled into my head before that first pilgrimage.
Fair question. Here's the reality: walking the Camino isn't like your weekend stroll through the park. You're looking at 15-30 kilometers daily, often on uneven terrain, whilst carrying everything you need on your back. The Camino Norte, which I walked in 2019, was particularly brutal—those coastal cliffs and constant undulations destroyed pilgrims who hadn't prepared their stabilizer muscles. I watched people drop out by day four because their knees simply couldn't handle the strain.
Strength training does three crucial things:
- Protects your joints by building the muscles that support them
- Improves your endurance by making each step more efficient
- Prevents overuse injuries that accumulate over weeks of walking
Now, onto the exercises.
How to do it:
Find a sturdy step, bench, or box about knee height. Wear your actual backpack (or a training pack with weight plates) loaded to your target hiking weight. Step up with your right foot, driving through the heel, then bring your left foot up. Step down with control. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
My recommendation: Start with a lower step and lighter weight, then progressively increase both. By the time you leave for the Camino, you should be comfortable doing 3 sets of 15 reps per leg with your full pack weight. I typically aim for a step height of about 40 centimeters—roughly the height of many of those medieval stone steps you'll encounter in villages along the Francés.
The drop into Molinaseca on the Francés, the endless downhill after O Cebreiro, the coastal switchbacks on the Norte—these are the moments that destroy unprepared knees. Bulgarian split squats build the quad strength and knee stability to handle them.
How to do it:
Stand about two feet in front of a bench or chair. Place the top of your back foot on the bench behind you. Lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the ground (or as low as you can go with good form). Your front knee should track over your toes, not cave inward. Drive up through your front heel.
My recommendation: Start bodyweight, then add dumbbells or a weighted pack. Work up to 3 sets of 12 per leg. And go in knowing this: your balance will be terrible at first. That's normal. Stick with it.
Romanian deadlifts also strengthen your lower back in a controlled way, building resilience for those hours of walking with a loaded pack.
How to do it:
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells or a barbell in front of your thighs. Push your hips back whilst keeping your back flat and knees slightly bent. Lower the weight until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings (usually around mid-shin), then drive your hips forward to return to standing.
My recommendation: Form matters more than weight here. I'd suggest using a hex dumbbell set and starting lighter than you think you need to. Work up to 3 sets of 10 with challenging weight. If you can't maintain a flat back, you've gone too heavy.
How to do it:
Stand on one foot at the edge of a step (hold something for balance if needed). Lower your heel below the step level, then rise up onto your toes as high as possible. Control both the up and down phases—no bouncing.
My recommendation: 3 sets of 15-20 per leg, done slowly. If you have access to a gym, you can add weight with a calf raise machine, but honestly, bodyweight with full range of motion is plenty challenging. Once these become easy, hold a dumbbell in the hand opposite to your working leg.
How to do it:
Lie on your back with arms extended toward the ceiling and knees bent at 90 degrees (thighs vertical, shins horizontal). Keeping your lower back pressed firmly into the floor, slowly extend your right arm overhead whilst simultaneously straightening your left leg toward the floor. Return to start and repeat on the opposite side.
The key: Your lower back should not arch off the floor. If it does, you've extended too far. This is about control, not range of motion.
My recommendation: 3 sets of 10 per side. Once you can do this with perfect form, slow it down even more, or add light ankle and wrist weights. I do these almost daily, even between pilgrimages—they're that good for spinal health.
On my first walk along the coastal Camino Portugués, I was constantly adjusting to the sandy, cambered paths along the beach sections. Without good lateral stability, my hips were working overtime, and I could feel it in my lower back every evening.
How to do the standard plank:
Forearms and toes on the ground, body in a straight line from head to heels. Don't let your hips sag or pike up. Hold.
How to do the side plank:
Lie on your side, then lift your body so you're supported on one forearm and the edge of your bottom foot. Your body should form a straight line. Top hand can rest on your hip or extend toward the ceiling for extra challenge.
My recommendation: Build up to holding a standard plank for 60 seconds and side planks for 45 seconds per side. If you want to make them more dynamic (and Camino-specific), try slow mountain climbers or plank marches, which add movement to the hold.
I've seen so many pilgrims walking with rounded shoulders and forward head posture by week two—it's uncomfortable to watch because I know how much it hurts. Strong rhomboids and mid-traps prevent this.
How to do it:
Hold dumbbells (or a resistance band looped under your feet), hinge forward at the hips about 45 degrees, keeping your back flat. Pull the weights to your lower ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top. Lower with control.
My recommendation: 3 sets of 12-15. Focus on the squeeze at the top rather than going heavy. You should feel this between your shoulder blades, not in your biceps. If you're training at home with minimal equipment, resistance bands work brilliantly for this.
How to do the half-kneeling hip flexor stretch:
Kneel on one knee (put a cushion under it if needed) with your other foot forward, knee at 90 degrees. Tuck your tailbone under slightly—you should feel an immediate stretch in the front of your back leg's hip. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch.
To add strengthening:
From that same position, engage your glutes and core, then lift your arms overhead whilst maintaining the tailbone tuck. You're now actively strengthening whilst stretching. Hold for 10 seconds, relax, repeat 3 times per side.
My recommendation: Do this daily, ideally after your other exercises. I also do a version of this in the mornings on the Camino itself—a few hip flexor stretches before leaving the albergue makes those first kilometers much more pleasant.
Day 1: Step-ups with pack, Romanian deadlifts, dead bugs
Day 2: Walk or hike (with pack if possible)
Day 3: Bulgarian split squats, bent-over rows, planks
Day 4: Rest or gentle stretching
Day 5: Single-leg calf raises, step-ups, dead bugs
Day 6: Longer hike with full pack
Day 7: Rest, hip flexor stretches, maybe some light yoga
The key is progressive overload—gradually increasing weight, reps, or duration over your training period. Don't try to do everything at maximum intensity from day one. Build slowly. Your body needs time to adapt.
I spent my first Camino gritting my teeth through pain that was largely preventable. Now, after all these years and all those routes, I know better. The pilgrimage is hard enough mentally and emotionally—you don't need to add preventable physical struggles to the mix.
Start your training at least 8-12 weeks before departure. Be consistent. And if you need help figuring out your overall preparation plan, you can always plan your Camino with specific questions about training, gear, or route selection.
Buen Camino—and get those step-ups started.
---
Try asking My Camino Guide:
- What's the best training schedule for someone with 3 months to prepare?
- How heavy should my backpack be, and how do I train with it?
- What are common injuries on the Camino and how can I prevent them?
Here's the thing about the Camino: it's not a sprint. It's weeks of repetitive motion, day after day, with a pack on your back. Your body needs endurance, yes, but it also needs the structural strength to handle that accumulated stress. Without it, you're setting yourself up for tendinitis, joint pain, and the kind of muscular fatigue that turns every uphill into a personal crisis.
So let's talk about the eight exercises that I wish someone had drilled into my head before that first pilgrimage.
Why Strength Training Matters (More Than You Think)
Before we dive into the exercises, I want to address something I hear constantly: "I'm going to be walking, not lifting weights. Why do I need strength training?"Fair question. Here's the reality: walking the Camino isn't like your weekend stroll through the park. You're looking at 15-30 kilometers daily, often on uneven terrain, whilst carrying everything you need on your back. The Camino Norte, which I walked in 2019, was particularly brutal—those coastal cliffs and constant undulations destroyed pilgrims who hadn't prepared their stabilizer muscles. I watched people drop out by day four because their knees simply couldn't handle the strain.
Strength training does three crucial things:
- Protects your joints by building the muscles that support them
- Improves your endurance by making each step more efficient
- Prevents overuse injuries that accumulate over weeks of walking
Now, onto the exercises.
1. Step-Ups with Pack
This is the single most Camino-specific exercise you can do. It mimics exactly what you'll be doing hundreds of times daily—stepping up onto uneven surfaces whilst carrying weight.How to do it:
Find a sturdy step, bench, or box about knee height. Wear your actual backpack (or a training pack with weight plates) loaded to your target hiking weight. Step up with your right foot, driving through the heel, then bring your left foot up. Step down with control. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
My recommendation: Start with a lower step and lighter weight, then progressively increase both. By the time you leave for the Camino, you should be comfortable doing 3 sets of 15 reps per leg with your full pack weight. I typically aim for a step height of about 40 centimeters—roughly the height of many of those medieval stone steps you'll encounter in villages along the Francés.
2. Bulgarian Split Squats
I have a love-hate relationship with these. Mostly hate whilst doing them. But they're absolutely essential for building the single-leg strength you need for descents—and trust me, descents are where most injuries happen.The drop into Molinaseca on the Francés, the endless downhill after O Cebreiro, the coastal switchbacks on the Norte—these are the moments that destroy unprepared knees. Bulgarian split squats build the quad strength and knee stability to handle them.
How to do it:
Stand about two feet in front of a bench or chair. Place the top of your back foot on the bench behind you. Lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the ground (or as low as you can go with good form). Your front knee should track over your toes, not cave inward. Drive up through your front heel.
My recommendation: Start bodyweight, then add dumbbells or a weighted pack. Work up to 3 sets of 12 per leg. And go in knowing this: your balance will be terrible at first. That's normal. Stick with it.
3. Romanian Deadlifts
Your hamstrings and glutes are the workhorses of uphill walking. On the Via Podiensis, which I've walked twice now, there are some absolutely relentless climbs through the Aubrac plateau and later through the Pyrenees. Without strong posterior chain muscles, your lower back takes over—and that's a recipe for pain.Romanian deadlifts also strengthen your lower back in a controlled way, building resilience for those hours of walking with a loaded pack.
How to do it:
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells or a barbell in front of your thighs. Push your hips back whilst keeping your back flat and knees slightly bent. Lower the weight until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings (usually around mid-shin), then drive your hips forward to return to standing.
My recommendation: Form matters more than weight here. I'd suggest using a hex dumbbell set and starting lighter than you think you need to. Work up to 3 sets of 10 with challenging weight. If you can't maintain a flat back, you've gone too heavy.
4. Calf Raises (Single-Leg)
Here's an exercise most people skip—and then they wonder why their Achilles tendons start complaining by week two. Your calves do an enormous amount of work on the Camino, particularly on rocky terrain and cobblestones. The streets of Porto, when you're starting the Camino Portugués from Lisbon, are absolutely brutal on calves. All those beautiful but punishing cobblestones.How to do it:
Stand on one foot at the edge of a step (hold something for balance if needed). Lower your heel below the step level, then rise up onto your toes as high as possible. Control both the up and down phases—no bouncing.
My recommendation: 3 sets of 15-20 per leg, done slowly. If you have access to a gym, you can add weight with a calf raise machine, but honestly, bodyweight with full range of motion is plenty challenging. Once these become easy, hold a dumbbell in the hand opposite to your working leg.
5. Dead Bugs
Core strength isn't about six-pack abs—it's about the deep stabilizing muscles that protect your spine whilst you're hunched slightly forward under a pack for hours on end. Dead bugs look deceptively simple, but they're incredibly effective at building that kind of functional core stability.How to do it:
Lie on your back with arms extended toward the ceiling and knees bent at 90 degrees (thighs vertical, shins horizontal). Keeping your lower back pressed firmly into the floor, slowly extend your right arm overhead whilst simultaneously straightening your left leg toward the floor. Return to start and repeat on the opposite side.
The key: Your lower back should not arch off the floor. If it does, you've extended too far. This is about control, not range of motion.
My recommendation: 3 sets of 10 per side. Once you can do this with perfect form, slow it down even more, or add light ankle and wrist weights. I do these almost daily, even between pilgrimages—they're that good for spinal health.
6. Plank Variations (Including Side Planks)
I know, planks are boring. But your core has to work constantly on the Camino, not just in one direction. The standard plank builds front-body stability, whilst side planks develop the obliques and hip muscles that keep you balanced on uneven terrain.On my first walk along the coastal Camino Portugués, I was constantly adjusting to the sandy, cambered paths along the beach sections. Without good lateral stability, my hips were working overtime, and I could feel it in my lower back every evening.
How to do the standard plank:
Forearms and toes on the ground, body in a straight line from head to heels. Don't let your hips sag or pike up. Hold.
How to do the side plank:
Lie on your side, then lift your body so you're supported on one forearm and the edge of your bottom foot. Your body should form a straight line. Top hand can rest on your hip or extend toward the ceiling for extra challenge.
My recommendation: Build up to holding a standard plank for 60 seconds and side planks for 45 seconds per side. If you want to make them more dynamic (and Camino-specific), try slow mountain climbers or plank marches, which add movement to the hold.
7. Bent-Over Rows
Your shoulders and upper back take serious abuse from your pack straps. The bent-over row strengthens the muscles between your shoulder blades, helping you maintain good posture and reducing that awful cramped feeling that develops when your upper back fatigues.I've seen so many pilgrims walking with rounded shoulders and forward head posture by week two—it's uncomfortable to watch because I know how much it hurts. Strong rhomboids and mid-traps prevent this.
How to do it:
Hold dumbbells (or a resistance band looped under your feet), hinge forward at the hips about 45 degrees, keeping your back flat. Pull the weights to your lower ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top. Lower with control.
My recommendation: 3 sets of 12-15. Focus on the squeeze at the top rather than going heavy. You should feel this between your shoulder blades, not in your biceps. If you're training at home with minimal equipment, resistance bands work brilliantly for this.
8. Hip Flexor Stretches with Strengthening
Okay, this is a bit of a cheat—it's more of a mobility exercise than pure strength—but I'm including it because tight, weak hip flexors are responsible for so much Camino misery. Hours of walking can tighten these muscles, which then pull on your lower back and affect your stride.How to do the half-kneeling hip flexor stretch:
Kneel on one knee (put a cushion under it if needed) with your other foot forward, knee at 90 degrees. Tuck your tailbone under slightly—you should feel an immediate stretch in the front of your back leg's hip. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch.
To add strengthening:
From that same position, engage your glutes and core, then lift your arms overhead whilst maintaining the tailbone tuck. You're now actively strengthening whilst stretching. Hold for 10 seconds, relax, repeat 3 times per side.
My recommendation: Do this daily, ideally after your other exercises. I also do a version of this in the mornings on the Camino itself—a few hip flexor stretches before leaving the albergue makes those first kilometers much more pleasant.
Putting It All Together: A Sample Weekly Schedule
If you're wondering how to structure all this, here's what worked for me in the three months leading up to my most recent walk:Day 1: Step-ups with pack, Romanian deadlifts, dead bugs
Day 2: Walk or hike (with pack if possible)
Day 3: Bulgarian split squats, bent-over rows, planks
Day 4: Rest or gentle stretching
Day 5: Single-leg calf raises, step-ups, dead bugs
Day 6: Longer hike with full pack
Day 7: Rest, hip flexor stretches, maybe some light yoga
The key is progressive overload—gradually increasing weight, reps, or duration over your training period. Don't try to do everything at maximum intensity from day one. Build slowly. Your body needs time to adapt.
Final Thoughts: Train Like You'll Walk
The Camino will challenge you in ways you can't fully anticipate—that's part of its magic and its difficulty. But physical suffering doesn't have to be part of the experience. With targeted strength training, you can arrive at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (or Lisbon, or wherever you're starting) with a body that's genuinely ready for the journey ahead.I spent my first Camino gritting my teeth through pain that was largely preventable. Now, after all these years and all those routes, I know better. The pilgrimage is hard enough mentally and emotionally—you don't need to add preventable physical struggles to the mix.
Start your training at least 8-12 weeks before departure. Be consistent. And if you need help figuring out your overall preparation plan, you can always plan your Camino with specific questions about training, gear, or route selection.
Buen Camino—and get those step-ups started.
---
Try asking My Camino Guide:
- What's the best training schedule for someone with 3 months to prepare?
- How heavy should my backpack be, and how do I train with it?
- What are common injuries on the Camino and how can I prevent them?
