Key takeaways
- Hill repeats are repeated hard uphill efforts, each with an easy jog/walk-down recovery.
- They build leg strength and power, running economy, and aerobic fitness.
- The incline adds resistance, giving a strong stimulus with less impact than flat speedwork.
- They're a staple workout, especially valuable for trail and mountain running.
What hill repeats are
Hill repeats are a workout of repeated hard efforts running uphill, each followed by an easy jog or walk back down to recover, repeated for several reps. They’re essentially interval training done on an incline — combining intensity with the resistance of the climb.
The benefits
- Leg strength and power — the incline works your muscles harder, like resistance training.
- Running economy and form — hills enforce efficient mechanics.
- Aerobic and anaerobic fitness.
- Climbing-specific preparation for hilly and mountain races.
And because uphill running reduces impact versus fast flat running, you get a strong stimulus with lower injury risk.
Once a week, a trail runner warms up then runs 8 × 90 seconds hard up a steep hill, jogging down between each — building the climbing strength and vert-handling power their mountain races demand, with their form staying strong even as fatigue sets in.
How to do them
After a warm-up, run hard up a hill for a chosen duration (30 seconds to a few minutes) with good form and strong effort, then jog or walk down to recover before the next rep. Shorter, steeper reps build power and form; longer reps build sustained climbing strength and threshold. They complement tempo runs and benefit from being paired with power hiking practice for steep races.
The bottom line
Hill repeats are repeated hard uphill efforts with easy recovery between — interval training on an incline that builds leg strength, power, running economy, and aerobic fitness, with less impact than flat speedwork. They're a staple workout and especially valuable for trail and mountain running. Warm up, run strong uphill with good form, recover on the way down, and tailor the reps to your goals.
Frequently asked questions
What are hill repeats?
Hill repeats are a workout where you run hard up a hill for a set distance or time, then jog or walk back down to recover, and repeat for several reps. The uphill efforts are the work; the downhill (or flat) return is the recovery. It's essentially interval training done on an incline, combining speed-type intensity with the resistance of the hill.
What benefits do hill repeats provide?
Several: they build leg strength and power (the incline forces your muscles to work harder, like resistance training), improve running form and economy (efficiency), boost aerobic and anaerobic fitness, and specifically prepare you for climbing in races. Because running uphill reduces impact forces compared to fast flat running, hill repeats deliver a strong training stimulus with a somewhat lower injury risk — a great combination.
How do you do hill repeats?
After a warm-up, run hard up a hill of suitable gradient for a chosen duration (e.g., 30 seconds to a few minutes depending on your goal), maintaining good form and strong effort, then jog or walk back down to recover fully or partially before the next rep. You choose the hill steepness, rep length, effort, recovery, and number of reps based on your goals — shorter, steeper reps build power and form; longer reps build sustained climbing strength and threshold. For trail runners, practicing on terrain similar to your races is ideal.
Sources
- Hill & strength training — American Council on Exercise
- Running workouts — Road Runners Club of America