Categories / Running & athletics
Hill Repeats
Repeated uphill efforts to build strength and speed.
How to start
Find a hill that takes 20 to 30 seconds to run up at a firm effort. Warm up for 10 minutes, run up four times, jog or walk down to recover, then cool down.
How to progress
Add one repeat a week, or lengthen the hill slightly. Hill sessions are demanding, so do them once a week.
What the evidence says
Evidence: limited
We found no good trials on hill repeats specifically. The general case for hard interval training is in the fartlek evidence, and running uphill is a common way to add strength and power while keeping some impact off the joints. We have no reliable data on injury risk from hill repeats.
Take care: Hard hill running loads the calves, Achilles tendons and hamstrings. Build up your easy running first, warm up well and stop if a tendon is painful.
Sources
12-week starter plan
Once a week, after a good warm-up. Run up at a firm but controlled effort, then jog or walk back down fully recovered. Add one easy run in the week.
Tick each week as you finish it; your ticks are saved on this device only. Repeat a week if it felt hard. Weeks 4, 8 and 12 hold steady so you can settle. This is a general plan, not medical advice.
Add reminders to your calendar
Pick your days and time. You will download a calendar file that adds 12 weeks of reminders to Google, Apple or Outlook calendar.
Calories and weekly minutes
Enter your details for a rough estimate. Based on about 9 METs (Hard uphill efforts with recovery (estimated average)). Real figures vary by 20% or more between people.
Tips and common mistakes
Tips
- Lean slightly forward from the ankles and drive your arms.
- Shorten your stride and keep your feet quick.
- Take the way down easy: it is part of the recovery.
Common mistakes
- Sprinting the first repeats and fading.
- Doing hills two days in a row.
- Skipping the warm-up and the cool-down.
Kit and cost
Free Approximate UK prices.
- A runnable hill with a safe surface
- Shoes with good grip
- A watch with a timer
Frequently asked questions
Do hill repeats make you faster?
They build leg strength and power, which can help running economy, but we found no trials comparing them with other training.
How steep should the hill be?
Steep enough to make you work, but not so steep you have to walk. A gradient of about 4 to 8% suits most people.
How many should I do?
Start with four. Add one each week up to about ten, only if you feel recovered.
Are they hard on the knees?
Running uphill is easier on the knees than running down. Take the downhill gently.
Good for: Power & speed Heart & fitness Strength
Compare with similar options
| Hill Repeats | Track Sprints | Marathon Training | Interval Running (Fartlek) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical session | 40 min × 1/wk | 30 min × 2/wk | 75 min × 5/wk | 40 min × 2/wk |
| Effort | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●○ |
| Cost | Free | Low cost | Moderate cost | Low cost |
| Equipment | No equipment | No equipment | No equipment | No equipment |
| Impact | High impact | High impact | High impact | High impact |
| Fitness needed | Good fitness | Good fitness | Good fitness | Moderate fitness |
| Evidence | limited | limited | limited | moderate |