HikeStrong Podcast
The HikeStrong Podcast is where I share practical guidance on hiking, backpacking, and trekking preparation. Each episode blends fitness insight with real-world training strategies to help you build strength, endurance, and confidence for any trail.
I sit down with guests to break down how to train for demanding hiking, backpacking, and trekking goals using smart strength training, endurance training, and conditioning approaches. You’ll hear clear advice on altitude training, uphill training, and injury prevention, all woven into training conversations that support preparation for major destinations such as Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp, Rim to Rim, Tour du Mont Blanc, the Camino de Santiago, Patagonia, Machu Picchu, the Alps, and the Dolomites.
Because training is never one‑size‑fits‑all, I also bring listeners inside real programs. In select episodes, I interview clients in a deep‑dive format that reveals week‑by‑week training details — real data, real challenges, and real solutions — offering a clearer picture of how people actually prepare for hiking, backpacking, and trekking goals.
A cornerstone of my approach is elevation‑gain training. I believe that consistently building weekly elevation gain is one of the strongest predictors of success on any major adventure. In each episode, I share clear, actionable ways to develop that strength — even if you don’t have access to hiking terrain — so you can stay on track whether you train on hills, treadmills, stair machines, or step‑ups.
If you're preparing for a major trip, gearing up for a multi-day backpacking route, or building a long-term plan for tougher hiking or trekking challenges, you’ll find episodes that support every step of your training.
Beyond training, some episodes feature voices from across the hiking, backpacking, and trekking worlds — guides, operators, storytellers, and industry experts whose insights can shape how you think about adventure. These conversations broaden your perspective and influence your outdoor experiences, even when the focus isn’t directly on training.
Listen, train with purpose, share with your adventure partners — then take on at least one unforgettable hiking, backpacking, or trekking experience each year. Train | Hike | Repeat
I’m Marcus Shapiro, a hiking strength and conditioning coach and an early pioneer in online training for hiking, backpacking, and trekking, helping adventurers get physically ready for everything from local elevation goals to high-altitude expeditions.
HikeStrong Podcast
Latest Episodes
Travel Better, Not More: Insights You’ve Never Heard | HikeStrong | Ep. 37
Most hikers focus on the trail—almost no one understands what shapes the experience before they arrive.What does it really take to create a great hiking experience—and who’s working behind the scenes to make it possible?In ...
Training for the Camino After a Heart Attack: One Man’s Return to Hiking | HikeStrong | Ep. 36
In this episode of the Hike Strong Podcast, Marcus Shapiro sits down with Joel — a 63-year-old retired physician who went from a heart attack, beta-blockers, and years of declining fitness… to completing the Camino de Santiago and rediscovering...
Training for Mount Kilimanjaro at 68: Sibling Summit Story | HikeStrong | Ep. 35
How do you train for Mount Kilimanjaro at 60+ without living near mountains? Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro isn’t just about summit night — it’s about the months of preparation beforehand.In this episode, siblings Bob and Susan (b...
Who’s Really Behind the Hiking Gear Videos You Watch? | HikeStrong | Ep. 34
Most hikers research hiking gear and watch gear reviews before a trip.You’ve probably watched hiking gear videos before your last hike—but have you ever thought about who’s creating them?In this episode, we step inside the ...
Inside the Outdoor Industry: Lessons from REI, Osprey, and Years Filming in the Field | HikeStrong | Ep. 33
What do years inside the outdoor industry actually teach you about gear, preparation, and creating in nature?In this episode of the HikeStrong Podcast, Marcus Shapiro sits down with outdoor photographer and filmmaker Dan Holz<...
