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
Rise and Fall of REI Experiences | Conversation with Chris Anderson (Part 1) | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 20
When REI announced it was shutting down its Experiences Division, the internet exploded with outrage. For many, it felt like the company was abandoning one of the most meaningful things it offered - a way to actually get people outside, not just sell them the gear.
In this episode, I sit down with Chris Anderson, Former director of Risk Management & Guide Training at REI - a key leader behind the Experiences Division - to unpack what really happened behind the scenes.
We cover:
- Why REI acquired Arizona Outback Adventures (AOA) in 2019
- The original vision for Experiences and how it aligned with REI’s mission
- Internal data that showed Experiences boosted member spending and loyalty
- What changed after the pandemic—and why even a successful program can get cut
- Why REI’s commitment to paying guides fairly may have made long-term profitability an uphill battle
Chris brings a rare perspective—both operational and deeply personal—to a story that’s about much more than one company. It’s about the gap between mission and margin in the outdoor industry.
🎧 If you’ve ever taken a guided trip and had no idea what went on behind the scenes - Part 2 will change the way you see the entire experience.
That’s where we go behind the curtain: exploring the emotional labor of guides, the broken tipping culture, and what needs to change to make this industry sustainable - for
Check out the LinkedIn post from Chris that sparked this two-part series…
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https://fitfortrips.com/free-hiking-training-plan/
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