Running How to Run Hills Properly By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 27, 2022 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by John Honerkamp Reviewed by John Honerkamp John Honerkamp is an RRCA and USATF-certified running coach, celebrity marathon pacer, and recognized leader in the New York City running community. Learn about our Review Board Print Tiina & Geir / Cultura / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Steps for Hill Running Build Strength and Stamina If you're one of those runners who dreads running hills, it may be because you're not using the right hill running techniques. With the correct technique, you can master hill running and avoid over-exertion and strain. Follow these steps for proper hill running, and you may actually look forward to inclines during your runs. Steps for Hill Running With proper pacing, technique and form, hills won't be so daunting. Follow this tips for running hills during training and races. Pace Yourself Don't start thinking that you want to attack the hill. The key to running hills properly is to maintain your effort level (which translates into a slower pace on the uphill), so you don't waste energy and end up out of breath at the top of the hill (that's a common mistake among runners). Watch Your Form As you approach an uphill, make sure you have good running form. Your arms should be at a 90-degree angle and should be moving forward and back (rotating at the shoulder), not side to side. Look ahead of you, not to the sides. Your gaze should be focused 10 to 20 ahead for proper form and safety. Check your posture Your back should be straight and erect. You can lean in very slightly from the hips, but make sure you're not hunched over. Also, be sure to avoid straining your neck forward. Keep your head in line so that your ears are over your mid-shoulders to avoid neck tension and strain. Change Your Arm Swing Arm swing technique is one of the factors that affect running efficiency. Concentrate on swinging your arms lower and shorter. By keeping your arm swing lower and quicker, your legs will stay lower to the ground resulting in a short, quick stride. Be sure to keep your hands relaxed. Return To a Normal Stride As you reach the top of the hill, you can begin your normal stride again. If you run the hill properly, you'd be able to pass runners who wasted too much energy on the hill. Returning to your normal stride will help you get back into your natural rhythm. Best Shoes for Marathons, According to a Running Coach Be Careful Downhill The best way to run downhill is to lean forward slightly and take short, quick strides. Don't lean back and try to brake yourself. Try to keep your shoulders just slightly in front of you and your hips under you. Although it's tempting to overstride, avoid taking huge leaping steps to reduce the pounding on your legs. Tips for Races Do not "attack" the hill, this will lead to exhaustionUse the same effort (not pace) on the hill as you do on flat groundWhatever effort you use, be sure you can sustain it so you do not run out of energyUse the downhill portion to run faster, leaning forward and using gravity to assist you Build Strength and Stamina Once you've perfected your technique, you can build your strength and improve your speed and confidence by running hill repeats. This workout uses a hill of 100 to 200 meters long (300 to 600 feet or one to three city blocks). Hill Repeats Run this hill repeats workout with good form, practicing the techniques for posture and efficiency. Run at your 5K pace uphillRecover running or walking downhill. Try two to three repeats for beginners and six to 10 repeats for advanced runners Of course, one of the ways to run hills without going outside is to use a treadmill. Using the treadmill's incline feature can simulate hills and allow you to work on your hill running form. Some treadmills also feature a decline setting to simulate running downhill. If you are preparing for a hilly race, it's best to practice both your uphill and downhill running form. Best Waterproof Running Shoes A Word From Verywell Running hills is a daunting task for runners, but with the proper form and technique and some solid practice, you can become better at it. Keeping a steady pace and not overexerting yourself will help you maintain the energy to finish the race. Practicing on hills or a treadmill set at an incline is an excellent way to prepare. Make sure to take rest days for recovery as well. What is Skyrunning? 4 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Folland JP, Allen SJ, Black MI, Handsaker JC, Forrester SE. Running Technique is an Important Component of Running Economy and Performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2017;49(7):1412-1423. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001245 Moore IS. Is There an Economical Running Technique? A Review of Modifiable Biomechanical Factors Affecting Running Economy. Sports Med. 2016;46(6):793-807. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0474-4 Van oeveren BT, De ruiter CJ, Beek PJ, Van dieën JH. Optimal stride frequencies in running at different speeds. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(10):e0184273. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0184273 Hatchett A, Armstrong K, Parr B, Crews M, Tant C. The Effect of a Curved Non-Motorized Treadmill on Running Gait Length, Imbalance and Stride Angle. Sports (Basel). 2018;6(3) doi:10.3390/sports6030058 Additional Reading Johnny Padulo, Douglas Powell, Raffaele Milia, and Luca Paolo Ardigò. "A Paradigm of Uphill Running. PLoS One. 2013; 8(7): e69006. By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit