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Julia Howe | Hiking Coach

@juliajuleshowe

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🥾 Helping hikers get stronger for climbs & descents
💪 Strength + mobility
🎓 Certified PT | Trail-tested
👇 Beginner hiking programme £10 off

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Feet roll in? Give them some strength work 👣

Here’s the follow-up to my overpronation reel:

1. Banded arch lifts
2. Ankle inversion
3. Single-leg calf raises

Move slowly, keep your toes relaxed during the arch lifts, and use support for the calf raises if needed.

Start with 8–12 controlled reps of each exercise per side. Adjust to what you can manage comfortably.

Pronation is normal. The aim is to build strength and control, not hold your arches rigid with every step.

Save this for your next training session. Missed the explanation? Watch Part 1.

#FootStrength #HikingFitness #HikingTraining by @juliajuleshowe

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6 days ago

Knees complaining on long descents? Look at what your feet are doing too 👣

Pronation is normal. Your arch doesn’t need to stay rigid with every step.

But foot movement can influence how your shin and knee move. If you’re having knee pain, it’s worth looking at how the whole leg handles the descent.

A foot that rolls in isn’t automatically a problem, and its shape alone won’t tell you what’s causing your pain.

In the next reel, I’ll share exercises to build foot strength and control.

Save this for your hiking prep.

#HikingFitness #FootStrength #HikingTraining by @juliajuleshowe

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7 days ago

Here’s the ankle mobility follow-up I promised 👣

Three simple drills to try:

1. Alternating heel drops
2. Half-kneeling ankle rocks
3. Standing ankle rocks

Start with 8–10 slow reps per side for the first two, then 8–10 standing rocks.

Keep your heel down during the rocks and work within a comfortable range. No bouncing or forcing through a pinch.

You don’t need to chase a huge range. Start where you are and practise consistently.

Missed Part 1? Watch the previous reel for why ankle movement matters on the descent.

Save this for your next training session.

#AnkleMobility #HikingFitness #HikingTraining by @juliajuleshowe

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8 days ago

Knees hurt on the way down? Your ankles are worth a look too 👀

Dorsiflexion lets your shin move forwards over your foot. If that movement is limited, it can change how you move through each step.

It doesn’t mean your ankles are causing your knee pain. But they’re worth checking, especially if you’ve only been focusing on your knees.

In the next reel, I’ll show you exercises to work on that ankle mobility.

Do your knees struggle more going uphill or downhill?

#HikingFitness #AnkleMobility #HikingTraining by @juliajuleshowe

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9 days ago

The climb gets your heart racing. The descent is what you feel when you try to sit on the toilet the next morning 😂

Going downhill, your quads work to control each step as you lower yourself. Your breathing might feel easier, but your legs are still doing plenty of work.

If you’re preparing for a big hike, include some training for the way down:

• Lower slowly in squats and split squats
• Practise controlled step-downs
• Start with shorter descents and build up gradually

What do you find harder, going up or coming down?

#HikingTraining #HikingFitness #DownhillHiking by @juliajuleshowe

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12 days ago

Your knees shouldn’t have to take all the load on hikes.

Building stronger glutes, quads and hip control can help your whole lower body share the work, especially on climbs and descents.

Try adding these into your strength sessions:

* weighted step ups
* lateral step downs
* Peterson step downs
* single-leg glute bridges

Save this for your next leg day. by @juliajuleshowe

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15 days ago

I didn’t make it to the summit. But Rinjani still became one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done.

Three days of back pain, laughter, misty trails and views that made me stop even when I didn’t need a break.

This is a little glimpse of the journey. The full film is now on YouTube, with all the beautiful and difficult moments in between.

Make yourself a coffee and come hiking with me 🤍
Watch through the link in my bio.

#MountRinjani #Lombok #HikingIndonesia by @juliajuleshowe

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17 days ago

If you hike, don’t skip upper body day 🥾

Hiking might feel like it’s all about your legs, but your upper body is working for hours too.

Carrying a pack, maintaining your posture as you fatigue, using poles, scrambling and keeping yourself stable on uneven terrain all require more than just strong legs.

That’s why upper body training stays in my routine alongside hiking-specific leg work, cardio and mobility.

You don’t need a complicated “hiking upper body workout”. Just don’t neglect half your body when you’re training for the mountains. 🏔️

Your legs aren’t carrying that pack alone. 🎒

Save this for your next upper body day. by @juliajuleshowe

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a month ago

One exercise, 5 ways to train for the trail. Step-ups 🥾

Simple, easy to progress and one of my favourite exercises for hiking-specific strength.

I don’t just use regular step-ups either. Changing the direction, load and movement gives you different ways to challenge your legs:

Regular step-ups for single-leg strength
Weighted step-ups to increase the challenge
Lateral variations for hip strength and stability
Rotational step-ups for changing direction and foot position
Curtsy variations for control in different directions

Because hiking rarely means moving perfectly straight up and down on even ground.

The trail asks you to climb, stabilise, change direction and control your body over uneven terrain.

And one simple exercise can prepare you for a lot of that.

Save these variations for your next leg day 🏔️ by @juliajuleshowe

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a month ago

Finally made it to Snowdonia for the weekend we’d been trying to plan all summer 🥾🏕️

Two nights camping, questionable Welsh weather, a 17 km hike, some much-needed navigation practice, and finally getting to spend a couple of days properly in the mountains together.

The first hike took us over Y Garn and Elidir Fawr and it was so much quieter than I expected. Mist, rain, wind, freezing ears… but absolutely beautiful. 😂

And then there was the real reason we’d been waiting for this trip…

Crib Goch at sunrise. 🏔️

That one’s getting its own reel. Way too much to fit into 45 seconds.

Also, Welsh speakers, please be gentle with my pronunciation 😂

Would you do Crib Goch? 👀 by @juliajuleshowe

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a month ago

“Easy.” “Flat.” “Peaceful.” 😭 The reviews really set me up.

I’ll be cross-examining every AllTrails review before trusting the word “easy” again.

Tag the friend who would still call this a “peaceful walk” 👇

Follow for more trail-review reality checks and the actual training that prepares you for terrain like this.

#hikingreels #trailreviews #hikinghumour #beginnerhiker #hikingtips by @juliajuleshowe

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a month ago

If your ankles feel unstable on rocky trails, calf raises are a good start, but they are not the whole picture.

Your ankles also need strength, control and stability when the ground underneath you changes.

These exercises help you train:

🥾 Single leg calf strength
🥾 Strength at the front of your shins
🥾 Ankle control
🥾 Dynamic stability

Try 2 to 3 sets of each exercise twice a week.

Save this for your next hiking workout and follow for more hiking specific training ⛰️

#hikingtraining #anklestrength #hikingexercises #trailfitness #hikingtips by @juliajuleshowe

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2 months ago