Don’t fall victim to the holiday hibernation: With these simple, outdoor-specific exercises, you can keep or improve your trail fitness for spring.
Hiker stretching (Photo: Gorica Poturak / E+ via Getty)
Updated December 11, 2025 06:08PM
I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. The idea of following up one of the most hectic periods of the year—62 percent of people reported “very or somewhat elevated” stress during the holidays in a 2015 Healthline survey—by immediately making more demands on myself just as I go back to work is daunting. That’s not to say that I’m against self-improvement, though. I’d just rather keep it consistent.
If you’d rather start 2026 ready to rock instead of facing an uphill climb, now’s a great time to start putting in the work. These 62 full-body exercises are designed to help you keep your fitness level through the holiday crush and the cold winter months; some require a gym or home setup, while you can do others with nothing more than bodyweight. Pair with regular excursions on whatever trails you have available (trust us, winter hiking is worth the trouble) and you’ll end the winter in an even better place than you started.
Not a regular gym-goer? No need to panic. In this perfect introductory piece, personal trainer Robyn Fog breaks down an easy 7-exercise routine to help build up your fitness base; none of the exercises require more than an exercise ball, an exercise band, or a set of dumbbells. Looking for more of a challenge? Intermediate and advanced variants keep things interesting.
If you’re looking to push your trail fitness to the next level, take a page from the professionals. These multifunctional movements use free weights, exercise bands, kettlebells, and a pull-up bar to help you develop the kind of practical strength that guides need to handle hard climbs and heavy loads in the backcountry.
Winter is a great time to train your weaknesses. For a lot of hikers, that means upper body strength—tragically, hiking for long periods of time, even with the heaviest of loads, won’t do much for your arms and chest. Still, those muscles are important for maintaining stability and hefting weight without getting hurt. Here are some simple ways to build them up.
(Photo: D Scott Clark)
Keeping your heart and lungs healthy while your trail mileage is temporarily down is essential. Running is one obvious way to do that, but it’s not for everyone, and not always practical when it’s icy out. These four gym exercises will get your blood pumping, and you can do all of them with a simple home gym setup.
Vacations are great for mental health, but they can throw your exercise routine into chaos. Whether you’re traveling on your own or to visit family over the holidays, this 11-move routine is a great one to have in your pocket. You don’t need access to a gym, or any equipment at all, just some free time and a comfy set of workout clothes.