Can anyone walk the Way of St. James? This is the required fitness for the Camino de Santiago.
Hiking for weeks in wind, rain, scorching heat over steep mountain passes – pilgrimages are exhausting. The good news is: the Camino is doable for everyone.
You don’t have to be an exceptional athlete to walk the Camino de Santiago. Anyone with an average level of fitness can strap on their backpack and start walking. I’ve met people in their 70s and 80s walking. The Way is an excellent fitness trainer! The longer you travel, the more efficient your body becomes. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the body adapts, builds muscles and increases endurance.
It is not necessary to train you fitness for the Camino de Santiago – but of course it helps
Long training sessions to prepare are not necessary. Of course, it makes the first days walking easier if you regularly hike and backpack, but it is not a requirement. Don’t believe in people and websites that suggest a training plan for the Camino. Being a little more active before you go on the Camino ist enough!
But it is important that you realistically assess your physical limits and choose the length of each stage accordingly – especially in the first few days. Listen to your body, take it day by day, or hour by hour, and take lots of breaks!
Anyone who hardly hikes or does sports should aim for a stage length of around 20 kilometers at the beginning. After about a week, the body becomes stronger so that 25+ kilometers is no longer a big deal.
One thing, however, cannot be avoided: pain. Until the body has adjusted to the hours of hiking with a backpack, the body will ache and whine and hurt – but it will pass! (See also my text on health problems on the Camino).
In many cases, previous illnesses are not necessarily an obstacle either. I’ve met people with cancer, sleep apnea, prostheses and who have had heart attacks walking to Santiago. But of course, if you suffer from a chronic illness, you should definitely consult your doctor before you embark on the Camino!