Is hiking as effective as running and gym PT?

Hiking up mountains is excellent cross training provided you keep a good pace and don't stop and rest too much. It is a great quadricep, hamstring, glute and core strengthener. It can actually help you become a stronger runner but pushing the pace is key. You could also throw in a few walking (or running) sprints. I am a Physical Therapist Asst. and a NASM personal trainer x 17 years. In the ARMY I was a Master Fitness Trainer. I promise you will become a stronger, faster runner if you incorporate fast paced hikes into your training. My daughter is an elite runner and uses hikes to increase her running strength. Good luck.

It depends on how you hike. When I was young, I used to (not often) hike 50 miles in a day (10 hours at an average of 5 mph) on flat land. Alternately, you can hike over a large change in altitude. I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the best altitude change hike here is the La Luz Trail, from the Trailhead to the Peak, with 3,775 ft (1,151 m) of altitude gain and a 12% grade. The round trip is 15-mile (24 km). If you do that every day, you will be in great shape. You can run it and there is a trail run once a year but walking is good exercise.

I've always wondered why running is the measurement for physical fitness. My dad was a WWII infantryman who ways talked about the 25-30 ruck marches as an integral part of training. I think much of the reason is time. Long, rough ruck training is much more realistic combat training than running in shorts and running shoes. Now that I'm old and retired, I walk. All those years of running wreaked havoc on my knees, feet, etc.

IMHO,yes it is, especially if the terrain that your hiking has hills to climb up.

Hiking can be very efficient. And a great help for anyone with PTS.

I would say yes longer the better and add in mountains or long up hill climbs you can get a good sweet in

I would say yes just add in mountains or long climbs into your hike

depends your age. running thrashed my knees back in my 40's. i still hike with my daughter, it's peaceful and relaxing. it's exercise, and fun.

Of course it is! A calorie is a calorie is calorie, plus you are getting in both aerobic and anaerobic if you are hiking on different terrains, so a little bit of HIIT, as well as strength training if you are carrying gear, and muscle confusion. It's probably better than most PT because of the muscle confusion, the different muscles worked, it's more fun, it's a mental workout, it's an exercise in mindfulness, and you won't burn out on it. Why more people don't research and understand these things, I don't know. Yes, running constantly will help you pass your PRT, but that's about it. I see fat people running all the time. It's the same concept as studying just what's going to be on the SAT test. You don't learn anything other than what's going to be on the test.

Mentally it's better. Physically depend on how much you hike vs how bit your work out was.