Catalyst Hip Protocol
Hiking progression
Activity Ladder — use on non-strength days
Tier Ladder — Tiers 1–10 (shared)
Tier 1
0.5 mi
Flat surface
Tier 2
0.75 mi
Flat surface
Tier 3
1.0 mi
Flat surface
Tier 4
1.25 mi
Flat surface
Tier 5
1.5 mi
Flat surface
Tier 6
1.75 mi
Flat surface
Tier 7
2.0 mi
Flat surface
Tier 8
2.5 mi
Flat surface
Tier 9
3.0 mi
Flat surface
Tier 10
3.5 mi
Flat surface
After Tier 10 — choose your track
Track A — Flat terrain
No hills available, or not yet a goal
Tier 11
4.0 mi
Flat surface
Tier 12
5.0 mi
Flat surface
Tier 13
6.0 mi
Flat surface
Tier 14
7.0 mi
Flat surface
Tier 15
8.0 mi
Flat surface
Want to go further? Once you complete Tier 15, you can keep adding distance — but increase mileage by no more than 10% per week.
Track B — Elevation available
Hills are accessible and a goal
Tier 11
4.0 mi
Flat — record elevation as your baseline
Tier 12
4.0 mi
+ 10% elevation from Tier 11
Tier 13
4.0 mi
+ 10% elevation from previous Tier
Tier 14
4.0 mi
+ 10% elevation from previous Tier
Tier 15
4.0 mi
+ 10% elevation from previous Tier
Tier 16
4.0 mi
+ 10% elevation from previous Tier
Want to go further? Once elevation is established, you can begin adding mileage — but increase distance by no more than 10% per week. Never increase both distance and elevation in the same week.
Finding your starting Tier
Tendons don't always react during activity — they often signal overload 12–24 hours later. That's why we start conservatively and observe the next day before committing to a Tier.
1
Look at the Tier Ladder above and identify the distance you think you could complete without exceeding 5/10 pain during the hike and without a pain flare the next day.
2
Choose the Tier that is 2 Tier Numbers lower than that and complete one session there.
Example: If you think you could handle 2.0 miles (Tier Number 7), your test session is 1.5 miles (Tier Number 5) — 2 Tier Numbers lower.
Think 0.5 miles (Tier 1) is your starting point? Instead of choosing a lower Tier Number, complete that distance as your test session. If you flare, focus on the strength program for 2 weeks, then retest.
3
Check in 24 hours later — did pain increase from your normal amount?
✓ No flare
You've found your starting Tier. You need 3 successful sessions in a row at this Tier before moving up.
↓ Flare
Rest 2–5 days until symptoms return to baseline, then retest 1 Tier Number lower.
How to progress each week
Once you've found your starting Tier, the same passing criteria applies every week — pain stays at or below 5/10 during, and doesn't increase 24 hours after.
1
Complete 1 session, 2–3 days per week on non-strength days, never on back-to-back days.
Example: If you strength train Mon/Wed/Fri, your hiking days could be Tue/Thu/Sat or Tue/Thu/Sun.
2
Check in 24 hours after each session — did pain increase from your normal amount? If yes, that session doesn't count. Reference the Flare-Up Framework.
3
You need 3 successful sessions in a row at your current Tier before moving up. If you flare at any point, the count resets — rest 2–5 days, drop to the previous Tier, and start again.
Track B — How to calculate your elevation targets
When you complete Tier 11, record your average elevation gain — this is your baseline. Each week, multiply your previous Tier's elevation gain by 1.10 to get your target for the next Tier. The table below shows how this works using 200ft as an example — swap in your own number.
| Tier | Calculation | Elevation gain |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 11 | Your baseline | 200 ft |
| Tier 12 | 200 × 1.10 | 220 ft |
| Tier 13 | 220 × 1.10 | 242 ft |
| Tier 14 | 242 × 1.10 | 266 ft — and so on |
Use your phone's GPS or a hiking app (AllTrails, Garmin, Apple Watch) to track elevation accurately. Do not estimate.
A flare is not failure.
It's data — it tells you where your tendon's current load ceiling sits. Drop back, stabilize, and build from there. The 12-week timeline is designed to accommodate this.
A note on terrain
Until you reach Tier 11, choose routes that stay as flat as possible. This is intentional — elevation gain increases the load on the gluteal tendons significantly, and building your distance tolerance on flat ground first gives your tendon time to adapt before that variable is added.
Once you reach Tier 11, choose your track based on your terrain and goals. Never increase both distance and elevation in the same week.