Get out of the cube and hike. I love living in the Colorado Rocky Mountains with endless opportunities to get hiking. If you are like me and enjoy hiking, dive into this guest post by James Daugherty from 5.11 Tactical on 5 Facts About Hiking.
Staying in shape is something that that is important and rewarding, but sometimes it can be difficult to find the motivation. Hiking is a great aerobic exercise that has many health benefits and is also really fun so it doesn’t quite feel like normal exercise. Hiking is great for your cardio fitness and also helps tone your muscles as you navigate through the slopes and rocks. Here are five facts about hiking and exercise.
1) Know your limits.
Hiking may not seem that intense since it appears to be just walking through the woods, but it can be exhausting over a period of time. A 200 pound person will burn on average 500+ calories per hour hiking. That will increase 10% if you carry a 10 pound backpack. It is a good rule of thumb to push yourself when getting in shape, but it is also important to know your limits when hiking. You will be crossing over a variety of different types of terrain outside in the heat. Make sure to plan ahead of time and know how long you plan on hiking to ensure that you don’t push yourself too hard.
2) Know the terrain of your trail.
There are many different types of hiking trails that have various difficulty levels and lengths. Learn about your trail before you go hiking so that you can gain a perspective on what the path will look like in terms of hills, shade, rocks, and other factors. If you are not accustomed to hiking regularly you might want to start on a hiking path that has fewer hills and is a little more relaxed so that you can enjoy your walk while getting an appropriate workout relative to your progress.
3) Dress appropriately for the hike.
Hiking involves walking. A lot of walking. Make sure that you are wearing hiking boots that are very comfortable for walking and sturdy to walk in different objects like grass, rocks, roots, and dirt. Don’t wear any shoes that you can’t get dirty because you are likely to get all kinds of stuff on your shoes and clothes. Wear clothing that will protect you from stray branches and thorns without suffocating you in case of hot weather. If the hiking trail will be exposed to sun, bring sunglasses and/or a visor to maintain solid vision.
4) Bring light gear and supplies.
It is important to bring a few essential items on the hike, depending on the amount of time that you plan on being out. You want to make sure that you pack light since you will have to carry the gear and supplies the whole way. Bring water for hydration, and a few snacks to keep your energy levels up and your stomach full. If you have space, bring a simple first aid kit with band-aids, gauze, Neosporin, and anything else you can reasonably fit. Most outdoor organizations recommend bringing the Ten Essentials when heading into the outdoors.
5) Exposure to bugs and the sun.
Since many hiking trails can be several miles long, you will have prolonged exposure to the sun and to bugs in the forest or mountains where you are hiking. Bring sunscreen to avoid sunburn and help prevent skin cancer. There will be many different types of bugs like mosquitoes, bees, flies, and all other kinds of insects. If you will have legs or arms exposed, spray down with bug spray to prevent bites.
Hiking can be an extremely rewarding exercise as it improves your health and rejuvenates your mind with the freshness of the outdoors. Take these tips and find a suitable hiking trail near where you live and get started.
About the author: James writes for 5.11 Tactical, creators of superior outdoor products like flashlights and hiking boots you can follow him on Twitter – @jimmydaugherty. Images courtesy of Shutterstock
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