Hiking Benefits Your Mind, Body And Soul
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Hiking is a form of aerobic activity that nearly anyone can do. The best thing about it is you will use nature as your health club so there won’t be any fees to join or use the facility!
Although going to the gym can help you build muscles and burn away fat, there isn’t really any way it can compete with everything that nature offers. After all, hiking can benefit your mind, body, and soul.
It is much healthier to breathe in the crisp, fresh air from outside than it is to breathe in the sweat-laden air inside the gym. The gym is usually really crowded and it can be difficult to even think. After you purchase some good hiking boots, and perhaps some hiking poles, you won’t have more fees you need to pay.
Mind
You also can experience the numerous many benefits associated with being out in the great outdoors.
It has been shown by research that hiking can help to decrease anxiety and combat symptoms of stress.
If you are suffering from insomnia, exercise can help. It will make you feel a lot happier when you are able to experience nature’s rhythms. After you have built up to being able to climb loftier trails, you will feel such a great sense of achievement after a good climb that will be so much more intense and fulfilling than working out in the gym.
Also, hiking gives you the chance to spend time with your thoughts and have some quality alone time. Getting that break away from the hectic world of computers, texts, and emails can provide you with a nice mental break.
It also has been shown that direct sunlight and fresh air can positively affect your psychological state. It will make you feel refreshed and you will be prepared to take new challenges on.
Body
Whenever you are hiking on a trail’s uneven terrain, it engages muscles that you don’t normally use in other types of sports or exercise. That can provide you with all of the benefits that a cross training workout offers. Here is how you can get started.
If you are just starting with hiking, the best thing to do is hike for around one to three miles on even terrain two times a week. Do try taking on big hills just yet. Don’t wear a backpack. Focus on building up your stamina.
Over several weeks or months, gradually increase your hiking distance until you are able to easily do nine miles. Add a backpack but don’t make it too heavy.
After you are able to easily hike nine miles, start to increase the amount of weight in your backpack until you are able to easily carry around 22 pounds. Add drinks, food, and other types of hiking equipment inside of your backpack so that you can get familiar with packing and carrying your supplies. After you are able to go the nine miles while carrying your backpack, then it is time to take on more challenging terrain.
Start to hike more downhill and uphill trails. Continue to practice until you are able to carry 25 to 30 pounds of weight inside your backpack.
And you can read this article we wrote on how to choose a backpack if you don’t yet have one.
That will, of course, take a lot of patience and practice. However, once you are able to achieve those goals, you will be ready to experience the numerous benefits that hiking can provide you with.
Soul
Your entire family can enjoy hiking. There is nothing quite like being able to experience the joys and beauty of nature with your whole family.
If you have small children you can teach them how to respect nature and make special memories at the same time. There’s nothing quite like seeing your child’s eyes light up while you are teaching them all about the wildlife, trees, and plants along the hiking trail.
Hiking is a great way to improve the health of your relationship if you have a partner.
Hiking offers so many benefits that it is definitely worth the effort. Start out on simple trails. Before you know it, you’ll be able to easily hike any trail.
