Is Hiking A Good Workout?

Not many types of exercise are as satisfying as a good long hike through nature. You get the best of both worlds – a healthy rise in heart rate to increase fitness levels and a beautiful view. But you may wonder what precisely the exercise and health-related benefits of hiking are.

Hiking is definitely a good workout. Primarily, hiking provides a great cardio workout and, therefore, a decreased risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Besides other health benefits, hiking also provides mental and psychological benefits.

Hiking is an excellent form of exercise, whether it is a two-hour hike or a five-day hike. Some may question whether a simple hike could provide the same type of benefits as other more strenuous-known workouts. Being a hiker myself, I’m happy to inform you that hiking provides a full-body (and mind) workout experience.

Why Is Hiking A Good Workout?

Hiking is a great cardio workout. As expected, there is a relatively good increase in heart rate while climbing or walking up and down hills. Cardio workouts have various health benefits, including a reduced risk of stroke, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Hiking is considered a weight-bearing workout. Weight-bearing exercises build muscle and also play a role in preventing osteoporosis. Bone density is also boosted with regular hiking.

Hiking is considered a joint-friendly exercise. This is good news for those with arthritis. Hiking can help keep the joints moving in a relatively safe and stable way, especially if you are looking for a workout without adding stress to your joints.

I can say with certainty that carrying a heavier backpack on a multiple-day hike will increase the severity of the workout. However, this shouldn’t scare you off, as after a few hours, the backpack’s weight feels more regular, and it does get lighter as the days go on.

Hiking provides various health and body benefits, but it also offers mental benefits. The psychological advantage of walking in nature with beautiful and refreshing views leaves one feeling more relaxed and calm than before the hike.

Specific Benefits From Hiking

Unlike some workouts, hiking usually involves lots or at least some sunshine. Walking in the sun provides you with much-needed Vitamin D. Vitamin D is known to help with bone and muscle health, and in my opinion, an overall good mood.

If stronger leg muscles are what you’re going for, then hiking is the workout for you. With the constant walking, especially going up and down steep hills, your legs are getting some good exercise.

Even after some experience with hiking, I always expect the uphill to be more difficult – and it often does feel like that because of the cardio involved. However, it’s actually the downhill walking motion that strengthens your knees and hips. Muscles in your glutes, calves, and hamstrings are being worked in the process.

Is Hiking A Good Workout To Lose Weight?

Hiking burns a bunch of calories, probably more than you expect. The figures are quite a bit less than running, about approximately half. The average woman burns about 260 calories per hour walking, but this can increase to 700 calories per hour for hikers that walk faster and have a heavier backpack (I can attest to this!).

If your main goal is to lose or manage your weight through working out, then hiking can help for that too. Fitness levels can be targeted with this type of workout.

You can quite accurately calculate the calories you will burn while hiking. These depend on certain factors, such as your current weight and the grade of difficulty of the hike (the steepness).

For example, for a 1-5% grade level (equal to a mild grade) and a weight of 180 lbs, you can burn up to 435 calories with a typical walking pace. A 6-15% grade level indicates a medium to steep difficulty level, and the calories burnt are much more for the same weight (about 656 calories).

_{Information courtesy of https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/hiking-calories-burned#calories-burned}

Tips For Hiking As A Workout

If you haven’t done much hiking before, it might be a good idea to start slow. Begin with smaller hills and even terrain. This will still count as a workout, just not as strenuous. It’s also not advisable to go alone, so tag along with some friends and make sure you have enough water and food.

A good speed to uphold while hiking is to be able to speak while walking. If this is not possible, you are probably going too fast, and a pacing strategy is required. This is especially important on longer walks, where you will be on your feet most of the day.

If you want to ensure a vigorous workout for your next hike, make sure to check the hill’s elevation. A steeper walk will result in increased cardio output and increased muscle building. This can be as slight as a 10% hill incline, resulting in a 40% increase in calories burnt.

Another way to up your hiking game is to carry a heavier backpack. This will also work your core while increasing fitness and strengthening aspects. You can also use hiking poles to increase the cardio effort, and they also give you some more stability and confidence in your walk.

Try out new trails! As with other forms of exercise, too much of the same thing can get a bit repetitive. With hiking, the opportunities are endless. It is essential to look up the hike in some detail, and reviews can be pretty informative. Preparation is vital for longer or more challenging hikes and will make the entire experience more pleasant.

Summary

Hiking is a good form of exercise, with physical and mental benefits. It's a great option if you're looking for a cardio workout with some milder weight-bearing elements.

Hiking is good for overall well-being as the psychological effect of this workout is positive. What more do you need – good for the body and good for the soul!