The benefits of hiking are tremendous, both on the body and the mind. However, many people think hiking is something you do when you’re already fit. Another common misconception is that hiking is niche and requires meticulous planning.
Well, while it does require some sort of planning, hiking is, in fact, quite accessible for many age groups, physical levels, and personal preferences.
There are plenty of trails available for you to choose from. In England alone, there are more than 20 day hikes that take you to some of the country’s most exquisite sceneries. We bet there are many more whenever you’re reading this from, too!
They range from easy to difficult and come in a diverse variety of beautiful terrains. Planning for hiking is relatively easy as there is plenty of help available online. Hiking is just as accessible as any other form of exercise.
In this article, we will walk with you through the wonderful benefits of hiking and, hopefully, inspire you to take up this amazing green exercise!
Hiking is more than just a walk in the woods.
5 Physical Health Benefits Of Hiking
Whether you’re ascending mountain peaks, following clear streams, or walking down gentle rolling hills, the benefits of hiking on your body are endless.
1. Improve Cardiovascular Health
Muscles that are underused get weaker, including the heart. Any physical activity that gets your heart rate up can strengthen the muscles around your heart. Hiking is one of those activities.
When your heart is beating faster, your blood flow also increases. This also helps oxygen-rich blood to be delivered to your tissues and organs. So, your whole cardiovascular system is working together and improving.
2. Promote Muscles Toning
Hiking tones your body because it engages multiple muscle groups, especially in the lower body. When you walk uphill or downhill, you engage your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. This can slim down your legs and train them to be stronger.
That tightening and squeezing of your stomach, your back and butt when you try to keep yourself balanced when hiking, yes, it’s your core engagement, which is very much needed in sculpting your body.
3. Aid In Weight Loss Without The Stress
According to Healthline, you can burn from 300 to even 1,000 calories per hour depending on your speed and trail grade.
Hiking is a low-impact form of exercises. Your heart rate is increased slowly, and it’s not so challenging on your joints. This makes it a perfect weight loss exercise for even beginners and the elders.
Feel your muscles tightening up with every step you hike. Photo by C Malambo on Adobe Stock.
Since hiking is not sticking to a strict routine with certain steps and reps, it’s also relatively to be done long-term without boredom. Not to mention you can change the scenery whenever you feel like it.
If coupled with positive dietary changes, hiking can help lower cholesterol intake, eventually making losing weight easier.
And to some, hiking in nature is less stressful than working out in the gym. Some people may not feel comfortable working out in front of others; some may not do well where they feel like their actions are constantly perceived.
4. Better Balance And Coordination Skills
A trail often takes you through a diversity of landscapes. For example, the beautiful Box Hill trail in Surrey has it all - flat trails, the climbs, and raised stone steps across a river.
Hiking can give your body a wonderful opportunity to adapt to these terrains. Regular hiking can train your body to be more balanced and coordinated.
5. Get Your Vitamin D Fix
The early morning sun is a natural source of vitamin D. A quick hike outdoors can help increase this essential nutrient, which many people who work indoors nearly 24/7 often lack. Exposing yourself to the elements is also a good way to boost your immune system. But remember to put on sunscreen. You can get your vitamin D without getting sunburnt.
4 Mental Health Benefits Of Hiking
The mental benefits of hiking are equally impactful. And when you’re seeking to improve your physical health, you must not overlook the mental aspect.
6. Reduce Stress
Think of hiking as a much needed mental break. If you’re someone who has to live with the bustling beat of a busy city life most days of a week, then an immersive walk in nature - or just any open green space - is what your brain needs.
Hiking in nature is proven to lower cortisol levels and the stress hormones, thus keeping your mind fresh. When you’re on a hike, you’re exposing yourself to fresh, clean air and nature sounds. This helps break the usual patterns of polluted city noises and air.
Just kick back and relax with the nature’s sights and sounds.
7. Clear Your Mind And Get Creative
A change of scenery is what you need if you’re suffering from artist blocks, or just any form of mental restriction during work or studying. And there’s no better way to do it than taking a hike. You can take the advantage of the adventure to birdwatch, sketch, write or even study. It’s a good way to regain work-life balance.
8. Give You A Sense Of Novelty
When you hike, you may meet new people whom you can build great relationships with. Also, sometimes, you can even stumble upon a new trail or landmark.
These small but essential “discoveries” are like food for your brain. They keep you stimulated and looking forward to something, which makes your fitness journey more exciting.
9. Have Better Sleep Quality
Pent-up energy can cause restlessness at night. By exerting your energy on a great hike, you can fall asleep better. This benefit is good for both your physical body and mental health.
When you hike in nature, especially in the morning, you’re exposing yourself to natural light and air. This helps keep your circadian rhythm in check, making falling asleep and waking up easier.
CabinZero tips: To fall asleep on a flight, it’s recommended to take a short slow pace walk - 15 to 30 minutes - before.
3 Additional Life-changing Benefits Of Hiking
Besides physical and mental benefits, this activity offers more postitve impacts across other aspects of your life:
10. Engage With The Great Outdoors
There’s nothing like overcoming yourself and complete a challenging trail.
When you hike, you expose yourself to nature. In a 2014 study in Finland, researchers found that the relationship between physical activity and the outdoors, or nature space, is a positive one.
When you hike in nature, you will feel more relaxed because your brain often associates nature with leisure time like travelling. Hiking in nature will help you feel like working towards your fitness goal is less of a chore and more of a fun experience.
11. Help You Stay Motivated
Also, hiking gives you a sense of accomplishment. The feeling of reaching the peak or the main attraction of a hiking trail is like an instant reward you get for putting in the time and effort. Then you’re motivated to embark on conquering other challenges in life (and perhaps the next trail).
12. Strengthen Relationships
There's something about hitting the trails together that brings everyone closer. The feeling of conquering a tough trail as a team, the shared experience of hiking is something you will come to love and appreciate in times.
Simply helping someone through tough terrains and cheering each other on can will deepn your bonds with them (and maybe generate some new inside jokes along the way). Not to mention hiking also allow you to engage with the hiking groups and local comunities.
13. Gratitude Toward Life
Besides the physical and mental benefits, hiking often lets you learn about the flora and fauna, which in turn bring about a sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty of the world. A deeper appreciation for the planet and a desire to protect it may be fostered.
Away from the ordinary, just like when travelling, you will see things in a new light. You’ll appreciate life's simpler pleasures, whether it is standing atop a mountain or sharing a drink with your hiking mates. We won’t say you’ll become a completely new person, but at least one may attain a greater overall happiness and a more positive outlook.
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The reason hiking is often recommended for everyone is because it’s essentially free. You might only need to invest in a good backpack for hiking and some gear in the beginning, but you can use them for many years to come.
You get to explore new places and keep fit at the same time. Coupled with the physical and mental benefits of hiking mentioned above, it’s definitely something worth picking up.
Experiencing stress? Go on a hike. Need a break from long hours stuck in the meeting room? Well, hike. Allnighters mess up your sleep schedule? You can always try hiking, instead of seeking stimulants on your phone, which is known to cause sleep troubles.
FAQ
1. What Is A Good Length For A Day Hike?
Most hikers with experience can explore a distance of 8 to 10 miles (12 kilometres to 16 kilometres) at moderate speed. A good length for a day hike for starters can range from 5 to 15 miles (8 kilometres to 25 kilometres), depending on these factors:
-Your fitness goals: if your body is not used to being on your feet for more than two hours yet, stick to shorter distances.
-The terrain of the trail: some trails just have flat and even walkways, while some have steep and slippery hills. For beginners, it’s best to opt for short distances and easy terrain at first.
2. Is It Healthy To Hike Every Day?
It’s generally not healthy to do any form of exercise repeatedly every day. There should always be breaks as well as a diverse routine. This is because muscles need to recover. Overuse injuries can happen to anyone.
Hiking targets majorly your lower body. If you hike every single day, you might neglect working on the upper half of your body, leading to unproportionate gains. That’s not to mention the fact that sometimes, it’s not possible to hike every day due to factors such as the weather.
Just because it’s not recommended to hike every day, it doesn’t mean you should stop working out entirely. Consider building a diverse workout routine that consists of both low and high-impact exercises. And don’t forget to add break days.
Here’s an example:
Monday | -30 minutes of strength training (squats, lunges, etc.) -1 hour of hiking on an easy terrain |
Tuesday | -30 minutes of cardio (jogging, biking, swimming) -15 minutes of core exercises (planks, Russian twists, leg raises) |
Wednesday | Rest day |
Thursday | -30 minutes of strength training (dumbbell exercises such as bicep curls) -1 hour of hiking at a moderate pace |
Friday | -30 minutes of cardio -15 minutes of core exercises |
Saturday | -1 hour of hiking on a challenging terrain -30 minutes of stretching or yoga to improve flexibility and prevent muscle soreness |
Sunday | Rest day |
A good workout routine should have various exercises, including hiking.
3. Is Hiking Good For Belly Fat?
Your body burns calories when you hike, so yes, if you engage your core and walk properly, you can feel your stomach tightening and getting hot.
But remember that hiking does not directly give you a flat stomach. It’s weight loss and body toning that’s achieved through combining hiking and a healthy diet that can help you lose belly fat. It’s the same answer for other body parts as well.
Hiking does not automatically mean you will lose weight. Weight loss is different for everybody, and for most people, it requires an all-around plan that includes exercising, dieting, and mindset training.
But what hiking can do is giving you a much needed push to achieve your fitness goal because:
- Being in nature can motivate you to work out more frequently
- It can be incorporated with other exercises
- You can treat it as travelling, creating a positive association with working out
- It offers more freedom of choice: you can choose whichever terrain you see fit, and you can even take your dog on a trail.
- It’s cheaper than a gym, which is important for people with a limited budget.
4. Is Hiking Better Than The Gym?
There is obviously no clear-cut answer for this. There are things the gym brings that are not available on a hiking trail. At the same time, there are certain elements that you can only experience while walking in nature.
Instead of pitting one against the other, how about we look at the pros and cons of each form of exercise to see which one is a better fit for you?
Pros | Cons | |
Hiking |
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Gym |
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5. Hiking Or Gym Work Out, Which Is Better For Weight Loss?
The answer is: both are great. Aerobic burns less calories than anaerobic, but aerobic can be done in a longer period of time. A good weight loss routine should incorporate both and be tailored closely to your fitness goals.
And when you’re on your weightloss journey, even the simplest of physical activities counts. It doesn’t matter 100% whether you decide to do this or that, all physical movement helps, including walking up and down the stairs.
Hiking is just a fun way to mix up leisure, travel and working out. After all, nature is one of the best sources of motivation for exercising you can get.
Rejuvenate your body and mind with the benefits of hiking.
Understanding The Benefits Of Hiking
The benefits of hiking can transform both your body and your mental-wellbeing, from bettering your heart system to boosting your mood. Hiking is also a form of travelling, so in a sense, you’re getting the best of both worlds.
With plenty of beautiful trails to choose from and a more affordable cost, we don’t see why you should hesitate to pick up the exercise.
Let’s lace up our boots and conquer the trails, shall we? And don’t forget to leave us a comment or reach out to us via social media to share your wonderful hiking stories!
Nguyen Tran Gia Khanh
