Fitness for Fun: Hiking

Autumn is a great time to get out to enjoy San Diego county.

As we have mentioned before, there are a plethora of trains for running and enjoying the mountains and Fall air. Not only is this great exercise, but an excellent way to enjoy the beauty of our area.

However, some people may not be ready to hit the trails running. A fitness program from SD PERSONAL TRAINER is an excellent way to get your body prepared for all kinds of outdoor sports. It will help you get out of the gym and truly enjoy what a healthy body and positive attitude can do for your life. If you want to hit the trails now, but aren’t quite prepared to hit the ground running, you can try hiking. Some wonder what hiking can do for your body and if it is really effective exercise. The answer is certainly yes – or at least it is a great start.

Hiking for fitness can be broken down into a few elements.

Leg Strength

Regular hiking does great things for the muscles in your ankles, calves and thighs. Performing other exercises in the gym or other fitness plan will certainly help to augment your success as a hiker too.

Don’t travel light! Take a day pack or go for an overnight trip. For added fitness benefits, pack everything but the kitchen sink! Lifting both you own body weight and that of your pack will add to the workout!

Take the High Road

Search out inclines and challenging paths. These will work more muscles and you will also have the added benefit of great scenery.

A hike on level ground at a quick pace may be able to give you a low-intensity, endurance workout if you walk it over an extended period, but a climb will raise both your pulse and breathing rate.

Stick It Out

If you are new to backpacking, you may find that it takes some time to get used to carrying a pack. Some say that it takes over five hikes to develop the proper muscles to endure the bruises and rubbing that can be produced by carrying a heavy pack. Don’t give in to the discomfort – make sure to stick to it long enough to adjust.

Rock Hop

Make sure your ankles, calves and knees are strong enough to endure rough terrain alone before attempting to carry a heavy pack. It is important that your support muscles are strong enough to provide the balance and protection you need to avoid an injury. Additional packs may throw off your balance if you are not ready for them.

Safety is always important to SD PERSONAL TRAINER, so make sure to carry an emergency kit any time you go out on the trails. Enjoy the autumn air!