Things to Remember on the First Hike

Written by: LindaKennedy

Hiking is a physically and mentally rewarding activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Even for those with no experience in hiking or even regular exercise, it can be proven pleasurable for anyone. If you've never experienced hiking before, just a little forethought and preparation can make the difference between completing your hike energized and invigorated instead of exhausted and sore. If your upcoming hike is short and flat with easy footing, you may already have the fitness to complete the hike easily and comfortably. However, if your hike is long, hilly, or on uneven terrain (many trails are all three), then a little groundwork is in order.

First, you should be physically able to cover the mileage required. Regular walks, building up to about three-fourths the length of the planned hike, should be performed to make sure your aerobic fitness is adequate to complete the distance without undue fatigue. For the most part, hiking is an aerobic activity performed at an intensity that can be sustained for a long period of time. However, during very hilly stretches of a hike, your exercise intensity may be very high no matter how slow you walk. Your walking route should incorporate some hills to condition your body and you can take frequent rest stops if needed. Remember the goal is exercise and enjoyment. If you're walking so fast that you can't carry on a short conversation, slow down.

A regular walking regimen is a great first step to get ready for your hike, but it's not quite enough on its own. Now that you've built some aerobic fitness, you now need to work on your hiking fitness. The best way to become fit for hiking is to hike. This is one of the principals of exercise training the law of specificity, which states that in order to improve in a certain sport or activity, you must perform that activity. Hiking to prepare for a hike gets your body accustomed to the exact movements and conditions that will be required of you during the actual hike - something that no other exercise can perfectly simulate. Even walking on a treadmill will not prepare you for the frequent up and down hills, adjustments in speed, and uneven footing you will encounter on a trail. Don't forget about a proper diet abundant in vitamin-rich whole foods.

Even if your aerobic fitness is fine, your leg and torso muscles will need some time to adjust to hilly, uneven terrain. Walking on flat, even ground targets your buttocks, hamstrings, calves, and the muscles on the back of the leg. However, when up hills are thrown into the mix; more emphasis is placed on the quadriceps and shins on the front of the leg. The buttocks, hamstrings, and calves contract even harder - a perfect recipe for muscle soreness or strains if unprepared.

Walking downhill can cause muscle soreness if untrained because the leg muscles are undergoing eccentric contractions. Most of the time, a muscle shortens when it contracts. During eccentric contractions, the muscle actually lengthens as it contracts, often resulting in microscopic tears in the muscle. Finally, the uneven terrain of most trails requires you to engage your "stabilizing muscles". They are the ones keeping your torso upright and ensuring that your legs and feet remain stable upon impact with the ground. These muscles include the abdominal obliques on the side of the torso, iliotibial band on the outside of the thigh, vastus medialis (just above and to the inside of the kneecap), and the peroneals on the side of the lower leg. These are the muscles people talk about when they say, "I'm sore in muscles that I didn't even know I had!"

In order to improve hiking fitness, your goal should be to train in conditions that will simulate the big hike just on a smaller scale. For example, if you are planning a 6-mile hilly hike, you would first ensure that you can hike 4 miles on flat terrain with no problems. Then, to improve your hiking fitness, take shorter hikes of 2 to 3 miles on hilly, uneven terrain to condition your body and mind for the demands of the upcoming hike. Make sure to simulate as many conditions of the upcoming hike as possible. This includes wearing the same daypack, clothes, shoes, and accessories that you will bring on the big day. This will give you the chance to make sure that everything feels comfortable and there are no problems with your gear. Your goals should be to walk at an easy pace and enjoy yourself. It's normal to be a little sore and tired after your first couple of hikes. The good news is that with repeated short practice hikes, the muscle soreness will eventually go away and be replaced with feelings of confidence and vigor. Once you reach the point where feelings of energy and relaxation outweigh the feelings of fatigue after a hike, you are probably fit enough to increase the duration of your excursions if you like.

One of the main benefits of regular hiking is that it is an activity that most people can do. Exercises like jogging and aerobics require high aerobic fitness and can aggravate joints because of their high-impact nature. Hiking, on the other hand, can be performed at a leisurely, self-controlled pace and results in low joint impacts. Walking on concrete and asphalt transfers these forces back into the body to be absorbed by the muscles and joints resulting in much greater risk for overused injuries like shin splits or tendonitis. Trails are much softer than concrete or asphalt, and therefore absorb much of the forces with each foot strike. This will allow you to hike regularly without the concern of injury as with high-impact activities.

Hiking is also a great way to improve health and lose weight. The American Heart Association recommends vigorous walking three or four times per week for 30 to 60 minutes each time. Walking has also been shown to reduce tension, anxiety, and blood pressure before, during, and after exercise regardless of the pace.

A proper diet abundant in vitamin rich whole foods will go a long way in helping to prepare you as well. In some cases, extra supplementation may be warranted or desired and should be in the form of whole food vitamins and nutrients, natural supplements, or a quality liquid vitamin. While supplementation may be proven helpful, nothing replaces a diet that is rich in lean protein sources, fruits, and vegetables.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of hiking comes in the form of mental rewards that are gained. Most people do not exercise regularly. They say that the most common reason for a sedentary lifestyle is that exercising is boring. Admittedly, walking on a treadmill isn't exactly mentally stimulating. Hiking, on the other hand, is the ideal exercise because boredom is nonexistent. You can set your own pace, you can alternate your routes regularly, you will see beautiful sights that most people will never see, and perhaps most importantly hiking allows the opportunity for relaxation and introspection. With many people today working longer hours, taking care of family commitments, and juggling numerous responsibilities, chronic stress levels are at an all-time high. Hiking allows you to take a break from the everyday hustle and bustle to get that much needed "me time". When performed regularly, the rewards of hiking are numerous and include better fitness, lower stress, and an overall improvement in general health and well-being.

Contributed by:
Dr. Linda Kennedy MS SLP ND

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