You know it yourself: overall, you sit more than you move. This leads to one-sided strain on your entire musculoskeletal system. Your skeleton, joints, muscles, and ligaments suffer as a result. We read it every day: lack of physical activity is one of the main causes for the spread of lifestyle diseases. So, what could be more natural than moving the body the way evolution developed it: walking on two legs. Then let's get started. Avoid the potential consequences of an overly comfortable life. How is that supposed to work? By hiking.
Hiking instead of sitting
With the upright gait of Homo sapiens, the strain on the skeleton also changed. Muscles, ligaments, and joints adapted perfectly to this form of locomotion. Over millennia, however, human living habits have changed. Today, in the age of service-oriented jobs, the vast majority of working professionals spend their working hours sitting. The car, escalators, elevators, household appliances, and, of course, the television and the computer make our everyday lives simply too comfortable. Hiking could be the healthy alternative to a life on the sofa.
Hiking: Moderate but regular
Medical professionals have found that endurance sports involving many muscle groups are particularly suitable for maintaining and increasing physical fitness. In this context, moderate but regular exertion of the body is preferable to high athletic performance. The decisive factor is simply the total energy consumed. Seen in this light, hiking is an optimal health sport. The cardiovascular system, the entire metabolism, breathing, and muscles are sustainably strengthened through endurance hiking. Hiking is also increasingly being used for therapeutic purposes. In rehabilitation, as an element of aftercare, or for the prevention of physical and mental illnesses: hiking can help.
Over hill and dale – hiking is a sport
The French extreme mountaineer Lionel Terray once said: "Mountaineering is the conquest of the useless." Hiking has existed as long as humans have. Before the invention of the wheel, hiking—apart from riding—was the only way to get from A to B. Today, hiking, walking, trekking, climbing, and mountaineering are sports activities performed in leisure time painstakingly wrested from everyday life. Many people spend part of this time being on the move. Slowly, arduously, exposed to the weather, and without having "arriving" as the actual goal. Strange, one might think. But according to representative surveys, two-thirds of the population consider hiking "in," every second person claims to hike regularly, and no less than 40% would like to do it more often. Why?
You go to the mountain to be free
Nowadays, doing sports no longer means just faster, further, higher. Doing sports also means having fun, relaxing, and doing something for your health. Not least, sports are also pursued for the sake of one's figure. Hiking is also highly recommended in this regard. When simply walking, you consume almost as much energy per kilometer as you do when briskly running! The energy consumption just happens more slowly, which has the advantage that the heart rate is not unnecessarily driven to extreme heights. In addition, viewing a beautiful landscape promotes a feeling of relaxation and lowers blood pressure. Those who look back every now and then feel free.
Going hiking together
Hiking together promotes friendship. Walking side-by-side is one of the most uncomplicated and easiest forms of communicating. You strike up a conversation, even if it's only about the hiking itself, and can step away from it again just as easily. If you enjoy being in company, membership in one of the many hiking groups is a great option. They offer organized hikes for a day or several weeks. You can take vacation hikes with trained hiking guides, benefit from trail maps, paths, and hiking hostels, and actively participate in nature conservation. With all your activities, you enjoy comprehensive insurance coverage that is already included in the membership fee. For children and adolescents, camps, recreational activities, and adventure hikes are offered. Large hiking associations, such as the Alpine Club and the Association of German Mountain and Hiking Clubs, consist of many small regional clubs – also in your vicinity.
6 reasons that speak for hiking
- Hiking is healthy
- It is a nature experience
- Feasible at almost any age and almost everywhere
- Beautiful alone or in a group
- Requires no special skills, expenses, or knowledge
- Can be practiced and organized according to your own needs
By the way, you can also go cycling, canoeing, ski hiking, mudflat hiking, or mountain hiking. Or you could try your hand at: trekking, walking, climbing, wogging.
Hike alone, in a club, with family, with friends, with your partner. In your spare time, on vacation, on a hiking trip or a hiking tour, on the weekend. Right on your doorstep, around the corner, in the mountains, or in the forest. Hiking is literally boundless.
"There were many stones and little bread..." The right provisions provide a remedy
If you plan to stop at a hut, check in advance whether it is open. Many huts are only open in the summer months and are not open every day. For longer tours, you should book in advance. You can get information from the German Alpine Club or local tourist offices.
Provisions for hiking
When it comes to provisions, drinks play an outstanding role. Contrary to old rules about not drinking too much while hiking, according to new findings, it is better to compensate for fluid loss immediately and consume a little too much fluid rather than too little. Electrolyte effervescent tablets, which you can simply add to your water bottle as you wish, are optimal for preparing an electrolyte-containing solution. You can also consume magnesium sticks with magnesium citrate without water, as a preventative measure to balance your mineral levels. For a six- to eight-hour hike, you need two to four liters of fluid. A light aluminum or plastic water bottle should hold at least 0.75 liters. Alcoholic beverages are, of course, not recommended while hiking. Fruit, cereal bars, or sandwiches are suitable for provisions on the go. However, you should not eat too much while on the move – it makes hiking more difficult.
Heading to the mountains at dawn... Properly dressed for hiking
The motto is: "There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing." Although somewhat discredited, knee breeches or climbing trousers are the most practical hiking attire. Trousers with wide legs get very wet when hiking through damp meadows or in heavy rain and then flap around the legs. This is not only very unpleasant but also easily leads to severe cooling. Outerwear should be light and airy. On cool days, it is recommended to bring an additional warm sweater that can be taken off if necessary.
On steep inclines or strenuous sections of the trail, you should rather take off your sweater or jacket before they are completely soaked with sweat. A spare shirt is always recommended for longer hikes so that you don't catch a chill, especially during rest breaks. In case of rain, you can of course use an umbrella. In the long run, holding an umbrella, especially in strong wind, is arduous. Therefore, a rain cape or poncho is better, which can also be worn over the backpack.
Water-repellent hiking boots
Of particular importance are the hiking boots. They must have a good grip, support the ankle, and be waterproof. The latter is especially important because wet feet very quickly lead to cooling and thus potentially to colds. If you know that your shoes are not absolutely waterproof, you can pull a plastic bag over your socks if rain is expected.
A pair of spare socks also belongs in the backpack. It is advisable to try out new hiking boots on short distances before wearing them on longer hikes. A hiking backpack is preferable to any type of bag because it leaves your hands free and avoids one-sided strain. The backpack should be light and padded at the contact points. Hiking equipment also includes a hat that protects against rain or sun. In winter, a hat that also covers the ears is recommended. A sturdy walking stick can be very useful, especially for ascents and descents. There are many different types: from the traditional walking stick to ski poles to telescopic poles.
A heart rate monitor is not a must, but it is useful. For example, those who hike to lose weight should pay closer attention to their pulse. In the right pulse range, you effectively boost your fat metabolism. However: if the pulse is too high, no fat burning takes place. The ideal training pulse can be calculated as follows: (220 minus age) x 0.7 = optimal pulse (e.g., 220 - 40 = 180 x 0.7 = 126). With modern heart rate monitors, even personal stress tests can be carried out, so you can take precautions in advance not to overexert yourself.
Every beginning is difficult
Don't overexert yourself at the beginning. A beginner should not start with a 20 km hike right away. First, build up some stamina with shorter hikes of 5 to 10 kilometers. Hiking is more time-consuming than other sports. Hiking guides help you better estimate how long a tour takes. Don't forget: bad weather or sudden problems on the hiking terrain can lead to time delays. As a rule of thumb: 5 kilometers without an incline take about an hour. An average hiker covers about 400 meters in altitude uphill and 800 meters in altitude downhill.
Don't forget hiking maps and weather forecasts
At the beginning of your endeavor, you should naturally review literature about the botanical, geological, or architectural sights to be expected in the chosen hiking area. Then maps are consulted to determine the hiking route. Topographical maps at a scale of 1:50,000 are best, preferably with marked hiking trails. Maps, whether digital in an app or in paper format, are also very useful; however, ensure that they are provided with contour lines so that you can estimate the difficulties and strains. You should also inquire about the condition of the paths in advance.
Tourist offices can help here. Also consider the time so that you do not get caught in the dark. Find out about the expected meteorological conditions and pay attention to the temperature gradient if you want to hike in the mountains. For every 100 meters of altitude, the air temperature drops by one degree Celsius. Especially in the mountains, the climate can change from one moment to the next. If it suddenly gets cloudy, rains, or the wind blows, this can lead to extreme temperature changes.
Good tips for a successful hike
- Warm up!
- Do not dash to the summit at top speed right away, otherwise you will quickly run out of breath. Start slowly to "get into the swing of things." For this, about a quarter of an hour is enough in normal weather. If it is cold, half an hour is recommended.
- Pacing
- Adjust your speed to the terrain and take rest breaks after exertion.
- Avoid cooling down!
- Sweating keeps the body temperature stable. You should neither freeze nor sweat heavily. Therefore, protect your sweat-soaked body from the cold and change your clothes if necessary.
- Don't forget to drink.
- Take enough breaks.
- Rule of thumb: Hike for two hours, rest for half an hour.
- Do not leave the marked paths.
- First, you protect nature, and second, you reduce the risk of getting lost or injuring yourself.
Vitamins, minerals, and trace elements for support while hiking
Sodium, potassium, and chloride support rapid regeneration. Look for products that help you quickly produce a tasty carbohydrate-electrolyte solution. Magnesium prevents fatigue and states of exhaustion. A must-have before, during, and after every hike. Propolis or elderberry can strengthen your immune system together with vitamin C and zinc, so that a week of colds does not follow a "superhero feeling" day.
• Would you like to know what supports you while hiking? Learn more here.
• Do you want to learn more about calcium? You can read more about it here.
