Hiking for beginners: Essential hiking 101 tips
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Loading... - Muchen Zhou
- 09 Jun 2022
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There are so many mental and physical health benefits of hiking. It can help you get into better shape, reduces stress, and even improve brainpower. If you’ve read my story you know that hiking helped me lose 30 pounds, build self-confidence, and was the start of my relationship with the outdoors. Now, more than 15 years later, it’s why I’m so enthusiastic about encouraging you to get outside. And it’s also the reason I wanted to make this Hiking 101 guide with all of my best hiking tips easily accessible to you.
If you’re interested in hiking but don’t have a lot of experience, it can be a little overwhelming when you are first starting out. So in this beginner’s hiking guide, we share everything you need to know to get started. We include advice on how to pick a trail, recommendations on gear, how to manage fears of getting lost and wildlife, and more. So dive in and get ready, because you’re about to discover all you need to know to enjoy a life spent outside.
How to Physically Prepare for Hiking as a Beginner
When you are first starting out hiking, we recommend choosing trails that are in line with your current fitness levels. Of course, hiking is a way to kick-start your exercise routine and get in shape, but if you pick a trail that is way above your pay grade, you won’t enjoy it and might never hike again. We will talk more about how to find the right hiking trail in a bit, but prior to your first hike, doing some physical preparation and establishing a healthy awareness of your body will help grow your confidence as a beginner hiker.
STRETCHES AND EXERCISES FOR HIKING
As a beginner hiker, the more you can work a few gentle stretches and exercises into your normal routine, the more quickly you will build up strength. Whether this means going to the gym, doing exercises at home, or starting your morning out with some yoga poses, being more active in your daily life will help build your stamina and confidence when it’s time to get on the trail. But remember, you don’t have to be a marathon runner or a serious athlete to start hiking. Simply being out on the trail will help you get in shape.
As you are training, remember to always listen to your body and any pain signals, as this can be great experience for knowing when to push yourself or turn back around on bigger and more challenging hikes. For more tips on hiking training, see our post, How to Train for Hiking.
IMPROVING YOUR LUNG CAPACITY FOR HIKING
Another thing that used to bother me as a beginner hiker was I’d always be so out of breath on the trail. I felt embarrassed, and it prevented me from hiking with people who I knew were in better shape than me. Fifteen years later, if I let my routine slip, I still get out of breath very easily. I’ve learned that it’s nothing to be ashamed of, and for many people, it’s completely normal.
With that said, if you find it uncomfortable and want to get in control of that heavy breathing, you can learn some simple exercises and steps you can take to improve your lung capacity in this blog post.
DEALING WITH ACHES AND PAINS
Hiking is hard work, and it can leave your body and joints tired and achy. Beginner or not, if you have weak knees or sensitive feet, there are proactive steps you can take to take to prevent hiking from taking a big toll on your body. Read about how to protect your knees while hiking and how to eliminate foot pain from hiking for more on this topic.
Essential Hiking Gear for Beginners
A daypack is the first piece of gear you’ll need. When you’re just starting out, you can grab any old backpack you have lying around your house. However, once you decide you are hooked on hiking, there are a few features of a proper daypack that will be worth investing in. A hiking day pack will have a supportive hipbelt that will transfer the weight off your shoulders onto your much-stronger hips. A hiking daypack will usually also have a dedicated pouch for a hydration reservoir which allows you to drink from a hose while you hike without having to take your pack off. Read More...
