Hiking tips for beginners and couch potatoes

Hiking is an outdoor activity that anyone can enjoy. You may be asking why do you need training for hiking? If you know how to prepare for hiking, you will enjoy it more.

Before you go out on the trail you need to know your limit if you never hiked before start out by walking around the block for a few days to build up your leg muscles .And if you do decide to go on a trail keep it under 5 miles for the first couple of times.

Here are some other tips to prepare for .

CONTROL YOUR BREATHING

As you start going up the hill, you may feel out of breath. In this time, try to take shorter breaths instead of taking big and deep breaths, so you get more oxygen. Remind yourself before you start going up to the hill, it will help you to breathe easier and reduce the number of stops on the way to the top.

STAY HYDRATED

Because of sweating, you may feel very thirsty and want to drink a lot of water while hiking. However, you are not supposed to drink a lot of water at once. It can cause stomachaches and hyponatremia, which is a low sodium level in the blood. This can make you feel dizzy or nauseous. To avoid these problems, take small sips frequently to stay hydrated and to quench your thirst.

TAKE BIG STEPS

One way to train for hiking is changing the way you walk. It is better to take long strides when walking on flat areas. The shorter steps you take, the more energy you are using. Save your energy when walking up and down hills. It is hard to keep in mind, but try to get used to taking longer steps to conserve your energy when you need it most.

Hiking on a Hill

There is a rule to follow when hiking on a hill. If you're going up the hill and people are coming down step off to the side so they can come down first. It is easier for you to stop going up than the person coming down.

When looking at trails they are rank easy, medium and hard you might ask what do they mean by that here is a breakdown of what they mean.

Easy- is a low-risk hike on a well-marked trail. A majority of frequently accessed hiking trails are considered Easy. A easy trail rating doesn't mean you won't gain elevation or be blown away by the views it simply means you won't need any technical gear beyond your hiking shoes, hiking poles, and a day pack to enjoy the hike.

Medium - trails might have sections that aren't clearly marked. While there's a chance you'll need to use your hands for extra balance, for the most part the terrain on medium levels of hiking is considered easy or moderate. The unsteadiness of a medium trail often comes from the need to walk over small, loose rock or larger, semi-loose rock fields . In colder regions, slippery snowpack on steep terrain can also be thrown into the mix. A good pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots is highly recommended here, but no technical gear is required.

Hard -If you feel confident on rock and want to mix things up, step right up to Hard. Often Hard hikes include sections with rugged terrain where you'll need to use your hands to scramble across extreme terrain, such as large rocks, steep slopes, or a combination of both.

What to take on a hike:

On a half-day hike, we only bring:

• Small snacks,

• Water, maybe a half liter, in a reusable bottle

• Paper tissues for sweat and sneezing couple of sheets of toilet paper just in case

• small first aid kit

• Phone+keys+some money

If we go on a 1-2 hour hike, we don’t bring anything at all, just phone+keys+water Depending when you go have a cooler with sandwiches for after you finish the hike

This is just basic advice for hiking if you're doing it for the first time or just getting started . Biggest thing is don't over do it the first couple of time build your way up to do those bigger hikes. You don't want to get tired that you can't make it back . And if you need to call for help to get back. And remember the pack it in pack it our rule take you garbage with you.

The info for this post came from years of hiking myself and from the Boy Scout Field book and Handbook .