Hiking is great for your mind and body. From improving the symptoms of diabetes and helping people lose weight to decreasing the symptoms of anxiety and helping you to have a clearer mind, hiking offers something for nearly everyone. When you hike with friends or join local groups for hikers, you can even have a more fulfilling social life. Of course, hiking means you’ll need to work on your endurance as well. Luckily, there are several ways to do this.
- Fuel Your Body Properly
One of the best things you can do to help your body increase endurance is to fuel it properly all year long. This means eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, sticking to lean meats, and using nutrition supplements like the ones available from USANA Singapore. Fueling your body also means drinking at least eight glasses of water per day and getting plenty of sleep at night.
- Practice Your Hiking
Practice hikes are an excellent way to build up your endurance little by little. Depending on what your current fitness level is, you can start by “hiking” around the block. As you begin to feel stronger, consider short trails, such as half-mile ones in parks near your home. Walk short trails 3-4 times per week to keep your body used to moving and get it used to new types of terrain. Once you feel fit enough, you can begin to practice hikes that require longer endurance on the weekends.
- Purchase the Right Equipment
Hiking puts a lot of wear and tear on your feet. Purchasing the right clothing and equipment is essential for ensuring you can increase endurance and have a good time while doing it. Purchase high-quality hiking shoes and several pairs of socks that are made just for hikers. Wear them anytime you’re walking to prevent blisters and subsequent pain. When you purchase your new socks and boots, be sure to break them in a little at a time. Take short walks and build up to wearing them on longer trails. Invest in a good walking stick (or find one on a trail!) and a well-fitting hiking backpack to carry your gear as well.
- Add Hills To Your Training Route
Even if you don’t plan to walk hilly trails when you’re going long distances, adding hill intervals into your training trails can help you to build your endurance. Whether it’s an actual hiking trail, a road somewhere in your neighborhood, or a hill in your own backyard, walking a short, steep incline several times per week can help you to build endurance. To get even more out of your efforts, wear the same pack that you’ll be wearing on your long hikes. Walk up and down it as much as you can to build your strength and endurance.
- Remain Active During the Winter
One of the biggest reasons people lose their hiking stamina is because they go dormant during the colder months. This winter, do what you can to stay fit and active. There are three sports that can help you keep your stamina until hiking trails are no longer covered in snow.
If you enjoy the outdoors, go snowshoeing or skiing. Snowshoeing is a cardio workout that also helps to build endurance and may even be something you can do on the same trails you hike during the rest of the year. Skiing improves muscle mass and increases endurance. If you prefer to stay out of the cold during the winter, visit an indoor rock climbing facility. Just a few hours a week improves stamina, coordination, and balance. Start with a guided class if you’ve never gone rock climbing before.
Whether you want to get fit, train for a major hiking expedition, or just spend more time on the trails with your friends, these tips for increasing your endurance are sure to help you get where you want to be. Remember to first talk to your doctor about increasing exercise if you have any health conditions.