Hiking for exercise?

[danny28]

My wife just told me that she is going to bring her "walking buddies" up to our house this weekend. They normally walk in town with limited hills. I had to laugh and I thought these poor ladies. She is going to take them on our 5-mile hike. It's a ton of hills and uneven ground. I don't know if they know what they are getting themselves into. I might just tag along to see how they do!

 

[Barney]

I don't like to hike for exercise, because I like a good tempo and uneven terrain is no the best choice for ankles. I prefer the usual workouts.

 

[ppine]

Five miles is no big deal even for older people with the right mental attitude. How can people stay interested in the outdoors if they can't walk outside?

 

[Quinn]

Hiking is exercise, period. If you hike you are burning calories and helping your muscles. At least that is what I tell my wife to keep her from making me go to the gym with her. It must be true because she accepts it without complaint.

 

[IndianaHiker]

Problem for me and hiking for exercise is I cant get out often enough to it to me me any good. If you hike once a week that really is not enough timed per week you any good. Any more I only manage to get out once every couple of months so that is not helping at all. The old saying every little bit helps just really doesn't apply to exercise has to be consistent.

 

[ppine]

For those with limited time, park at the outer edge of some large shopping mall and walk quickly around the stores in bad weather. Walk to lunch. Park the car and walk everywhere while shopping. Do other countries have drive-in liquor stores?

For any American that has not traveled to an old European type city built in the horse drawn days, I highly recommend it. Travel there and do not rent a car. Walk and use the public transportation. It is any eye openinig experience. People in most other countries walk a lot. In a 3 week trip to central and northern Italy I saw fewer fat people than on the plane ride home full of Americans.

 

[kreso93]

You'd have to be in a really bad condition not to be able to walk for 5 miles. Damn, I can run more than 5 miles and I smoke lol

 

[Pathfinder1]

Damn, I can run more than 5 miles and I smoke lol

Hi...


You smoke, after running only five miles? Wow...!!:tinysmile_grin_t:

 

[carmen]

Do not be surprised at all if they end up doing better than you think. A ton of exercising training I did years ago was based on the resistance people deal with going up and down those crazy country hills.

 

[aldove]

Let me know how your weekend goes. I bet they're more than willing to do this just to wake up those muscles that have been resting for too long. It would be harder for them to hike if they wear their flip flops instead of hiking shoes.

 

[danny28]

She has already had complaints and a couple of them won't be coming. They walk in town, outside each night. They walk on paved roads. Paved road walking is nothing like hiking our hills in the woods. I'm sure they walk more then 5 miles each night, but it's different. I can't wait to see them.

 

[littlefire]

For sure, walking on a paved road and hiking are completely different. I bet a few of them will surprise you, but I'm also betting a few of them will complain and whine the entire way. I'm not much of a hiker myself, but when I do get out, it is invigorating. I imagine it would be very fun exercise for ladies simply looking for a walk. Walking and hiking not very similar.

 

[ponderosa]

My mom and her best friend walk on the BLM desert near her home every morning. They do about 90 minutes, in the sand, up and down hills. They also carry trash bags and pick up a ridiculous amount of garbage. They are 68 years old, and both fairly overweight. But they enjoy the heck out of it. I think if your wife's friends enjoy being outdoors, they'll enjoy it. Any nature-loving person would prefer a walk in the woods over a walk on asphalt. If they are the sort who would rather watch TV than be in the garden, they may not enjoy it.

 

[Marshmallow]

Even if they do a little hiking and don't make it the entire five miles, they'll be exercising muscles they haven't worked before. I live in the flat lands and can really tell it when I'm in a more hilly terrain.

 

[Grandpa]

Maybe in the long term scheme of things one hike isn't much good as excercise but for one day it is great. Also, If you really want a crash program, put on a backpack with ten days provisions and go for a long walk, like 80 miles or so. The combination of excercise, fresh air, and general sense of accomplishment will definately be a big plus to your physical well being. (It also gives my spiritual well being a big lift as well)