The most obvious method of training for hiking is walking. However, some hikers feel frustrated because although they achieve their 10,000 daily steps, they still have trouble with endurance during a five-mile hike.
A goal of 10,000 daily steps is great for improving your health, stabilizing your blood sugar, enhancing your sleep, and training your body to spend more time on your feet. However, even though 10,000 steps equal about five miles for the average person, they are spread over a 12-14 hour time frame. On the other hand, a five-mile hike lasts a couple of hours. Essentially, you are covering the same distance in a shorter amount of time with fewer rest breaks, which requires you to be more fit.
So, which goal is better?
The answer is that you need to do both.
Walking and moving throughout the day improves circulation and oxygenation, which fights brain fog and boosts mood. Walking for just five to 10 minutes after eating stabilizes your blood sugar and aids digestion. Reaching your daily step goal ensures that you stay active and alert throughout the day, improving your physical and mental health! This step goal is easily achieved in 10-minute increments, making it flexible enough for nearly everyone and allowing you plenty of recovery time after each walking session.
Conversely, you'll need to set aside a couple of hours for a five-mile walk or hike. This ensures you walk continuously. You'll likely have an increased cadence or faster walking speed than your casual step-building activities around your home or office. Maintaining that level of activity requires a higher level of cardiovascular output, which means you'll experience an increased heart and respiratory rate.
Since translating your daily steps into a continuous walk or hike requires a new level of endurance, you may need to work up to it slowly even if you've got a consistent 10K daily step count. Start with one mile and then add one-half to one mile to your total distance every week.
Following this type of plan, you'll do what's best for your overall health while still meeting your hiking goals and feeling capable and able to keep up on the trail!
Hey Hiker, I'm Alicia Filley, a physical therapist and hiking coach. I help hikers like you train for hiking so they can feel confident and capable of conquering their dream trails. My clients receive a weekly training schedule that provides them with the strength, flexibility, and stability workouts they need in just 30 minutes a day. They also receive a walking training schedule that builds their endurance and helps them meet their health goals! If you wish someone would just tell you what to do so you can feel good and keep up on the trail, sign up for a consultation with me! I'll show you how simple it is to stay fit for adventure!
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