Sports Advice | Decathlon Kenya
  • Home
  • Shop
  • About
  • Team
  • Resource Centre
    • FAQ
    • Events
    • Partners
Hiking Walking

5 Benefits Of Walking And Hiking

Decathlon
July 28, 2019
2 min read

Walking is often dismissed as a real form of exercise due to its low-impact and low-intensity nature, in fact, it’s one of the best.

Naomi our Hiking sports leader during a nature hike.

Walking is often dismissed as a real form of exercise due to its low-impact and low-intensity nature, in fact, it’s one of the best.

Physical benefits of walking

Although low-intensity, walking is certainly a form of exercise, and that means it increases your cardiovascular activity (your heart rate). This creates a chain reaction in the body ranging from increased blood circulation, to boosted brain activity and function. Walking for just 30 minutes a day has been shown to improve mood, reduce your risk of many diseases and improve your sleep quality.

Physical benefits of hiking
Hiking takes the physical benefits of walking to new levels. Hiking brings in fresh countryside air, rougher terrain, and often steep hill climbs to really work those legs. A backpack filled with your hiking essentials will also add extra resistance. The biggest impact of daily walking and, or hiking, is the effect it will have on your mood.

Psychological benefits of hiking
The psychological benefits of hiking begin with those associated with walking, or more generally exercise, but also provide the mental benefits of being in nature. Alongside boosted brain activity and cognitive function, exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins are a feel-good hormone that do exactly what they says on the tin, make you feel good. They also reduce the stress hormone cortisol and hinder feelings of anxiety or depression; these negative emotions are often due to overthinking, particularly about negative things.

While exercise alone reduces overthinking, hiking in nature combines exercise with beautiful views, fresh air and wildlife activity which you can focus your wandering mind upon. While the walking itself provides these benefits too, the same benefits are not reached walking through a city. The benefits of hiking in nature are due to the quieter, prettier and less stressful environment which has been proven to have a positive impact on mental health.

Social benefits of hiking

Hiking certainly doesn’t need to be a task you take up alone. Join friends on your nature trails, moorland walks and summit climbs to share conversations, experiences and memories. You may even meet new friends along the way; many well-known hiking trails are littered with campsites, B&Bs, pubs and museums or historic sites to visit.

Socially mediated benefits of hiking
If the physical, psychological and social benefits aren’t enough, you can also benefit with some digital attention for your hiking efforts. Who doesn’t want a profile pic at the famous Ngong Hills with the windy background. Just remember to pack your smartphone and maybe a battery charging pack, but don’t forget a waterproof bag to pop it in, or even better, a waterproof backpack.
The health benefits of hiking are numerous, from physical and social to psychological, which of course are all linked. Most importantly, it can remind you of our age old link to nature and the way in which spending time within it can clear our minds of the daily rat-race and reset our perspectives during times of stress.

Written by Decathlon

Share
28
Previous Post Why Is Weight Training Important For Losing Weight? Next Post 5 Reasons Why Swimming Is Good For You

You Might Also Like

Hiking, Walking
Three challenges likely to be encountered while hiking and how to cope with them
October 3, 2019

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published or shared. Required fields are marked * . This comment form is not active and is only used for the theme live preview. No user data is being send nor it is stored with us.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recent Posts

  • 1
    How to choose a backpack
    January 26, 2021

Let's Socialize

Decathlon's Picks

Swimming

Five things to carry for your swimming session

Decathlon
February 10, 2020
Cycling

Road Riders – 5 Tips To Improve Your Climbing

Decathlon
August 8, 2019
Hiking Walking

5 Benefits Of Walking And Hiking

Decathlon
July 28, 2019
Fitness

Why Is Weight Training Important For Losing Weight?

Decathlon
April 24, 2019
Follow Me @decathlonnairobi
  • We designed the "Golf at Home" product range with the aim of letting you experience all the thrills of playing golf at home. Whether discovering, playing, or practising skills, our products allow you to get the same enjoyment out of playing golf, in the comfort of your own home.😊😊 Our Putting Set lets you turn your home into a real Putting Green.🏌️⛳
  • Learn how to pick the right✔️ resistance bands for your workouts...💪Head down to our sports advise blog and comment on what you would like us to advise on in terms of picking the right sports gear for any type of sports 💪⛹️‍♀️🥋🏊‍♀️⛹️🏀Link:👇https://sportsadvice.co.ke/how-to-use-resistance-bands/
  • Happy Valentine's Day to all our clients...who do you share your fave sports session with?Tag your loved one this valentine's and share your 💕 of sports ....#valentinesday2021💗♥️💖 #quechua
  • This valentine's day,surprise him with something sporty this year...check out our website on table tennis gear & equipment and get a chance to get it delivered to his office on the same day for orders before 2pm...#valentines #artengotennis
Sports Advice | Decathlon Kenya
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Home
  • Shop
  • About
  • Team
  • Resource Centre

© 2020 Decathlon Kenya

Sports Advice | Decathlon Kenya

Let’s Socialize

Chat with us anytime anyday.