Is hiking a good workout? Read for more info

Rob Johnston

Editor & Article Writer for Outdoor Wilds

Is Hiking a Good Workout?

I’ve always thought of hiking as a great cardiovascular exercise. You can get your blood pumping, enjoy some fresh air, and work your leg muscles.

While I like to hike, I often wonder about its benefits. So, is hiking a good workout?

It turns out that hiking offers much more than just a cardio and lower body workout. It can work every set of muscles in your body.

In fact, hiking provides a wide range of benefits to both physical and mental well-being and has become my new favorite activity.

Hiking Works Most Major Muscle Groups

Hiking is still an effective cardio workout. It allows you to burn calories and promote better mobility and blood circulation.

These benefits may help some people lower their blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and risk of heart disease.

However, it’s the extra health benefits of hiking that interest me the most. Besides cardio, you do get to work almost every major set of muscles.

As we all know, hiking requires a lot of leg work. You can work your glutes, hamstrings, and quads.

When you add a pack to your back, you get even more of a strength training workout. You can work your shoulder and back muscles. Hiking with poles may also help strengthen the arms.

Start Hiking to Boost Your Balance and Core

Why choose hiking over walking or jogging? Both activities require you to get outside and start moving your legs. However, hiking involves uneven terrain.

You need to constantly shift your weight and balance. This process helps strengthen your core muscles and improve your balance.

Maintaining a strong core helps to improve mobility throughout the lower body and may even prevent lower-back pain. I’ve also found that it helps relieve moderate back pain when hiking with a light pack.

Hike to Clear Your Mind and Reduce Stress

Perhaps my favorite benefit of hiking is the solitude. When I work out at the gym, I’m surrounded by people. When I go for a jog, there are endless distractions, from cars to other pedestrians.

When you go for a hike, you can get away from everyone and everything. It’s just you and the great outdoors.

Studies show that hiking and spending more time outdoors helps boost your mood. It is part of our nature to spend time outside.

Spending several hours outdoors on a good hike can provide plenty of sunshine and fresh air, which can help deliver more oxygen to the brain and more vitamin D to your body.

These benefits are known to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Simply walking around outdoors allows you to clear your mind and focus more on your mental health.

Hiking Is a Great Workout for Losing Weight

Hiking offers cardio, strength training, and relaxation. It may also provide an effective way to lose weight.

You can burn a significant number of calories during a hike whether you choose to hike for one hour or five hours.

I use the MapMyHike website to calculate the number of calories that I can burn during a hike or any other activity. At 160 pounds, 5’10”, and 28 years old, I can burn about 526 calories while hiking two miles for 60 minutes.

That is more than enough for the average person to eat at a calorie deficit without dramatically changing his or her diet.

You Don’t Need to Spend Anything to Start Hiking

While I enjoy all the health advantages discussed, there is another benefit to hiking. It doesn’t cost anything to get started. You just need a comfortable pair of hiking boots.

If you’re new to hiking, I recommend that you start with flat terrain. It’s a little easier on the legs, which provides a gradual introduction to the activity.

You should also check your local area for hiking trails. I’ve found that most regions have an assortment of trails. From leisurely one-mile walks to vigorous multi-day hikes, there is something for everyone.

As you get more used to the activity, you can start increasing the distance and difficulty of the trail.

When you start increasing the complexity of the hike, don’t forget to bring supplies including water, phone, compass, and other essential hiking gear.

Now that you know the benefits of hiking, I suggest that you put on your boots and start hiking your local area.