When you think of hiking, in most cases it isn’t considered a race, however, you may still want to increase your time or be able to hike further distances. Have you seen these Camino de Santiago from Oviedo, some are over 210 km in distance!
By being able to hike further, you will get to explore even more landscapes and be able to take on more difficult adventures. Being faster will also mean you won’t have to spend as many days exploring, as you will finish the route quicker. In a way, going further and faster is a win-win for some people and it will allow you to take on more difficult hikes.
From spending time warming up to developing your core and working on your leg muscles, below we have put together our guide on training tips to get you hiking further and faster.
1) Spend time warming up
You will be amazed at how most people don’t dedicate a set amount of time to warming up, before taking on their chosen hike. Warming your muscles up not only reduces the chance of injury but also helps them perform better, thus allowing you to hike further and faster. We would recommend giving yourself a good 30 minutes before starting your journey to warm up all your muscles – you want to stretch your lower body and upper body!
2) Develop your core strength
Hiking works out your leg muscles, your cardio system and your core muscles. You can have the strongest glutes and good stamina but if you haven’t got a strong core, you will struggle to go further and faster on your trips. When putting a training plan together, dedicate a section of that plan to developing your core. Include exercises like a plank, crunches and Russian twists to really target them. If you have access to a personal trainer, they should be able to put you on a dedicated plan to help improve your hiking ability.
3) Hike multiple times a week
Practice makes perfect and one of the best ways to improve your hiking is to keep hiking. Just like a marathon, before taking one on, you will do many runs beforehand to build up your distance – The same logic applies to hiking. If you want to travel a greater distance, factor in multiple hikes a week and remember to allow yourself rest periods. Switch up your weekly hikes, travel on different terrains, and different distances and pace yourself differently. This way you will be working different muscles and improving your endurance and strength.
4) Equip yourself well – clothes, food, hydration
A major cause of feeling uncomfortable or tired during long hikes is the discomfort – may be due to lack of proper clothes, or food or not drinking enough water. Collectively called as being well equipped, it not only ensures a comfortable hike but also makes it pleasurable when you can have a nice, and filling meal or snacks while enjoying some delectable views. Also as they say, there is no bad weather but bad clothes – dressing up in layers to take them off(or wear on) as the weather conditions change can make a huge difference in the overall hiking experience. You might want to check our posts on the best winter jackets for men and women while traveling.
5) Finally- have the right mindset and the grit & determination
With the right mindset and dedication, anyone can improve their hiking ability, travelling further and quicker. You just need to put in the time and come up with a realistic routine that you can follow each week. It might be tough in the beginning, but gradually walking long distances at a quick speed would become attainable ad gradually easier also.
What training tips would you recommend to someone trying to hike further and faster? Which of the above tips do you think is most important? Is there anything you think we are missing in our guide above?
Let us know in the comment box below.
Happy hiking and hope you get to see the most magnificent views !!!
