Why You Should Pick Up Hiking

It’s 6 a.m., you wake up, brush your teeth, bla bla bla. You go to work or class, come back, sleep and that’s basically your entire day. What about your weekends? Probably staying at home catching up on Netflix or grinding XP for your weapons in Modern Warfare. To be fair, this doesn’t apply to everyone but if you’re catching my drift, you know what I mean: PEOPLE DON’T GO OUT ENOUGH, LET ALONE GO HIKING!

Well, it can’t be helped. In this digital age, entertainment can easily be found on any form of a display. Entertainment is what keeps us… entertained. We all know how much it sucks to be staring at the wall when the internet is down, especially children who are on YouTube watching Ryan’s Toy Reviews. But hey, whether your internet is down or working fine, you should really try going out and I don’t mean going shopping for sneakers with your buddies or having a nice meal at your local Pizza Hut. What I mean is jogging, working out, tennis, anything!

Now let’s be honest, it’s not exactly easy shifting from sitting all day to suddenly being up and running 3 to 5 laps around your neighbourhood. But what can serve as a good transition is through hiking where you basically just walk but for much longer distances. It sounds boring when I say it that way but here’s a couple of reasons why you should pick up hiking as a hobby or even as something to do just for fun.

Hiking is Healthy

Leg day, am I right? Hiking definitely has a lot of health benefits. It’s good cardio after all. Since walking is a weight-bearing exercise, you’ll get a boost in bone density. This means you’ll have a lower risk of osteoporosis.  What’s osteoporosis, I hear you ask? It’s essentially a disease that kicks in when the body loses too much bones, making them more fragile. One fall may break a few bones if that happens. Stronger bones, lesser fractures!

Avoiding falls require balance, which can be improved through hiking. Even walking by itself builds lower-body strength, which is essential in having a good balance. Since hiking is basically walking level 2, you’ll see significant improvements overtime. If you have a heavy pack on for long hikes, you also get to improve your endurance, improve your stamina, reduce your blood pressure and get your heart pumping.

Breathtaking Views

Let’s be honest, nature gives the best views. This is especially true if you’re up at the peak of a mountain. Reaching your goal and getting a rewarding and picturesque view is satisfaction at its finest. 

Just imagine hiking your way up, you’re exhausted, drank probably around 2 bottles of water, your legs are dying, you feel like turning back, and then FINALLY, you’re at the top and you’re looking at something that makes you think mother nature is a next-level artist. The sense of accomplishment is unrivaled. Definitely gotta whip out your phones or DSLRs for this one.

More Hiking Friends!

If you go hiking on a trail, you’ll definitely make some friends along the way. But what takes it a step further is the hiking community on social media. Instagram is definitely one of the largest platforms for the hiking community and you should consider checking out a few pages. The strangers you meet may just become your best friend.

I personally recommend @hikingculture if you wanna meet people outside of Malaysia, but if you’re for something more local, do follow us on our Instagram at @pttoutdoor. We’re not just about hiking as we focus on anything outdoors, but if you wanna stand a chance to be featured on our Instagram, tag us and hashtag #ileavenotrace and #begreatoutdoors.

Escape From The Real World

Sounds contradicting since you’re actually in the real world while hiking, but hiking really does give you a sense of peace. You get to keep your mind off of work or studies. Let’s face it, we all got some crazy schedules. All work but no time for ourselves, which really gets us starving for some peace and quiet. While you’re hiking, it really allows you to keep your mind off of all that. Taking your time, breathing fresh air, a nice view, and plenty of time to ponder about your life is really good for the soul.  

So, if you’re looking to get into hiking, check out our store for the best and affordable hiking equipment you’ll need to start off with. Click here!  

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