Backpacking To Increase Fitness
Working out outdoors is an interesting phenomenon
, because of how popular it is and how intrinsically satisfying the journey is along the way. The fitness sessions that occur outdoors are often of the same benefit or lesser caliber than the ones offered by exercise equipment, but they often end up being of greater reward to the participant for a variety of reasons.
There is something innately satisfying about exercising outside, because many people feel a keen sense of connection to nature and a longing to return to those roots. By getting fitter outside, they also are filling a need to be outside that is a hidden part of themselves.
There are many ways that people can exercise while they are outdoors, but some options are markedly more popular than others, and are easily identifiable. These more popular choices are mountain biking, hiking, and backpacking.
All of these options provide an excellent, very intensive exercise benefit because they often pit the user against elements such as elevation and challenging features of the terrain. It takes a great deal of effort and motivation to overcome these obstacles, but the reward for doing so is usually found in a specific objective or waypoint that allows the person engaged in the activity to look back and be satisfied with their progression through something that is difficult.
Of the listed options, backpacking is perhaps the most intensive and demanding experience, because it requires the person to overcome great obstacles while carrying a heavy amount of equipment over long periods of time. This is also possibly the most rewarding of the options, because it requires times, sacrifice, and pain, but has the individual go longer and harder than they previously thought possible, making the journey itself its own reward.
Backpacking is accomplished by having the participant load themselves up with gear that is stuffed inside a backpack, with the intent of hiking a considerable distance and staying the night on the side of the mountain. Usually, this activity is undertaken if the individual wants to reach a peak in a certain amount of time or wants to cross a great distance over the period of a couple of days.
All of the food and water that are needed to sustain the efforts of the individual are stored on their back, making the workout self sustaining and continual as long as the participant has reserves of the necessary supplies. This makes the person responsible for their own energy and health levels while on the trail, making this sport even more engaging and challenging.
One of the unique aspects of backpacking is the length of time that the workout session will last. While conventional workouts usually last from one to two hours, the person that is going up a mountain can expect their session to last for many more continuous hours if they expect to reach their objective.
This makes the sport one that challenges both physical and mental endurance. Setting a pace and finding ways to stay effectively occupied while on the trail are critical aspects of the activity, because it is easily possible to burn out and become exhausted before the objective is reached.
In order to prepare for backpacking sessions, it is recommended that newer participants go through conditioning periods where they hike with weights over long periods of time so that they can adjust to the load that will be placed on them. Growing accustomed to the weight and strain and pace of the trail are the most critical aspects of the activity.
Above all else, while on the trail the participant needs to keep going no matter what. Once they have lost the pace that they have set and allowed themselves to become exhausted, they most likely will not be able to continue on with their goal in any effective fashion.
Backpacking is one of the more intense workout experiences available, because of the huge investment of time and energy that goes into a single trip. That being said, it is also one of the most rewarding, because it pushes the participants to a state of physical ability that they might not have been able to otherwise reach, and it challenged them in scenic outdoor settings so that they have a tangible sense of progression and appreciation for how far they have traveled.
by: Tommy Greene
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