How to Get Fit With Hill Walking

Why is walking up a hill so much more effective than walking on level ground? As you'll see once you get started, walking hills requires considerably more effort than a leisurely stroll on flat terrain. It not only challenges your cardiovascular system but burns more fat and calories. You also get additional toning benefits to your posterior thigh and calf muscles.

Although you can walk hills in a gym by increasing the incline on the treadmill, it's much more stimulating and rewarding to walk hills outdoors when possible. Not only do you get more cardiovascular and fat burning benefits outdoors due to the changing terrain, but the constant change in scenery will help to keep you motivated. The fresh air can also be invigorating particularly on a crisp fall day.

How do you get started in walking hills? If you're completely new to exercise, it's best to spend several weeks walking thirty minutes a day on level ground. Once you're accustomed to walking and have increased the intensity to the point that you're almost jogging, you're ready to take on the challenges of your first hill. If you've already developed a regular walking routine, walking hills will be an interesting new diversion for you.

To begin walking hills, you'll want to locate hills in your local area. Start with your neighborhood. Write down the location of any hills that might be suitable for walking. Then start looking outside your immediate neighborhood by driving around. You can always take the car to a new area and park it for hill walking. Inquire as to where walking paths are in your area that may have hills. Visit them and see how challenging they appear. It's a good idea to grade each hill according to its length and how steep it is so you can start with the least challenging areas and work up to the most challenging.

Once you have a list of hills, start with the least challenging course. Warm up for at least ten minutes by walking on level ground, gradually increasing your pace. After your ten minute warm-up has elapsed, approach your first hill. Climb it at a pace that is moderately challenging to you. You should feel somewhat out of breath when you reach the top but not gasping for air. Once you reach the top, you can jog slowly or walk back down. Continue by walking on level ground for another ten minutes. As your fitness level increases, you'll want to add a second hill or another walk up the same hill to your routine to challenge yourself. You can also work on increasing the speed. It's important to add to the intensity of your workout over time to continue to see benefits.

When walking hills, it may be helpful to keep a hill walking diary do you can record your progress and make sure you're continuing to challenge yourself. Have a plan for each day and continuously set new hill walking goals for yourself. To keep your motivation high, continue to find new locations and hills to walk Enjoy the crisp smells and sounds of nature as you walk. Hill walking is an excellent stress reliever.

Before starting to walk hills, be sure you have shoes with good support and that you've had a physical exam by you doctor. Hill walking can be quite challenging but also has its own rewards which will show up in the form of better cardiovascular health and a trim and toned body. Why not give it a try?