Amazing Health Benefits of Hill Walking

Walking, as an exercise, offers loads of health benefits. Some neighborhoods have topographic advantage offering their residents various types of surfaces to walk including the opportunity to climb hills. If you live close to an hill that you can at least visit two to three times a week, you can consider yourself gifted. The health benefits of hill walking are so compelling that many travel distances to trek hills.

Health Benefits of Trekking

Hill walking benefits both the body and mind. Some of the most important health benefits of hill walking include:

  • Reduces excess weight
  • Promotes heart health
  • Improves lung function
  • Strengthens leg muscles
  • Strengthens muscles and bones; hill climbing improves bone density thereby supporting joint health. Hill walking is considered very effective for arthritis
  • Promotes balance and co-ordination
  • Improves brain health
  • It boosts immune function.
  • Promotes endurance
  • Quickens stride
  • Improves quality of sleep
  • Relieves stress
  • Promotes mental calmness and happiness

How to Make Hill Walking More Interesting?

To enjoy optimal benefits from hill walking, it is highly recommended to do more than just walking. Here is how you can make hill walking more interesting and more productive. 

Hill Running

Running on elevated areas and slopes offers more benefits than running on even surfaces. 

A research conducted in Sweden has proved that running on hills twice a week reduces duration to complete a marathon by 3 minutes.

Yet another research has proved that hill running increases oxygen flow in the body.

Reverse Walking Uphill and Downhill

We have earlier covered the health benefits of reverse walking. Various studies have proved that backward walking uphill and downhill is more beneficial to health.

In a research conducted on reverse walking on hills, it has been proven that backward walking up the hill and on the slopes strengthens leg muscles and heals joint conditions. It has also been proven that reverse walking in elevation and slope is more effective than walking on plain surfaces in improving muscle movement and muscle strength.

Use the Stairs if There is One

Some hills do have steps to climb uphill apart from roads. If the hill you visit has stairs you can also use them, of course after climbing to the top on road. 

If it is a small hill, you can reach the top on road first, then use the stairs to climb down and up and then walk down the path. This increases the intensity of your practice. 

If a hill has various bylanes that connect with each other, you can go through one and return through other thus extending the duration of your exercise and increasing the benefits you enjoy.

It takes us just about 8 minutes of brisk walking to reach the top of this hill. However, it takes about an hour to get to the bottom after completing all the exercises I have mentioned above.

Regardless of the size of the hill, reaching the top gives a sense of achievement. The view from the top is a reward you give yourself.

Growth of a city retaining its greenery to a considerable extent can contribute to a healthy future - for humans and earth as nature is the soul of earth.

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Rama Thamizharasu

Welcome to yogaaatral. I am a yoga therapist, SEO consultant, writer and translator. If you love pets, we invite you to visit our pet blog @ https://voiceofapet.blogspot.com/ and our YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@PetsDiaryandMomsToo

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2 Responses

  1. தற்பொழுதுள்ள சூழ்நிலைக்கு ஏற்றவாறு இந்த பதிவை நீங்கள் போட்டுள்ளீர்கள்
    நகர்புறங்களில் வாழ்பவர்கள் முக்காவாசிப்பேர்கள் நடைப்பயிற்சி செய்கிறார்கள்.அவர்களுக்கு பயன்னுள்ளவகையில் இருக்கிறது இந்த பதிவு.
    முக்கியமாக மலையில் நடைபயிற்சி அருமையான தகவல்.
    Note of Thanks:

    1. உங்கள் கருத்தைப் பகிர்ந்து ஊக்குவிப்பதற்கு எங்கள் மனமார்ந்த நன்றி. தொடர்ந்து எங்கள் தளத்திற்கு வருகைத் தந்து கருத்துப் பகிருமாறு கேட்டுக் கொள்கிறோம்.

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