Hiking and Jogging Tips for Spring

Hiking tips-

Hiking is a good way to get away from the city and to cherish the green of nature. Novices should not be so ambitious to reach the summit on a hill hike, however. It is better to head back down when you feel fatigued.

“It is good to choose a mountain that attracts lots of hikers,” says Han Wang-yong, the public relations director at Edelweiss, who has climbed all 14 Hymalayan peaks taller than 8,000 meters. “Weather variations up in the mountains are quite big until April. I advise hikers to bring chocolate and extra layers of clothing with them.”

For short hikes, light hiking shoes with soft soles will suffice. For longer hikes, hiking shoes with hard soles that spread out the pressure are necessary. Hikers should wear many layers of light clothing. It is good to dress in attire that makes you feel slightly cold when starting a hike.

The first hardship faced by inexperienced hikers is being short of breath. The exercise requires hikers to take in more oxygen and supply the heart with more blood. Some say it is better to breathe with only your nose during hiking, but this is not true. “Hikers sometimes need to take in up to 150 liters of air in one minute. This is 15 times the norm,” says Professor Choi Byung-ok of the Department of Physical Therapy at Eulji University. “Hikers can only take in only 57 liters of air through the nose in one minute. Hikers have to breathe with both their noses and mouths to keep from being exhausted.”

Make sure you relax your shoulders when walking. Lean forward a little and just slightly raise your knees. When resting, do not sit down; instead lean on a tree or a rock with your bag on. If you take a long break, your body will stiffen and it will be more difficult to resume hiking again.

Jogging tips-

Joggers must stretch their ankles, knees and waist before jogging. When jogging at dawn or night, you should wear a bright or neon band to prevent traffic accidents.

“Joggers should pick out appropriate shoes before jogging. The shoes must fit well and absorb pressure in the heels of your feet,” says Professor Kang Jae-heon of the Department of Medicine at Seoul Paik Hospital. Unevenly worn out soles could result in ankle injuries. Drinking water instead of juice and soft drinks will be more helpful for runners wishing to lose weight.

When jogging, your head, torso and hips should be aligned. You should lean about five degrees forward. Stand straight and have your head up, with your eyes focused forward. Relax your shoulders, clench your fingers lightly to make a fist, and sway your arms.

Your feet should touch the ground in this order: heel, sole, and big toe. The jogging pace should allow you to talk with someone next to you. Novices should not try to run as far as possible, but should rotate between jogging and walking.

About 24 km per week should be just the right amount of jogging for the body. It takes about 20 minutes for the body to start burning fat for energy. Therefore, you should run for at least 20 minutes without stopping. Walk for five minutes, and then jog for five initially. As you exercise, try to reach the 20-minute mark.