Posts

Why Hiking Is A Popular Hobby

According to the AllTrail hiking navigation app, the number of hiking activities recorded in 2020 was up by over 170% compared to the previous year. The number of individual hikers also increased by over 130% in 2020. The hiking hobby has boomed during the pandemic, and it is showing no sign of slowing down.  

Naturally, being forced to self-isolate at the start of the pandemic can explain the sudden increase in number. People needed an activity that would take them out of the house safely and maximise direct sunlight exposure. As such, hiking has understandably become a coping mechanism during the pandemic. Yet, vaccine distribution figures have allowed most countries to go back to social

Escaping the city stress

As life is getting back to normal, people are experiencing a new phenomenon: Urban stress. Indeed, the absence of traffic and commute during the pandemic has encouraged wildlife to come back to cities. Birds, small and larger mammals wandered through our towns, breaking the grey landscape with fresh life. Unfortunately, urban activities are now back, and we suddenly realise how loud and polluting they are. Hiking offers a unique escape away from the city. More often than not, beautiful hiking spots are just outside cities, such as the stunning Malvern Hills that inspired the Hobbit landscape. Situated just outside Worcester in England, the hills have been a favourite spot for Tolkien. 

Surprisingly accessible

Most physical hobbies require specialist equipment and training. However, hiking can be easily accessible to all. Hiking is all about walking in nature. You can adjust your pace and trail choice to your skills and your outfit. If you fancy a quiet and digestive walk after a meal, there’s nothing wrong with walking in your everyday cashmere jumper and denim trousers. More experienced hikers can invest in shoes and gear for long and challenging trails. Yet, it’s not mandatory to enjoy the joys of hiking in nature. 

It’s therapeutic

Countless psychologists agree that walking is one of the most natural activities for most able-bodied individuals. Being active helps release endorphin, which reduces depression risks. Most mental health practitioners, therefore, recommend exercising to address mental health issues. Embracing a natural and easy activity makes it easier for individuals to regain control over their mental and physical health. 

We are still suckers for a good Insta-shot

While it’s not to say that we do everything for a good picture, most people will make conscious decisions about what to display in their social profiles. It makes no doubt that photos of your hobby are likely to receive more likes if it’s hiking compared to spending an afternoon watching TV. Walking allows you to find beautiful sceneries that are not only a delightful sight but also an Instagram winner shot. Why so? Because a hiking shot is peaceful, inspiring, and dream-worthy. It’s all about showing all the beautiful things around you. 

Hiking is regaining its old popularity back, and it’s a surprise to nobody! No other hobby is as accessible and calming as taking a walk in nature. Are you ready to see what goodness the trail has in store for you? 

 

The 5 Essentials To Know To Become A Bodybuilder

weight lifting

There is a point in many fitness fanatics’ lives when they hit a plateau with their workouts and fitness. They hit all of their goals and now wonder what’s next. It’s at this point that many decide to get shredded AF and become a bodybuilder.

Bodybuilding is an attractive fitness discipline for many people because of the challenge of it. There is a very strict regimen that must be followed and results happen regularly. It’s very targeted and you have to be very organized for it to work.

If you’re at that point where you want to take your fitness goals to the next level then becoming a bodybuilder is a logical way to go. In this article, we will go over exactly how you can get started on this journey.

1 – Find the right gym

Some gyms have a very big focus on bodybuilding. They differ from other gyms that do a bit of everything so these are the ones to look for. They have trainers there that understand the steps necessary to be successful. And the gym is always full of bodybuilders so the equipment is geared to this type of workout.

When starting any kind of hobby or lifestyle change, it pays off to be around people that are passionate about the topic. There is usually a community of people that love to help newbies that are getting started. Bodybuilding is no different. Often, there is a person that acts as a sort of mentor to somebody that needs to learn the ropes.

Ask around in the gym where you currently go and somebody there will likely point you in the right direction. There are also numerous forums online where there will be somebody that can answer where the best gyms are in your area.

2 – Set goals

Bodybuilding requires an almost obsessive amount of planning. It is essential to have a goal to strive for so the planning can be done effectively. Organizing yourself has to line up with the goals that you have.

It is also important to break down goals into milestones. Set the ultimate endpoint for your goal and what results you wish to achieve. Then, work backward to determine how to plan the route to get there. Along the way, you will have to set these milestones that act as road markers. When you hit these short-term goals, it indicates that you’re on the right path.

3 – Develop a routine

The goals you set are going to determine the routine. Each step of the journey is going to look different and the workout routine is going to change accordingly.

In the beginning, the focus is going to be on getting lean and developing muscle mass. Once you hit a plateau, it will be time to move on to another phase with a different routine to match. Usually, it involves incorporating isolation exercises and the weights and machines that work for those.

In every phase, it pays off to have a routine planned out and then stuck to. Understand what needs to be done and how much time it takes to perform each day. Then schedule your week to make sure that you are able to stay with the routine.

4 – Start out slow

The very beginning of the journey toward becoming a bodybuilder is to use the right weights. You likely already have some strength from the previous workout routine you were doing but you have to understand where you are starting out from. It’s important to use moderate weights, yet also know what your max out weight is.

This is the weight that you can lift at least once. Then, use weights that are 70% of the max weight number. This is how much weight you will be using to start out. Use these weights to do six to ten reps for three to four sets. You’ll gradually increase the weights until you’ve gone past your max weight.

5 – Target muscle groups

Each day is going to involve a different muscle group to work on to get good results. Best results come when you are doing six to ten sets per muscle group per week. This is assuming that you already have some mass to start with. A complete beginner will need to start out doing the whole body to get to a good starting point.

Conclusion 

It takes time, patience, and a lot of grit to become a bodybuilder. The payoff is an incredible body that is a testament to the hard work that you’ve put in.

 

 

3 Essential Tests To Conduct Before Starting An Exercise Regime

You’ve made a decision to start living a healthier life and to begin taking better care of yourself. Naturally, this means you have to start exercising regularly. If this is something you haven’t done before, it’s easy to think you can just jump straight into things. As eager as you might be, you need to stop and prepare yourself for your new exercise regime. This begins by running a few tests that will help you identify any potential issues that could impact your workouts. Likewise, the tests should help you figure out if it is safe for you to exercise or not.

Here are the essential tests to conduct:

Fitness Tests

Technically, this includes lots of different tests under the same banner. Fitness tests are exactly as they sound; tests to see how fit you are. They can come in different varieties but are mostly split into two categories:

  • Strength tests
  • Cardiovascular endurance tests

A strength test can consist of a push-up test where you see how many you can do in one go. Head online to compare your results to others and it indicates how strong you might be. This helps you put realistic expectations on what you should start doing in the gym. 

Cardiovascular endurance tests will help you understand how fit you are aerobically. There’s a 1-mile test most people use, and the results can be found online and compared once again. If you are way below average, it shows you you need to work on improving your cardio – which will be good for your overall health. 

Flexibility Tests

Similarly, you need to conduct flexibility tests to see which muscles are the tightest in your body. This is also a good way of identifying any possible restrictions when you exercise. For instance, if stretching your shoulder causes pain, you might have an issue in the joint that should be seen before you start an exercise program. 

There are loads of stretch tests you can do, and the internet is once again a fantastic resource for you to look at. You can find loads of videos that will help you do the stretches as well. 

ECG Test

This is the most serious of all the tests as you are recording the electrical activity of the heart. As noted on dralasady.com.au, this is often referred to as an exercise stress test. In essence, you are hooked up to a device that measures your heart rate and tracks the rhythm. It will assess if your heart is beating normally and if there are any irregularities. 

The reason this is so vital is that it can detect concerns when you are exercising. It may identify that your heart is put under extreme stress when exercising and it can’t handle vigorous bouts of activity. By undergoing the test, you figure this out before something bad happens. 

Testing never sounds fun, but it’s an integral part of starting your fitness journey. Make sure you test yourself to see what needs to be addressed before you start exercising regularly.