The last day of our 3 day backpacking trip in the Adirondacks, high peaks region. This was in the summer of last year, 2008.

One of the great ways to exercise and gain overall fitness, is to get outside, head to the nearest trail head and enjoy a Hike. Hiking offers many benefits that range from physical strength to mental well-being. Whether your a professional athlete or someone looking for another path towards health, hiking can take you there. There are many places that are within 30 minutes of NYC and many more up and down the east coast. Each offering great trail networks, beautiful surroundings, summits to stand upon and spectacular views in every direction that are rich with wildlife.

The physical benefits of a hike are numerous. You will begin to develop a very solid aerobic system that will allow you to enjoy longer and longer hikes each time you head out. This in time will give you resiliency of the  aerobic system enabling you to go beyond your perceived limits in what ever activity you choose. The aerobic system which is developed and enhanced through challenging the cardiorespiratory system, is a system that can be strengthened to pretty much last forever as long as the fuels are there in conjunction with the mental willingness to do so; hence the longer the hike, the more benefits you will receive.

    The technical terrain that is normally walked upon during a hike will help build more of the caloric burning engine we call muscle. Which includes steep grades and descents that require strength and stability to safely negotiate natures obstacles that are scattered throughout the trails. With this, you will gain muscular strength and an enhanced human engine.

Another benefit of hiking is that its weight bearing and it’s a great way to increase your bone density. Grab a daypack that includes the hiking essentials and head out to the trails. This benefit is not just essential for people who may be prone to osteoporosis but, as an example, it can be extremely important for endurance athletes, particularly cyclists, whether professional or recreational. Cycling does offer an array of benefits but at the same time, a rider is in a forward protracted position for extended lengths of time. This can lead to shortened hip flexors, kyphotic posture of the cervical region (forward head) and imbalances that can lead to an eventual injury or biomechanical inefficiency. Along with this, cyclists sweat rates are high and the loss of bone building minerals such as calcium and phosphorus can lead to a faster rate of bone degeneration.

It is imperative that a cyclist include the proper conditioning program to address their specific needs and they should be receptive to the idea that extensive hiking will not only increase their bone density but will strengthen their hip extensors, increase their balance threshold, improve their dynamic posture and enhance their muscular endurance system. Since the terrain that you will mostly find here on the East Coast is technical in nature, offering a proprioceptive enriched environment, you will gain an increased awareness of movement and positioning of the body as well. This is especially important for a rider and more specifically a mountain biker. The best time to include Hikes in a training program is during the off-season months. This offers a good mental break from the bike.

    It can become routine to head out to the trails and focus just on the physical gains that are to be had but in order to truly experience the wonders of the trails, you must reach deeper inside yourself and find an inner peace. With the stresses that each of us are exposed to daily, our mental wellbeing becomes of greater importance then the benefits previously discussed. This is a focus that can be easily overlooked. Hiking can and will offer a sense of calmness, a place get away from the day to day ritual and it will give your spirit a true sense of being alive. You will be amazed by the power of the lands.

The great thing about living in the New York, New Jersey Area is that there are a number of National and State Parks within a driving distance’s that range from 30 minutes to a couple hour drive. Within a 3 hour drive, you can begin to explore the Adirondack National Park. This is an amazing place, with 2000 miles of trails and 42 peaks over 4000 feet. Its a place you can never stop exploring. Wawayanda State Park which is in northern NJ has 20 Miles of the Appalachian Trail that runs through it. Harriman State Park of N.Y. has over 200 miles of hiking trails and is one of Elizabeth’s favorite places to train in pursuit of her Ultra-Running goals (races that range from 30 to 125+ miles). In between the Adirondacks and Harriman, lies The Catskills. This is yet another remarkable place to freely walk along the trails. These are just a few examples and with so many other hidden gems. You can view our destination page for more information on areas that we explore frequently.