People love hiking because it allows them to enjoy beautiful scenery while also improving their physical and mental health.In terms of building leg strength, hiking is indeed quite effective, and it also benefits cardiovascular function, limb coordination, eyesight, metabolism, and more.Nowadays, outdoor activities have become popular, but whenever we excitedly hit the trails, most of us end up exhausted along the way. Do you know how to hike properly?

Hiking Becomes Part of Life
After work, people take a stroll on the nearest mountain, go hiking in the suburbs on weekends, and many even consider it an indispensable part of life. At Beijing’s most famous Fragrant Hills, many elderly people take one or two hours by bus every morning just to hike. Some even hike both in the morning and afternoon, making it two or three trips a day.
Hiking has many benefits, but there are also quite a few hidden risks. Without proper equipment, correct posture, or if you push too hard, it may have the opposite effect on your health.
Four Common Mistakes That Harm Your Health
Mistake 1: Casual Attire and No Planning
Many people think that since they’re familiar with nearby mountains and the elevation is low with little difficulty, there’s no problem at all—so they head into the wilderness without any plan.
Hiking puts significant strain on the ankle joints, metatarsophalangeal joints, plantar fascia, and other soft tissues. Especially when wearing thin-soled cloth shoes, platform shoes, or walking on particularly hard flagstone paths, it can easily lead to conditions such as heel pain or plantar fasciitis.
Mistake 2: No Need for Much Preparation
Some people go hiking without bringing food or water, or wearing proper hiking clothes, thinking that since they’ll be down the mountain in less than a day, there won’t be any problems—but they’re caught off guard when they experience exhaustion or low blood sugar.
Mistake 3: Competitive Mindset, Must Reach the Summit
Some people are highly competitive and feel they must reach the top of the mountain; others push themselves in pursuit of intensity and speed. But hiking is for fitness, not competition. Exercise should be gradual, and overdoing it can backfire.
For those with “three highs” (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol) or pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, being overly competitive or focusing too much on time and speed during hiking may trigger myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolism, and could even lead to sudden death.
Mistake 4: Posture Doesn’t Matter
Incorrect hiking posture, speed, and rhythm can all damage the knees. When going downhill, the knees are bent and bear the full weight of the body plus the forward impact, creating greater friction and pressure—often leading to problems.
Some people rush downhill to save time, and running down can subject the knees to impact forces 5–8 times their body weight. It’s like your knees are taking thousands of half-ton blows. Carrying or wearing a backpack while running downhill adds even more stress on the joints, as if you were hammering your knees with a sledgehammer.
Take a person weighing 60 kilograms as an example: when walking on flat ground, each knee bears 60 kilograms, but when hiking, the knee load increases to as much as 240 kilograms—equivalent to carrying a piano on each knee. Moreover, the faster you go, the greater the pressure on your knees.
Proper Posture Going Up and Down
Those who have visited Huangshan Mountain have surely seen local porters carrying over 100 pounds of weight up and down the mountain paths multiple times a day. Yet these porters remain strong even in their 60s or 70s, precisely because they know the right hiking techniques and maintain proper posture, avoiding injuries.
Be Well-Prepared for Hiking
Before hiking, make adequate preparations such as leg stretching and knee massages to warm up your joints, muscles, and ligaments. When going uphill, keep your upper body relaxed and slightly forward-leaning, bend your knees naturally, step firmly with the heels or the outer edges of your feet, or use the balls of your feet, take slightly smaller steps and a slightly faster pace, and swing your arms in coordination with your legs in a powerful and rhythmic manner.
When going downhill, keep your upper body upright or slightly leaning back, with knees slightly bent. Land on your heels first, swing your arms with a smaller range of motion, and let your body weight descend steadily. Avoid walking too fast or running to prevent joint injuries or muscle strains. On steeper slopes, take a zigzag path to reduce the incline.
If your thighs feel sore, don’t straighten your legs completely while walking to reduce the burden on your thigh muscles and avoid knee joint strain, impact injuries, or ankle sprains and twists.
Bring Food and Water
Food should ideally include all three major nutrients—for example, bread or canned eight-treasure porridge rich in carbohydrates, nuts containing fats, and high-protein foods like luncheon meat or dried tofu. For drinks, prepare both mineral water (or boiled cool water, homemade tea) and electrolyte beverages.Special reminder: Diabetic individuals should bring insulin and keep some candy on hand to guard against low blood sugar.
Wear the right clothing, and don’t carry a load exceeding one-quarter of your body weight.
Shoes should fit well—preferably choose professional sports shoes or hiking boots in the correct size, ensuring that the soles, toes, and heels aren’t subjected to excessive pressure. Clothing should be loose-fitting, with sportswear or hiking attire being ideal.
Keep your pace slow.
The speed of climbing should generally be around 3 kilometers per hour (slightly slower than walking on flat ground), with your heart rate during exercise maintained within 60%–80% of your target heart rate (for those under 40, subtract your age from 180; for those over 40, subtract from 170). Don’t climb for more than two hours at a time, and don’t overly pursue high levels of physical exertion. It’s better to enjoy the scenery along the way and maintain physical and mental comfort.
Keep the frequency moderate.
The frequency of mountain climbing should also be controlled. Under normal circumstances, don’t exceed three times per week. If the mountain paths are too steep or difficult, reduce the number of climbs, using jogging or brisk walking as alternatives.
Additionally, elderly individuals with compromised cardiopulmonary function, joint issues, who don’t exercise regularly, as well as those who are severely overweight, are not suited for mountain climbing.
Editor's Note
In short, no matter what age you are, adjust your pace according to your own condition when climbing. It’s best not to climb mountains with lots of sand, gravel, or loose rocks. When ascending, don’t grab at unstable grass roots or tree branches. If you experience shortness of breath during the climb, don’t force yourself to continue—stop and rest in place, taking 10–12 deep breaths until your breathing becomes steady again, then proceed slowly.