I don't like conditioning. Quite frankly, I don't trust anyone who does. Lifting stuff up is fun, but running blows.
When I first started to get less fat all conditioning was brutal. At 330 lbs I could hardly walk around a flat half-mile block. Being as out of shape as I was, there weren't many options.
Rowers and bikes are really uncomfortable when you are overweight. The seats suck and you feel squashed into the machine and the movement.
This pretty much leaves walking. The problem with walking is it is boring AF! Although, if you walk while on a scenic trail, suddenly you are hiking.
Hiking can be just that, a nice easy walk in the woods. Juxtapose that with the 4-hour constant vertical climb up Mt. Washington, I did a few weeks ago and you are on an all-out conditioning challenge.
That's why hiking is cool. You can scale it based on your needs. It's very easy to find the low down on trails. I use an app called All Trails. The free version does fine, but it's a cool company to support with a yearly membership if you like getting outdoors.
Hiking also has a few things I really appreciate. One is danger. Hiking is not exactly climbing Everest, but I have hiked a number of places where people have been seriously injured and have perished. I don't know what it says about me, but flirting with danger makes me feel more alive.
Another thing I like about hiking is that it forces your hand. I have been on some brutal hikes where I have had enough. Too bad so sad, you have dug your hole and there is only one way out, keep going.
A benefit of hiking many don't realize is how good it can be for your joints. As lifters, we are predictable with our movements. With hiking you articulate your joints on a lot of different planes you would not otherwise. You strengthen them as well.
Alright, no need to beat this into the ground. You get it, hiking is healthy, and fun, and you can find what you need based on your own fitness level. Now get off your a$$ and get outside.
