'Hiking' Description ?

skipmurdock
skipmurdock Posts: 5 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What exactly constitutes 'hiking' ? I did a nature walk on a trail at a local park and logged it in as hiking on my cardio exercise. Well, family members said here that that's not hiking. They described scenerios such as climbing Mt. Everest... What's your opiniions ?

Replies

  • SweetSammie
    SweetSammie Posts: 391 Member
    I logged a walk in the Cherokee National forest as Hiking, cross country. Now, cross country means flat terrain, and I was hoofing it up hills with irregular terrain (not TOO steep, we gained 1600 ft in elevation in 2 miles), obviously it was downhill on the way back. I didn't feel like a 30 minute mile was accurate, because I don't huff and puff (and sweat!) when I walk a 30 minute mile on a sidewalk. I walk daily and I don't usually hurt from it, but that Hike had some muscles hurting. I was honestly too lazy to find a more accurate burn on an online calculator and enter my own activity, so I just went with Hiking, cross country. I do feel like if it's a flat surface, and very regular terrain, it's probably more accurate to do walking mph and time. All just my opinion and what I do, so take it for what it's worth.

    *Edited for spelling and unclear modifiers
  • Venturin
    Venturin Posts: 244 Member
    Hiking is likely different things to different people. But in my opinion if you did not get your heart rate up and sweat some I would think the MFP "calories burned" estimate would be a tad generous..

    -V-
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    For me, it's an issue of how rough the terrain is. Walking through a park on a paved path - walking. Walking on a trail full of rocks and inclines - hiking.
  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
    Hiking is likely different things to different people. But in my opinion if you did not get your heart rate up and sweat some I would think the MFP "calories burned" estimate would be a tad generous..

    -V-
    Agreed. This is why I don't generally log exercise on MFP. Hiking for one person can be a slow easy walk in the woods and a heart-pounding scramble up a rock face to another.

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