, Erwin Z, Comment Closed, March 15, 2016 This is known as weight-bearing exercise. Walking up a 15% slope uses about a third more energy than walking on a flat surface. The Advantages of Walking Up Hills to Exercise Improved Cardiovascular Health. To have the benefits of walking up and down the stairs for our health, we should know the tips and the technique of it. Effect of uphill, level, and downhill walking on cardiovascular parameters among young adults. But many people prefer higher-impact aerobic activities because they burn more calories. 2016;49(14):3244-3251.  doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.08.004. The functional roles of muscles during sloped walking, The effects of 3 weeks of uphill and downhill walking on blood lipids and glucose metabolism in pre-diabetic men: A pilot study, American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids, Walk your butt off! Any time you're doing a type of cardiovascular exercise, including walking up a hill, … Varrying the terrain you walk on is a form if interval training. Alleviates muscle stress LIVESTRONG is a registered trademark of the LIVESTRONG Foundation. Walking, The American College of Sports Medicine: Selectively and Effectively Using a Walking Program, The American Council on Exercise: Interval Training, Difference Between Walking a Mile & Stair Stepping a Mile, Benefits of Walking & Exercising Three Days a Week, Privacy Notice/Your California Privacy Rights. It can help you maintain shape since it is an excellent fat burner. Copyright Policy This might be the best benefit of all: As if brain and body power weren’t enough, research has shown that hiking can reduce and even help stave off depression. Then try walking up and down inclines or hills. If you live near a hill, simple take a walk up and down the hill for several minutes. This exercise is convenient since you don’t need a trainer to attain your fitness goals. You can get physiological benefits when ramping up the incline on your treadmill, but if you take your hike outside, you’ll boost your body and mind. Go for a walk. If you have weak bones or are not able to do these high-impact exercises, low-impact actives like hill walking is just as effective. Walking uphill boosts your heart rate, even at a slow pace. That means you are walking at the moderate to vigorous intensity level of exercise, where you will get the most benefits for reducing health risks and building fitness. Preventing Osteoporosis. Benefits Of everything that matters, April 14, 2011 : Go from sedentary to slim in 12 weeks with this breakthrough walking plan, Effect of uphill, level, and downhill walking on cardiovascular parameters among young adults, 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: A second update of codes and MET values, Eccentric endurance exercise economically improves metabolic and inflammatory risk factors. I am sure you agree with me that most folks often shun away from gyms due to high membership fees. Lindsey Elizabeth MS RD CSSD is a Registered Dietitian and Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics with over 10 years of experience in elite sports nutrition and performance. Go for a hike. ©2020 Discover Walking - All Rights Reserved . Also, walking up and down hills varies your pace so that your body works harder at some points than at others, a major benefit. Rodale Books, 2013. Improved Strength and Toning. , Walking on flat ground takes effort, it definitely burns calories and it also improves aerobic capacity. Michele Stanten is a walking coach, certified group fitness instructor, and running coach. Looking to start walking off the weight? It also takes initiation fees and monthly fees to use the facilities at a gym. 2. Walking for fun and fitness isn’t limited to strolling by yourself around local neighbourhood streets. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, healthy adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Back to the incline effect: When you walk uphill, you’re pulling and pushing your body weight even more than you would on flat surfaces — and you especially engage your glutes and hamstrings. Because walking uphill increases heart rate more than walking on a flat surface, this means that walking uphill more closely approaches the fat and calorie burn benefits of high-impact exercise but without the corresponding joint damage. Some small research studies show that uphill walking can help your body metabolize both glucose (blood sugar) and lipids (cholesterol), meaning it could be beneficial for people who are pre-diabetic or at risk of heart disease. These studies also showed some benefit to downhill walking, so plan a route that takes you both up and down. I am very genuine and magnetic on camera, and have made numerous videos on my own for clients and other organizations that I'm affiliated with. Walking can help you meet these goals — particularly if you include walking up a hill or two. More specifically, the researchers found hiking can reduce rumination, or rather, repetitive, negative thoughts. It might seem like a no-brainer, because adding an incline boosts … The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise such as brisk walking.