The right approach to walking in the mountains
Here, also, we are delighted to share our many years of experience, helping you to plan perfectly your mountaineering and hiking expeditions.
At the start of a hike, you are in full possession of all your strength and also highly motivated to reach the goal you have set yourself, bound and determined to conquer your chosen alpine peak. Which makes it even more disappointing when your strength abandons you and, what should have been a delightful hike, turns into pure torture...
The beginning is decisive…
Set out slowly, especially if the trail begins through uphill terrain. Your muscles need time to warm up (around 20 minutes), until they are at the "top of their game". When you push your muscles too far, it leads to symptoms of exhaustion, symptoms your body won't be able to recover from for the rest of the day (even after lengthier breaks). There is also a danger of cramping up and tearing muscle fibers. Not infrequently, you pay for having walked too fast with tired, aching muscles on the following day.
So, after the warm-up phase, increase your pace only gradually. To double-check, monitor your breathing: If your breath is quiet and even, you have hit the perfect sped for your hike. If, on the other hand, your breathing is irregular, or you are even gasping for breath, then it is high time to change your tempo!
Your Walking Rhythm:
Our body is far better able to deal with repetitive, even movements over a certain period of time, than it is with hectic or uncontrolled motions. For this reason, please focus on taking rhythmical, almost meditative steps. Once you have assimilated this rhythm, you probably won't even have to give it much of a second thought, your body will do it automatically.
Christian, our hiking guide, will be glad to show you these and other techniques during our guided hiking tours!