While hiking requires physical exertion and, on more technical terrain, a degree of skill is definitely helpful, it is not 9️⃣ typically done as part of a competition
It's one of our favourite outdoor activities here at Advnture and it certainly gets 9️⃣ your heart and legs pumping, requiring some pretty hefty physical output, but is hiking a sport? It's a common question 9️⃣ amongst devotees and curious thinkers alike, so we set out to answer it.
Is hiking a sport?
Hiking is the common term 9️⃣ used to describe going for an invigorating walk in the countryside (Image credit: The North Face)
In short, no, hiking is 9️⃣ not a sport.
By definition, a sport is an activity that involves physical exertion and skill during which an individual or 9️⃣ a team competes against others, for the entertainment of spectators.
While hiking requires physical exertion and, on more technical terrain, a 9️⃣ degree of skill is definitely helpful, it is not typically done as part of a competition nor is it usually 9️⃣ performed for the enjoyment of onlookers.
No, hiking is the common term used to describe going for an invigorating walk in 9️⃣ the countryside.
It usually involves a bit of an adventure, involves wearing hiking boots and carrying your provisions in a backpack 9️⃣ and while it doesn't have a designated minimum length, it's more than a short amble.
You can learn more about what 9️⃣ hiking is, and isn't, in our article what is hiking ?
Is there such a thing as competitive hiking?
Power hiking, which 9️⃣ is a technique used by ultra trail runners on mountainous terrain where they hike quickly instead of running on the 9️⃣ uphills (Image credit: Ascent Xmedia)
There is one exception to the definition of hiking as non-competitive, and that is power hiking, 9️⃣ which is a technique used by ultra trail runners on mountainous terrain where they hike quickly instead of running on 9️⃣ the uphills to conserve energy without losing ground.That is a sport.
But hiking in and of itself is not competitive or 9️⃣ done for the enjoyment of others.
Rather, it can be done alone or in the company of others, and is entirely 9️⃣ for the benefit of the person doing the hiking.
So what is the point of hiking?
In a time where every activity 9️⃣ seems to have become "ultra" or "extreme", from trail running to frisbee throwing, is there any point to hiking if 9️⃣ it's not even a real sport? (Image credit: Mint Images)
In a time where every activity seems to have become "ultra" 9️⃣ or "extreme," from trail running to frisbee throwing, is there any point to hiking if it's not even a real 9️⃣ sport? Absolutely there is.
Contrary to what our social media driven world would have us believe, not everything you do has 9️⃣ to be death-defying to be worthwhile.
Hiking delivers an enormous array of benefits, from the cardiovascular impact of walking uphill to 9️⃣ the positive mental health aspects of spending time in nature , never mind the fact that this low impact activity 9️⃣ can find you tackling some pretty challenging terrain, whether that's thru-hiking all 2,650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail or 9️⃣ climbing into the sky on one of Colorado's 14ers .
In fact, while it may not involve the adrenaline rush of 9️⃣ free-soloing cliff faces or cyclo-cross, hiking can carry plenty of risks .
The point of hiking is to get out of 9️⃣ urban environments and into the outdoors on your own two feet instead of on four wheels and have an adventure 9️⃣ where you solve problems that don't take place on a screen (Image credit: The North Face)
But risk is not necessarily 9️⃣ the point of hiking, where it is in sports like ski racing.
The point of hiking is to get out of 9️⃣ urban environments and into the outdoors on your own two feet instead of on four wheels and have an adventure 9️⃣ where you solve problems that don't take place on a screen.
Sports are certainly fun and a great way to bring 9️⃣ people together, but we already live in an adrenaline-fuelled world and there's a lot of value to getting away from 9️⃣ the stress of competition and removing some of the pressure around constantly achieving goals.
Ultimately, while you could make hiking a 9️⃣ sport if you wanted to, doing it on your own time and at your own pace is highly recommended.
It can 9️⃣ serve as your primary form of exercise, or if you do a lot of high impact, competitive activity, go for 9️⃣ a gentle hike on rest days to unplug and recover.
