Hiking for beginners
Interview with mountain blogger Conny
Picturesque panoramas and breathtaking views: As c_o_n_n_y___, Conny posts photos of her most beautiful hiking tours on Instagram under the hashtag #connyontour. In an interview with Dextro Energy*, the hiking expert and mountain blogger, who lives in the Allgäu, gives hiking tips for beginners. How do you best prepare for your first big hiking tour? What belongs in your backpack? Find out!
The sun is shining, meadows and forests are lush green and summer is getting closer and closer - aren't you drawn to the outside too? If you are one of those people who enjoy nature to the fullest and at the same time want to do something for your stamina, hiking is just the thing for you. Because hiking...
- Gets your body in shape - walking in hilly terrain trains your thigh muscles and buttocks, among other things.
- Trains your endurance gently - it puts less strain on the joints than jogging, a sport in which fitness errors can quickly creep in.
- Strengthens your immune system - when hiking in the mountains, temperature differences stimulate your immune system.
Loves nature and the mountains: Conny has been passionate about hiking since she was a child - she also has helpful tips for beginner hikers.
#connyontour
Conny is a real hiking expert. The Allgäu native used to go on tour with her parents and grandparents. Now the “Mountain Girl” is posting breathtaking pictures and lots of other information about her tours to the Breitenberg, the Wertacher Hörnle and many other mountains in the Allgäu Alps, Tyrol and Switzerland under the hashtag connyontour on Instagram .
You can read here what hiking beginners in particular should pay attention to on their first long hiking tour, what equipment should not be missing on any hiking tour and what can happen if you do not prepare adequately.
Hello Connie! You have been hiking since early childhood. What keeps you going on tour?
I am very close to nature and am always happy when I discover an edelweiss or a gentian on my tours. Then I like to stop and enjoy what nature has to offer us. I also like going hiking because sustainability is very important to me. Because in doing so you learn to really appreciate nature.
Of course the mental aspect also plays a role. I think that when hiking you can process a lot and switch off at the same time. And being on the mountain helps me a lot to process everyday life. Nature really does have healing powers, at least for me.
So hiking isn’t a sport per se for you?
For me, hiking is more than just a sporting activity. Just rushing up a mountain and not noticing anything around you - that's not for me. I want to enjoy the landscape and admire panoramas. So I'm not a classic trail runner who "runs up and down mountains" just to increase my fitness.
Both are important to me: enjoying nature and sport. Of course I want to do something for my body - but it is just as important to me to perceive nature. And how “sporty” I ultimately approach a tour depends on several things.
Which are they?
Both because of the weather and my physical condition and who I'm with : If it's going to be sunny all weekend, I'll look for longer tours. Then the sporting aspect is more in the foreground. Of course, in addition to the enjoyment and joy of simply jumping into a crystal-clear mountain lake to cool off.
Another factor is that I listen to my body. I don't want to under or overwhelm him. I often go on tour during the week and then gain a few meters in altitude before the weekend begins. Or I really let off steam at the weekend.
Of course, I adapt the route and my own pace to the people I accompany. We usually travel from 1,000 to 2,000 meters above sea level. In comparison: the Zugspitze – the highest mountain in Germany – is around 2,000 meters high. So the bar is higher. Multi-day tours are also often part of the program.
Why are they so challenging?
If you go on a hiking tour for several days in a row, you have to achieve a certain amount every day in order to make progress and, for example, reach the next overnight hut. You set yourself challenging milestones that you have to achieve. Depending on the tour, you cover between ten and 20 kilometers a day. That doesn't sound like a huge challenge, especially for advanced athletes.
But you shouldn't underestimate these routes - after all, they are not straight kilometers, but vertical kilometers. That makes a big difference. In mountain sports, altitude is the key criterion that many people use to assess how demanding a tour is.
Can you jump right in as a beginner and dare to go on a tour at an altitude of 1,500 meters?
1,500 meters in altitude is definitely demanding. Trained hikers can easily complete this tour. If you're starting from scratch, you should first train yourself and increase your endurance in order to overcome this challenge.
How can beginners prepare for their first hiking tour?
It's not wrong to have ambitious goals - but you shouldn't push yourself too hard. So my tip is: start with a smaller, less demanding tour and see how your body reacts. Just because you saw a beautiful peak on Instagram that you really want to conquer doesn't mean you should just run for it. So step up – from small to big.
If you listen to yourself again and again, you will recognize your potential. For example, if you notice at the end of a tour: “There was still room for improvement!”, next time you can tackle the next bigger challenge without worrying, plan for more altitude and kilometers and choose a higher level of difficulty.
However, the same applies here again: Don't expect too much from yourself just because the first tour went well. Don't get too carried away and feel your way forward slowly. If your next tour has a higher level of difficulty, a climbing technique course may make sense for you.
Tip: I have stored story highlights in my Instagram profile with the hashtag connystourentipps with hiking tours for beginners and advanced hikers. In my videos and pictures you can see what the terrain is like and how many meters in altitude, kilometers and hours a tour takes.
What should beginners pay particular attention to when attempting a hiking tour for the first time?
Firstly, the right speed is the be-all and end-all. Divide your energy well. If you know that the tour lasts two hours and you are running on the mountain, you can assume that the last stage will cost more energy due to the incline. Many tours start gently and initially lead through forests or flatter terrain.
If you shoot all your powder then the last section will be torture and you won't be able to really enjoy the beautiful view at the summit anymore. To ensure that this doesn't happen under any circumstances, I advise beginners: It's better to slow down - take short breaks to drink and take a breather and first run slowly and persistently.
I also always have dextrose cubes with me as an emergency kit. When I notice that I'm running out of energy, I let a cube melt in my mouth and replenish my energy stores. I also like to have Liquid Gel and Energy* Gums in varieties like Cherry + Sodium , Lemon + Sodium or Cola + Caffeine with me when hiking because they quickly provide me with carbohydrates.
How important is adequate hydration when hiking?
Drinking enough and the right thing is very important when hiking - not just in the heat . Because when you sweat, you lose electrolytes. You can make up for this loss with electrolyte tablets such as Zero Calories° from Dextro Energy *. They contain various minerals such as sodium, magnesium and calcium and are perfect for shorter training sessions. I advise beginners: you should have at least one and a half liters of water with you so that you don't run out halfway through the route.
Of course, there are also plenty of springs in the mountains from which fresh water bubbles. Although I personally found that the water was not drinkable, I recommend that you take a closer look before drinking spring water. It may be contaminated.
Is there a way to clean the water if it is dirty?
Salt tablets can be a good way to treat the water. If in doubt, try a small sip of spring water first and see how your stomach reacts to it.
In addition to enough water and functional foods – what should definitely be in your hiking backpack?
If you're only running for a few hours, you'll be well equipped with a 15 liter backpack. For longer tours, you can store everything you need in a 30 liter backpack. Take care of your basic needs. This means: You should definitely have food and snacks with you for in-between meals, such as bars . Also take a windbreaker with you to protect you from wind and weather. Strong gusts can blow at the top of the mountain.
You can also use warm clothing, for example a warm sweater or a down or fleece jacket, to adjust to different temperatures. An insider tip is a change of clothes. So pack an extra t-shirt in your backpack. Because it's really nice when you can change the bottom layer of your clothing at the summit when you're sweaty.
A first aid kit with blister plasters, a rescue blanket and other emergency aids is just as important. For example, an emergency blanket can protect or warm you if the weather suddenly changes. Apart from these things, I advise you to leave some space in your backpack, because the more you have with you, the more the weight puts strain on your joints.
What other beginner mistakes should hiking beginners avoid?
Firstly, make sure that you do not hyperventilate or fall into gasping breathing. Breathe consciously. Secondly, hiking also puts strain on your muscles. So don't just start running, but start your tour slowly so that your body can adapt and get used to the strain.
Thirdly, there is a lot of pressure on the joints - especially when walking downhill. To avoid putting unnecessary strain on them, it makes sense to regularly strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints or at least build up a certain amount of muscle mass before your first hiking tour. So starting off unprepared is a mistake you should avoid.
You can build muscle mass both in the gym, for example with functional training , and with fitness equipment at home . Stretching after hiking is also important so that the muscles can regenerate.
Thank you for the conversation, Conny – and have fun on your future tours!
*Contains carbohydrates
° Applies to the prepared drink
A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.
