How to Prepare for High Altitude Hiking

They were hiking the cluster of different activities rather than one. It includes backpacking, trekking, climbing, perceiving wild things, and preparing for the unexceptional inconvenience.

But the most adventurous part of hiking could be climbing the high altitudes. But remember that adventures always come with challenges; therefore, it’s not like going to a trekking area and climbing.

These activities don’t discriminate among age and sex, but practice, trek knowledge, and basic hiking are always essential.

Because normally, trekking areas are situated in the forest, and hiking toward higher altitudes and difficult. While walking towards altitude, you feel low oxygen due to the thin layer of air. 

 

 

How to prepare for high-altitude hiking? Guide 2020   

Check with a doctor

The Problem does not always happen after the actions, although sometimes pre-existing.

Thus you have to meet for a physical health checkup before starting to practice. It will reduce the chance of any injury while practising or on a hike. 

 

Aerobic training

Aerobic training is activities that increase the rate of the heartbeat. Here is a question: “Why do we have to do things that increase heartbeat?”

It is because trekking altitudes is a heartbeat-increasing activity, and usually, our is not ready for such things because we don’t go to such activities.

Thus, these activities will build up your stamina, strengthen your body muscle, prepare you for upcoming challenges, and increase sustainability to keep you on a trek for a longer time.

Exercises like running, cycling, and swimming are the best preparation for high altitudes. 

 

Cardio Training

You can also add some cardio exercises to make you ready and calm while walking toward higher altitudes.

It’s important because of the low air at altitudes. Therefore, less availability of oxygen to consume, and these activities do the maximum oxygen level.

 

Slowly increase the distance and altitude of any training treks.

Always remember that change can only happen after taking dedicated time and hard work. Thus, start from a little distance instead of longer whenever you start your training.

Slowly will help build up stamina, whereas simultaneous increases could cause injuries. It would help if you went slowly, about a half-hour regularly, and gradually increased speed.

At least spent 2week on track while training before the actual walk. During this time, your body will be ready for long and tough hikes on heights. 

 

Breathing Techniques

Breathing techniques do not only regulate body temperature. It also regulates blood circulation and the nervous system and helps control your emotions. You could remain calm on heights.

 

Belly Breathing 

It is one of the most popular and easiest breathing techniques, also known as abdominal or diaphragmatic.

Use a 5-second trick to do it easily, mean to say, inhale towards the belly rather than lungs continuously for 5 seconds, hold your breath there for 5 seconds, then exhale continuously for 5 seconds; after that, stay five before the next breath.

It will improve your breathing. It might be a question raised in your mind that if you don’t have correct breathing, then who has the correct way?

It’s a valid question because only children have the right to breathe and take deep breaths. We grow and start forgetting long breaths; therefore, our blood circulations get fast.

 

The Pressure Breath

It’s a way to add resistance while exhaling by pressing lips to decrease the atmospheric pressure—only popular among hikers and climbers. 

 

 

Yoga

Yoga is an almost five-thousand-year-old technique for the mind and body. It anciently originated in India by Buddhists and Hindus.

It’s an old practice done by physical poses, concentration, and deep breathing. It could increase endurance, strength, calmness, flexibility, and well-being.

 

Get used to drinking a large amount of water.

On the hikes, the consumption of more water is needy. Because there is low humidity, more sweating than in the straight lands we usually live.

Thus it would help to drink more to avoid any sickness. 

 

Health or Life Policy

Check out whether your travel insurance will cover your altitude hiking. If it doesn’t, get one to save money while any unfortunate.

 

Acute Mountain Sickness

Immediate stop where you are on height if you feel persistent cough, severe headaches, nausea, loss of coordination, and disorientation, and take help from a guide if you are with a crew. Otherwise, get help by calling someone.

 

Acclimatization

Most people live near the sea level on land; therefore, whenever they try to move new play above the sea level, the body adjusts according to the environment because of the change of water, air, surroundings, food, etc.

Thus, the time taken by or process taken by the body for physiological adjustments is acclimatization.

It is compulsory to spend a few days there where you plan to hike above 8000 meters, and don’t try to push your body for extra force.

 

The Higher You Go, The More Intense the Environment

Suppose you are coming from normal weather conditions. In that case, these things must do to save yourself from the environment, such as drinking more to stay hydrated, using extra skin cream for dryness, using lip balm to save from cracks, and always covering yourself with warm clothes. It is one of the best ways to prepare for high altitudes. 

 

Genetics

Undoubtedly, the exercises increase the body’s stamina and resistance, but genetics could play an important role.

Be sure you know the genetic limits that permit you this hard work or not. If Yes, then how much can be done in a day? 

 

Weight

Only carry some of the hiking stuff on altitude because it will ruin the trekking g experience.

Thus only carry important stuff to make it maximum lightweight because you are already pushing your body upward.

By chance, if you carry more weight, you are sorry, but you will not continue your journey because the weight will consume your energy more rapidly than you hike. 

 

Take It Easy

Don’t stress it o your mind; instead, take it easy and follow the steps. A new trip always takes time.

Keep learning things and gradually increase your effort.

You may be pro hiking in the jungle or national parks, but mountain hikes differ.

Thus always spending time slowly increasing hike time there.

 

Take the Local Food and Remedies

With guidance and training, professionals also take some local food and remedies. These will also help your body adjust fastly there in that situation.

 

Conclusion

We hope your question” How to prepare for high altitude hiking?” is answered.

Note: These are not only important points; there are many, and you can read them on the internet. These are important and followed by professional hikers.