Let talk about hiking. This outdoor activity has been practiced by many people around the world. So, is it really considered a sport? In term of sports, I must come across to some article to collect the information about this activity is worthy of being categorized as a sport. It comes up a question, why this kind of activity should be included as a sport, and why is it important?
Oxford Dictionary defines sport as "An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” While Meriam Webster said "A contest or game in which people do certain physical activities according to a specific set of rules and compete against each other. A physical activity (such as hunting, fishing, running, swimming, etc.) that is done for enjoyment.”
The Cambridge Dictionary comes with the meaning of hiking “The activity of going for long walks in the countryside:”
They are many definitions of the sport that we can find in many dictionaries. I just picked up three reliable dictionaries as to become the main reason to include the hiking as a sport. If we look up into those definitions, we can't find the hiking is categorized as a sport. Even the Cambridge itself is not considered hiking as a sport. It is just a usual workout that is done in outdoor space. In common consideration, hiking can be said as a sport where this activity is familiar to all age as long as we can walk, then definitely you can hike as well. It is just that the hiking is not brought up to the competition, like the surfing or other outdoor activities.
I like doing hiking, the mountain track is often picked to do hiking, trekking, rambling or even the muddy mountain walking. We don't have to worry about the age limit of hiking due to this kind of activity is included as age-friendly. All we need to do is to choose the setting that we carry. We also don't have to be a hiking expert as long as our feet are fine, we can do this activity pleasantly. When hiking, we need friends to accompany and to know the tricky track that we find during we are on a hike. Hiking involves body movement, where the feet are really reliable to keep the hiking goes smoothly. It is also an amazing kind of exercise, if you look up the Hikingomatic, the hiking is one of cardio workout or cardiovascular activity that increase heart rate and fastens your breathing by inhaling loads of fresh air from the trail you are passing by. That is one of the reasons why the hiking is a good sport, a workout can test your concentration and train your breathing methods. Other reasons why the hiking is deserved to be considered as a sport are:
So, let find some reasons why we can consider hiking as a sport as I cited from Grindaholic :"Is Hiking a Sport?"
1. Hiking is Competitive Workout
The grey area in defining hiking as being a sport seems to be found around the competitive angle. While it’s true that Las Vegas sportsbooks won’t be putting odds on who will log the best time on the Grind (etc.) in the 2018 “season”, there are indeed some very serious hiking competitions across North America, including the Phoenix Summit Challenge in Arizona and our very own Seek the Peak.
Then there are the unofficial competitions, including the Appalachian Trail Conservancy hike. The ATC doesn’t verify records, but competitors are encouraged to be transparent and use GPS tracking to log progress and potential record-breaking statistics, indicating that not only is this a sport, but one where participants are good sports:
“In our culture of pro-athletes and multi-million dollar contracts, it’s really refreshing to know there’s still a sport that relies on the honor system.” (Jennifer Pharr Davis, Women’s ATC record-holder)
And even if you have no intent of comparing your hiking trail times with another, you most certainly do compare them against yourself in an effort to reach your personal best, and that in itself is competition, at its very best.
2. Superior Fitness Requirements
Take note of the words used to define “sport”, including physical exertion, skill, and prowess. We dare any professional athlete, coach, or trainer to argue the fact that the fitness levels required to tackle a serious mountain trail compare to what is demanded of them on the track, field, court, or ice. In fact, the tremendous positive impact that hiking has on your core, bone density, muscular fitness, and cardio-respiratory fitnessmakes it a perfect addition to any training regime for football, hockey, basketball, soccer and all other activities pegged among the world’s top sports.
3. Unifying People
While not included in standard definitions, one of the key characteristics of sport, is that it is the most unifying tool for connecting people around the world. Sport can bridge gaps between generations, sexes, races, and entire nations. One look at the Winter and Summer Olympics (rotten eggs aside) is a testament to the fact.
How does hiking play into this scenario? Grindaholic founder Gerry Rahn will tell you first hand how meeting new people from all walks of life is one of the key things that inspires him to keep grinding week after week, no matter the conditions. On his trails he has met, befriended, and brought together people from all over the world, including Nigeria, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, London, Australia, the deep South of the USA, and everywhere in between. That unifying theme so commonly found on the hiking trails around the world is yet another common characteristic that the activity shares with sport.
Conclusion
Referring to official definitions, hiking is not considered as a sport that is just because it is not enlisted in international competition, which is mostly categorized as other outdoor workouts. However, in term of sport, hiking is one of the famous sports that hold the enjoyment and unifying people of different race. In literally meaning, the sport is the activity that has the physical benefit and keeps us healthy. So, it does not a big deal, whether the hiking is sport or not, it deserves to be included as a fun workout and it continues to be encouraged our spirit to do our best on hiking, and it will also bring more fun when we do with our colleges. Stay healthy, keep hiking!
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