Is Hiking a Sport? Here How to Find Out

In the modern world, where everything births competition, hiking is often mistaken for a sport. A plethora of literature, both online and offline, argues that hiking is a sport. What people don’t realize is that hiking is as old as man himself, while sports were invented much later. The cavemen hiked to dangerous terrains in search of food.

Greek mythology is filled with people hiking to Mount Olympus not only to unveil their fates but also to seek guidance from the oracle Apollo.

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Buddha did not hike to the Himalayas to win a sporting competition but rather to seek seclusion so he could open his soul to the mysteries of the world and reach enlightenment.

How to Find Out If Hiking a Sport or Hobby

Before labelling hiking as a sport or a hobby, we need to run a few tests on it. Is it an organized event? Are there any regulatory bodies to monitor the task? Is it time-bound?

Is it always carried out on a set path? Does it announce winners and losers at the end?

What kind of sportsmanship is required to qualify as a professional hiker?

Answers to these questions would not only set the bar for a sport but would also put to rest the ongoing debate that whether hiking is a sport or not. But before diving deep into the debate, we need to understand what the terms hiking and sport stand for.

What is the Definition of Hiking?

Hiking is a recreational activity which involves walking through natural paths, mountainous areas, and mud. Usually, it is a solo trip that a person takes to acquaint himself with the wonders of nature.

In the recent past, people of all age groups have started to take part in it. Hiking in groups has also become very popular among peers of the same age group. Initially, hiking was a means to reach the places other modes of transport could not reach. Now, it’s a vocational must.

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Every tourist website names at least one famous hiking place in each country. My personal favorite is the sunrise hiking to Mount Agung in Bali. Greece is another attraction for hikers.

The amazing trails in Athens are a hiker’s paradise. Americans, however, prefer to hike the mountainous terrains of California.

What is the Definition of Sport?

A sport, on the other hand, is any activity that requires physical labor and precision. It is played between two opponents or teams where one side wins while the other loses.

A regulatory body ensures that a certain set of rules will be followed in every game. Any discrepancies from the said rules render the player unsuitable for the game.

Any random individual cannot be a part of any given sport. The sportsman needs to be a skilled person with the right amount of experience and excellence.

Usually, there is an audience, and the sport is played in multiple parts. The person or team who wins the sport is awarded either a cash prize or a trophy, or both.

So Why Do Some People Think Hiking as a Sport?

Let’s argue why some people think hiking is a sport

Sense of Competition

Hiking is often equated with sports because it gives the hiker an adrenaline rush and a sense of competition. During a hike, either he is striving to beat his previous record or win against his fellow hikers.

Small groups of hikers often compete, and a certain goal is set to make the tedious journey exciting. Sometimes, the race is to reach the top first, find clues on the way to win a final prize on the top or spot an endangered species on the way.

Usually, the most experienced hikers are chosen as group leaders who lead their peers through the hike to reach the goal at a designated time. Often winners get to take a small prize or a trophy home.

Every element of the sporting competition is tried to incorporate into this hiking journey, but still, it lacks the professionalism of a sporting event as there are no stakes involved.

If healthy competition is the ultimate definition of a sport, does it make Frisbee a sport too? If the answer is negative for Frisbee, it cannot be in the affirmative for hiking.

Availability of Hiking Apparel

Another pertinent reason why hiking is actively portrayed as a sport is the availability of all hiking apparel in the market. The clothing industry competes to launch the best hiking gear, and people spend hundreds of dollars on it each year, thinking they are in a sporting competition in which only a certain hiking shirt could make them win.

While trekking pants could give the hiker a comfortable experience, they cannot turn hiking into a sport.

Organized Ventures

Previously, hiking was more of a personal experience. People used to hike in their leisure time, but now it has become a more organized venture.

There are various tourism companies operating worldwide that take groups of people on hiking trips all year round. These trips often end up with camping.

Now, have you heard of a sport that requires you to set up a tent on a mountain and gaze at the stars for a few nights? Well, I haven’t. All I have ever imagined of hiking is that it’s a tourism opportunity away from the concrete jungle our world has become.

There is no denying the fact that to reach a certain mountain top, a lot of skill and effort is required, but it’s not exactly a sport if it’s done to spend a few days in the lap of nature.

In his book Sport and Tourism: Strategies to Develop Tourist Destinations, Marco Valeri beautifully described hiking in the international space and as an alternative form of tourism.

Hiking and Sport Side by Side Comparison

Below is a chart that elaborates on the differences between hiking and a sport, clarifying the air why hiking is not a sport.

Health Benefits of Hiking

Most hiking excursions are carried out to get a taste of nature in its raw form. Some scientists are also of the view that spending a few nights in natural scenery without electronic gadgets could reset our biological clocks back to their original settings, and people have also been hiking solely for this purpose.

Instead of a sport, hiking is more of an exercise like cardio. If one has access to a natural terrain on a regular basis, it seems a far better option for a workout than lifting weights at a gym without a scenic view.

Many people I have talked to consider hiking a healthy alternative to workout as it’s much healthier and more beneficial for health. People would trade a stinky gym odor with crisp fresh air on a hike any given day.

Is a hiker an Athlete?

While we are on the topic of negating hiking as a sport, there is another myth that needs to be busted.

Hikers are often equated with athletes as well. The supposed reason for this is that there are multiple marathons run across the globe where people of all age groups belonging to various strata of life participate.

It gets easily confused with hiking as people believe the notion that since both running a marathon and hiking require physical strain, both are two sides of the same coin. This could not be farther from reality.

Firstly, a marathon is a professional sport with a running distance of 42.195 kilometers. A hike’s distance is chosen by the hiker himself, which usually starts at a mere 5 kilometers long trail.

Secondly, an athlete is a professional who earns the title of a sportsman through strenuous hard work and dedication.

He cannot be compared to a Joe who woke up on a fine Sunday morning and decided that he needed to hike the terrain at the back of his community’s park because his physician told him that it was good for his health.

Is Hiking a Hobby?

Hiking, if anything, is a hobby. Some people collect stamps, while some walk on unknown paths on weekends. I find it no different from gardening.

In gardening, one uses special gear and fertilized soil to grow organic foods. It also requires a lot of physical energy to plow, plant, and reap. Would it be wise then to also call gardening a sport? It certainly will not be.

Similarly, to call hiking a sport is a far-fetched idea that appears to be a figment of someone’s imagination. Someone who wanted to feel important, so he decided to call his hobby a sport.

Conclusion

To wrap it up, hiking is just a leisure activity which might display a hint of being a sport here and there solely because of the physical exertion involved and the healthy and friendly competitions peers have inculcated into it to make it sound more interesting and appealing for the general masses.

But still, it remains a personal choice or a hobby for people who wish to explore nature on their own terms without any societal pressure to win.

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