Nature invites the mountains in 2021!

As Indian Spirits we like to feel free, breathe fresh air, be surrounded by complete nature... We live in constant movement and always taking the extreme side of life. We are free spirits! For this reason, we never settle and launch headlong into adventure and new experiences. As nature invites movement and sports, one of our favorite places to enjoy that total freedom is the mountains. There are many disciplines that can be practiced in the mountains, outdoor activities, either for pleasure or professionally. Here we want to show you some exercises so that you can enjoy alone or with friends.

Mountain sports are practiced in rocky, steep, slippery settings, although sometimes a bit dangerous, with many natural obstacles. Therefore, it is important to be in good physical and health condition to carry out certain activities. Depending on the sport, its difficulty will increase more or less. However, mountain sports can also be practiced by young people and children. Physical activity from an early age is recommended to lead a healthy lifestyle, as it improves bone health, muscle strength and flexibility. Now that we have convinced you even more to practice mountain sports this year, let's find out what some of the disciplines are.

Mountain sports invite adventure and feel pure adrenaline. They are so exciting that we assure you that you will want to plan a trip to the mountains every weekend.

MOUNTAIN SPORTS IN 2021

If what you are looking for is adrenaline, get ready to discover the best mountain sports to start 2021 full of new experiences!

In this list you will find activities for those looking to have fun and start having a more active life, even for the most extreme travelers, addicted to pure adrenaline. Exciting, challenging, challenging and impressive are all the mountain activities that we are going to list below:

HIKING

An activity to share with the whole family!

Hiking is considered one of the best mountain activities out there, and why not? if it is one of the practices that allows you to fully get closer to nature, while enjoying without haste, the walks, trails, and natural spaces that leave you breathless.

It is a practice that has evolved, going from being carried out as a purely sporting activity, to being able to be practiced without having a particular physical condition. Hiking has opened up a new interest in the field of tourism, a trend that invites you to travel without haste and enjoy the journey, getting to know everything that surrounds you. It allows you to travel routes and get to know the historical and cultural side of a country, without causing an environmental impact. It is one of the best ways to get to know a destination!

Hiking is a sport that everyone can practice, you just have to choose the trail that you like best and enjoy the tour.

TREKKING

Trekking is similar to hiking, however it is not the same, since it requires a greater physical condition. It is an activity that involves a walk of several days, far from the use of transportation, in remote sites, completely isolated in nature.

The most important thing about trekking is that it does not harm or damage nature, on the contrary, just like hiking, it is an activity that invites you to be surrounded by the rural and natural. Depending on the level of difficulty in which you want to practice, there are more or less long trails, with greater or lesser difficulties that require greater effort and physical condition.

To perform this sport it is necessary to practice with the appropriate equipment, and here we help you:

• Ropes: Being a mountain activity, they are scenarios where the terrain is steep, which is still difficult. Therefore, the ropes are a necessary element to carry out this sport.

• Compass: It is essential to take a compass to natural settings to avoid losing orientation, in places where there are no signs.

• Appropriate clothing: To practice sports it is always vital to wear the appropriate and most comfortable clothing, according to the weather. Being long journeys, we must not forget to wear comfortable shoes.

• Other necessary utensils: It is important to plan the route you want to take. In case you have to spend the night, you will need to bring a tent and other utensils to hydrate and eat.

Trekking brings many health benefits. It is an activity that involves walking, so it provides a great benefit to the cardiovascular system, helps burn calories, prevents and reduces muscle pain. By having direct contact with nature, it also helps to significantly improve mental health.

ULTRATRAIL

The ultratrail is a modality of running that takes place in the mountains where the participants must run a distance of more than 50 kilometers in quite complicated conditions. It can even last almost 24 hours, making it an extreme sport. It is recommended that before starting a race, you do a reconnaissance of the route a few days before to preview any problems that may arise during the race.

The preparation for an ultratrail is similar to that of a marathon, but with a little more complication, being in the middle of a mountain, where there are a large number of obstacles and natural barriers. Therefore, it is necessary to be very convinced and above all motivated to live a unique and challenging experience, which puts all the physical and mental condition to the test.

MOUNTAIN BIKING AND DOWNHILL

Cycling + mountains are the perfect combination for the adventure lover! It is a sport in which more and more athletes are added all over the world. Mountain biking consists of reaching the top of a mountain by following extreme trails in nature.

When starting out in mountain biking it is recommended to start with a bike in the size that best fits your height and leg length.

Mountain biking is a high-risk extreme sport, which can be done both competitively and purely for entertainment. The route is usually done downhill, although depending on the modality it can also be done uphill and/or a mixture of both.

An indispensable element for the practice of this sport is the helmet. Whether for the first time, or as a professional athlete, doing a mountain biking route with a specific helmet for practicing the sport is extremely important.

Downhill is a modality of mountain biking that consists of descending as fast as possible on a natural track, with natural or artificial obstacles. It is considered one of the most extreme and risky modalities of the branch of mountain biking. It is characterized by having complications or obstacles such as ramps, drops, cambers and natural difficulties of the same mountain.

It is considered an extreme sport for reaching speeds above 50 km/h on the descent. That is why protective equipment is of the utmost importance. Wear a full-face helmet, suitable uniform, knee pads, elbow pads, gloves and the best quality glasses for good visibility.

CLIMB

For rock lovers, climbing is the mountain sport for you!

Climbing is a sport that consists of climbing or going along a wall to reach the top of a relief or an artificial structure with or without the help of material. It usually includes steep slopes or other reliefs characterized by their verticality.

Climbing is a complete sport that requires a good physical condition, as it is an activity that requires the full use of the body: hands, arms, legs and trunk, including great mental capacity to perform the exercise. The climbers are noted for their good dexterity and physical ability.

There are different types of climbing, depending on the environment where it is carried out:

• Rock Climbing: Climbing that takes place on rock walls.
• On ice: The one that takes place on ice or nine lasts.
• Mixed climbing: Sections of ice, snow and rock alternate.
• Climbing in a climbing wall: It is carried out on walls where artificial holds are placed with different shapes that simulate grips from the natural environment.
• Urban climbing: It is developed with structures that are in the city, walls, bridges, etc.

SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING

Skiing and snowboarding are winter mountain sports, they are among the most common and are liked the most by adrenaline junkies. Skiing and snowboarding are activities where you can enjoy the most snowy mountains, although they require a lot of strength, preparation and endurance.

They are sports that are practiced individually, although they can be enjoyed in a group with family and friends. Both skiing and snowboarding offer different physical, physiological and psychological benefits:

• Strengthening of muscles: Practicing skiing and snowboarding helps to strengthen the whole body, tone the muscles and the formation of stronger legs.
• Improves physical resistance: They are complete sports that involve the use of the whole body, when carried out over long periods of time.
• You reduce stress and anxiety: Since these are sports that take place in the snow, you can breathe fresh air outside in nature, allowing you to disconnect from the routine.
• Protects from cardiovascular diseases: Both sports promote blood circulation and help burn calories at a faster rate. Prevents overweight and cholesterol problems, protecting heart and lungs.
• You rest better: After many hours of effort, exercise and adrenaline, it is normal for the body to be tired. You will have a clear mind and it will be much faster and easier to fall asleep.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MOUNTAIN SPORTS

Once you have decided to spend a weekend enjoying nature and fresh air from the mountains, whatever discipline you play, here are some recommendations:

• Go at your own pace: Relax. Take the time necessary to exercise and condition your body for these types of activities.

• Carry out a medical checkup: Depending on what activity you are going to perform, it is important to make sure you are in the optimal and necessary conditions for that moment.
• Buy the right equipment: Don't risk using less expensive equipment. Mountain sports are outdoor activities that involve some risk or complication, which is why it will always be better to use the best quality accessories.

• Rest: As it involves a great physical and mental effort, it is necessary to rest and save as much energy as possible to perform fully in the sport(s) to be performed.

As you can see, there is a great variety of mountain sports. Some more exciting than others, but in all of them you will be able to find that adrenaline and addiction to the extreme. They are outdoor activities that you can do with family or friends, and that will only bring benefits to your body and mind.

If you have any suggestions for places to practice mountain sports or ideas for other activities to do, share them in the comments and don't forget to send this article to all the #IndianSpirits you know!