Outdoor hiking is one of the most preferred activities for adventurous people. But, if you're trying outdoor hiking for the first time then there are few things that you need to keep in mind, such as logistical prep, mental and overall fitness level preparation. These key elements will surely make the experience an enjoyable one.

The two best ways to build the overall strength for hiking are jogging and running. These basic exercises will prepare your legs, ankles and feet. Try running uphill, downhill and mixed surface to make your body well prepared for the challenge lying ahead.

One of the most overlooked things during the preparation for a hike are the calf muscles. So make sure to try few calf exercises to be included as part of the training for any outdoor excursion.

Here are some of the basic things to remember for outdoor hiking:

• To exhale with exertion while raising your heels against resistance.
• To target both the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles with full force of motion.
• To increase your movement use a 4-6" raise surface, step or blocks.
• To repeat 12-15 a 3 sets.
• To stretch the muscle allow the heel to sink to the ground/floor on one leg at a time.

If you want to increase the intensity of exercise add weights or extra resistance. The additional resistance can be a small and as simple. It is good to do a warm up before taking that first climb! You can gradually increase the intensity of the exercise. Hence, stretch the muscles always before outdoor hiking.