I have been doing a lot of hiking in the past 12 years. Now in my mid 60's my wife is worried I am going to wear out my knees. But a study I read showed that every step pushes toxins out of your cartilage, then when you lift your leg fresh blood gets sucked in with nutrients. This pumping action is healing for the cartilage and makes it last longer. So it actually helps your knees. Since one of the biggest problems as we grow old is degradation of the cartilage I think this is very important.
That's a great point, and everything we've been reading agrees with you that more activity is better. You obviously don't want to overtrain, but there's no doubt that getting out and hiking is much better for your joints, skeletal system, and all the surrounding musculature than sitting around doing nothing! ❤️
I’m 61. This was a concern of mine. How would all this hiking negatively impact my joints? It’s like a how much can a human body take. I since I was about 8, I have been a highly active person. 9- 20’s I was an aggressive mogul skier who went often. Throughout my childhood and at different years in my adult hood I played ice hockey aggressively. I was into wrestling and boxing. I punished my shoulder’s for sure while benching for years with less than perfect form at best. I played tennis on hard courts for hours at a time many days a year on my off years. In baseball, squatted in a catcher’s stance for years. I was a soccer player beyond my university years and played at a high level. I never ran a marathon but I would run around a track five miles at a time a few times a week after my competitive team sport competitions ended. It’s safe to say that sports is the number one thing besides raising a child that got all my interest whether actively engaged or planning my next venture, it has been my life for the past 53 years. All around me so many athletes, like myself, would face serious shoulder, knee or hip surgeries. But I somehow got lucky and avoided all that. When I was in my fifties I started to struggle with hip and shoulder issues. It seemed like a matter of time until I’d have a hip replacement. Against common sense, I started to hike and soon noticed that it aggravated my hip. But after finding a certain boot I could hike five miles without pain while carrying a twenty pound backpack. Before I knew it, I could do ten with no pain. In the past seven years hiking has been my biggest activity. All this time I had accepted that I was doing more damage than good on my knees, hips and most joints. Many months in the past years I did hikes averaging 15 miles a day. These were thru hikes but not the big ones like the Appalachian trail. Somehow my hip today is less bothersome than it was ten years ago. In fact, I notice that I can get out of a chair like I used to 30 years ago. I took the last 8 months off to pay old bills by driving rideshare 12 hours a day for 6 months. In that time and for months later I started to accept this newly found pain. I’d say to myself “you’ve had a good run but no more big hikes. But the sedentary life style was aging my joints than using them. I have recommitted to thru hiking and tonight I am on day 17 doing a 35 day hike. In these 17 days, it’s like history repeating itself. I am not waking with pain anymore. This video gane me a gift on why hiking has preserved my joints.
Hiking is my number one favorite physical activity. I’m 60 now and have lost 20 pds, hike five miles a day, or almost everyday. And you know what, it has improved my balance, which makes sense navigating rocks and boulders, etc. Great job guys. Hang in there too Elise, we are all pulling for you!
Thank you so much, that really means a lot to me! That's really inspirational about the 5 miles per day. I'm looking forward to getting back to longer distances too as soon as I can! ❤️ --E
Haha yes!!! The longer life benefits really are amazing, and super fortunate because we'd be out there adventuring either way -- even if it shortened your lifespan -- so it's good to know it's actually helping. Excited to be bringing you some crazy climbs 20 years from now!! ❤️
For me, hiking is so great for me. I love the nature, I love the quiet. I also love the ability to achieve something that is hard. As a nurse I see people that have disabilities. I think of them on trail. At the end of a day hiking, I feel so great and fully appreciate that I am still able to. I love you guys ❤️👨🦼
Exactly how we feel too! I also work with a lot of patients with physical disabilities and it's something I always bring with me out on the trail and think about during our meditations. Sending you love and hugs!
Walking is good for your back. Soon you’ll be back running the trails, climbing and enjoying sufferfests! So glad you are back and with great advise. I am almost 75 and will be hiking, biking, swimming and using the rebounder until I am no longer on this planet. All makes you feel great, physically, mentally and spiritually. Thank you guys! You rock!!
Heck yeah, Mary! That is super inspiring -- love that you've got a whole hike bike swim triathlon going. That's very much our style as well, and we're confident it will help all of us stay on the planet til at least 100! ❤️
Oh totally true, all of it. I was fired at 59 from a job I started at 29 (insubordination, very proud of that actually 😂-long story), and while at first devastated, quickly found it to be a massive gift. Ten years and 1000s of miles later, I’m thinner, stronger, happier, plus my hair loss has abated and it hasn’t gotten any grayer! No man in my family has ever lived past 50, so at 69 I feel I’m way out there. Why? Dog and I hike at least 5 days a week. Peace. Tranquility. Fitness. Lower blood pressure-all of that. ANd bonus on days like today: 10# edible mushrooms and a soak in a hot spring afterward! Figure out a way to quit working, get rid of a bunch of stuff, dump your baggage (of all kinds!), and get on to LIVING! Life is great. Love your channel.
OMG Scott you are inspiring the heck out of us right now!!! Really want to hear this insubordination story at some point, and btw Adam's dream day is pretty much hiking, mushroom tea, and hot springs. Love all of it, and looking forward to joining you in living the good life in 18 months!! ❤️
love, I bumped into a 70 + year old on a mountain the other day and had a chat with him, he said he was seeing what him and his wife were still capable of, I told him how inspiring and motivating it was, it was a lovely moment
Carl that is fantastic! We had a few similar moments with older hikers during our Dolomites trip, and it was really inspiring. Love that we're all going to be doing this -- albeit slower -- decades from now! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard that's awesome! Yes very true! I definitely plan to be up the mountains and in the wild in general as long as I'm able to walk on this earth! It's exciting for all of us
Wow, that is awesome, and one of our favorite hikes :D hoping to do that when we are well into our 80s as well. Maybe we will run into you on that trail one of these days!
That is so great to hear!! Please tell the students they can message us if they have any questions -- we love inspiring the next generation to get out there and truly experience nature! ❤️
ELISE and ADAM, a good morning from France. What a pleasure to see you again on the Web, you are a source of inspiration, and it helps to become aware of the benefits of hiking. I am 66 years old, and thanks to you I will resume a progressive activity. I couldn't make up my mind, but your advice and good mood push me to try. Many thanks to both of you. I hope ELISE recovers quickly, I look forward to seeing you on the paths again, and I will not fail to follow your new adventures. Good recovery to ELISE, many apologies for the translation, kisses to both of you. DAN. ELISE et ADAM, un bonjour de France. Quel plaisir de vous revoir sur le Web, vous êtes une source d’inspiration, et ça aide à prendre conscience des bienfaits de la randonnée. J’ai 66 ans, et grâce à vous je vais reprendre une activité progressive. Je n’arrivais pas à me décider, mais vos conseilles et votre bonne humeur me poussent à essayer. Grand merci à vous deux. J’espère que ELISE va se remettre rapidement, j’ai hâte de vous revoir sur les chemins, et je ne manquerai pas de suivre vos nouvelles aventures. Bon rétablissement à ELISE, milles excuses pour la traduction, bises à vous deux. DAN.
Thanks so much, Dan. We are looking forward to getting out on the trails again soon too, and very glad that at only 66 you have many decades of hiking still in front of you! ❤️
Definitely a plus to one's healthy state of mind ... We crossed rivers and streams, and forests kissed by fire. We trekked steadily upwards, climbing higher and higher. And just when we thought that gravity prevailed, We reached a lofty summit; breathed in and exhaled. And then … oh, then … we gazed out toward a view Indescribably grand, but captured by few. Snowcapped peaks extending to horizons afar, Dancing slowly in shadows and rays from a star. And in that simple moment, precious and fleeting, We looked into infinity, our hearts deeply beating. No words would be spoken. There was simply no need. Our minds were at peace. Our souls lifted and freed.
I 100% believe this.. I track my BP because it was elevated (rough patch in life, stopped exercising and hiking, gained weight is some of what caused it), it is now normal.. however, life got busy and I couldn’t make my weekly hike for 3 weeks and my BP went up by 5 points 🤷🏻♂️… I’m getting back on the trail! Thank you Adam and Elise for bringing awareness to health, mental, and spiritual benefits of hiking.. I will also be adding Shinrin-yoku to my hikes!
This is really wonderful to hear. We understand how life gets in the way of trail time, but once we started seeing it as a health and wellness issue as well as of course joy and relaxation, it became much easier to justify hiking trips even when it involves taking time off of paid work. Please let us know how you like the forest bathing -- it's such a wonderful thing, and the beneficial effects of doing it on the weekend often last us well into the week. ❤️
I've had an incredible summer ☀️, finally catching up with your videos. Congratulations 👏 on your wedding vows. I'll miss you two when you leave from America 🇺🇸.
Travis so happy you had a great summer!! We obviously did too -- thanks for the wedding congrats!.❤️And don't worry, there's enough hiking in the U. S. to last us a lifetime so even when we're traveling full time a lot of it will still be to epic U. S. spots. One of our goals is to do the greatest hikes in all 50 states!
John that is freaking fantastic! You are basically the living embodiment of our goals -- between 4-6 miles is basically the ideal number for maximum health benefit, not to mention all the wonderful spiritual benefits of course. ❤️
Thanks very much, Mark! We missed you too, and even though I can't do any hard trails yet we're still cooking up some fun content ideas just because we truly love making videos and interacting with you guys. Other than actually getting out for an adventure, it's always the highlight of my week! ❤️ --E
What an amazing hike! Matlock Lake is gorgeous. Aren't we blessed to live relatively close to the Sierra, which I think is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. Can't wait to see your next adventure.
Thank you, and totally agree. Whenever I'm feeling stressed or sad, a quick trail run or even just a 3-miler on the beach totally puts me in a happy and peaceful place. --A
With the amount of conditioning, hiking, diet & the tremendous amount of love & respect you have for each other, you’ll both live way past 100. Happy Holidays🎃 🍁🎄🎊
Hi, you two! So glad you resurfaced! You absolutely nailed it! I try to go hiking once a week with my buddy and whether it's really hot or really cold (which is hardly ever here in Southern Cal), it does so much to our overall health as you mentioned: physically, mentally, spiritually and socially. I'm 75 and my buddy is 79 and I can hardly keep up with him! But when we're on the trails every week we are just so appreciative of the fact that we are still able to be OUTSIDE walking up steep hills while sucking wind! And you're right, every outdoor adventure doesn't have to be an overnighter carrying a loaded backpack. And see, even with a back problem you can still go outside. That's a lesson for all of us . . . Know your limits and do what you can to have an enjoyable outdoor experience! Take care!
Tom that is so cool -- your actual life is exactly what we're hoping for in our future, right down to the social aspects of hiking as well! It was really inspiring to read your thoughts, and you're right about knowing limits too. Right now our hikes are very short and flat with E's injury, but it still feels amazing to be out there! ❤️
After a mostly 20+ year absence from really hiking, raising 3 children, I got started again in late July 2021. What started out as a few easy day hikes turned into an addiction. I'm 57 my hubby 52. We live an hour away from RMNP and we hike every week, often two or three times. Also hike in the wilderness areas surrounding RMNP. For me, over 350 miles and over 70,000 ft of elevation gain in 34 hikes including 5 BP trips just this year 2022. I can't believe the health benefits and most importantly the mental benefits. Thank you both so much for sharing this most important information and for sharing the beauty of exploring. I've lost 20lbs in two seasons of hiking.🥳🥾💙
Wow Vickie thanks so much for sharing that! So wonderful to hear not only that you've come to love hiking but also how much it's helped you change physically. Very inspiring! Great too that you're so close to RMNP. Many hikes we want to do there -- Longs of course, but also Hallett and CCY. Hopefully we'll see you out on those trails one day! ❤
It's good to see you walking a trail again, Elise! Hoping your back troubles are subsiding - or, better, cured! Good on both of you for getting out there - and thanks for all the encouragement!
Thanks so much Steven! And oh man... I would pay a LOT of money if someone could cure me! But in the meantime time I'm staying very dedicated to my PT and hoping to be back to the trails very soon ❤️ -E
Jip, VO2 max maximisation& slowing down the rate of sarcopenia is vital to longevity. I like it that you combine it with the spiritual aspect: most people understand what your soul dimension entails. But,very few have a clue what is meant by "spirit"... if that dimension is "dormant" you still lack a lot. Coincidentally I see you mention "145" case studies. I've been writing a book for many years, and the title is a number:145. The main focus of the book is what it entails to live out your redemptive purpose. Part of the puzzle is the answer to the question "What is the answer to life, the universe and everything"? (Originally asked by Douglas Adams).
Totally agree with this video. And it's good to know that Adam is not the only person obsessed with getting to 100. Hiking is great for the mindset, I have depression and the amount of times I have cleared my head in the bush is plenty. But buggered if I'll ever jump in water colder than 15 degrees celsius (not sure what that is in your scale haha)
Haha we've jumped in some really cold water -- just above 0 celsius -- but only for fun, and never stayed in for more than a few seconds! Love that you are able to use hiking and getting outdoors as an anti-depressant -- we should honestly do a whole video on that factor, because it is scientifically proven to work and a big reason why we do what we do as well! ❤️
I completely agree with everything you said. And I hope many people watch this important video. I have a friend who loves hiking, and he's 90 years old. We walked around Convict Lake earlier this summer. He's on track to live to 100 and longer! I wish Adam and Elise a long healthy life!
Thanks so much, Mark! That's wonderful to hear about your friend -- we're hoping to be doing exactly the same thing at least throughout our 80s and with maybe luck (and medical science!) even longer. Wishing you a long and healthy life too -- hopefully we'll all still be getting out there many decades from now! ❤️
I really liked this video! Curious if you wouldn't mind linking the studies you showed. I recently finished a Grand Canyon R2R dayhike (inspired by yours last year) and the endorphin rush cresting Bright Angel trailhead at the end of the hike... I couldn't stop grinning for hours. I feel physically and mentally alive and awake after a hard hike; it's addictive. And I don't have to go to the Grand Canyon; I can walk out my front door in San Diego and access a dozen miles of urban trails within half a mile of my doorstep. Ten early morning miles on those feels great too! Worth mentioning that it will not only help you live longer, but weight bearing exercise keeps you active, helps stave off arthritis and other conditions that reduce mobility. (Contrary to popular myth, hiking, walking, and jogging *improve* joint health and longevity.) I recently attended a Scout backpacking training for my son's troop and the guys conducting the training were all in their mid-high 70s; all accomplished thru-hikers still putting hundreds of miles of wear on their shoes every year. That's the retirement I'm shooting for.
Heck yes, Matt -- that's the retirement we want too! Huge congrats on R2R and so glad you loved it. We still look back and talk about that hike -- it's just a true all-timer that everyone should do at least once! ❤️
I love hiking! It is so good for my mind body and soul! Did Cuyamaca Mt and Volcan Mt here in San Diego last weekend and this morning I’m hiking Mt Baldy! I also just bought a sweatshirt that says “another weekend another mountain” I don’t really need another swaetshirt but I needed this one lol 😂. Hoping for a quick recovery for you Elise!
That's wonderful, Rhonda! Mt Baldy is such a classic, and after the storm this week it might be glittering with snow!! Thanks much for the recovery wishes -- I'm just like you, and need to be out there as much for my soul as for my body. --E
I left the military in 2014 and ballooned from 220 to 275 pounds in 2021. I started walking in July 2021 and a couple months later started rucking with 30-45 pounds. Since then, I’ve lost 70 pounds and carry loads up to 100 pounds for 5-10 miles, 5-6 days/week. No real strength loss either. I’m 39 now and haven’t been in this kind of shape since my early 20’s. The benefits from hiking/rucking and hill walking/sprinting are unmatched. I’m not a runner, but can now run a sub 6 minute mile if needed. I can run a sub 8 minute mile with 30 pounds. The worst of my injuries in 18 months of rucking have only been stress fractures in my foot. I have really flat feet. I wear an ankle and foot compression garment and keep my calcium intake high and have no issues. You’d be hard pressed to find a better outdoor activity than hiking.
Totally agree with you about both hiking and rucking! My daughter is ROTC, going into Army next year, and the rucks she does are intense! We just hiked a tough 13 miler yesterday for Christmas and she didn't even break a sweat! Good for you for getting back in that kind of shape!! --A
Thanks Andrew! I'm still really battling with this bulging disc -- not getting worse but not better either -- but am managing to get out on a few light hike/walks just to keep my spirits up. Felt great just to just make a video too and be able to interact with you guys! ❤️
Very good article with scientific data. I live in a city in Brasil 80 km from Rio de Janeiro called Teresópolis (do a search). Here we have many trails (3 different parks) for all levels and tastes. Lots of climbing too for those who like it. I agree 100% with what you say. Keep hiking and bringing good content. Hugs from Brasil !
Totally agreed! My husband and I LOVE hiking. And the best thing to do is be outside in nature seeing all that God created. There's nothing like it! I think it's as close to Heaven as we'll get here on Earth. Especially at the top of a mountain peak! ⛰ Blessings to you both! Thanks for being such an inspiration. 💕
Thanks very much, and we totally agree with you guys about the wonderful spiritual benefits of hiking -- especially at high altitudes. We always sit and commune with our loved ones who have passed on after we get to a summit, when we're as close to heaven as we can get that day, and we just feel so close to them and all of creation up there. ❤️
Some good advice heer I'm 63 been a taxi driver for 30+years walk about 4 miles most Days and hike in Bonnie Scotland one day a week at my age you have to keep Active I wish you both well for your journey ahead aw the best noo
Every point you made in this video is true and accurate. I am in my late 60's and have used many types of exercise to stay in shape. Over the past 10 years or so I have been either walking locally or hiking in nature, not because I'm getting older but because I have arrived at the same realizations and conclusions you make in this video. Hiking is overall the best form of exercise! In addition it's probably the easiest form of exercise to motivate yourself to do consistently. That's because it's flat out fun to be out interacting with nature and getting a great whole body workout and all associated benefits at the same time! It's almost a self perpetuating activity. Thank you for the video!
Thanks very much -- it's wonderful to get your perspective, and really makes us feel like we're on the right track to still be active and adventurous once we get to traditional retirement age and beyond. Totally agree with you about the ease of consistency -- all we want to do is be outdoors exploring, even if it didn't have all those physical benefits, because it's just so joyous and fun! ❤️
Walking is great! Its underrated. I think its superior to running as it is low impact. Long life is great but even more important is to have a happy and long life!
Totally agree, James, especially as we get older. Weight bearing but low impact while exploring nature feels like the perfect combo for a long an happy life! ❤️
Thanks for the Video, Your faces in the end also made me smile. And i noticed myself, that my mood got better after successfully climbing some Via Ferrate Level C in the Dolomites with better technique. Unfortunately here at Bremen there are no mountains, the highest "peak" is the local landfill ;-) Anyway, thanks for the inspiration, i will do a bicycle trip to my mum tomorrow.
Haha yes probably not so healthy to hike the landfill 😂. But how wonderful that you're doing a bike trip with your mom. That's what it's all about. We're trying to get E's dad to come and climb Machu Picchu with us, but he's still not sure if he wants to do it. Hope you have a great trip! ❤️
This is why I wish I didn’t live in a state where there’s hardly any sun and it’s winter 6 months out of the year. I love hiking so much but I despise the cold. In the summer/fall I’m always hiking. I hope you guys live to 100 ❤️
Haha we feel for you -- Adam grew up in a 6-month winter state too, which is why he now loves Cali so much. We gotta all retire early and just travel the world on an endless hiking summer til we're 100! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard we sure did! My Achilles tendonitis is much better but I am starting my diet plan. To get back to running, I need to lose about 10 to 15 lbs
Great topic. I always feel both mental and health benefits from hiking and climbing. Especially when my pre-retirement life starts to fill up with too many stressors. Can't wait to make this lifestyle my full time passion.
Yessss! You are most definitely talking our language. Maybe at some point we should do a video on how much this lifestyle helps with early retirement, because it is minimalist and lowers expenses so much vs other lifestyles that require a much bigger retirement number. ❤️
Congrats on hitting 30K subscribers!! Totally agree that I feel much better and for a longer period when exercising outside. I know from research pop tarts do extend longevity😊
Haha thanks very much -- you are Adam's pop tart soul mate! It was fun to read the science and find out that there really are mood-elevating effects to outdoor exercise. Now I just have to get healed so I can get back out there for some prolonged hikes! ❤️ --E
@@LiveHardxLoveHard i know how frustrating it can be to be limited in your physical activity. Injuries are no fun to wait on to heal. The important thing is to keep going outside and do what you are able to so you still get all those mental and emotional benefits😊
Absolutely love this video! Makes so much sense to me and feels so aligned with the module we see in in my holistic medicine and modalities course - nature based medicine! All things ecotherapy, herbalism, naturopathy, homeopathy, etc. I will definitely report back after our forest bathing in two weeks! Maybe we can all do it together at some point 😍
Yes Arielle, totally agree. So much of what we need in terms of spirit, health, and nutrition can be found in nature if we just open ourselves to it. Was so bummed I missed the dinner, but can't wait to hear about your forest bathing. We will definitely all have to do it together soon! --A
Thanks Rick! We're big fans of the Huberman podcast, so we're thinking that while we're waiting for E's back to heal we might as well give you guys some of the science background on why we do the things we do, from hiking to cold-plunging! ❤️
Thanks for the video Guys. I just came back from vacation, when I did a lot of hiking in my hometown Venezuela (Cordillera de los Andes), more like a walk/run style, but I considered a hike activity lol. Definitely, the contact with the Mother Nature gives you a sense of live!
Yes Miguel, and welcome back! As you know, the hike/run style is our favorite -- a great way to get a hard workout but also relax and feel peaceful in nature all at the same time. Would love to do that in Venezuela one day! ❤️
Great to see you all again! 😊. Great video, I’m a believer, been hiking for 45+ years, doing great. One change for me is because I’ve had Melanoma, I’ve adapted to long sleeve UPF 50+ clothing, and constant sunscreen (and vitamin D supplements). Hope to run into you both one day on the trails. Take care, 🤗 Paul
Thanks Paul, and that's a really good point. We prob should have said that we use sunscreen too (Adam didn't when he was younger but def does now!), and that vitamin D supplements are easy to take and come in chewables too! ❤️
Love this! I've thought about longevity a lot as I've watch some of the videos online about the so-called Blue Zones where some people live a much longer life. It certainly is a mix of mental health, diet, and exercise. The two things that seem to be important are (beside diet): have a purpose, whatever that means to you. And, it seems like if the exercise is walking or hiking, hills are involved. Hills provide both the cardio workout plus lower-body strength training. Oh, and red wine probably helps too. 🍷🍷
Dan we were so excited when that red wine study came out because we LOVE our wine! A few counter-studies to that one came out recently but we refuse to read them 🙈. Also, love your point about having purpose. At some point that might merit a video of its own! ❤️
You guys are 100% correct! We admire your extreme ability to push your limits and not give up! We moved to a tiny town in Idaho from Colorado a year ago and nobody hikes here. They sit on the riverbanks and fish all day or float down it on inner tubes with huge coolers full of beer or roast a whole pig at their barbecue. We are not ready to live in a van down by the river. 😃We need a flagger in the grocery store aisles here because sometimes you just have to wait for the wide load to pass if you know what I mean. It rains a lot in the winter, so we are creating our on gym. You two are lucky in sunny LA! Every time it rains, we are jealous sitting inside watching Mr. & Mrs. Terminator happily hiking 20+ miles while smiling the whole way! Anyway, thanks for being such an inspiration to a retired couple who love the wilderness adventures!
Wow, loved hearing you describe your home, what a quirky picture you paint of it. Sounds like a huge change from CO. Sometimes we wish we could be like those people you describe who are just content to fish and drink beer and relax. It actually seems like a nice life, but we're just too wired towards seeking adventure and adrenaline that we get too antsy doing that for too long. Hopefully you guys are finding ways to get your adventures in as well!
That is so true! At least 90% of our favorite views came from ultra-challenging hikes. Though the one exception was Piccolo Cir in the Dolomites -- it wasn't too hard a via ferrata, but the views were absolutely crazy!! ❤️
Thanks for all that you do! We are so happy to hear that you, Elise, are slowly healing and feeling a little better. My 5 year old has fallen in love with hiking, and your videos have inspired some future trails! We went to Bryce Canyon this spring due to your visit there . . . Anyway, she has hiked 465 miles in the past 18 months, and loves watching your channel! ❤
Katie that makes us SO happy to hear!!! And what an amazing daughter you have -- love thinking about you guys enjoying those incredible trails at Bryce. Please say hello to her for us, and let her know that we're hoping to be back out on the trails very soon, possibly even within the next couple of weeks! ❤️
Skiing, both cross country and alpine, probably provides many of the same benefits, getting outside in the sun and fresh air, cardio, balance and weight bearing exercise, a chance to socialize with friends. As the days get shorter and we start spending more and more time indoors during the winter months I think SAD can become a real problem. But I can’t imagine anyone feeling sad while whooshing down a mountain at 40 mph on a cold crisp sunny winters day. And I agree with Adam, the vitamin D production while being outside during winter can be invaluable to your health and well being.
That's a fantastic point about skiing, and we're actually hoping to add that to our outdoor repertoire this winter! Of course we'll still do snow-shoeing too, but skinning up and skiing down just looks too fun not to try. We're still very cautious of avalanches so won't do too much crazy off-trail stuff, but def want to start exploring more winter options! ❤️
We're moving from Pacific Palisades to Bavaria this week! Getting nostalgic already seeing you guys in the sm mountains. Love your videos, always felt close to y'all due to similar life goals with my wife and I.
Oh my gosh can't believe that is happening already!!! Congratulations, and please let us know all about the Bavarian Alps. We hope to be over there for some adventures maybe as early as next summer, or if not then, then definitely the summer after. Have a safe trip and keep us updated! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard thanks! I'll still be working but technically due to investments we could do the early retirement thing if we squeeze by (very similar to what you described in your financial video). Going to probably really cement our investments first. Until then going to take advantage of the experiment of living abroad and so close to the alps.
Loaded with good information. Nothing surprising in what you discussed. Moving is important and I say that as a 76 year old tennis player, table tennis and hiker since an early age. I agree being social is an important part of healthy living.
Thanks, and that is fabulous that you play tennis! Did you know that of all the athletes who do organized sports, tennis players live the longest? And it's for pretty much all the same reasons that hikers live a long time. Tennis and hiking actually have a ton of similarities in all the benefits, from physical to mental to social (though hiking does take tennis on the spiritual!). ❤️
Interesting about tennis players living the longest as we have a few players who are 89 years old. I've told them they inspire me. The same is true of some fellow table tennis players. Some play both.
Forrest bathing, yes, I do that, There's a little spot up in the hills where there's a slight trickle, it's cool and plenty of Forrest, it's a good place to sit for a couple of hours,in the shade of an old gumtree and watch the koalas to while the scrub wrens hop over your shoes, and the fairy wrens play in the black berries, and the marsupial mice ruffle among the leaves, I went there several times over lockdown, and came out better for it
@@LiveHardxLoveHard just been out there today, at the local crag, lots of native orchids in flower including Australia's tiniest terrestrial orchid, microtis sp. Also saw a male golden whistler...in all his glory Good people amongst the climbing community. Tried making a via ferata ...and I got a lot of respect for you guys, having tried it
Excellent Points Guys!!! I hope to be hiking well into my Golden Years. (knock wood). Elise...great to so you on the trail again!!! Feeling stronger I hope
Thanks so much, Michael! Yes I'm just getting out and doing these little nature walks, but it feels amazing. I have a cortisone shot scheduled in just under two weeks, so hopefully that will be a big help. In the meantime, it felt great just to make a video and be able to interact with you guys! ❤️
Glad to see you back, bad pun. I enjoy all your videos even though jumping on rocks and ledges makes me nervous. I no longer worry that I can't do what I once did, I just keep doing something. Take care and have fun.
Thanks Jose! Love that you say that. It's been pretty challenging dealing with this injury so I've been doing my best to focus my energy on all that I CAN do rather than what I can't. I imagine that's what keeps those centenarians going too!
Adam - one more thing - my mom died several years ago at 88 and my dad just turned 99 and it is all about the genes - but believe me you want to be fit at 100 and not creeping around a health care facility so keep up the hiking
Rick you are totally right, and those are some fantastic genetics you've got working for you there! Mine unfortunately don't look as good (my mom passed away very young), but there are always people who beat the odds and I'm hoping to be one of them. But, as you say, for me it's all about living the best life I can for as long as I can, not merely surviving without adventure or joy. --A
Great topic! Adam and Elise you are both so inspiring and motivating! Couple years ago my fiancee and I were hiking our most fave trail in Plumas Nat Forest (Jameson Lake trail) and passed an elderly couple, had to be in their 80s.. slow and dependent on trekking poles but doing it! I think of them often, life goals!!
Yes Nora! We had a very similar experience this summer in the Dolomites -- they were probably mid 70s and heading up to do a via ferrata! We definitely want that to be us one day, and look forward to meeting you and your fiancee (husband of many years by then!) out there when it happens. ❤️
@@NoreenInCali I'm 5'9''Nora. Usually people think I'm much shorter because they see me next to Adam and he's like an optical illusion unto himself, so I'm glad you asked!
I'm glad to hear that we are "stuck with you" for a long time! Though be careful, Adam: I hear that one box of pop tarts can reduce your life expectancy by as much as 6 months! 😂😉
Haha well if that was true I'd already be long gone, Jeff! But I have definitely improved in the last few years at keeping my consumption of pop tarts, donuts, and other sugary carbs as mostly a during and/or after tough cardio event. --A
Excellent topic! Take-aways: Use it or lose it......dipping your spouse in icy water is actually a thing........pop tarts have now been linked to scientific studies showing longevity. In all seriousness; couldn't agree with you more on all aspects of this. I think it's important to get after it, stay after it, and disregard age.
Haha, we might actually do the next vid on cold-plunging, Todd! Even with E on injured reserve, we're still getting out to do the small things we can, and cold-plunging is definitely one of them, and has quite a few health benefits of its own! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Yes, cold plunging is legit. We started doing Cryo about 2yrs ago, as a local place has a sealed booth, and can get it down to some pretty gnarly temps during the 3-1/2min treatment.
How is your back disc rehab going? It's taken me almost 2 years to fix my back, I don't have a slipped disc I have the world's tightest psoas, hip flexors, quads, IT band etc. I was doing 43 stretches, it fixed the problem... removed about 20 of those then the problem came back... added 1... added another etc until I found what fixed mine completely... just a week ago. You should do the same on top of any doctor recommendations or treatments. I feel it is a blessing to deal with this now vs at 80 years old it would be very challenging maybe unachievable.
Thanks very much for asking! So far it is not going great -- I haven't gotten worse but also haven't improved at all, so it's very frustrating. But I have a shot scheduled for a little over a week from now, and hopefully that will make a difference. I really appreciate you sharing your experience -- it's just good to know I'm not alone with this frustration, and that you have persevered through yours and found some relief! ❤️
I've been more of a dreamer than a doer but I'm going to do the first 700 miles of the PCT next year! Love to try and do the whole thing but family stuff just won't allow it. Can't wait!
That is AWESOME! And 700 miles is no easy walk in the park. Maybe you can do the rest at a later time. No shame in breaking it up. Definitely a dream of ours as well but not sure either of our backs or bodies would hold up sleeping that many nights in a row on a sleeping pad!
That's the simple truth, and we'd put swimming in there too -- especially ocean swimming. No matter what's going on in life, you just always feel better after those activities! ❤️
Hi there guys! So glad to see you. This one you hit right square on the nail head. I’ve been hiking all my life from a very young age and I’m now 74 and it’s still a daily routine for me to hike my walking trail each morning on my acreage where I live. It’s about a half mile loop and I shoot for 3 to 5 miles each morning depending on what else I have planned for the day. I aim for 10000 steps a day which seems to be about right for my physical well being. Highly recommend it for all the reasons you guys so eloquently presented. Praying Elise for your complete recovery! Love you guys and thanks for sharing! ❤️
We are also big believers in the 10000 steps a day Larry! Any day where we get that in we feel pretty good. I've been lucky lately to have good days with the back where I can get my steps in and it feels glorious. Thanks for your kind words. Staying hopeful! Sending love - E
Larry I got a reply from you in my email but it seems to have disappeared. I was going to tell you that your memory is too good and perhaps we should stop having you hike and walk so much! 😜
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Haha! That’s something I’m fortunately still good at. I deleted it cause your back issue isn’t really something to be joking about. Was hoping you hadn’t seen yet. I was looking forward to long distance coaching on your pull-up progress. So so sorry about your back though! 🤗🙏🏻
@@larrywheeler9797 Don't worry Larry, we joke about it ourselves all the time (nothing wrong with gallows humor!) and you have carte blanche to joke with us about whatever you want! ❤
Hey Elise! Back problems are awful. Hope your PT knows Mackenzie Manual Therapy. My wife was a PT for 23 years and became very good with this technique. Bulging disk responds well to this. Little hard if the disk is lateral. Hope you feel better soon! And agree about the hiking benefits. Too bad I live in Illinois.
Hey thank you so much! I am very familiar with this method, although unfortunately my issue is of course the type that responds with a worsening of pain rather than improvement. So my PT and I are trying a different approach. Fingers crossed that our new plan plus an epidural in a few weeks will start getting us somewhere. Hopefully you can still get outside and walk/run where you are, because you can still get most of the same benefits! :D
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Hope that helps! Careful with cervical epidurals - my wife is bedbound since 2011 from one. They hit her spinal cord plus bad reaction to kenalog. Very small space in cervical to hit with epidural, even with floroscopy.
Thanks Firdos, we missed you too! Even though Elise still can't do any serious hiking due to her back, it felt so nice just to make this video and be able to interact with you guys again! ❤️
Thanks for sharing all those wonderful facts about hiking! I'd like to suggest you guys take a look into the extraordinary health benefits of a plant-based diet. I'm able to hike now because I stopped eating animal products and the health benefits are endless. It's also best for our environment and of course best for our animal friends. ✌💚
Yes Heather, and we have a full video on it including what we did wrong -- definitely check it out before you go. And please let us know how it goes for you -- such a fantastic hike. Doubt any of us will be doing R2R at 108, but we certainly hope to get to that age with you!
For sure, Ellen. Running, especially trail running, has nearly all the same benefits as hiking and in some cases -- like preventing Alzheimer's -- even higher benefits. The only reason it doesn't rank quite as high as hiking is that runners get significantly more overuse-type injuries which can then lead to being sedentary for longer. But as long as you are careful about your form and stay aware of your knees joints, etc, running is fabulous. Adam still runs pretty hard at least once a week in addition to hiking, and swears by its benefits. ❤️
M.J. Eberhart (Nimblewill Nomad) took up hiking/backpacking (I think in his 60’s) to improve his health…. And went on to hike to be the oldest man to hike the Appalachian trail at 83 years old. (I think, I’m not sure where I heard that he took up hiking to improve his health)
Well we believe it! There used to be an old man on one of our favorite local hikes, Mt. Baldy, that did the 14 mi/4,000FT climb every single day. He was kind of the Mt. Baldy guru and he would always swap stories and snacks with hikers at the top. He was in his 80s when we met him, not sure what happened to him or if he's still out there but we always love meeting people like that out on the trail!
Question. We live in one of those areas that has 4 seasons. Is there any research that indicates the effect of colder or warmer weather on the benefits you mentioned?
Yes Bill! Most of the studies we know of are based more on light than temperature, and Northern places that get very little sunlight in the winter are very prone to seasonal affective disorder, so it's especially important to get exercise outdoors (for a snowshoe or ski if need be) in winter as much as in summer to achieve full longevity benefits. But if you do get out in nature even through winter, you will get the same benefits as those of us in SoCal! ❤️
You 2 are awesome! Interesting video. I've been in an intense grad school program for about the last 3 years so haven't been able to hike as much as I was beforehand. I have noticed negative impacts on my physical health due to it. It really seems that hiking is basically just in my DNA and my lifestyle over the last 3 years has been lacking in hiking. I graduate at the end of the year and look forward to dropping the text books and getting back out on the trails lol.
Ohhh we both remember those grad school days! What are you studying? It's definitely tough to find time amidst the studies. I used to take my textbooks to the gym in between classes and read while doing a short walk on the treadmill. Wasn't ideal at all, but at least it was some movement! Can't wait for you to get back into the "real" world and then right back out on the trails where you belong! :) -E
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Hey! Treadmill reading sounds like a plan lol. I'm actually working on finishing a Master of Science in Acupuncture. The cool thing about it is I'm actually able to treat myself. I've healed my own injuries and issues, like tight IT bands, by treating myself. I also get treated by classmates if we don't have enough patients during clinic. It is a very intense program, but will hopefully be worth it in the long run. You 2 are very inspirational with the things you do and the videos you create. Props!
Thanks that makes us so happy! It's been weird for us not to be able to go out on our normal adventures lately, but it was actually really enjoyable to use that free time to do interesting research and share it with you! ❤️
Truth…….over doing it, especially as we age can be very stressful and counter productive. LSD long Slow Distance, with healthy self awareness and boundaries. Not into sufferfesting.
I Couldn't agree more with those findings! I do a daily hike after work thats 1100 vertical feet gain and 2.2 miles round trip. I tell people that hiking regularly certainly helps you physically, emotionally, mentally, along with sleeping better. In short it helps free your mind so your arse will follow. ;-) 🏃♂️💨
That sounds like the perfect post-work hike! Definitely have noticed sleeping is much harder since not being out on the trails as much. I've just got too much darn extra energy! -E
Hey John, not sure that we got that. We've been having a lot of issues lately with our email kicking people to the spam box! What should we search for to find it?
Having just returned from 6 weeks of hiking in and around the Las Vegas area...I truly believe that hiking and climbing is the fountain of youth. The spiritual aspect cannot be stated enough. There's just a feeling I get went out in nature. Sending healing vibes to Elise for a quicker recovery! I hope to see you both on the trails soon! :-)
Thanks so much, Mark! Wow that sounds really fun -- you must have gotten a lot of those Red Rock trails in. Some of them are pretty gnarly class 4! Anyway, really working on my PT and hoping this thing will get better soon so we can see you out on the trails! ❤️ --E
Going to Vegas in December for a more adventure trip, staying at Red Rocks Casino and checking out Red Rock, Valley of Fire and would like to check out Mt Charleston I haven’t been there yet.
@@LiveHardxLoveHard as soon as I can land a fully remote job. I am working remotely now but the job wont allow for such travel... makes no sense. I love the company and my job but not Florida
@@LiveHardxLoveHard its crazy. I can't find a job that is paying as much as mine is but it feels silly to take a paycut. I envy those people who have the guts to just quit their jobs to walk the AT! Big risk..
Mike I LOVE mountain biking, and road biking too, but they're not considered weight bearing exercises so they don't have quite all the same benefits for aging. Still though, mountain biking has enough of the great benefits plus the virtue of being even more fun, so I'm not about to naysay it! --A
Haha that is some wise advice! I suppose that means no paragliding off of the snack spots either, right? 🤣I really want to try paragliding, but want to live a long life even more!
Haha! I took a class in college about stress and health, and a lot of the research we studied at the time suggested that taking naps can increase your life span up to 7 years. Ever since I told Adam that statistic, he hasn't missed a day of napping!
I think u live longer if u have a life that is full. I was able to semi-retire at 48 and now hiking, photography and Crossfit are my life (and my 1 yr old grandson). Now lets look at the extreme opposite of that. I have a friend of a friend that drank himself to death, he literally passed away yesterday. He was the same age as me but when he was dying in the hospital, I was in Yosemite. Choose your life! Here we have an example of two men the same age, one who waisted his life and the other who chose to live it. His life was empty, without value and purpose. Now trust me, I have my demons. There is no reason in the world I shouldnt be in prison for the rest of my life. I just made it out of my addiction one step at a time. Some of us fall down a mountain and never get up, others like me climb mountains
We totally agree with this sentiment -- and thank you for sharing that story. So sorry about your friend, but glad you can take and share an important lesson from him. Your life these days sounds absolutely wonderful, and much like the life that we'd like to live full time! ❤️
Soooo, since you bring this up. For someone who wants to live a long life, you're quite the exposure junkie. I know the risks you take are carefully considered, but we just lost a very experienced climber who was on Norman Clyde, AND I know you're wanting to try the not that commonly attempted Russell Whitney traverse. Russell does have a body count too even without a fancy traverse. I do worry about you both sometimes.
It's a fair point, Ellen, and we actually talk about it pretty often because some of our dream hikes and climbs would be potentially much more dangerous than anything we've done so far. But to paraphrase William Wallace: "Everyone dies, but not everyone really lives." We love adventure so much that we're willing to take a certain amount of risk, so we've just decided we'll minimize what risks we can by training the right techniques beforehand and then accept the other, less controllable risks with clear eyes. Basically, we're going to do all we can to eliminate dumb risks and take only calculated ones! ❤️
Hi Guys, how much hiking makes you a hiker. 1 per Week? But how many miles? ... Also, you forgot another benefit. Hiking makes you look good. Sun tanned and a full body workout.
That's a great question. According to the studies we read, at least once a week counts, but more often is better. As for mileage, the benefits keep increasing up to about 4 miles per day (that's the 10,000 step thing you've probably read about). So basically, at least a mile or two once a week and you're a hiker, but if you want the full benefits go at least 4 miles a day as many days as you can! ❤️
I have been doing a lot of hiking in the past 12 years. Now in my mid 60's my wife is worried I am going to wear out my knees. But a study I read showed that every step pushes toxins out of your cartilage, then when you lift your leg fresh blood gets sucked in with nutrients. This pumping action is healing for the cartilage and makes it last longer. So it actually helps your knees. Since one of the biggest problems as we grow old is degradation of the cartilage I think this is very important.
That's a great point, and everything we've been reading agrees with you that more activity is better. You obviously don't want to overtrain, but there's no doubt that getting out and hiking is much better for your joints, skeletal system, and all the surrounding musculature than sitting around doing nothing! ❤️
I’m 61. This was a concern of mine. How would all this hiking negatively impact my joints? It’s like a how much can a human body take. I since I was about 8, I have been a highly active person. 9- 20’s I was an aggressive mogul skier who went often. Throughout my childhood and at different years in my adult hood I played ice hockey aggressively. I was into wrestling and boxing. I punished my shoulder’s for sure while benching for years with less than perfect form at best. I played tennis on hard courts for hours at a time many days a year on my off years. In baseball, squatted in a catcher’s stance for years. I was a soccer player beyond my university years and played at a high level. I never ran a marathon but I would run around a track five miles at a time a few times a week after my competitive team sport competitions ended. It’s safe to say that sports is the number one thing besides raising a child that got all my interest whether actively engaged or planning my next venture, it has been my life for the past 53 years. All around me so many athletes, like myself, would face serious shoulder, knee or hip surgeries. But I somehow got lucky and avoided all that. When I was in my fifties I started to struggle with hip and shoulder issues. It seemed like a matter of time until I’d have a hip replacement. Against common sense, I started to hike and soon noticed that it aggravated my hip. But after finding a certain boot I could hike five miles without pain while carrying a twenty pound backpack. Before I knew it, I could do ten with no pain. In the past seven years hiking has been my biggest activity. All this time I had accepted that I was doing more damage than good on my knees, hips and most joints. Many months in the past years I did hikes averaging 15 miles a day. These were thru hikes but not the big ones like the Appalachian trail. Somehow my hip today is less bothersome than it was ten years ago. In fact, I notice that I can get out of a chair like I used to 30 years ago. I took the last 8 months off to pay old bills by driving rideshare 12 hours a day for 6 months. In that time and for months later I started to accept this newly found pain. I’d say to myself “you’ve had a good run but no more big hikes. But the sedentary life style was aging my joints than using them. I have recommitted to thru hiking and tonight I am on day 17 doing a 35 day hike. In these 17 days, it’s like history repeating itself. I am not waking with pain anymore. This video gane me a gift on why hiking has preserved my joints.
Hiking is my number one favorite physical activity. I’m 60 now and have lost 20 pds, hike five miles a day, or almost everyday. And you know what, it has improved my balance, which makes sense navigating rocks and boulders, etc. Great job guys. Hang in there too Elise, we are all pulling for you!
Thank you so much, that really means a lot to me! That's really inspirational about the 5 miles per day. I'm looking forward to getting back to longer distances too as soon as I can! ❤️ --E
Another reason for us hikers to live longer…anticipation of watching your excellent weekly hiking/adventure videos…for another 50 years!
Haha yes!!! The longer life benefits really are amazing, and super fortunate because we'd be out there adventuring either way -- even if it shortened your lifespan -- so it's good to know it's actually helping. Excited to be bringing you some crazy climbs 20 years from now!! ❤️
For me, hiking is so great for me. I love the nature, I love the quiet. I also love the ability to achieve something that is hard. As a nurse I see people that have disabilities. I think of them on trail. At the end of a day hiking, I feel so great and fully appreciate that I am still able to. I love you guys ❤️👨🦼
Exactly how we feel too! I also work with a lot of patients with physical disabilities and it's something I always bring with me out on the trail and think about during our meditations. Sending you love and hugs!
Walking is good for your back. Soon you’ll be back running the trails, climbing and enjoying sufferfests! So glad you are back and with great advise. I am almost 75 and will be hiking, biking, swimming and using the rebounder until I am no longer on this planet. All makes you feel great, physically, mentally and spiritually. Thank you guys! You rock!!
Heck yeah, Mary! That is super inspiring -- love that you've got a whole hike bike swim triathlon going. That's very much our style as well, and we're confident it will help all of us stay on the planet til at least 100! ❤️
Oh totally true, all of it. I was fired at 59 from a job I started at 29 (insubordination, very proud of that actually 😂-long story), and while at first devastated, quickly found it to be a massive gift. Ten years and 1000s of miles later, I’m thinner, stronger, happier, plus my hair loss has abated and it hasn’t gotten any grayer! No man in my family has ever lived past 50, so at 69 I feel I’m way out there. Why? Dog and I hike at least 5 days a week. Peace. Tranquility. Fitness. Lower blood pressure-all of that. ANd bonus on days like today: 10# edible mushrooms and a soak in a hot spring afterward! Figure out a way to quit working, get rid of a bunch of stuff, dump your baggage (of all kinds!), and get on to LIVING! Life is great. Love your channel.
OMG Scott you are inspiring the heck out of us right now!!! Really want to hear this insubordination story at some point, and btw Adam's dream day is pretty much hiking, mushroom tea, and hot springs. Love all of it, and looking forward to joining you in living the good life in 18 months!! ❤️
love, I bumped into a 70 + year old on a mountain the other day and had a chat with him, he said he was seeing what him and his wife were still capable of, I told him how inspiring and motivating it was, it was a lovely moment
Carl that is fantastic! We had a few similar moments with older hikers during our Dolomites trip, and it was really inspiring. Love that we're all going to be doing this -- albeit slower -- decades from now! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard that's awesome! Yes very true! I definitely plan to be up the mountains and in the wild in general as long as I'm able to walk on this earth! It's exciting for all of us
Great Vid:, I'm 81 and hike to Skull rock (Temescal) at least monthly. You keep me inspired.
Wow, that is awesome, and one of our favorite hikes :D hoping to do that when we are well into our 80s as well. Maybe we will run into you on that trail one of these days!
Sharing this video with my school. Hope it encourages students to get out and hiking this summer! (I live in Australia, and it's nearly summer here)
That is so great to hear!! Please tell the students they can message us if they have any questions -- we love inspiring the next generation to get out there and truly experience nature! ❤️
ELISE and ADAM, a good morning from France. What a pleasure to see you again on the Web, you are a source of inspiration, and it helps to become aware of the benefits of hiking. I am 66 years old, and thanks to you I will resume a progressive activity. I couldn't make up my mind, but your advice and good mood push me to try. Many thanks to both of you. I hope ELISE recovers quickly, I look forward to seeing you on the paths again, and I will not fail to follow your new adventures. Good recovery to ELISE, many apologies for the translation, kisses to both of you. DAN.
ELISE et ADAM, un bonjour de France. Quel plaisir de vous revoir sur le Web, vous êtes une source d’inspiration, et ça aide à prendre conscience des bienfaits de la randonnée. J’ai 66 ans, et grâce à vous je vais reprendre une activité progressive. Je n’arrivais pas à me décider, mais vos conseilles et votre bonne humeur me poussent à essayer. Grand merci à vous deux. J’espère que ELISE va se remettre rapidement, j’ai hâte de vous revoir sur les chemins, et je ne manquerai pas de suivre vos nouvelles aventures. Bon rétablissement à ELISE, milles excuses pour la traduction, bises à vous deux. DAN.
Thanks so much, Dan. We are looking forward to getting out on the trails again soon too, and very glad that at only 66 you have many decades of hiking still in front of you! ❤️
Definitely a plus to one's healthy state of mind ...
We crossed rivers and streams, and forests kissed by fire.
We trekked steadily upwards, climbing higher and higher.
And just when we thought that gravity prevailed,
We reached a lofty summit; breathed in and exhaled.
And then … oh, then … we gazed out toward a view
Indescribably grand, but captured by few.
Snowcapped peaks extending to horizons afar,
Dancing slowly in shadows and rays from a star.
And in that simple moment, precious and fleeting,
We looked into infinity, our hearts deeply beating.
No words would be spoken. There was simply no need.
Our minds were at peace. Our souls lifted and freed.
That's beautiful, T.J. -- you've got the spirit of John Muir in you! ❤
Wow, stunning upload folks. Scenery is outstanding 🔥🔥🔥
Thanks so much -- it's very fun to do these kinds of vids where we can pull clips from different adventures! ❤️
I 100% believe this.. I track my BP because it was elevated (rough patch in life, stopped exercising and hiking, gained weight is some of what caused it), it is now normal.. however, life got busy and I couldn’t make my weekly hike for 3 weeks and my BP went up by 5 points 🤷🏻♂️… I’m getting back on the trail! Thank you Adam and Elise for bringing awareness to health, mental, and spiritual benefits of hiking.. I will also be adding Shinrin-yoku to my hikes!
This is really wonderful to hear. We understand how life gets in the way of trail time, but once we started seeing it as a health and wellness issue as well as of course joy and relaxation, it became much easier to justify hiking trips even when it involves taking time off of paid work. Please let us know how you like the forest bathing -- it's such a wonderful thing, and the beneficial effects of doing it on the weekend often last us well into the week. ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard will do! Thank you! 🙏🏼
I've had an incredible summer ☀️, finally catching up with your videos. Congratulations 👏 on your wedding vows. I'll miss you two when you leave from America 🇺🇸.
Travis so happy you had a great summer!! We obviously did too -- thanks for the wedding congrats!.❤️And don't worry, there's enough hiking in the U. S. to last us a lifetime so even when we're traveling full time a lot of it will still be to epic U. S. spots. One of our goals is to do the greatest hikes in all 50 states!
i enjoy the energy that u create in your videos I try to hike 6 miles a day and i'm 70 years old 😊😊😊
John that is freaking fantastic! You are basically the living embodiment of our goals -- between 4-6 miles is basically the ideal number for maximum health benefit, not to mention all the wonderful spiritual benefits of course. ❤️
So glad you're back. Missed you while you were gone!
Thanks very much, Mark! We missed you too, and even though I can't do any hard trails yet we're still cooking up some fun content ideas just because we truly love making videos and interacting with you guys. Other than actually getting out for an adventure, it's always the highlight of my week! ❤️ --E
What an amazing hike! Matlock Lake is gorgeous. Aren't we blessed to live relatively close to the Sierra, which I think is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. Can't wait to see your next adventure.
Yes Gar, we're so blessed! So glad to be back out on trail and can't wait to take you on some more snowy Sierra adventures this winter! ❤️
best way to maintain peace of mind...cardio ...if u r always active u will stay active ,,great video...
Thank you, and totally agree. Whenever I'm feeling stressed or sad, a quick trail run or even just a 3-miler on the beach totally puts me in a happy and peaceful place. --A
With the amount of conditioning, hiking, diet & the tremendous amount of love & respect you have for each other, you’ll both live way past 100.
Happy Holidays🎃 🍁🎄🎊
Thanks Frans, and same to you -- looking forward to all of us joining the centenarians club together! ❤️
1000% agree, these two are what people should aspire to👍
Hiking and music go great together, mentally,physically,and emotionally and spiritually (I say my prayers when I walk)
What a lovely idea, Andrea, and we totally get that. Neither of us ever feels closer to God than when we're alone in nature. ❤️
Hi, you two! So glad you resurfaced! You absolutely nailed it! I try to go hiking once a week with my buddy and whether it's really hot or really cold (which is hardly ever here in Southern Cal), it does so much to our overall health as you mentioned: physically, mentally, spiritually and socially. I'm 75 and my buddy is 79 and I can hardly keep up with him! But when we're on the trails every week we are just so appreciative of the fact that we are still able to be OUTSIDE walking up steep hills while sucking wind! And you're right, every outdoor adventure doesn't have to be an overnighter carrying a loaded backpack. And see, even with a back problem you can still go outside. That's a lesson for all of us . . . Know your limits and do what you can to have an enjoyable outdoor experience! Take care!
Tom that is so cool -- your actual life is exactly what we're hoping for in our future, right down to the social aspects of hiking as well! It was really inspiring to read your thoughts, and you're right about knowing limits too. Right now our hikes are very short and flat with E's injury, but it still feels amazing to be out there! ❤️
After a mostly 20+ year absence from really hiking, raising 3 children, I got started again in late July 2021. What started out as a few easy day hikes turned into an addiction. I'm 57 my hubby 52. We live an hour away from RMNP and we hike every week, often two or three times. Also hike in the wilderness areas surrounding RMNP. For me, over 350 miles and over 70,000 ft of elevation gain in 34 hikes including 5 BP trips just this year 2022. I can't believe the health benefits and most importantly the mental benefits. Thank you both so much for sharing this most important information and for sharing the beauty of exploring. I've lost 20lbs in two seasons of hiking.🥳🥾💙
Wow Vickie thanks so much for sharing that! So wonderful to hear not only that you've come to love hiking but also how much it's helped you change physically. Very inspiring! Great too that you're so close to RMNP. Many hikes we want to do there -- Longs of course, but also Hallett and CCY. Hopefully we'll see you out on those trails one day! ❤
It's good to see you walking a trail again, Elise! Hoping your back troubles are subsiding - or, better, cured! Good on both of you for getting out there - and thanks for all the encouragement!
Thanks so much Steven! And oh man... I would pay a LOT of money if someone could cure me! But in the meantime time I'm staying very dedicated to my PT and hoping to be back to the trails very soon ❤️ -E
They replace parts. Got three knees in 2.5 years.
Jip, VO2 max maximisation& slowing down the rate of sarcopenia is vital to longevity. I like it that you combine it with the spiritual aspect: most people understand what your soul dimension entails. But,very few have a clue what is meant by "spirit"... if that dimension is "dormant" you still lack a lot. Coincidentally I see you mention "145" case studies. I've been writing a book for many years, and the title is a number:145. The main focus of the book is what it entails to live out your redemptive purpose. Part of the puzzle is the answer to the question "What is the answer to life, the universe and everything"? (Originally asked by Douglas Adams).
Love it! We totally agree with you about purpose, and what a great subject for a book! ❤️
Totally agree with this video. And it's good to know that Adam is not the only person obsessed with getting to 100. Hiking is great for the mindset, I have depression and the amount of times I have cleared my head in the bush is plenty. But buggered if I'll ever jump in water colder than 15 degrees celsius (not sure what that is in your scale haha)
Haha we've jumped in some really cold water -- just above 0 celsius -- but only for fun, and never stayed in for more than a few seconds! Love that you are able to use hiking and getting outdoors as an anti-depressant -- we should honestly do a whole video on that factor, because it is scientifically proven to work and a big reason why we do what we do as well! ❤️
I completely agree with everything you said. And I hope many people watch this important video. I have a friend who loves hiking, and he's 90 years old. We walked around Convict Lake earlier this summer. He's on track to live to 100 and longer! I wish Adam and Elise a long healthy life!
Thanks so much, Mark! That's wonderful to hear about your friend -- we're hoping to be doing exactly the same thing at least throughout our 80s and with maybe luck (and medical science!) even longer. Wishing you a long and healthy life too -- hopefully we'll all still be getting out there many decades from now! ❤️
I really liked this video! Curious if you wouldn't mind linking the studies you showed. I recently finished a Grand Canyon R2R dayhike (inspired by yours last year) and the endorphin rush cresting Bright Angel trailhead at the end of the hike... I couldn't stop grinning for hours. I feel physically and mentally alive and awake after a hard hike; it's addictive. And I don't have to go to the Grand Canyon; I can walk out my front door in San Diego and access a dozen miles of urban trails within half a mile of my doorstep. Ten early morning miles on those feels great too! Worth mentioning that it will not only help you live longer, but weight bearing exercise keeps you active, helps stave off arthritis and other conditions that reduce mobility. (Contrary to popular myth, hiking, walking, and jogging *improve* joint health and longevity.) I recently attended a Scout backpacking training for my son's troop and the guys conducting the training were all in their mid-high 70s; all accomplished thru-hikers still putting hundreds of miles of wear on their shoes every year. That's the retirement I'm shooting for.
Heck yes, Matt -- that's the retirement we want too! Huge congrats on R2R and so glad you loved it. We still look back and talk about that hike -- it's just a true all-timer that everyone should do at least once! ❤️
I love hiking! It is so good for my mind body and soul! Did Cuyamaca Mt and Volcan Mt here in San Diego last weekend and this morning I’m hiking Mt Baldy! I also just bought a sweatshirt that says “another weekend another mountain” I don’t really need another swaetshirt but I needed this one lol 😂. Hoping for a quick recovery for you Elise!
That's wonderful, Rhonda! Mt Baldy is such a classic, and after the storm this week it might be glittering with snow!! Thanks much for the recovery wishes -- I'm just like you, and need to be out there as much for my soul as for my body. --E
I left the military in 2014 and ballooned from 220 to 275 pounds in 2021. I started walking in July 2021 and a couple months later started rucking with 30-45 pounds. Since then, I’ve lost 70 pounds and carry loads up to 100 pounds for 5-10 miles, 5-6 days/week. No real strength loss either. I’m 39 now and haven’t been in this kind of shape since my early 20’s.
The benefits from hiking/rucking and hill walking/sprinting are unmatched. I’m not a runner, but can now run a sub 6 minute mile if needed. I can run a sub 8 minute mile with 30 pounds.
The worst of my injuries in 18 months of rucking have only been stress fractures in my foot. I have really flat feet. I wear an ankle and foot compression garment and keep my calcium intake high and have no issues.
You’d be hard pressed to find a better outdoor activity than hiking.
Totally agree with you about both hiking and rucking! My daughter is ROTC, going into Army next year, and the rucks she does are intense! We just hiked a tough 13 miler yesterday for Christmas and she didn't even break a sweat! Good for you for getting back in that kind of shape!! --A
GREAT TO SEE YOU OUT THERE AGAIN! I was worried about you,
Thanks Andrew! I'm still really battling with this bulging disc -- not getting worse but not better either -- but am managing to get out on a few light hike/walks just to keep my spirits up. Felt great just to just make a video too and be able to interact with you guys! ❤️
Very good article with scientific data. I live in a city in Brasil 80 km from Rio de Janeiro called Teresópolis (do a search). Here we have many trails (3 different parks) for all levels and tastes. Lots of climbing too for those who like it. I agree 100% with what you say. Keep hiking and bringing good content. Hugs from Brasil !
Thanks Marcius! We really want to come hike and climb in Brazil, and will hopefully be able to do it next year! ❤
Totally agreed! My husband and I LOVE hiking. And the best thing to do is be outside in nature seeing all that God created. There's nothing like it! I think it's as close to Heaven as we'll get here on Earth. Especially at the top of a mountain peak! ⛰ Blessings to you both! Thanks for being such an inspiration. 💕
Thanks very much, and we totally agree with you guys about the wonderful spiritual benefits of hiking -- especially at high altitudes. We always sit and commune with our loved ones who have passed on after we get to a summit, when we're as close to heaven as we can get that day, and we just feel so close to them and all of creation up there. ❤️
Some good advice heer I'm 63 been a taxi driver for 30+years walk about 4 miles most
Days and hike in Bonnie Scotland one day a week at my age you have to keep
Active I wish you both well for your journey ahead aw the best noo
That's fantastic, Keith -- four miles a day is perfect for maximum health! Here's hoping you make it to 100 with us. ❤️
Amazing, my dear friends ! 🙂
Thanks Petr! Looking forward to all of us hikers reaching 100 years old together!! ❤️
Every point you made in this video is true and accurate. I am in my late 60's and have used many types of exercise to stay in shape. Over the past 10 years or so I have been either walking locally or hiking in nature, not because I'm getting older but because I have arrived at the same realizations and conclusions you make in this video. Hiking is overall the best form of exercise! In addition it's probably the easiest form of exercise to motivate yourself to do consistently. That's because it's flat out fun to be out interacting with nature and getting a great whole body workout and all associated benefits at the same time! It's almost a self perpetuating activity. Thank you for the video!
Thanks very much -- it's wonderful to get your perspective, and really makes us feel like we're on the right track to still be active and adventurous once we get to traditional retirement age and beyond. Totally agree with you about the ease of consistency -- all we want to do is be outdoors exploring, even if it didn't have all those physical benefits, because it's just so joyous and fun! ❤️
Walking is great! Its underrated. I think its superior to running as it is low impact. Long life is great but even more important is to have a happy and long life!
Totally agree, James, especially as we get older. Weight bearing but low impact while exploring nature feels like the perfect combo for a long an happy life! ❤️
Thanks for the Video, Your faces in the end also made me smile.
And i noticed myself, that my mood got better after successfully climbing some Via Ferrate Level C in the Dolomites with better technique. Unfortunately here at Bremen there are no mountains, the highest "peak" is the local landfill ;-) Anyway, thanks for the inspiration, i will do a bicycle trip to my mum tomorrow.
Haha yes probably not so healthy to hike the landfill 😂. But how wonderful that you're doing a bike trip with your mom. That's what it's all about. We're trying to get E's dad to come and climb Machu Picchu with us, but he's still not sure if he wants to do it. Hope you have a great trip! ❤️
This is why I wish I didn’t live in a state where there’s hardly any sun and it’s winter 6 months out of the year. I love hiking so much but I despise the cold. In the summer/fall I’m always hiking.
I hope you guys live to 100 ❤️
Haha we feel for you -- Adam grew up in a 6-month winter state too, which is why he now loves Cali so much. We gotta all retire early and just travel the world on an endless hiking summer til we're 100! ❤️
Cool Episode, Loved the Content and material. Long Live Hiking !
Cheers to you both 🌲🌲🌠
Thanks very much -- really glad you enjoyed, and long live hiking!! ❤️
I got to hike with Adam to the beach and back on 8/7. You guys rock!!!
Yeah Dave! We actually got some good beach mileage that day!! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard we sure did! My Achilles tendonitis is much better but I am starting my diet plan. To get back to running, I need to lose about 10 to 15 lbs
Great topic. I always feel both mental and health benefits from hiking and climbing. Especially when my pre-retirement life starts to fill up with too many stressors. Can't wait to make this lifestyle my full time passion.
Yessss! You are most definitely talking our language. Maybe at some point we should do a video on how much this lifestyle helps with early retirement, because it is minimalist and lowers expenses so much vs other lifestyles that require a much bigger retirement number. ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Yes! That would be an awesome video! I am crossing my fingers in hopes that you can cover that topic!
Congrats on hitting 30K subscribers!! Totally agree that I feel much better and for a longer period when exercising outside. I know from research pop tarts do extend longevity😊
Haha thanks very much -- you are Adam's pop tart soul mate! It was fun to read the science and find out that there really are mood-elevating effects to outdoor exercise. Now I just have to get healed so I can get back out there for some prolonged hikes! ❤️ --E
@@LiveHardxLoveHard yes, we are one with the almight pop tart! I think that is where the spiritual component comes into play as well haha.
@@LiveHardxLoveHard i know how frustrating it can be to be limited in your physical activity. Injuries are no fun to wait on to heal. The important thing is to keep going outside and do what you are able to so you still get all those mental and emotional benefits😊
Absolutely love this video! Makes so much sense to me and feels so aligned with the module we see in in my holistic medicine and modalities course - nature based medicine! All things ecotherapy, herbalism, naturopathy, homeopathy, etc. I will definitely report back after our forest bathing in two weeks! Maybe we can all do it together at some point 😍
Yes Arielle, totally agree. So much of what we need in terms of spirit, health, and nutrition can be found in nature if we just open ourselves to it. Was so bummed I missed the dinner, but can't wait to hear about your forest bathing. We will definitely all have to do it together soon! --A
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Did the forest bathing a few days ago! I will tell you all about it next time I see you :)
Good to see you again after a break and great to hear about real research on benefits of hiking
Thanks Rick! We're big fans of the Huberman podcast, so we're thinking that while we're waiting for E's back to heal we might as well give you guys some of the science background on why we do the things we do, from hiking to cold-plunging! ❤️
Thanks for the video Guys. I just came back from vacation, when I did a lot of hiking in my hometown Venezuela (Cordillera de los Andes), more like a walk/run style, but I considered a hike activity lol. Definitely, the contact with the Mother Nature gives you a sense of live!
Yes Miguel, and welcome back! As you know, the hike/run style is our favorite -- a great way to get a hard workout but also relax and feel peaceful in nature all at the same time. Would love to do that in Venezuela one day! ❤️
Great to see you all again! 😊. Great video, I’m a believer, been hiking for 45+ years, doing great. One change for me is because I’ve had Melanoma, I’ve adapted to long sleeve UPF 50+ clothing, and constant sunscreen (and vitamin D supplements). Hope to run into you both one day on the trails. Take care, 🤗 Paul
Thanks Paul, and that's a really good point. We prob should have said that we use sunscreen too (Adam didn't when he was younger but def does now!), and that vitamin D supplements are easy to take and come in chewables too! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard thanks, no idea there were chewables, that’s awesome! Keep on hiking 👏💪
Love this! I've thought about longevity a lot as I've watch some of the videos online about the so-called Blue Zones where some people live a much longer life. It certainly is a mix of mental health, diet, and exercise. The two things that seem to be important are (beside diet): have a purpose, whatever that means to you. And, it seems like if the exercise is walking or hiking, hills are involved. Hills provide both the cardio workout plus lower-body strength training. Oh, and red wine probably helps too. 🍷🍷
Dan we were so excited when that red wine study came out because we LOVE our wine! A few counter-studies to that one came out recently but we refuse to read them 🙈. Also, love your point about having purpose. At some point that might merit a video of its own! ❤️
You guys are 100% correct! We admire your extreme ability to push your limits and not give up! We moved to a tiny town in Idaho from Colorado a year ago and nobody hikes here. They sit on the riverbanks and fish all day or float down it on inner tubes with huge coolers full of beer or roast a whole pig at their barbecue. We are not ready to live in a van down by the river. 😃We need a flagger in the grocery store aisles here because sometimes you just have to wait for the wide load to pass if you know what I mean. It rains a lot in the winter, so we are creating our on gym. You two are lucky in sunny LA! Every time it rains, we are jealous sitting inside watching Mr. & Mrs. Terminator happily hiking 20+ miles while smiling the whole way! Anyway, thanks for being such an inspiration to a retired couple who love the wilderness adventures!
Wow, loved hearing you describe your home, what a quirky picture you paint of it. Sounds like a huge change from CO. Sometimes we wish we could be like those people you describe who are just content to fish and drink beer and relax. It actually seems like a nice life, but we're just too wired towards seeking adventure and adrenaline that we get too antsy doing that for too long. Hopefully you guys are finding ways to get your adventures in as well!
The best view comes from hardest hike !
Thanks for video guys ,,☺️☺️☺️
That is so true! At least 90% of our favorite views came from ultra-challenging hikes. Though the one exception was Piccolo Cir in the Dolomites -- it wasn't too hard a via ferrata, but the views were absolutely crazy!! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard yeah that's nice 👌
Thanks for all that you do! We are so happy to hear that you, Elise, are slowly healing and feeling a little better. My 5 year old has fallen in love with hiking, and your videos have inspired some future trails! We went to Bryce Canyon this spring due to your visit there . . . Anyway, she has hiked 465 miles in the past 18 months, and loves watching your channel! ❤
Katie that makes us SO happy to hear!!! And what an amazing daughter you have -- love thinking about you guys enjoying those incredible trails at Bryce. Please say hello to her for us, and let her know that we're hoping to be back out on the trails very soon, possibly even within the next couple of weeks! ❤️
Skiing, both cross country and alpine, probably provides many of the same benefits, getting outside in the sun and fresh air, cardio, balance and weight bearing exercise, a chance to socialize with friends. As the days get shorter and we start spending more and more time indoors during the winter months I think SAD can become a real problem. But I can’t imagine anyone feeling sad while whooshing down a mountain at 40 mph on a cold crisp sunny winters day. And I agree with Adam, the vitamin D production while being outside during winter can be invaluable to your health and well being.
That's a fantastic point about skiing, and we're actually hoping to add that to our outdoor repertoire this winter! Of course we'll still do snow-shoeing too, but skinning up and skiing down just looks too fun not to try. We're still very cautious of avalanches so won't do too much crazy off-trail stuff, but def want to start exploring more winter options! ❤️
We're moving from Pacific Palisades to Bavaria this week! Getting nostalgic already seeing you guys in the sm mountains. Love your videos, always felt close to y'all due to similar life goals with my wife and I.
Oh my gosh can't believe that is happening already!!! Congratulations, and please let us know all about the Bavarian Alps. We hope to be over there for some adventures maybe as early as next summer, or if not then, then definitely the summer after. Have a safe trip and keep us updated! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard thanks! I'll still be working but technically due to investments we could do the early retirement thing if we squeeze by (very similar to what you described in your financial video). Going to probably really cement our investments first. Until then going to take advantage of the experiment of living abroad and so close to the alps.
@@tanit Very excited for you!
The videos edited in were amazing shots. 👏
Loaded with good information. Nothing surprising in what you discussed. Moving is important and I say that as a 76 year old tennis player, table tennis and hiker since an early age. I agree being social is an important part of healthy living.
Thanks, and that is fabulous that you play tennis! Did you know that of all the athletes who do organized sports, tennis players live the longest? And it's for pretty much all the same reasons that hikers live a long time. Tennis and hiking actually have a ton of similarities in all the benefits, from physical to mental to social (though hiking does take tennis on the spiritual!). ❤️
Interesting about tennis players living the longest as we have a few players who are 89 years old. I've told them they inspire me. The same is true of some fellow table tennis players. Some play both.
Forrest bathing, yes, I do that,
There's a little spot up in the hills where there's a slight trickle, it's cool and plenty of Forrest, it's a good place to sit for a couple of hours,in the shade of an old gumtree and watch the koalas to while the scrub wrens hop over your shoes, and the fairy wrens play in the black berries, and the marsupial mice ruffle among the leaves,
I went there several times over lockdown, and came out better for it
That sounds wonderful, Adam -- like living in a nature poem!! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard just been out there today, at the local crag, lots of native orchids in flower including Australia's tiniest terrestrial orchid, microtis sp. Also saw a male golden whistler...in all his glory
Good people amongst the climbing community.
Tried making a via ferata ...and I got a lot of respect for you guys, having tried it
Excellent Points Guys!!! I hope to be hiking well into my Golden Years. (knock wood). Elise...great to so you on the trail again!!! Feeling stronger I hope
Thanks so much, Michael! Yes I'm just getting out and doing these little nature walks, but it feels amazing. I have a cortisone shot scheduled in just under two weeks, so hopefully that will be a big help. In the meantime, it felt great just to make a video and be able to interact with you guys! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard I hope that helps you along....I'm waiting on some treatment to get me back up and running as well. Best of luck to both of us! :)
Adam, if I were married to Elise, I'd want to live to 100 too... I went 8.5 miles last Saturday on a beautiful hike in MN.
Have a great day!
MN Dave
Haha that is very well said, Dave! Wow love thinking about you getting out there in the MN beauty even as the temperature drops!
Glad to see you back, bad pun. I enjoy all your videos even though jumping on rocks and ledges makes me nervous. I no longer worry that I can't do what I once did, I just keep doing something. Take care and have fun.
Thanks Jose! Love that you say that. It's been pretty challenging dealing with this injury so I've been doing my best to focus my energy on all that I CAN do rather than what I can't. I imagine that's what keeps those centenarians going too!
Adam - one more thing - my mom died several years ago at 88 and my dad just turned 99 and it is all about the genes - but believe me you want to be fit at 100 and not creeping around a health care facility so keep up the hiking
Rick you are totally right, and those are some fantastic genetics you've got working for you there! Mine unfortunately don't look as good (my mom passed away very young), but there are always people who beat the odds and I'm hoping to be one of them. But, as you say, for me it's all about living the best life I can for as long as I can, not merely surviving without adventure or joy. --A
Great topic! Adam and Elise you are both so inspiring and motivating! Couple years ago my fiancee and I were hiking our most fave trail in Plumas Nat Forest (Jameson Lake trail) and passed an elderly couple, had to be in their 80s.. slow and dependent on trekking poles but doing it! I think of them often, life goals!!
Yes Nora! We had a very similar experience this summer in the Dolomites -- they were probably mid 70s and heading up to do a via ferrata! We definitely want that to be us one day, and look forward to meeting you and your fiancee (husband of many years by then!) out there when it happens. ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard oh I meant to ask.. I know Adams 6’6 but Elise you’re not looking too far behind.. how tall are you?
@@NoreenInCali I'm 5'9''Nora. Usually people think I'm much shorter because they see me next to Adam and he's like an optical illusion unto himself, so I'm glad you asked!
I'm glad to hear that we are "stuck with you" for a long time! Though be careful, Adam: I hear that one box of pop tarts can reduce your life expectancy by as much as 6 months! 😂😉
Haha well if that was true I'd already be long gone, Jeff! But I have definitely improved in the last few years at keeping my consumption of pop tarts, donuts, and other sugary carbs as mostly a during and/or after tough cardio event. --A
You guys are great. Thanks! Happy Healthy Hiking New Year!
Thanks very much! Wishing you a healthy and adventure-filled 2023 as well! ❤️
Glad to see your health improving. Keep your spirits up on the journey back! 👍💪
Thank you! Doing our best to stay positive and hopeful :D
Thank you so much for your videos, they inspire me to do more.
It's our pleasure, John, and thank you for telling us that! Knowing that really helps to give us energy and purpose. ❤️
Excellent topic!
Take-aways: Use it or lose it......dipping your spouse in icy water is actually a thing........pop tarts have now been linked to scientific studies showing longevity.
In all seriousness; couldn't agree with you more on all aspects of this. I think it's important to get after it, stay after it, and disregard age.
Haha, we might actually do the next vid on cold-plunging, Todd! Even with E on injured reserve, we're still getting out to do the small things we can, and cold-plunging is definitely one of them, and has quite a few health benefits of its own! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Yes, cold plunging is legit. We started doing Cryo about 2yrs ago, as a local place has a sealed booth, and can get it down to some pretty gnarly temps during the 3-1/2min treatment.
How is your back disc rehab going? It's taken me almost 2 years to fix my back, I don't have a slipped disc I have the world's tightest psoas, hip flexors, quads, IT band etc. I was doing 43 stretches, it fixed the problem... removed about 20 of those then the problem came back... added 1... added another etc until I found what fixed mine completely... just a week ago. You should do the same on top of any doctor recommendations or treatments. I feel it is a blessing to deal with this now vs at 80 years old it would be very challenging maybe unachievable.
Thanks very much for asking! So far it is not going great -- I haven't gotten worse but also haven't improved at all, so it's very frustrating. But I have a shot scheduled for a little over a week from now, and hopefully that will make a difference. I really appreciate you sharing your experience -- it's just good to know I'm not alone with this frustration, and that you have persevered through yours and found some relief! ❤️
Oo ray your back. Miss you two.👍
Thanks David, we definitely have missed you guys too!
I've been more of a dreamer than a doer but I'm going to do the first 700 miles of the PCT next year! Love to try and do the whole thing but family stuff just won't allow it. Can't wait!
That is AWESOME! And 700 miles is no easy walk in the park. Maybe you can do the rest at a later time. No shame in breaking it up. Definitely a dream of ours as well but not sure either of our backs or bodies would hold up sleeping that many nights in a row on a sleeping pad!
It is quite easy, you go for a hike, walk or bicycle ride and you feel better.
That's the simple truth, and we'd put swimming in there too -- especially ocean swimming. No matter what's going on in life, you just always feel better after those activities! ❤️
Hi there guys! So glad to see you. This one you hit right square on the nail head. I’ve been hiking all my life from a very young age and I’m now 74 and it’s still a daily routine for me to hike my walking trail each morning on my acreage where I live. It’s about a half mile loop and I shoot for 3 to 5 miles each morning depending on what else I have planned for the day. I aim for 10000 steps a day which seems to be about right for my physical well being. Highly recommend it for all the reasons you guys so eloquently presented. Praying Elise for your complete recovery! Love you guys and thanks for sharing! ❤️
We are also big believers in the 10000 steps a day Larry! Any day where we get that in we feel pretty good. I've been lucky lately to have good days with the back where I can get my steps in and it feels glorious. Thanks for your kind words. Staying hopeful! Sending love - E
Larry I got a reply from you in my email but it seems to have disappeared. I was going to tell you that your memory is too good and perhaps we should stop having you hike and walk so much! 😜
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Haha! That’s something I’m fortunately still good at. I deleted it cause your back issue isn’t really something to be joking about. Was hoping you hadn’t seen yet. I was looking forward to long distance coaching on your pull-up progress. So so sorry about your back though! 🤗🙏🏻
@@larrywheeler9797 Don't worry Larry, we joke about it ourselves all the time (nothing wrong with gallows humor!) and you have carte blanche to joke with us about whatever you want! ❤
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Hugs Jellybean! 🤗❤️
Hey Elise! Back problems are awful. Hope your PT knows Mackenzie Manual Therapy. My wife was a PT for 23 years and became very good with this technique. Bulging disk responds well to this. Little hard if the disk is lateral. Hope you feel better soon! And agree about the hiking benefits. Too bad I live in Illinois.
Hey thank you so much! I am very familiar with this method, although unfortunately my issue is of course the type that responds with a worsening of pain rather than improvement. So my PT and I are trying a different approach. Fingers crossed that our new plan plus an epidural in a few weeks will start getting us somewhere. Hopefully you can still get outside and walk/run where you are, because you can still get most of the same benefits! :D
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Hope that helps! Careful with cervical epidurals - my wife is bedbound since 2011 from one. They hit her spinal cord plus bad reaction to kenalog. Very small space in cervical to hit with epidural, even with floroscopy.
@@teamground0229 Oh my gosh I'm so sorry to hear that! This is lumbar, so a bit more space and less risk, but still scary.
missed you guys
Thanks Firdos, we missed you too! Even though Elise still can't do any serious hiking due to her back, it felt so nice just to make this video and be able to interact with you guys again! ❤️
Thanks for sharing all those wonderful facts about hiking! I'd like to suggest you guys take a look into the extraordinary health benefits of a plant-based diet. I'm able to hike now because I stopped eating animal products and the health benefits are endless. It's also best for our environment and of course best for our animal friends. ✌💚
That's wonderful to hear, Melinda! We have been moving increasingly toward a plant-based diet (especially Elise), and loving it so far. ❤️
I love this! I’m personally going for 108 years old❤🎉 Hey have you done rim to rim in the Grand Canyon? That’s my next big one!
Yes Heather, and we have a full video on it including what we did wrong -- definitely check it out before you go. And please let us know how it goes for you -- such a fantastic hike. Doubt any of us will be doing R2R at 108, but we certainly hope to get to that age with you!
Can you compare this to running? I love hiking, but getting more serious about running, jump-started my fitness and climbing ability.
For sure, Ellen. Running, especially trail running, has nearly all the same benefits as hiking and in some cases -- like preventing Alzheimer's -- even higher benefits. The only reason it doesn't rank quite as high as hiking is that runners get significantly more overuse-type injuries which can then lead to being sedentary for longer. But as long as you are careful about your form and stay aware of your knees joints, etc, running is fabulous. Adam still runs pretty hard at least once a week in addition to hiking, and swears by its benefits. ❤️
M.J. Eberhart (Nimblewill Nomad) took up hiking/backpacking (I think in his 60’s) to improve his health…. And went on to hike to be the oldest man to hike the Appalachian trail at 83 years old. (I think, I’m not sure where I heard that he took up hiking to improve his health)
Well we believe it! There used to be an old man on one of our favorite local hikes, Mt. Baldy, that did the 14 mi/4,000FT climb every single day. He was kind of the Mt. Baldy guru and he would always swap stories and snacks with hikers at the top. He was in his 80s when we met him, not sure what happened to him or if he's still out there but we always love meeting people like that out on the trail!
Question. We live in one of those areas that has 4 seasons. Is there any research that indicates the effect of colder or warmer weather on the benefits you mentioned?
Yes Bill! Most of the studies we know of are based more on light than temperature, and Northern places that get very little sunlight in the winter are very prone to seasonal affective disorder, so it's especially important to get exercise outdoors (for a snowshoe or ski if need be) in winter as much as in summer to achieve full longevity benefits. But if you do get out in nature even through winter, you will get the same benefits as those of us in SoCal! ❤️
You 2 are awesome! Interesting video.
I've been in an intense grad school program for about the last 3 years so haven't been able to hike as much as I was beforehand. I have noticed negative impacts on my physical health due to it. It really seems that hiking is basically just in my DNA and my lifestyle over the last 3 years has been lacking in hiking. I graduate at the end of the year and look forward to dropping the text books and getting back out on the trails lol.
Ohhh we both remember those grad school days! What are you studying? It's definitely tough to find time amidst the studies. I used to take my textbooks to the gym in between classes and read while doing a short walk on the treadmill. Wasn't ideal at all, but at least it was some movement! Can't wait for you to get back into the "real" world and then right back out on the trails where you belong! :) -E
@@LiveHardxLoveHard Hey!
Treadmill reading sounds like a plan lol.
I'm actually working on finishing a Master of Science in Acupuncture. The cool thing about it is I'm actually able to treat myself. I've healed my own injuries and issues, like tight IT bands, by treating myself. I also get treated by classmates if we don't have enough patients during clinic. It is a very intense program, but will hopefully be worth it in the long run.
You 2 are very inspirational with the things you do and the videos you create. Props!
@@seektruth707 Fantastic! The ability to heal people will definitely be worth all the hard work. ❤
I love this video! 🫶🏻
Thanks that makes us so happy! It's been weird for us not to be able to go out on our normal adventures lately, but it was actually really enjoyable to use that free time to do interesting research and share it with you! ❤️
Truth…….over doing it, especially as we age can be very stressful and counter productive.
LSD long Slow Distance, with healthy self awareness and boundaries.
Not into sufferfesting.
Ever since we did marathon training we've loved the LSD Susan -- definitely where it's at! ❤
I Couldn't agree more with those findings! I do a daily hike after work thats 1100 vertical feet gain and 2.2 miles round trip. I tell people that hiking regularly certainly helps you physically, emotionally, mentally, along with sleeping better. In short it helps free your mind so your arse will follow. ;-) 🏃♂️💨
That sounds like the perfect post-work hike! Definitely have noticed sleeping is much harder since not being out on the trails as much. I've just got too much darn extra energy! -E
Hey, did you two get the email that I sent about a part of another UA-camr's video that really made me think of you?
Hey John, not sure that we got that. We've been having a lot of issues lately with our email kicking people to the spam box! What should we search for to find it?
Having just returned from 6 weeks of hiking in and around the Las Vegas area...I truly believe that hiking and climbing is the fountain of youth. The spiritual aspect cannot be stated enough. There's just a feeling I get went out in nature. Sending healing vibes to Elise for a quicker recovery! I hope to see you both on the trails soon! :-)
Thanks so much, Mark! Wow that sounds really fun -- you must have gotten a lot of those Red Rock trails in. Some of them are pretty gnarly class 4! Anyway, really working on my PT and hoping this thing will get better soon so we can see you out on the trails! ❤️ --E
Red Rock and Mt. Charleston are definitely my homes away from home. Get well so I can see you both on the trails soon :-)
Going to Vegas in December for a more adventure trip, staying at Red Rocks Casino and checking out Red Rock, Valley of Fire and would like to check out Mt Charleston I haven’t been there yet.
@@MsRLWalker When you get to Mt.Charleston, definitely do Trail Canyon Trail and Cathedral Rock. Many other great hikes there as well. Enjoy!
@@markabraham2765 thank you! I will put those on my AllTrails list to remember.
Reminds us we need to move closer to the mountains! Not much down here in south Florida 😮💨
When is that move happening?! ;)
@@LiveHardxLoveHard as soon as I can land a fully remote job. I am working remotely now but the job wont allow for such travel... makes no sense. I love the company and my job but not Florida
@@kari4295 We have such similar situations! We love our jobs but just really want to live at altitude!!
@@LiveHardxLoveHard its crazy. I can't find a job that is paying as much as mine is but it feels silly to take a paycut. I envy those people who have the guts to just quit their jobs to walk the AT! Big risk..
Woohoooo.. long live hikers!
Well said, Linda! Hopefully we'll all be out there rocking summits in 2050 and beyond!! ❤️
mountain biking hits all the arguments you made, so hiking being the best activity.....
Mike I LOVE mountain biking, and road biking too, but they're not considered weight bearing exercises so they don't have quite all the same benefits for aging. Still though, mountain biking has enough of the great benefits plus the virtue of being even more fun, so I'm not about to naysay it! --A
Good morning
Hey John! Long time no talk :)
Go easy on the uber dicey snack spots Adam and you'll DEFO reach 100 sir!😀
Haha that is some wise advice! I suppose that means no paragliding off of the snack spots either, right? 🤣I really want to try paragliding, but want to live a long life even more!
The Adam photos laying in Sun were awesome, hikers who nap live longer than those who don't.
Haha! I took a class in college about stress and health, and a lot of the research we studied at the time suggested that taking naps can increase your life span up to 7 years. Ever since I told Adam that statistic, he hasn't missed a day of napping!
I think u live longer if u have a life that is full. I was able to semi-retire at 48 and now hiking, photography and Crossfit are my life (and my 1 yr old grandson). Now lets look at the extreme opposite of that. I have a friend of a friend that drank himself to death, he literally passed away yesterday. He was the same age as me but when he was dying in the hospital, I was in Yosemite. Choose your life! Here we have an example of two men the same age, one who waisted his life and the other who chose to live it. His life was empty, without value and purpose. Now trust me, I have my demons. There is no reason in the world I shouldnt be in prison for the rest of my life. I just made it out of my addiction one step at a time. Some of us fall down a mountain and never get up, others like me climb mountains
We totally agree with this sentiment -- and thank you for sharing that story. So sorry about your friend, but glad you can take and share an important lesson from him. Your life these days sounds absolutely wonderful, and much like the life that we'd like to live full time! ❤️
Daily movement.
Yes John, that's the secret!
Vitamin D.I hear you can get it from turning the brightness up on your monitor-but only if its 4k or better 😉
Haha well most newer monitors don't emit much UV light, which is what triggers vitamin D production, but apparently some of the older ones used to! ❤
Very cool to jump in freezing water!
🥶
Haha yes! We're definitely going to do a video at some point on the health benefits of cold-plunging!! ❤️
Inspirational
Thanks very much! ❤️
I just keep staring at the painting between you.
Soooo, since you bring this up. For someone who wants to live a long life, you're quite the exposure junkie. I know the risks you take are carefully considered, but we just lost a very experienced climber who was on Norman Clyde, AND I know you're wanting to try the not that commonly attempted Russell Whitney traverse. Russell does have a body count too even without a fancy traverse. I do worry about you both sometimes.
It's a fair point, Ellen, and we actually talk about it pretty often because some of our dream hikes and climbs would be potentially much more dangerous than anything we've done so far. But to paraphrase William Wallace: "Everyone dies, but not everyone really lives." We love adventure so much that we're willing to take a certain amount of risk, so we've just decided we'll minimize what risks we can by training the right techniques beforehand and then accept the other, less controllable risks with clear eyes. Basically, we're going to do all we can to eliminate dumb risks and take only calculated ones! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard I hear you. Speaking of not taking unnecessary risks - did you ever buy a shovel? AND glacier glasses?
Hi Guys, how much hiking makes you a hiker. 1 per Week? But how many miles? ... Also, you forgot another benefit. Hiking makes you look good. Sun tanned and a full body workout.
That's a great question. According to the studies we read, at least once a week counts, but more often is better. As for mileage, the benefits keep increasing up to about 4 miles per day (that's the 10,000 step thing you've probably read about). So basically, at least a mile or two once a week and you're a hiker, but if you want the full benefits go at least 4 miles a day as many days as you can! ❤️
Boom! 💯💯🔥🔥
On our way to 100, Travis! 💪❤️
Unless they fall off a cliff, get bear mauled, don't have someone to help them in Grand Canyon rim to rim, but generally yes.
I believe you both.. It's just show.. 🤞😘
:) hoping we make it to that 100Y Serge!
@@LiveHardxLoveHard just hoping for now Elise that your back will be ready again for adventures... 🙏🤞