Get out of the hammock! Outdoor Activities & Personalities
What does the #SCHWINGERCLUB love more than hammocks? Admittedly, there is little we like better than relaxing in a hammock. If we *had* to decide, it would probably be: being in nature. This is also excellent in one HANG - but there are so many other ways to experience adventures outdoors. That's why we regularly present outdoor activities and personalities to you in our blog, so that we might give you a few ideas.
Today in portrait: mountaineering and Reinhold Messner. Because today, September 17, he will be 77 years old. Happy Birthday! 🥳
The ultimate outdoor adventurer: Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner - the name is somehow familiar to all of us, isn't it? And for good reason! The mountaineer has been constantly setting, breaking and holding new records for decades. For example, did you know that Reinhold Messner climbed mountains 3,000 m high at the age of five? Or that he was the first person to successfully climb all eight-thousanders - i.e. mountains that are 8,000 m or higher? 😲To put this in perspective: A mountain cannot get much higher than 8,000 m, because the earth underneath simply cannot withstand it. The highest mountain in the world is - of course - Mount Everest at 8,848 m. By the way, Messner climbed it twice - without additional oxygen. Nobody had done that before.
"File:GianAngelo Pistoia - Reinhold Messner - Photo 1.TIF" by Gian Angelo Pistoia is licensed under CC BY 3.0
It took Messner 16 years to climb all eight-thousanders, and in 1986 the time had come. Although: Messner was never just about the records. In interviews, he regularly emphasizes that mountaineering is not a competitive sport and that it is not just about breaking records.
So - what is it then?
Mountaineering as a limit experience for body and mind
Of course we can't look inside Messner's head. But mountaineering is definitely more than records, noise and glory. Mountaineering in Messner's style - that is, alpinism - is one thing above all: a borderline experience. Climbing eight-thousanders - whether with oxygen or not - is not without its dangers. Who knows that better than Messner? His brother Günther died while climbing one of the eight-thousanders together. Proper planning and preparation is all the more important. This is not possible without training and experience. So before you set off on your way to Everest: Start small!
It doesn't have to be an eight-thousander. Mountaineering can be an extreme sport - but it can also be super relaxing! Admittedly - hiking or climbing up steep mountain faces doesn't sound like yoga and meditation at first. With the right mindset, good planning and an honest assessment of your own skills, mountain hiking is super relaxing.
Before we go out on the mountain or go hiking, we always really warm up our muscles. Then you start running with a lot more energy, the risk of injury decreases and - bonus! - afterwards the sore muscles are not so great.
Greta & Paul give practical tips in their vlog:
Mountain hiking and climbing makes you healthy and happy
Well pre-stretched, you can actually start right away. And for those of us who don't like exercise, here are a few more reasons why you might want to get out of the hammock should get out and take a few steps 😁
- Mountaineering and hiking - or exercise in general - boosts endorphin production. Our happy hormones also ensure that the (excess) stress hormones are broken down. You feel calm, content, balanced. And yes, okay - also a bit k. o. That's why we always sleep twice as deep and well after a long hike 😊
- Exercise increases blood pressure in the short term. Does not sound good? But it is! Because if you move, you have to pump more blood through your body. This improves the oxygen supply to pretty much all of your organs. And if you do this regularly, the blood vessels will be trained - so in the long run the blood pressure will drop.
- You can use breaks in your tour for forest bathing in the HÄNG. This has a whole range of health benefits and is now even a recognized form of therapy! We explain how forest bathing works in our blog.
