Minute 3: Fat Bear Week is a good excuse to hit the trails

Fall is officially here, and Alaska’s brown bears have spent the summer following a bulking plan that would make a powerlifter jealous: “Fat Bear Week Is Almost Here. Take Our Quiz to Find Out Which Fat Bear You Are.” The story previews Katmai National Park’s annual bracket which starts today and runs through the 29th. This year’s field includes defending champion 32 Chunk, a roughly 1,200-pound male, plus an interactive quiz to match you with one of five bear personalities.

We can’t let the bears do all the adventuring, though - there are plenty of reasons to hit the trails yourself. “The Top 5 Benefits of Hiking, According to Fitness Experts” notes that regular hiking can improve heart health, leg strength, bone density, balance, and stress levels. Hills raise the aerobic demand, and uneven terrain keeps your muscles working to stabilize your body and adjust your footing.

You may even get a little more out of your next workout after some time in the woods. In our recent story, “A walk in the woods could make your next workout feel easier,” we covered a study in which 25 subjects spent 90 minutes in either a woodland or industrial urban setting before an endurance test. The forest group lasted 7.5% longer, despite little difference in oxygen uptake, leading researchers to suspect much of the boost was psychological. So if your fall training needs a little variety, consider taking a hike before the bears eat all the good snacks.

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