LESSON 1

OUTDOOR RECREATION
Recreation is the most challenging activity yet enjoyable one. It also helps us to connect with nature and
creates a memorable experience to treasure.
Outdoor recreation
➢ as “outdoor activities that take place in a natural setting, as opposed to a highly cultivated or
managed landscape such as a playing field or golf course.
➢ This term is typically applied to outdoor activities that individuals engage in and that are located
close to their community. When these activities are further away, and people must travel some
distance to participate in them, they are often described as adventure tourism”.
➢ Outdoor recreation offers healthy and satisfying leisure activity, intimate contact with the out-of-
doors, opportunity to strengthen the family connection, enjoyment and appreciation of our natural
environment, cultural heritage, employment, and economic development to local people and
communities among others.
Examples of outdoor recreation include.
➢ Hiking
➢ camping,
➢ mountaineering,
➢ cycling,
➢ dog walking,
➢ canoeing,
➢ caving,
➢ kayaking,
➢ rafting,
➢ rock climbing,
➢ running,
➢ sailing,
➢ skiing,
➢ sky diving,
➢ and surfing

How to Set FITT Goals Based on Outdoor Recreation

FITT pertains to the frequency of exercise, the target intensity, the time spent exercising, and the type(s) of
exercise undertaken. The best way is to know your strengths and the limits of the activity. In this case, you
also have to consider the type of outdoor activity that you are set to do. There are numerous outdoor
activities that you can choose from where you can set your FITT goals and achieve or maintain health-
related fitness.

LESSON 2
THE LEAVE NO TRACE SEVEN PRINCIPLES
Since outdoor recreation involves natural settings like parks and wildlife, it is
also vital that we know how to conserve and protect our environment for the benefit
of all. This is also necessary for us to be able to continuously enjoy nature for a long
period.
Here are the suggested things that we must consider during outdoor
recreation activities.
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
Successful trip planning requires knowledge of the area; equipment, food, and clothing needed; weather
conditions and trip expectations; and the temperament and experience of your friends and
relatives who were able to visit the area. ([Link]
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
You must choose established campsites. A “hardened” site can tolerate a relatively large amount of use.
Keep away from trails and water. Leave a clean camp and make an effort to leave it in a natural condition.
Avoid fragile areas such as wet and boggy grounds. ([Link]
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
All trash must be brought home with you (even trash from others). Deposit solid human waste in cat holes
dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. To wash your dishes, you must carry
water 200 feet away from streams or lakes. Use small amounts of biodegradable soap.
([Link]
4. Leave What You Find
Let pictures, drawings and memories compromise your souvenirs. Objects in nature derive much of their
beauty from their surroundings. People visit wildlands for many reasons, among them to explore nature’s
mysteries and surprises. In short, we have to let them be to preserve their natural beauty, and for others
to enjoy nature’s special qualities. The cairn (picture on the left) is not encouraged while visiting swamps,
lakes, etc. ([Link]
5. Minimize campfire impacts
Gather dead woods for campfires, and it should be put out completely anytime you are not in the camp.
Before leaving the camp, scatter unburned wood and ashes in a way that blends naturally with the
surroundings. Do not use scorched rock or dead earth, use existing fire rings in a well-placed campsite.
Thanks to your efforts, the next party will be more likely to use a clean site. ([Link]
6. Respect Wildlife
A. Use the Thumb Trick
Make a thumbs-up, extend your arm all the way, close one eye, and see if you can hide the animal with
your thumb. Adjust your distance until you can hide the whole animal
with your thumb. This means you are at a safe distance from wildlife.
B. Observe From a Distance
Do not follow or approach them. Use observation areas, platforms, and trails, and use binoculars.
([Link]
C. Stay out of Wildlife’s Line of Travel
Do not disturb wildlife by shouting or throwing something just to take a proper picture.
([Link]
D. Never Feed Wild Animals
Human foods and products are harmful to wildlife which disrupts their natural feeding cycles and habits.
([Link]
7. Be Considerate of Others
Be aware of your surroundings and your noise level. By following the above-mentioned principles, all of us
will be able to enjoy peace and solitude during outdoor activities.
([Link]

LESSON 3
MOUNTAINEERING
Mountaineering
➢ From the article in redbuzz, “mountaineering can be best described as the accent of any hill or
mountain where the gradient and severity of the terrain require some form of climbing and the
sustained use of technical equipment”.
➢ Technically, anyone can climb and walk a mountain but this does not mean they are mountaineers.
➢ Unlike other countries in the world, mountaineering is also known in the Philippines. Since there
are only two seasons in the Philippines, it is most likely that they prefer to do mountaineering
 during dry season. It is an ideal season for the mountaineers to reach their objective which is the
summit. For summer or dry season.
Mountaineers must have the following equipment:
• Helmet
• Rope
• Harness
• Karabiner
• Protective climbing equipment
Health Benefits of Mountaineering
Nowadays, many are already health conscious. They are afraid of getting illnesses. Without knowing,
mountaineering can help you to improve yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually. In an article cited
from ([Link] n.d), there are many benefits to mountaineering.
➢ It helps to boost greatly your confidence and team working skills.
➢ Aside from it, the obvious benefits are improving both our physical fitness and cardiovascular
fitness.
➢ In addition, according to Lasclo (2016), “hiking is not just walking: it activates other muscle groups,
too, not just the lower limbs: the upper and lower back carries your pack; the shoulders assist in
balance and helps lift you when the trail becomes steeper. Some studies have demonstrated that
hiking helps in the prevention of osteoporosis by strengthening the bones in your back”.
➢ Moreover, it is also great for our spiritual health because it molds not just our bodies, but also our
character.
➢ Perseverance, patience, confidence, camaraderie, courage, faith: these are courses you take at the
university of the mountains.
➢ Presence of mind, too: and this is an asset in an increasingly uncertain world. When storms and
floods come, a hiker is always prepared.
➢ Finally, when we dream of high mountains but realize that we must start with the low ones first, we
appreciate the value of discipline and humility, and we allow ourselves to learn from others ahead
of us.
MOUNTAINEERING ACTIVITIES
a. HIKING & TREKKING
In an article written by Ziaeku (2020), “ trekking & hiking are oftentimes used as synonyms. But these two
activities are different from each other”.
Hiking involves a long energetic walk in a natural environment on hiking trails or footpaths for a day or
overnight.
Trekking involves a long vigorous hike inthe wild natural environment for multiple days. It can be done off
hiking trails.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIKING AND TREKKING
HIKING TREKKING HIKING TREKKING
Done for fun or pleasure, to reconnect with nature Also done for pleasure and fun, but with a
and calm the mind particular destination. Pilgrimages often include a
search for spiritual or moral significance.
Establishes hiking trails and footprints Cross-country hiking trails, or areas without any
roads in complete wilderness.
Anything that can be done overnight. Trekking lasts multiple days and can be anywhere
Form 2.5 mi (4 km) to 30 mi (50 km) from 30 mi (50km) to 15,000 mi (24,000 km) and
up.
It can be a short-day hike or an overnight hiking Usually more than two days. As long as
experience. it takes to get to the destination.
For day hikes, usually a light day pack with a bottle For solo treks, a 50-60 L backpack is necessary. You
of water, lunch, and spare socks will suffice. For an will have to pack a tent, sleeping bag, food
overnight hike, you might need to bring a change cookware, clothes, medication, compass, etc. to
of clothes, more food, a tent, and a sleeping bag, last you for at least a week or as long as it takes to
 depending on the accommodation. Hiking shoes or reach a supply station. Sturdy hiking boots with
boots. ankle support are essential.
You should be able to walk for at least 5 hours. Trekking can be mentally and physically
challenging. You have to be in a pretty good
physical condition and able to hike for about 7
hours a day, for a few days in a row.

Health Benefits of Hiking and Trekking

As well as fun and riveting, hiking and trekking can improve your mental and physical health. Here are just
a few benefits of hiking and trekking:
1. It lowers the risk of heart disease and improves your blood pressure.
2. Better overall fitness.
3. Improves your mental health.
4. It burns calories.
5. It makes you creative.
b. CAMPING
As cited in an article from ([Link] 2016), most people go on camping trips
because they're tired of the city or ready for an adventure. Whether you enjoy biking, hunting, or any
other outdoor activity, camping offers you a way to focus completely on a hobby for a few days without
external distractions.
In Britannica, camping defines as a recreational activity in which participants take up temporary residence
in the outdoors, usually using tents or specially designed or adapted vehicles for shelter. Camping was at
one time only a rough, back-to-nature pastime for hardy open-air lovers, but it later became the standard
holiday for vast numbers of ordinary families.
Health Benefits of Camping
1. The fresh air
2. Socialization
3. Improved moods
4. Less stress
5. Exercise
6. Sunshine
7. A good night’s sleep
8. Good food
9. New challenges
10. Meditation
ORIENTEERING
Britannica defines orienteering as an outdoor competitive sport that is similar to cross-country running but
with an emphasis on map-reading and direction-finding skills. Through woods and over hills or rough
plains, contestants plot courses between isolated control points that must usually be visited in sequence.
From an article in ([Link] n.d.), orienteering can gradually build your map-reading
skills from exploring a local city park full of obvious structures to navigating remote terrain with few, if any,
man-made features. Furthermore, on orienteering maps, a course consists of a triangle, circles, a double
circle and sometimes connecting lines all in purple. The triangle is the start. The double circle is the finish.
All the circles in between are checkpoints. Numbered orange and white flags are placed in the terrain to
show you that you have reached the correct location. At each checkpoint, you will punch registering that
you found the correct location. You may use any route you want between checkpoints.
Health Benefits of Orienteering
1. Creates a balance between mind and body.
2. Teaches self-reliance.
3. Sharpens decision-making skills.
4. Teaches how to think and act under pressure.
5. Increase fitness levels.
6. Increase cardiovascular capacity.
7. Enjoying time with nature.
8. Increases self-esteem.
9. Can be very useful and even lifesaving.
10. Become part of a community.
11. Can be done anywhere globally.
LESSON 4
AQUATIC ACTIVITIES
The Philippines is home of over seven thousand islands that are spread across 300,000 kilometers. It's an
excellent place to express your adventurous spirit. From rainforests to lakes, white beaches, shipwreck
sites, marine parks, and more, the Philippines has it all. There are plenty of aquatic activities that we will
enjoy in Manila, Subic, Boracay, Palawan, Camarines Sur, Davao, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Negros
Oriental and lots of more. The subsequent are a number of the famous activities within the country.
SNORKELING
➢ Is peeking through the life underneath water by swimming by the aid of a snorkel and mask.
Through snorkeling, one can observe the underwater attractions for a longer period of time,
without the need to constantly resurface to gasp for air, and with relatively lesser effort (Cervao,
2017).
➢ Snorkeling helps the overall fitness of a person. It works out the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves,
ankles, hip, flexors, core muscles, and shoulders while swimming (Cervao, 2017).
CANOEING
➢ The word “canoe” originated from the Carib word “kenu” which means dugout. Canoes were
originally made from large tree trunks. The more well-known version of the canoe was introduced
by the North American Indians where the frame was built from wooden ribs. The oldest known
canoe, Pesse Canoe, believe to be constructed between 8200 and 7600 B.C. was found in the
Netherlands. Canoeing is a sport which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle
(Cervao, 2017).
KAYAK OR KAYAKING
➢ Also called qajak. means “man’s boat or “hunter’s boat” originated from the Inuit and Aleut tribes
of Arctic North America. The early kayaks were very individualized as each kayak was crafted by the
user, basing the measurement to the frame of his body and not on any standard. The oldest existing
kayaks are exhibited in North America Department of the State Museum of Ethnology Munich
(Cervao, 2017).
➢ Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the
sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. Most kayaks have closed
decks, although sit-on-top and inflatable kayaks are growing in popularity as well (Cervao, 2017).
SCUBA DIVING
➢ Scuba is an acronym for Self- Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Scuba diving is a dividing
method where a diver uses a regulator as the breathing apparatus and a tank with compressed air
which enables the diver to breath normally underwater. With this equipment, a diver can explore
the waters for a longer period of time and at greater depths (Cervao, 2017.
Benefits of Aquatic Activities
The following are the benefits of aquatic activities:
Aquatic activity is an ideal medium for exercise for those who have injuries
With properly trained staff to guide patrons, water can be an injury free environment for people with a
wide variety of abilities and ages
Improves balance in upright positions
Water allows for a greater variety of movements than on land and increase strength faster by decreasing
the effects of gravity
Increases range of motion and flexibility
Prevents or slows atrophy of weakened muscles due to increased circulation and movement
Speeds recovery by relieving the use of braces and physical aids
 Builds self-confidence, self-image, and self-concept
Allows ambulation earlier than on land
Promotes leisure-time activities
Promotes physical fitness, wellness, and a positive lifestyle
Promotes opportunities for self-determination
Water has special characteristics that provide a unique environment for activities and good workout.
These characteristics include buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure and enhance
cooling.
Buoyancy
It is the upward force of the water on an object.
This is the reason why boats and people float on water
It also gives a weightless feeling, which makes it easier to move, lift knees or even jog in water.
HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE
The pressure exerted by the water at equilibrium due to the force of the gravity.
It is the weight of the water pressed down on the object.
Hydrostatic pressure is exerted on the body from all sides
and this pressure, combined with buoyancy, helps keep standing balance in water.
ENHANCE COOLING
Transfers heat away from the body much quickly than air given in the same temperature
This is the reason we can stay longer in the water and can tolerate longer workouts without feeling being
overheated.
Fascinating Fact about Aquatic Exercise
Aqua heart rates are 13% or 17 beats per minute lower in water than heart rates
during comparable land exercise.
Why is my heart rate lower in water than on
land?
There are Five Theories:
➢ Temperature - Water cools the body with less effort than air. This reduced effort means less work
for the heart, resulting in a lower heart rate.
➢ Gravity - Water reduces the effect of gravity on the body. Blood flows from below the heart back up
to it with less effort, resulting in a lowered heart rate.
➢ Compression - Water is thought to act like a compressor on all body systems, including the vascular
system, causing a smaller venous load to the heart than equivalent land exercise.
➢ Partial Pressure - A gas enters a liquid more readily under pressure. In water exercise the gas is
oxygen and the liquid is blood. So, more efficient gas transfer due to water pressure may reduce
the workload of the heart.
➢ Dive Reflex - This is a primitive reflex associated with a nerve found in the nasal area. When the
face is submerged in water, this reflex lower’s heart rate and blood pressure. This reflex is stronger
in some individuals than in others. Some research suggests that the face doesn't even need to be in
the water for the dive reflex to occur. Some people experience its effect when standing in chest
deep water.
WHAT IS RPE?
Rate of Perceived Exertion.
It is a scale used to identify the intensity of your exercise based on how hard you feel (or perceive) your
effort to be. The RPE scale typically runs from 0 to 10, with zero being literally nothing and 10 being the
hardest you could possibly exert yourself, (O’Mara, 2020).
.
For example:
A 7/10 RPE means you should be at about 7 out of 10 in terms of perceived exertion—or about 70% effort.

One thing to note: RPE is a subjective measure of how hard something feels both physically and mentally
for you in that specific workout on that specific day.
Why Use RPE?
According to O’Mara 2020, “RPE provides a more universal scale to measure exercise exertion. It gives you
a check on more objective measures like heart rate or power. You might have established your training
zones with an FTP test or extrapolated them from a long race effort, then it gives you target heart rate
zones to hit for various efforts and corresponding power numbers on the bike or paces on the run and in
the pool”.
How Do You Know What Your RPE Is?
Originally, the RPE scale was established as the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion and the scale went from 6
to 20. The idea was that if you added a zero to your perceived exertion, you’d get your approximate heart
rate. For example, a 12 on that scale would correspond with about 120 heart rate which is considered
“fairly light” activity on the Borg scale, such as brisk walking (O’Mara, 2020). In the 1960s, that scale was
changed to an easier to understand 0 to 10, but the rough guidelines are still applicable. Strava, for
instance, uses RPE as a metric you can add to your workouts.

Here’s how they define the 0 to 10 scale:

➢ Easy (1-3): Could talk normally, breathing naturally, felt very comfortable.
➢ Moderate (4-6): Could talk in short spurts, breathing more labored, within your comfort zone but
working.
➢ Hard (7-9): Could barely talk, breathing heavily, outside your comfort one.
➢ Max effort (10): At your physical limit or past it, gasping for breath, couldn’t talk/could barely
remember your name.