Stretching for Hikers

Stretching and hiking

While some of us are good at stretching at the gym or before and after a run, we often forget to stretch before hiking, climbing, or just as part of the daily routine. It’s important to maintain a stretching program year round in order to remain supple and agile due to conditions you encounter outdoors like stepping on and over logs, uneven and steep ground, rocks, river crossings, boulders, and twisting and reaching in unnatural positions to find holds.

Stretching before, after and even throughout the day on occasions when you start to feel leg weary are good ways of helping you get through a days hike and also to reduce soreness that may incur.

Try these stretches designed for hikers, backpackers, and mountaineers at home and at the trailhead keeping the following tips in mind:

• Hold each stretch for a minimum of 20-30 seconds, doing 2-3 reps on each side. If a stretch feels
tighter in specific areas, it is beneficial to stretch those muscles 2-3 times per day.

• Stretch to the point that you feel a good stretch, not pain.

• Make sure that your core muscles are kept tight to help maintain good posture: this ensures that you
are targeting the intended muscle.

• Don’t bounce with the stretch, just hold.

Avoid:

• Not stretching both sides of the body.

• Not keeping other joints straight. (example bending your knee for a Hamstring stretch)

• Not keeping hips and feet pointing forward (on a Hamstring stretch)

• Arching the back because the stomach muscles are not tight (example: Hip Flexor stretch)

There is still conflicting advice whether stretching reduces the risk of injury. One thing for sure is that if you have a greater range of movement then you’ll perform exercises more efficiently and effectively and if you find yourself in awkward positions hiking or climbing then you’ll want suppleness and agility on your side.

Stretching is one piece of the jigsaw in terms of the reduction of muscle soreness and general fatigue. Hydration, nutrition and adequate sleep all play a vital roll and without nailing all four factors then it becomes hard to give yourself the best opportunity to smash through the hills of the next days hike.

Below is a series of stretches that can be easily performed anywhere and anytime.

Gastroncnemius:

With back leg straight, move hips forward until stretch is felt.

Soleus:
Keep back leg slightly bent, with heel on floor, lean into wall until stretch is felt in calf. Use a car, tree, or truck at trailhead.

Hamstring:
Place a foot on stool, log, or car bumper, slowly lean forward and keep your back straight, until stretch is felt in back of thigh.

Piriformis:
Cross legs, with one on top of the others knee, Gently pull other knee toward chest until stretch is felt in buttock/hip of top leg.

Hip Flexor:
Kneeling on one knee, slowly push your pelvis down while slightly arching back until stretch is felt on front of hip.

Thigh:

This is perhaps the most common stretch, the thigh stretch. Where you pull the foot back towards the bum and get a pull at the front of the leg.

Regular stretching will certainly aid any tired and aching muscles and make the whole experience more enjoyable.

Marcus Bourne

M-Power Personal Fitness