AMC Outdoors, July/August 2008
Limber up before and after a hike
Summer is short in the Northeast, so it’s important to grab it with gusto. Many of us race out of town on Friday, ready to charge the trail at dawn. But beware. If you’ve been sitting at a desk all week, hovering over your keyboard, it’s best to prepare your body before hitting the trail.
It’s hard to imagine not stretching before and after a 10K run or a 50-mile bike ride, but many of us disregard stretching when it comes to a long hike. (Quantity and quality of trail mix often takes precedence.) And while recent research indicates that stretching alone might not be the absolute answer for avoiding joint or skeletal injury, stretching can help prevent muscle injury as part of a warm-up or cool-down routine. It not only warms up the muscles, but also increases circulation, heart rate, flexibility, and performance.
“Stretching can increase the physical benefits from hiking, as well as relaxation, fluidity, and enjoyment of the hiking experience,” says Marie Dacey, health psychologist at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and an American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer and fitness instructor.
Start the day by warming up without your pack on. Walk up the trail for several hundred yards, then back, at a comfortable pace, allowing your arms to swing, or pumping them gently. Avoid bouncing as you walk; if you bounce, muscles may reflexively contract, increasing the risk of injury. Before putting your pack on, take a few minutes to try these easy stretches.
CALF STRETCH Find a rock or step where you can stand a few inches off the ground. Move your heels back so they drop off the edge, being sure to maintain balance. You should feel a good stretch in the back of your calves once your heels drop. Stretch heels down together for 30 seconds, then alternate dropping each heel for another 30 seconds on each side.
HAMSTRING STRETCH Sit on a sleeping pad, or find a level spot on the ground. Extend left leg. Bend the right knee, and place the right foot as high up on the inside of the left leg as comfortable. Reach with both arms toward the extended left foot, bending at the hips. Don’t overextend the shoulders. Repeat with the right leg.
A good guide for stretching is to hold the position until you feel a slight pull but no pain. Holding the stretch will allow the muscles to relax. As the tension decreases you can increase the stretch again.
As you near the end of your hike, don’t drop your pace too much. The best time to cool down is while you’re still warm. Even if you couldn’t contain yourself at the beginning of the hike and sped off like a dervish, it’s worth taking time at the end.
“It’s important to stretch at the end of the hike because continual contractions during the hike tend to shorten and tense muscles,” explains Dacey, a life-long hiker. “Also, stretching can offset the stress from balancing on precarious surfaces and the muscular tension caused by carrying a pack.”
As you cool down, these stretches will benefit several muscles groups, as well as your psyche.
QUAD STRETCH Stand tall, bend right knee, lift right foot toward buttocks, and hold that foot with right hand, keeping right knee as close to left knee as possible. Repeat with left leg. This stretches the quadriceps and hip flexors, which have worked hard during your hike, as well as the whole front of the body.
FULL BODY STRETCH Give yourself a few moments to reach high for the sky while you root down with your feet. Alternate arm stretches as if climbing a ladder, extending body side to side. Notice where you’re experiencing stiffness and focus the stretch on those parts of your body.
Finish the day by leaning over, hands on bent knees, elbows out to the sides, stretching your back. Enjoy five deep breaths and relax, acknowledging your accomplishments from the day and appreciating one of hiking’s—and stretching’s—least tangible benefits: a sense of peacefulness, fulfillment, and success.
—By Beth Jones
