Streeeeeeeeeeetch

[Wrangler88]

How many people out there stretch before and/or after a long day of hiking?


Quick ten second stretch or full out gymnist stretch?


Is it really all that important?


(I may be the least flexible person in the country.)

[Pedaling Fool]

I believe it is that important. It's not something that makes for a better, safer hike. It is something that helps keep the body flexible, which is a very important thing as we age.

[freefall]

I rarely stretch before hiking except to maybe mentally prepare myself for a big day.

I did remember that stretching was in the news a few months ago and did a quick search. It seems that static stretching (the kind that gym teachers and coaches have been administering since the dawn of time: "touch your toes and hold it till the whistle blows") may actually do no good and possibly weaken cold muscles.

The current trend to warming up is dynamic stretching which involves less holding a stretch but doing a series of them. There's actually a good demo on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkCZym9CT54.

[Celeritas]

Personally I find stretching to be very helpful, and once you start a routine, it becomes much easier and you become much more flexible. I do a stretch/yoga routine that takes me about 5 minutes. I always warm up before stretching though, I have read it numerous times now that it's very important so as not to put too much stress on cold muscles.

My game plan for my thru-hike (starting Saturday!!) is going to be to wake up/pack up, walk for about 1/2 hr or until warm (all the while drinking a good amount of water) and find a good place to stop, do my stretch routine, eat breakfast, keep walking. You have to give your body a chance to warm up, and you digest better with a little warmth too, hence the eating breakfast after starting walking.

[skinewmexico]

I had seen a similar article on dynamic stretching. It stated that static stretching can actually weaken your muscles 30%. Apparently the USTA has been pushing dynamic stretching for about 15 years.

[moonshiner]

Always

[moonshiner]

before and after

2-----------------------------------9

[Freeleo]

i hike for 20-30 minutes then stretch the warmed up muscles, then when the day is done.

[Reid]

Make sure you are stretching all your muscles and not just the obvious ones. I have found that stretching only certain muscles make others cramp quicker.

[Feral Bill]

Starting, I go even slower than my usual snail like pace intill I am thoroughly warmed up. Then I pick up the pace to a crawl. At the end of the day, I stretch out nice and horizontal, put up my feet, and take a nap. Works like a charm.

[Mongoose2]

After ripping a quad a year ago, when slipping on a steep down hill, I learned how important it is to stretch. I stretch only after warming up and at the end of my day. Hold your stretch for 30 seconds to be most effective....at least that's what the Doc told me.

[Frick Frack]

I never strech unless reaching for the last beer in the back of the fridge....

[Marta]

Hiking on uneven terrain and sitting and sleeping on the ground gives you quite a bit of stretching. Way more than sitting at home or office in a chair, and getting on and off an elevated bed. I don't think additional stretching is necessary.

If you're one of those people who will go to any lengths to find a log or bench to sit on, maybe you ought to start shifting your posterior downward a few times a day.

[Blissful]

I do stretch as I hike along, esp a calf stretch (if they are tight going up hills) and my hamstrings and quads.

[take-a-knee]

Stretching is so old fashioned, the enlightened ones do Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation. Admittedly, this looks a bit like stretching, but it is about ten times as effective.

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/pnfstretching.html

This works best with a trained assistant for hamstrings but you can do a passable job with a "stretch out strap"

http://www.ohioyoga.com/stretchoutstrap.aspx

[warraghiyagey]

Always in the morning before I head out, frequently during the day while I'm hiking, always at night when I'm setting up camp, I spend a good 45 minutes a day stretching. . . . it's the most important part of my hike as far as staying physically sound . . .:sun

[take-a-knee]

I should add that one of the best stretches is a proper deep squat, toes and knees angled out, go all the way down and get your butt as low as you can. I doubt most of you can do it properly, this is usually because the adductor muscles on the insides of your thighs are so tight. This is what it should look like:

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_AirSquats.mov

[warraghiyagey]

II doubt most of you can do it properly,
What a dickhead thing to say. . . .

[rickb]

So what happens if you don't stretch?

Its not like you need to be very flexible to hike, right?

[take-a-knee]

So what happens if you don't stretch?

Its not like you need to be very flexible to hike, right?

Connective tissue slowly invades you muscles and you get stiffer and much less flexible, your muscles have to overcome this internal resistance in addition to any applied external load. You also have to deal with the resulting pain that will come if the rest of you body survives long enough. To put it simply, you are in marked decline.

[take-a-knee]

What a dickhead thing to say. . . .

Yes but still true nonetheless. Sometimes reality is a bitch.

[warraghiyagey]

So what happens if you don't stretch?

Its not like you need to be very flexible to hike, right?


Connective tissue slowly invades you muscles and you get stiffer and much less flexible, your muscles have to overcome this internal resistance in addition to any applied external load. You also have to deal with the resulting pain that will come if the rest of you body survives long enough. To put it simply, you are in marked decline.
It's OK Rick. . . . everyone else here who isn't so in lust with their own opinion and self worth got that you were joking. . . :)

[warraghiyagey]

Yes but still true nonetheless. Sometimes reality is a bitch.
No not true. . . just in your sad existence. . .

[vonfrick]

I should add that one of the best stretches is a proper deep squat, toes and knees angled out, go all the way down and get your butt as low as you can. I doubt most of you can do it properly, this is usually because the adductor muscles on the insides of your thighs are so tight. This is what it should look like:

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_AirSquats.mov


Connective tissue slowly invades you muscles and you get stiffer and much less flexible, your muscles have to overcome this internal resistance in addition to any applied external load. You also have to deal with the resulting pain that will come if the rest of you body survives long enough. To put it simply, you are in marked decline.


Yes but still true nonetheless. Sometimes reality is a bitch.

why dontcha take two knees and....

[freefall]

So what happens if you don't stretch?

Its not like you need to be very flexible to hike, right?
Hiking, being an aerobic activity, lends itself to stretching while in process. I rarely ever stretch and the only problem I have ever has was a stress fracture in the foot back in 2006 not likely caused by not stretching.

If you were starting out the day on say a 3,000 ft climb in a relatively short distance it would be a good idea to warm up and then stretch to avoid injury. But unlikely on the AT.

If you warm up prior to starting a strenuous climb, etc... then maybe stretch, you should be alright. But if you don't stretch it probably won't kill you as long as you've warmed up ahead of time. Walking up a 3% grade warms you up for tackling a 8% grade. If you read up/ watch video about dynamic stretching, a lot of it resembles hiker movements anyway. No over-extensions, keeping a rhythm, back and forth from one limb to the next, etc....

[fiddlehead]

I never stretch, in my running or hiking although i think there is probably some advantages to it.
I just make my coffee in the morning, drink it while i'm packing up, eat my breakfast bar or cinnamin roll as soon as i'm done with those chores and already walking.
Guess i just never took the time to stop and stretch first.

Maybe it's a reason that i sometimes get cramps at night when i sleep. (painful) If i knew that to be a fact, perhaps i'd start stretching. But so far, i've been injury free.

[kayak karl]

like most WB people i spend my day running at the mouth, stretching the truth and jumping to conclusions. no need for more exercise:D

[freefall]

like most WB people i spend my day running at the mouth, stretching the truth and jumping to conclusions. no need for more exercise:D
Good one.

[CowHead]

I stretche into my hammock and snoozzzzze away after a long hiking day

[Doctari]

I usualy forget to stretch "First thing" in AM, which I actually think is a good thing as it allows me to warm up a bit. After about 20 minutes on the trail I think "Darn, I forgot to stretch!" so I stop drop the pack & do a dancers "set" of stretches. Then about 3 of 5 times, at the end of the day I do a "quicky" cool down set. I don't think the Monday stretch helps on Monday, I feel that stretch is for Tuesday AM. Tue is for Wed, etc. Because I KNOW on Tuesday that I didn't stretch on Monday!! Because my muscles are "yelling at me".

Sometimes I even do a bit of stretching mid day, especially after a longish break.

[Blissful]

If you have had previous injuries (like me), stretching is important. Also I dont start out hiking fast in the AM but take at least an hour to warm up.

[cowboy nichols]

I rarely stretch before hiking except to maybe mentally prepare myself for a big day.

I did remember that stretching was in the news a few months ago and did a quick search. It seems that static stretching (the kind that gym teachers and coaches have been administering since the dawn of time: "touch your toes and hold it till the whistle blows") may actually do no good and possibly weaken cold muscles.

The current trend to warming up is dynamic stretching which involves less holding a stretch but doing a series of them. There's actually a good demo on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkCZym9CT54.
Boy!!! I wish I could do just half of those.

[Wise Old Owl]

I never strech unless reaching for the last beer in the back of the fridge....

Yuuup thats' teh spiriit! guss the beer bally gets in the whhhay!:D

[the goat]

i've never stretched before hiking. since it's just walking, i've never felt it was necessary.