Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

Have you ever pulled a muscle or twisted your knee or ankle on a hiking excursion? If yes, you must consider some tried and tested hiking stretches to prevent such injuries. Consistent stretching is one of the most effective ways to hike on tough trails without sustaining injury.

Stretching is vital for a hike, particularly if you’re traveling with a heavy load. An excellent stretching regime can improve your endurance level for more extended hiking periods. It can also minimize muscle imbalances and prevent injuries. In addition, stretching is essential both before and after hiking. Let’s discuss why.

Why is it Important to Stretch Before Hiking?

Stretching before hiking offers some great benefits that include:

• It can reduce chances of pains and aches by improving our joints’ range of motion
• It warms up your muscle
• It supports muscle recovery after hiking
• It prepares you mentally for a challenging hiking excursion
Why is it Important to Stretch After Hiking?
Stretching after a hike is equally crucial. Key benefits include:
• It can reduce stiffness
• It can reduce muscle soreness that lactic acid produces while your muscles are engaged
• Stretching your hamstrings and hips can help reduce your body’s lower back pain
• Stretching improves your range of motion and overall flexibility
• It can improve blood flow through your muscles
• It can get your heart rate back to normal if it gets pumped after hiking
• Stretching can minimize the risk of injury by decreasing the tension in your muscles

Best Hiking Stretches

Here are some of the most effective hiking stretches you should do before starting your hike:

Calf Stretch

You can perform a calf

stretch by standing in a lunge position. Place one leg in front of the other, and bend the front knee slightly. Ensure both your feet are facing forward, and push the back heel into the floor. Stay in this position for thirty seconds and repeat with the other leg.

Quad Stretch

To perform a quad stretch, you need to stand on your right leg and bring the left heel back while grabbing your ankle with the left hand. Keep your knees straight and try to push your hips forward. Hold it for thirty seconds and then repeat.

Hamstring Stretch

For a hamstring stretch, you have to place one heel up on a low stool and place your hands on your hips. Now keep both the legs aligned and push your hips forward. After that, gradually hinge forward at your hips until you feel a stretch while keeping your back straight.

Shoulder Rolls

It’s more of a warm-up or cool-down – a great method to reduce tension in your neck you get after hiking. To perform this stretch, you need to shrug your shoulders upward, backward, downward, and forward directions. Repeat at least ten times before switching directions.

Hip Flexor Stretch

Place your right foot in front and kneel on your left knee. Try to lean forward and push your hips against the floor. Hold this position for thirty seconds and repeat with the other leg.

Upper Back Extension

To safely perform an upper back extension, you need to hold both arms over your head with your fingers interlocked. After that, keep your arms straight, hold your abs tight, and slowly lean back while pushing your hands towards the back. Keep looking towards your hands if your neck doesn’t hurt.

Wrist Stretch

You can perform a wrist stretch by extending your right arm forward with your palm facing down. Now, try to pull your right hand downward with the left hand and hold it for at least ten seconds. Repeat the same process in the upward direction and then switch hands.

Standing Saddle Stretch

Start by pointing your toes forward with your legs apart while standing straight. From there, try to bend your right leg slightly and pull yourself toward the right calf using your hands. Repeat the similar process for your left leg. After that, grab both your calves while facing forward.

Lunge

This popular yoga pose is perfect after a long hike. To perform this, start in a push-up position with your right foot next to your right hand. Hold this posture for ten seconds minimum. After that, you need to repeat the motion with your left foot by bringing the right foot back. If you find this stretch difficult, try to bring your knee closer to the ground for extra stability.

Rag Doll Stretch

Start by standing straight, with your knees forward and then tilt forward with your hips. After that, cross both your arms and grab opposite elbows. You can go for an extra stretch by bending your knees as much as possible. Hold this position for around twenty seconds and then release.

Ankle Stretch

Ankle stretches are essential after a long hiking excursion. To perform this stretch, extend your legs out while sitting. After that, move your foot in upward and downward directions about ten times. Then, try making circles clockwise and anticlockwise with your ankles and feet by rotating them.

Final Words

Stretching holds a regular place in any individual’s fitness routine, irrespective of their preferred sport. You can add tremendous value to your hiking trip if you do some stretches before and after. Stretching also mitigates the risk of injury, improves endurance, reduces stiffness, improves blood flow, decreases tension in your muscles, and reduces muscle soreness. Make sure you perform some stretches before you begin your next hiking excursion.

by Maria A Davidson

We are in business to provide great products for the outdoorsy hikers, campers and their dogs; and to help clean our parks, rivers and oceans for a better planet earth for hikers and their dogs.

Parks Clean

Parks are high-traffic areas in most cities. This means that trash is bound to show up in and around your park and playground.

When discussing ways your family can help clean your local park, don’t overlook a literal cleanup! Picking up trash will make a huge difference in the appearance and vibe of your park. A clean area will encourage others to keep the park pristine. When picking up trash and debris, make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself, and put trash in appropriate receptacles or lawn bags. You can also contact your local trash company to schedule a pickup when you are finished.

Rivers Clean

The storm drain on your street collects the water from your roof, driveway, and sidewalk and funnels it directly in your local lake or river. Nutrients from grass and leaves, pet waste, and fertilizers “enrich” our lakes and streams — feeding algae blooms and harming fish. Chemicals from washing your car in the drive and household chemical spills add up, taking a nasty toll on our favorite swimming areas and fishing spots. Soil can also be picked up by runoff, reducing the clarity of water and hurting fish.

So as you prepare your lawn and garden, here are a few helpful tips to keep our lakes and rivers beautiful and safe for all of us.

Use mulch and vegetation to keep soil from washing away.
Sweep or rake grass and leaves away from street curbs.
Mulch and compost grass clippings and leaves.
Keep paved surfaces to a minimum.
Capture water runoff with a rain garden and rain barrels.
Wash your car on the grass, where the water will get filtered.
Keep chemicals away from storm drains.
Collect your pet’s waste.
Aim your rain-gutter downspouts onto grass.

Beaches Clean (do it for the ocean)

In 2007, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution to recognize the value of beaches to the American way of life and the important contributions of beaches to the economy, recreation, and natural environment of the United States.

Clean Beaches Week, celebrated annually July 1-7, offers the perfect opportunity to encourage stewardship and volunteerism along our coastlines. But where do you even begin? Follow these tips to get started.

Identify a clean-up site. Choose a place that needs some TLC, making sure that volunteers can safely access the site. Get permission, if needed, for your clean-up event, perhaps from the local parks agency.
Choose a site coordinator. (That might be you!) A beach clean-up takes a lot of work and needs an organized person to keep everything on track before, during, and after the event.
Visit the site in advance. The coordinator will need to know where to set up a volunteer check-in station, where to leave trash and recyclables, and what area(s) volunteers will clean.
Gather supplies. Depending on your location, you’ll need supplies such as trash bags, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, wipes, and large coolers of water. You should also provide (or ask volunteers to bring) items such as reusable work/garden gloves, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Plan how to handle the recyclables. Reach out to recyclers in your area (and perhaps your community’s solid waste departments) to make arrangements for accepting any glass, plastic, and aluminum that you collect.
Line up event partners. Contact local businesses for donations of drinks, food, and supplies. Ask a local solid waste hauler to donate their services for trash removal.
Plan for handling hazardous waste. Determine how you’ll dispose of any medical and sewage waste you might find. One solution: A wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Clearly label that it contains hazardous waste.
Get volunteers to help. Recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Create an event on Facebook and ask volunteers to sign up online. This will give you an idea of how many people to expect and will help communicate event details.
Stay safe. Be prepared for a variety of health emergencies, from minor cuts and scrapes to heat stroke.
Take photos! Post pics online to share the success of your event and recognize volunteers for their hard work.