It’s officially summer!! It’s a beautiful Seattle day and you’re ready to hit the trails. Maybe it’s a tried and true favorite or maybe you’re checking out a new trail. You hop in the car and start your commute into the mountains which is likely a minimum of 30 minutes, and then traffic on I-90 or Highway 2 hits… You finally get to the trailhead and it’s time to start! But you’re stiff from the car and have to start climbing almost immediately. But now, you don’t feel ready to crush your goal or like you’re one step away from a pulled quad.
A warm up prior to your hike can help you prevent injuries and have a more successful hike. It doesn’t require equipment and it doesn’t have to be time consuming. A little bit goes a long way! Here are a few moves you can try in the parking lot or at the trailhead to get your body ready for a great hike.
Simple Back and Hamstring stretch - Bend down to touch toes. Move feet apart or closer together to change the angle of the stretch. Breathe through it and hold for about 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
Side lunge adductor stretch - Move feet apart and shift weight to the side. Feel the stretch in the inner thigh. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 3 times to each side.
Calf Stretch - Stand with one leg back and drop your heel. Feel the stretch in your calf. Hold for 10 seconds on each side, 3 times.
Squat - We also want to ACTIVATE your muscles. Perform 15 body weight squats
Lunge - More leg activation but biasing single leg activity. Lunge forward 5 times on each leg then backwards 5 times on each leg
Now you’re ready to hit the mountain much more than just jumping out of the car and heading up. Stay hydrated, fueled, safe, and have fun!