Hiking steep grades...

[naughtoj]

Say you were to go hike a very steep grade, one that took around 30 min up and down, but was a real buttkicker (no pun intended). Would you do it the day of legs or the day after legs??


I am leaning towards the day of. Today I did S&H Legs + PS deadlifts and hover squats. Then, this evening I went to a local mountain. I did the main part and then ran a little bit on a steep grade for sort of an interval. I really had to hold myself back from doing too much! Legs are feeling OK right now..we'll see around 2am when I get up to pee...I just wonder if doing S&H at noon and then going hiking at 5 is really, like, digging in to my recovery. Seems day after would be worse though.


Anyway, tomorrow I plan on going on a 60 min. walk, but I am really going to try to keep the intensity level down. I hate it because I love hills, but feel I should not do them the day after legs. I guess running a flat surface would be approved? I want to hike this steep grade three times per week. It only takes me 30 min, so it is a great way to add additional exercise into my day without eating all my time. Your thoughts would be appreciated!
Janice

 

[clareMc]

Janice:

I would say hike all you want when you want. Don't worry about it. The hiking can help you stretch out those muscles which get tight with weight lifting. Hiking is a natural action for the body, it doesn't get much more natural than that. It's more of a stamina thing anyway, I should think it will not impede recovery for he muscles one bit.

Go hike tomorrow, let the intensity climb all you want, you will be working your heart and all over stamina and doing wonderful things for your spirit. Perhaps sometimes we could switch off the "seeing-all-physical-activity-as-a-workout" mentality, and just enjoy the sheer joy of walking up a mountain for the view, and sheer exhilaration of it. Would you really want to deprive yourself of that just because tomorrow is a leg weight training day? I wouldn't. Who's there to approve or disapprove?!?!?!?!?!?! Go do it girl!

Have fun!

Clare

 

[mogambo]

I'm sorry, but I disagree with Clare. I think hiking a steep grade, although "natural" is like doing a lot of step-ups, high rep, low weight. I would do them the day of a leg workout and then the next day, I would do something that was truly easy on my legs, like walking on a flat surface, and just doing a killer upper body workout. I think a bit or rest is crucial for joint health and muscle growth.
I agree with her though that you should just have fun and enjoy the mountain, don't worry about the exercise break-down of it too much. Go for it and climb the mountain with "child-spirit".

Liane

 

[Mckmain]

I would lift before the hike myself. I think it all depends on your body and recovery. When I train for marathons I do a long run (17-22) miles on Sundays. I will admit that when I lifted heavy with my legs like S&H before the long run, I had a much better run and my legs felt great. I would never lift on the day after a long run unless it was upper body. I think a 60 min walk would be great the following day. A flat surface would probably be good. Sounds like a great workout to me, give it a try and let us know how you do....good luck!...Carole

 

[clareMc]

Liane and Janice:

I'll expain my reasoning. Not that I'm upset with Liane's disagreement, I'm totally OK with it, promise!

I regularly go backpacking with my husband and carry at least a 40 pound pack, if not more. We hike and climb every day, for two or three weeks solid, no day of rest. We spend the first day feeling old, the second day feeling tightness in the muscles, and after that, it's pure pleasure. Take the trip we did when we crossed the Pyrenees with large packs full of tent, etc, and climbing rope! Weighs a ton. In the Pyrenees, you basically have no choice but to climb thousands of feet one day, get up your peak if you are climbing that day too, then lose all that height as you drop down into the valley for a campsite near water. This means that you then start the next day again with a climb of several thousand feet, etc, etc, etc. Up and down, up and down.....It is endless!

But I tell you, we had legs of STEEL. We worked our legs every day for three weeks with weight. That's how many step ups a day?!?!? We both dropped pounds, got incredible lean and mean bodies, and there really is nothing better for legs than "hiking steep grades". This would probably fall under that category of training Francine is always talking about, can't remember the name of it now, where you work legs every day.....

If you love the mountains and the thrill of the climb, a flat surface just isn't going to do it for you. So I say again, do what gives you pleasure.

Clare