Best Stretches Before a Hike
Before you embark on your adventure, whether you plan on doing a quick day hike or a through hike don't forget to stretch your body.
Stretching helps your body by getting it ready for a hike by allowing the body to open up and find space. You may even notice that when you take the time to stretch, your body will feel less sore during and after a hike. You will be more limber and able to make reaches and climbs easily.
For full guided sequence check out the quick 25 minute Yoga for Hikers class!
Recommended Stretches before a hike.
Knee Into Chest
Laying in a supine position hug and squeeze left knee into chest and interlace hands around left shine bone. Keep both feet flexed and drive right heel into the mat. Hold for 5 breaths and same thing second side.
Figure 4
Laying supine with right foot planted on the mat and pinky side edge of left foot is on right thigh toes flexed. Stay here for 5 breaths or transition to posture below.
Interlaced Figure 4
From posture above pick up right foot toes flexed up towards the sky. Interlace hands through figure 4 and around right thigh. Hold for 5 breaths or transition to posture below.
Figure 4 Twist
From posture above drop legs over to the right hand side planting sole of left foot onto the mat getting deeper into the posture. Right hand reaches for left ankle left arm extends out like a T and plant left palm down. If you came in to this variation and felt any pain or intense discomfort go back to variation above. Hold for 5 breaths and repeat second side.
Balasana
From a kneeling position guide your sitz bones onto your feet. let the finger tips reach towards the back of your mat as you start to round shoulders forward letting your forehead rest onto the mat, palms are facing up towards the sky. Stay for 5-10 breaths.
Adho Mukha Hip Rotations
While in adho mukha lift the right leg up bending right heel into right glute. Begin to rotate the knee in large circles 3-5 times one direction and then the other. Repeat on the left side.
Uttanasana
Keep the feet hip distance apart and round the upper body forward and let it dangle. Bend in the knees for tight hamstrings. Stay for 3-10 breaths.
Utkatasana
While standing start to bend into the knees as if to sit in a imaginary chair. Keep the hands pushing into each other while pushing the chest into the thumbs. Sit deeper for more intensity and hold for 3-5 breaths.
Crescent Lunge
From utkatasana shift weight to left foot and step right foot back on the ball of the foot while keeping the left foot planted. Reach arms up toward the sky. Stay for 3-5 breaths and repeat on second side.
Chaturanga Dandasana
From a plank exhale and start to lower down. Bend in the elbows while hugging them into the side body. Pause and hold for 1-3 breaths.
Cobra
While laying in a prone position place palms down along side the rib cage. Plant all ten toes onto the ground and as you push into the palms lifting the upper body up. Keep elbows bent and keep them hugged into the side body. Lift chin up off the chest and hold 3-5 breaths.
Quad Stretch
While laying in a prone position guide arms out to a T planting the palms down onto the ground. Bend in the right knee letting the right heel come in towards the right glute. Reach the right hand to the pinky side edge of the right foot and guide it in closer to the glute. If you cannot make the reach with your right hand use a belt or strap. Hold for 3-5 breaths and the repeat on the second side.
Supta Baddha Konasana
In a supine position guide the soles of the feet together letting the knees fall open. Let your left hand rest on your heart space while your right rests on your belly. Allow the body to be completely still with no physical effort. Lay in this posture 1-5 minutes.
Explore and be safe,
Namaste