Before a hike, prepare your body with 6 warm-up exercises

Useless? Superfluous? Think again, warm-up exercises are essential… Don't neglect them. Your body will thank you!

You like hiking, the breathtaking landscapes, the wild nature, the feelings of freedom and plenitude once you reach the top. Do you appreciate this very special and beneficial physical fatigue when you return home? Aso don't forget to prepare your body, your joints, your muscles, your tendons, your ligaments ... Some warm-up exercises will help you keep pace throughout the effort. They will also protect you from possible injuries during your journey. Best of all, when you return, they will also ensure better recovery.

For beginners, a a physical training preliminary will prevent your body from being subjected to too strong a shock. For experienced hikers, it will limit chronic injuries due to repeated efforts. It will decrease for all the risks of contractures and elongation. Sunday walker or experienced hiker, today we offer you six simple exercises to perform before your departure.

Before starting, it is necessary to gradually raise his body temperature by walking quietly. Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth about XNUMX times, slowly. When you feel ready, start your warm-up exercises starting with your upper body and working your way down to make sure you don't forget anything. Be careful, always follow this simple rule: Never force… And if you feel any pain, do not hesitate to talk to your doctor.

The neck

Relax and bring your chin up to your chest and then back, never straining. Do the same on the left then on the right. Repeat each movement several times and finish this step with a few smooth rotations.

Shoulders

Perform about ten shoulder rotations, then place your arms horizontally to perform several scissor movements in front of you.

Warming up for the back

Stretch your back by leaning on one leg while the other is back, then perform the same exercise by reversing the position of the legs.

The pelvis and hips

A few rotations of the pelvis will then be useful before performing lateral scissor movements one leg after the other.

Warming up for the knees

If you feel up to it, feel free to do a few lunges on each of your legs.

Ankles

Finally, make small rotating movements of your ankles.

Finish your warm-up by inhaling and exhaling slowly… That's it! You're ready to don your bag, and take to your favorite trails. But above all ... Whether during warm-ups, hiking or for any other effort, never forget to listen to yourself. Know your limits and those of the people accompanying you. Hydrate regularly, adjust your walking shoes, bring a backpack adapted to the difficulty of your route, a snack, a first aid kit, water, and your mobile phone. If there is no network, you can always bring back wonderful shots of your getaway.