How come it hurts when I exercise?

Author: Marc, January 18th, 2010

Take a Hike!

This question came from a dear friend whom is stuck in outdoor paradise in southern California. It pertains to us all (BTW: For some reason I really like when people call me Mr. Fitness):

Q. Okay Mr. Fitness, how do I keep from getting so sore after a hike!!! Do I need to stretch more???? Or eat something different ahead of time???? help???

A. Darn good question. As I sit here with my right calf aching and my lower back tight because of it I’m reminded of the fact that all things in this universe are connected. So the answer is not simple and an off the cuff analysis isn’t my style but the solution may be very simple.

The answer to your three questions is yes.

Tight muscles and stiff joints contribute to post-activity pain.
Also fatigue is a big factor.
And I’m always happy to help.

I’m assuming you were in the mountains around your town and not on a disc golf course like me this week. The thing is your soreness is a combination of stressors showing up for the same reason which is simply that your muscles and joints don’t get used that same way on a regular basis. The inlines, declines and other features of the terrain put you into positions you can’t very well train for in the gym.
The best thing to do to minimize after-activity aches and pains is to do them regularly, but to stop before the pains begin. In other words, do a mile or so one day and if is pain-free try a couple miles and so on until you find either the terrain or distance that starts to challenge you. This is how endurance atheletes train. Slowly work up to the longer hikes and avoid long lay-offs.

Be sure to warm up. Take a walk around the parking lot at the trailhead and do some LIGHT stretching, or if the trail is walking distance away stroll to it. When you stop to rest on the trail be sure to hydrate and instead of flopping down, do some more light stretching. If you are in the hills for more than two or three hours be sure to take a snack. Water and trail mix both help reduce fatigue.
You got a longer answer than you wanted but it was an excellent question! Treat your recreational activities the same way you’d treat a competition. Train for it!

Go out and enjoy those hills. Wish I could too!