4 Tips to Prevent Tightness After Hiking

Let's first define the hike. I am talking about a tough hike. A hike that takes 5+ hours or/and that is tough on the body, meaning a lot of twisting and squeezing through tight places.

I am not talking about a trail hike here! I am writing about                                          a rock scrambling or mountaineering hikes.

Show Me the Tips!

Tip 1:
Soak in a Jacuzzi. The hot water keeps your muscles loose. This is actually easy and feels good. Most gyms have a Jacuzzi.

Tip 2:
Go to the gym and stretch after the hike. This will help keep your muscles loose. Yes, you  can do this at home, but the question is: Will you? Once at the gym it's harder to blow off stretching.
​
Tip 3:
Movement. Once at home move. Now, I am not talking about running a marathon, but do not sit down and watch TV all night.
​
Clean out your pack. Feed the animals, go for a short walk, anything that gets you moving. Why do this? It's very hard for muscle to get tight if you move. The body is meant to move, not sit still all day.
​

Tip 4:
Workout or do an easy hike the next day. I am not talking about a killer workout, but a workout that gets your body moving. If you prefer to hike, make it an easy hike. A few hours at the most and it could be a trail hike.

Your Goal Is Longevity

If you enjoy hiking and want to do it for 20, 30, or 40 more years, then your goal should be longevity.
Ask yourself: Is what I am doing increasing or decreasing my hiking life? 
You will know the answer. That's the easy part. The hard part is...

                               Are you going to make the smart choice?

Here's a great article about the top 50 long distance hikes in the US. Read it here.