Get Your Body Ready for Your Next Outside Adventure
Summer is upon us! The days are longer, the sun is shining (on most days), and people are out soaking up every moment.
With the change in season often comes a change in activity as well. People will shake the dust off their hiking boots, pickleball paddles, and bike helmets and get outside to make the most of the Pacific Northwest summer!
But, those first few hikes, games, or rides can be a little rough on your body. After a long winter and spring, you may not be used to or ready for that type or intensity of activity. Your body may give you some warnings of muscle aches and joint pains afterward telling you that you may have overdone it. If you don’t listen to those warnings, your body may hit a limit, putting you at risk for injury.
Let’s dive into some strategies you can use to help take care of your body while tackling your favorite outdoor adventure during the coming summer months!
Preparing your body physically through proper training and fueling will make your time outside more enjoyable.
You won’t regret it.
Physical Preparedness
Consistent Strength Training
Be sure to build in at least 2-3 days of resistance training into your fitness routine to build muscle strength and physical capacity to help prepare you for hiking, biking, paddling, etc.
If you participate in endurance activities (hiking, cycling, running, etc.), try to introduce other movement types that help build cardiovascular endurance.
Warm Up
Before you start any activity, you should perform a thorough active warm up lasting at least 10 minutes!
How do you know if you are warm enough to start? You should get your heart rate up and break a sweat.
What does this look like?
Use active movements over passive stretches
Start with more general movements and progress to activity-specific movements (focusing on the joints you will be working)
Include 5 minutes of an aerobic activity (brisk walk, bike, or light jog)
Strategic Fueling
Hydration
With increased temperatures and potentially exercising at elevation, hydration is key. Water is crucial for hydration. However, when consumed in excess, water may actually create electrolyte imbalances in your body. To ward off the consequences of these imbalances, add electrolytes to your water to help supplement your hydration! This includes tablets, powders, or sports drinks.
Nutrition
It is important to fuel your body well before and after activity to ensure you have enough energy to perform the specific activity. A few hours before, eat a meal with high carbohydrates, some quality protein, and low fats. Soon after activity, eat a snack with both carbohydrates and protein.
For endurance activities lasting longer than 1 hour, you will need to think about continuing to fuel your body during activity. The primary focus is carbohydrates, as that is the most readily available form of energy for your body to use during activity. Try to consume at least 60g of carbohydrates every 60 minutes of activity.
Recovery Tactics
Active Recovery
This helps to utilize the active pump of muscles to flush out any build up of lactic acid or toxins within the tissues. It can help to reduce soreness after exercise and help your body recovery faster
Active recovery may include a cool down immediately after exercise, or performing yoga, going on a light cycle, jog, or walk, or swimming the day after activity
Passive Recovery
Both active and passive recovery are crucial for complete body recovery. You need both to prevent overtraining and injury! It is about allowing your body to truly rest. This is especially important for the mental strain of training and activity.
Passive recovery looks different for people, but may include: sleep (get 8 hours at night and take a nap if you need), taking time to stretch, or getting a massage.
Hopefully those strategies help give you ideas for how to prepare for your next outdoor adventure! May sure you have all the gear and fuel you need when you head out in order to maximize your physical success and enjoyment.
Where will your next adventure take you?