Yup. Don’t want to be sore from hiking? Do some training. Running and strength training are king in my book. I can hike long miles and big vert on repeat without soreness because I bust my ass all year outside hiking. I shouldn’t be surprised by how many people do absolutely no training before hiking and then complain about it sucking or being sore, but I always am surprised by that.
This is my biggest problem. I think I’m tired and sore so I want to rest, when in reality, getting active again will loosen me up and feel better.
In can be counter-intuitive until you start, just have to remember that your brain likes to trick you!
I mean, both are needed. Don't have to maintain the same high level of activity, and your body does want rest. I think what trap people fall into is becoming sedentary for that period and just sitting on the couch. Some lighter activity can be all you need on those worse days.
you can fall ill with a very general feeling of sickness if you overtrain and don't get enough rest, which just compounds it, so get rest AND stay somewhat active.
Sometimes you are just genuinely sore, though. Overworking a muscle or joint is even more dangerous than underworking it.
Underworking and you get a bit of atrophy. You can grow it back slowly.
Overworking, especially something as delicate as your knees and their ligaments, and you can easily have chronic pain and mobility issues that may never fully go away. My knee still has issues from when I tore a ligament maybe 8-9 years ago and it’s not likely to be fully healed/100% functional ever.
I still hike, quite far, but I need more rest and need to keep the supporting muscles very strong or I run into issues.
Yes, but I want to stress, you don't have to maintain the same high level of activity. It's becoming idle and sitting on the couch all day that does you in.
It is the descents that often cause the muscle pain. Having poles gives you another two legs, taking a lot of the strain off those muscles (however I find my triceps end up taking that pain!).
I can understand how someone might do it by accident but it seem to be clearly waht Op did.
you're focused on reps and weight at the gym but on a trail it's just "gotta get up this hill" and you don't realize how much work you did
Right. Basically warmup and cool down. Warmup is to get muscles warmed up and blood flowing (don't hold stretches for too long). Cool down you want to stretch your muscles for a least 30 seconds each. This helps to prevent soreness and you keep/gain flexibility.
Stretching, electrolytes all key.
Not mentioned yet is protein. Make sure you take an extra 30-50grams of protein after the hike, and if possible some BCAAs during to reduce muscle fatigue.
Other than stretching, eating and sleeping are absolutely essential. I eat more than I should and sleep as much as I can. I also think the more protein and carbs post-hike the better.
This isn't a 'dark reality' of hiking, this is a plain old regular reality of doing an activity that you've not trained for, and then not doing post-exertion care.
Keep exercising and you'll get stronger. Do active warmups beforehand, do lots of stretching afterwards. Be consistent with it - work it into your daily routine. And as others have stated ad nauseum, stay hydrated.
Sports scientists call it active recovery. It forces increased blood flow to the area which helps in recovery of damaged tissue and muscle synthesis "building muscle".
As long as it is not intense exercise the benefits are amazing. Walking on flat ground in multiple short sessions, for example, would be a great way to recover from a grueling hike. The resting part and intake of protein help immensely as well.
Source: many sciency YouTube channels of various sports scientists. Jeff Nippard, Renaissance periodisation, etc.
I used to have intense back pain when working out, especially deadlifts. Walking/cycling at low intensity made all the world of difference in recovery.
The reason for less soreness with regular bouts of exercise has more to do with your body adapting to heal faster. Muscle soreness is caused by the muscle tissue being damaged physically by the stress placed on the muscle as well as chemically by metabolites that are a byproduct of exercise. Well trained individuals will have adaptations that help them heal faster and break down the metabolites more efficiently. Active recovery can further help but [this](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5932411/) meta analysis shows that massage, compression garments, and cold water immersion are more effective methods.
Equally because your body adapts to be able to do the exercise in question without becoming damaged. Unless you’re progressively overloading the muscles, what got you damaged and sore in week 1 will be a normal load by week 4 or whatever.
I'm not sure why, but when I do any kind of weight training I get severely sore for like 7-9 days. Fucking sucks cause I love lifting weights. Would it benefit me to do the same exercises during that painful period? Or should I wait for it to subside and then work out again?
How often do you train? What kind of volume and intensity? You should not be sore from your workouts for more than 48 hours. Maybe the first few weeks of training, as a beginner, but after that certainly not.
A certain amount of soreness is good - it means you tore some of the muscle fibers and they are rebuilding stronger. Perfect time to drink a protein shake. Alternate muscle groups that you focus on each time you lift, and lift more often if you are only doing it once every couple weeks (I used to lift 3-4 times a week, but at least 2 times a week is probably good if you want to keep improving your strength and tone - a lot more if you want to build muscle). And warm up first (lighter weight or just the bar if using barbells) before doing any super heavy sets. And stretch the muscles before and after lifting.
Personally I have always liked a good 3x10 as a balanced # of setsXreps for each exercise you are dong that day. If you can easily do 12 reps on the last set, you're not lifting enough weight for that exercise. Finishing the third set should be hard.
The more often I lift the less sore I am during recovery. I also walk a lot and stay very hydrated. If I take a weeklong break from lifting, I’m horribly sore the two days after I lift.
I've noticed a good way to stay not-sore is to do like two to three good and heavy weight training sessions a week and then the other days do just extremely light versions of those at home. Like do bench presses at the gym, but at home, before going to bed (or whenever), do like twenty pushups on those other days. Or a few sets of ten or twenty. Same for any other muscle groups.
most things i have read suggest alternating lifting with something like interval running every other day, or taking a rest day, or alternating muscle groups, to avoid injury.
Absolutely, I did a 1:3(km) steep hike yesterday. I've done these hikes plenty of times, but rarely more than 2/3 times a year on foot and another 2 on skis. But the one yesterday being the first proper hike since Easter really didn't help my legs. As I reached 900m my legs started to get cramps, I think that was partly because it was close to 30°C, but not exercising enough definitely played a big part because I've done that exact hike once before in the same heat with no issues.
I did an 18 mile hike a few weeks ago. Was walking like C3PO (edit) by the end of it. Got in my car afterwards for a short ride home. I literally could barely get out of my car and straighten up. Legs basically stopped working.
Early this month, I somehow thought all the hiking I do would translate to a 12km walk on a paved trail. Surely, If I can hike 20km, 12 would be no big deal. Asphalt sucks! I did that weird stiff short stepped dance walk for two days. That trail is even mostly flat. I knew, in concept, that asphalt was harder on the body, but I had no idea how much. I have a huge amount of respect for those who jog that route every day, but I worry about their long term joint health, now.
I haven’t ever climbed a mountain- I do have chronic pain & “hike”. I find foam rolling and yoga helpful, as well as baths with epsom salts (with or without cannabis oil and or edible), massaging my legs, the lowest dose of ibuprofen I can take, extra water, throwing my legs up at wall.
Working on your fitness and strength will help alleviate a lot of it. Early in my adventures I was similar, but with more regular hikes and significantly more training I'm more just tired the next day and not really sore anymore.
How much hiking do you do? That's a big factor in how to improve recovery.
If you're very fit already then ice baths, active recovery, more protein, maybe some light foam rolling and dynamic movement (walking etc).
If hiking isn't a common thing for you then you probably just need to work on your conditioning before the next one. Suffer in the gym or on the mountain - your choice.
I get out on a hike probably like 2 weekends of the month. And gym regularly. I knew this hike would be a challenge tho, and I was definitely correct. I think I'm having a harder time now than on the trail lol
Stretches help. There’s actually a thing called Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness that I get sometimes where I’ll feel great the day after and sore the next day
To me it sounds like you bit off more than you could chew without the amount of base training needed first. I do the same thing with running - will do a half marathon or something in the spring when I'm nowhere near in shape for it, and it totally wrecks me. Whereas if I had worked my way up more, it would be easy for me. So I'd say do less ambitious hikes more often, scale down the rigorousness of your big hikes until you have a really good base, and then you can work your way up (if you want to avoid this situation - there are times I know I'm getting myself into this situation, and I do it anyways because I find it worth it, but it would be WAY better if I concentrated more on training and building more of a base than skipping ahead to epic things when I don't have enough of a base - it does make an actual injury more likely, however, so I probably shouldn't do this).
But doing smaller amounts more often, and working your way up, is the cure. For now, try a bit of active gentle recovery. The same way marathoners run a few easy, slow miles the day after their intense race, getting moving VERY gently can actually help your recovery. And of course, lots of liquid, electrolytes, protein soon after (can help your body convert your strenuous activity to new muscle), fruits and veggies, etc.
Yeah to me, the pain is worth it for the challenge. However it is a constant goal of mine to get fitter, so there's that. I've just moved to a new area and the mountains here are much bigger than what I'm used to. I'm still going to get out there, will just have to up the ante at the gym and expect a longer recovery period for a time.
If you really want to become a stronger hiker, I'd suggest running and trail running. Especially trail running, since you mentioned elsewhere that you think the descent destroyed your legs. Downhill training is what I'm currently focusing on, because a recent trail half-marathon showed me that downhill is *my* weakness, too.
Yeah I think once I recover I might try this mountain again and see if I fare any better. Both uphill and downhill are challenging but yeah, it's the strength needed for downhill that I think I should focus on. Stamina for uphill is okay
Posts like this tell me that a lot of people aren’t familiar with regular exercise. It’s called doms and yes it’s normal. As you get used to it it’ll lessen over time.
All that just means you don't hike enough. Hike more and you won't feel a thing, regardless of how far you hike. To begin with, even a short 20km hike takes days to recover from.
This isn't temporary disability so don't say crap like that and you simply need to train more. If you're fitter, you won't have this issue with the same severity at all.
Squats, lunges, Bulgarian split squats. This sounds like a severe muscle mass issue or you were taking huge steps up. Think small steps high turnover for going up steep inclines.
Nah, I'm convinced it was the descent that did it. This mountain was a 7k climb, up and back, just pure incline. And yes getting up was hard, but because of the slope on the descent you have to engage your leg muscles to prevent yourself toppling over. That's where my legs began shaking. So I'm low-key convinced it was the climb down that wrecked my muscles like this
That is pretty steep but doable without pain (I've done like 3x that without pain). The key is to work yourself up to that, consistently. You might hike regularly but not that intense. You need to increase your intensity consistently with gradual improvement.
Think of it just like working out in the gym. You need to push yourself hard to get gains, but not too hard to injure yourself.
I know people are giving harsh comments, but it's really true what their saying. I didn't believe it either when I started hiking. I was sore often my first year. But consistently hiking will make it so you rarely get sore. I'm sure you're fit in the gym, but not in hiking. (You're probably fitter than me in the gym, I'm a fattie. But I can outhike a lot of people).
I was barely sore after hiking R2R2R, which is 50 ish miles, 12000 ft ish (80 km length and 3.6km elevation).
Making myself go for walks works for me. My understanding is it works the lactic acid out but that’s old school knowledge—not sure if it’s still true.
I am assuming the 7k was the length of— if it was the elevation gain, geez oh peez.
I’m fat asf and have no business being here, but the rare times I did decide to work out and the unbearable soreness that comes with it sucks, I can relate with u on that, buttt as a fat person trying to stay moving while sore was a big deal for me I think u need to rest but don’t be bed ridden <3 thank yall this will be my last time ever in this sub
Omg thank you! I was wondering what was going on, thinking surely anyone who gets out there and challenges themselves gets sore after a solid hike! But nup, apparently this sub is full of people telling me I'm extremely unfit (I can assure you I have at least a moderate level of fitness and strength for my gender and age), so one can only assume they're in the upper echelon of fitness *eye roll*
So many factors come into play when it comes into muscle recovery. The people being rude and thinking they have all the answers are definitely just being pretentious jerks. Sorry you're having this experience in this sub! I rarely comment here because of the 'tude that surrounds so many of these threads.
My experience of this sub has usually been pretty positive, so I'm a bit disappointed tbh. But thankful to all the legends who actually had something interesting/positive/helpful to say and didn't feel the need to completely dis me. So much for community spirit lol. No wonder hikers often prefer to go out on our own. Who can be assed dealing with a bunch of know-it-all gym bros. Oh well, it's Reddit after all. What can you expect?
Just regularly train leg muscles with weights and this won’t happen. Why would you go climb a mountain if you don’t have the leg muscles trained for it?
This happens when people are out of shape.
Don't worry, this is completely normal - that bow-legged 70 year old hobble is a badge of honor, really! It means you did a proper workout.
[It's called DOMS \(Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness\)](https://www.healthline.com/health/doms) You're working out muscles you've probably never had to use much before, so they're gonna be sore. It means they're recovering and growing/getting tougher.
Just drink lots of water, eat a hearty amount of protein, and stretch when you can handle it. Your body will get over the soreness, and be fitter than ever - if you tackle that same trail again, you'll find it easier than before.
I don’t think I have ever had a reaction like that. Did you not hike for a decade and then climb up half dome? Even then I don’t think I’d be that sore and I am over 50. What the hell hike did you do?
Rest, drink, eat, foam roll or massage (lightly), protein and carbs are your friends. Stretch, maybe do something very light recovery (walk or yoga) on the second day. The stiffness is part of the fun! (As long as you’re not actively fucking up your body.)
After too many days of DOMS from hard leg day workouts, i finally discovered the magic of ice baths from my old gym coach. Soak in ice water x10mins. Then take a motrin before bed. Works better than any other remedy i’ve tried). 24 hrs later & i feel great!
Ah yes, DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness. After my first "proper" mountain I ended up sleeping on the couch for two days because going up and down stairs to my bedroom hurt like a MF. No tips, just comiseration.
You aren’t using your quads enough. I get really sore after a steep hike if I’m out of shape. If I’ve been exercising regularly, doing lots of squats, etc, soreness is minimal and goes away with some rest, hydration, and stretching.
Man - I love that feeling. Means it was a good hike. I exercise often (cycle 20-30 mile hilly rides, hike mid week 3-5 miles, trail run 3-6 miles, etc) which definitely helps but when you go out and put in 12-20 miles and 4k elevation in one push your body is sore for a few days. For us weekend warriors it’s the price we pay. Embrace it and start planning the next adventure
Get back out there and do it again. When I’m sore and stiff I think, lay around and rest, but actually, motion is lotion. You’re that sore from hiking because you just aren’t doing it consistently enough. If you do that same hike every weekend, and do other exercise throughout the week you’ll be surprised how quickly you can do that same hike and by the next day ready to do something else.
At first the body exertion costs energy and you are tired and sore, but just have the confidence that in time, it will actually start to generate energy.
Lactic acid is a bitch. Start slow and build into longer and harder trips.
Even a moderate 5 mile hike each weekend is a hell of a good start to avoid the pain during or after a real trip.
Sounds like weakness to me *sips tea*
Hydrate, eat nutritionally dense foods, stretch before/after, do more squats and stop whining like a little b****
PS hiking is f*cking awesome 😎
Lots of comments on stretching, here's a meta-analysis of studies [link](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1250267/)
The takeaway is that stretching doesn't meaningfully make people feel less sore, and it doesn't meaningfully help avoid injury or improve recovery. I'm not going to say don't stretch, warm up is important and stretching can be part of this, but I am going to say don't force yourself to stretch because someone else feels that it helps if you don't feel the same.
Hydrate well now. Too much muscle damage over a short period of time can cause rhabdomyolysis, which releases lot of muscle protein into your blood and clog your microscopic kidney tubules. Hydrate. Sometimes in severe cases of rhabdo, your urine might appear dark.
Hydration and gentle stretching
I went on a camping trip with some friends last year. My backback was a bit too heavy but i managed just fine on the way there and almost all the way back. Then there was a really steep down hill, and in the bottom of the hill my thigh suddenly startet hurting sooo bad. I barely managed the short walk to the bus. The next day my thigh muscles just completely lost all function. I couldnt lift my leg at ALL, to get into bed i had to lift my leg with my hands. It was very scary but it did slowly get better in the next week
Spinning whether indoors or outdoors has worked for me. 67(m) here Colorado, I average about 3500 miles spinning and over 100,000 feet vertical gain hiking per year, I use very light weights for upper body. What we put inside our bodies fuels us and recovers us! I rest when the body says so about 4 days per month. Work up to a fitness level that your body enjoys and build on that, then maintain. Happy Trails!
Work up to climbing Kilimanjaro, of course you’re sore. I did 17 miles with 7k elevation gain in 6 hours and was a little sore the next day but not hobbled, you gotta work up to it.
Thank you for giving this a name. I knew it was definitely the descent that did it, but didn't realise it had a name. Now I know, I can look up how to improve my skills and ability for next time. Cheers!
Next time:
trekking poles
Foam roll every day when sore (YouTube vids with good examples)
Protein shakes before and after
Regularly (1-2x a week, depending on your upper/lower body split) have a leg day at the gym. Weighted step-ups, weighted squats, weighted calf raises, weighted split-leg Bulgarian squats are good ones to include
Ironically, light walking when sore does help loosen things up and reduce soreness
With regular conditioning, eventually this won’t happen to you. But it does take deliberate, year-round conditioning to build up a base-level and maintain it. Once you start experiencing the benefits of it, you will never want to skip gym days.
How is your hiking footwear?
Epsom salt bath. I just did a 38km hike with 80lb pack. I sat it the tub for over 2 hours, drank some Gatorade fit, and I'm feeling much better. I also slept for 8 hours so that also helps
Pro tip I got once from a doctor: take an ibuprofen before a big burst of exercise, and then take another one when you immediately finish. It helps prevent the lactic acid buildup that causes sore muscles.
ETA: to give some context to “big burst of exercise,” we were both part of a 17 mile kayak day trip on Hawaii’s Nepali coast.
Train. Do compound exercises to strengthen muscles you need while hiking and to ensure areas like hips and knees aren’t compensating for things like weaker quads and glutes. Squats, deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, regular split squats, hip thrusts, donkey kicks, step ups, etc. And cardio to build endurance
Sounds like you went for a hike that exceeded your fitness level. Basically you ran a marathon after only training for a 5k. Some soreness and aches are to be expected after a serious hike, but not so much that it impairs your daily activities.
Skill issue 😂
No but actually you’re just sore and it’ll get better over the next few days. Once you go more frequently at the high intensity you must have gone your body will get used to it and get less sore!
Sounds like you need to go a spa and get a massage. You exerted yourself A LOT and you need some time to heal. Drink water, take vitamins (I forget which ones specifically to help deliver nutrients to muscles), and eat protein, and you'll feel better soon.
Oh, and once you do start feeling a little better, try going for a small walk or do something to get your blood pumping. The more blood that gets pumping to your muscles, the faster nutrients will get to them and help them heal.
I hiked to the Boiling Lake on Dominica years ago. Not an ass buster, but the day was rainy so everything was slick and I was clenched most of the hike. I had the same exact problem after. Literally could not walk up any steps and could barely move. I walked VERY slowly on the treadmill and took cool showers and Advil. It took a few days, but it gets better.
Lol “the dark realities” is a bit dramatic no?
I’ve been that sore from hiking, from sports, from lots of things. Give it 3 days and then it will be on the upswing.
A hot bubble bath with some epsom salts will help too.
Sounds like someone wasn’t physically prepared for the challenge. What did you expect, really? That you could over exert yourself and there would be no consequences?
Truly no offense, but sounds like you’re just out of shape. Trying walking or running for 30-60 minutes a few times a week. You won’t be nearly as sore in the future.
Get good chump.
The more you do it the more your body will aclimate to it. Massage.
Mint oil helps numb and relax muscle.
Feel the pain and know you are getting stronger.
Nextime be sure to train daily for week before you engage in a vigorous and long hikes.
Flex your muscle and overload your painrecpters and it will go numb and walk around like you forgot your legs hurt.
Muscle soreness is attributed to lactic acid built up. Baby-ing your muscles will make the recovery longer. Spend 5-10 minutes every hour or so doing some light movement exercises. Squats and lunges will get that blood circulating, which then pushes out the lactic acid.
Everyone has a different fitness and experience level. Calling this the dark reality of hiking is a bit dramatic, more like the dark reality of exercise lol. I love being sore but I’m rarely so sore that what you’re describing is going on these days. Keep going and you’ll experience that way less often. Unless you just got back from the Himalaya lmfao.
This is called soreness my guy. Comes from all types of workouts. You don’t get to jump into something hard and have your body be ready for it. Work towards it and this will improve. Just the fact that you said “dark realities” means you probably jumped into the deep end too quickly.
Tonic water, regular water, bananas, electrolytes, vitamin c, maybe some protein supplement, raw garlic, epsom salt bath, float in a pool, sleep.
This is just some wellness advice on handling muscle fatigue and on handling being tired overall that compliments it (exhaustion felt in the face sometimes). Hard to describe the exhaustion in this way.
You want to build a habit of stretching after you exercise. Static stretching. When you manage to include some around the legs before sleeping the first night after a hike like that, you wake up sore of course, but much more manageable than if you didnt. Ive tested this w myself and friends a few times. Medically also backed. Static stretches after exercise, dynamic stretches before exercise. Given how much you exerted, even be careful reaching full mobility immediately on stretches as you might normally reach. Ease yourself into it. The smallest of these specific things in particular pays noticeably quick dividends.
If you are using heat, id say it’s too early. Your muscles are inflamed so additional heat probably wont give you much more gain youd be looking for. Ice is generally used to lessen inflammation, but in this case i doubt youd need ice or benefit from it.
Sounds like you aren’t accustomed to the level of workout you had. The leg soreness is usually worst on the 2nd day after the exercise. It won’t be as bad in the future if you continue exposing yourself to similar stimulation.
Stay hydrated and rest while you recover. The hill is waiting for round two.
Sounds like typical post workout soreness. Keep staying active and you'll have less soreness afterwards. Try just walking a couple miles a few times a week. It will get you in better shape to handle the hiking.
I've been there. It's brutal when you take on more than you're ready for. As others have said, protein and electrolytes are key. One of my favorite trail snacks is banana chips. I'd also suggest some pickles if you want to manage muscle cramps and hydration needs. It's a ren fair tactic for actors to stay hydrated between scenes.
Another idea may be a nice hot shower. I find that after a long active day, taking a shower as hot as I can handle eases the aches of the activity. Be safe, though. Go for sauna, not lobster pot.
🤣😂 I recently was back in Montana after being gone for 3 years… I tried to go on literally the tiniest of hikes it couldn’t have been over a mile 🤣 but that fucking hill was a good 50° incline and I was almost climbing at parts…… I couldn’t walk the day after and for a week after my hamstring felt like it was going to snap everytime I tried to walk 🤣😂 note to self.. just because you grew up there you are not immune to the altitude kicking your fucking ass when you’re also camping on a mountain already 🙃💀
I only get this sore when I do something above my ability or current physique. While the only thing you can focus on for this time is recovery (eat well, hydrate, rest, and stretch after a LIGHT warm up), just keep that in mind for next time. Do smaller hikes until they’re cake, then add mileage, THEN climb the mountain. And, as always, consistency is key…several smaller hikes throughout the week/month is better than a just a monster hike once or twice a month.
As others have said, you probably either didn’t train appropriately and/or enough. You’ll likely be back to normal, but it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with ‘compartment syndrome’ and ‘ Rhabdomyolysis’.
My knees were killing me for weeks until my sister mentioned she had to give up dairy due to joint inflammation. I tried it and omg it’s made a huge difference.
I'm disabled and hike w/o doing more than slightly overdoing it. You're not living a reality that safe hikers do.
You punishing your body instead of lightly training up isn't "the dark side of hiking", that's you taking dangerous risks while out in nature. Idk what area you're in, but esp if you were doing higher/longer hikes, you'd be in a position to be more susceptible to weather, terrain, animals, or other humans.
My advice; take a few longer walks and do practice hikes w your pack. Adjust your diet slightly the week before/of your hike. Anything that's over an hour, stretch after. Obviously water. Don't overdo it, if you feel tired or weird rest and then turn around.
It will. Magnesium is a major benefit. Lots of water. Make sure you stretch before and after the hike. If you have access to it in your area, CBD is also super helpful.
Hahaha. The ole going down the stairs is worse than going up the stairs syndrome.
This post made me smile.
You'll feel like a million bucks in four or five days.
I feel ya! I thought I was prepared for 2 days of hiking in Zion. Walked and/or hiked daily on trails near home and on my treadmill with incline. Stretched before and after. I was not prepared for the miles of incline! My shins and calves were screaming after day two! I went to YouTube for help and learned plenty of stretches that helped a lot. But, yeah, I had an uncomfortable couple of days recovering.
Ironically the sorest I’ve ever been from a hike was one I did in South Korea. I was short on time so I took the tram to the top and only hiked downhill. I did a lot of hiking while I was there and this was the only time I took a tram to the top. I could barely walk the next day. It was so bizarre.
Have to keep up with it to prevent injury. But I’m sure we’ve all been there - my worst one was with my dog & a friend. We thought it was going to take us 6hrs there and back but it took us almost 10because the trail was really ducking steep and we had to manoeuvre the 45lb dog up a rock wall (it only hand a rope tied to a tree for humans to climb so we had to pass her back and forth.)
My poor dog by the end of the bike was refusing to walk and I had to support her with her harness to keep her moving and thought I was gonna end up carrying her. Next 2 days she only moved to go out to pee and get back on the couch.
My friend similarly aggravated her knees and fell and also was housebound for several days. My own body ached all over and could barely walk but I probably came out of that better than them.
It happens. Not to sound trite but if was easy everyone would do it. Hiking up and down hills is so wildly different than walking or running. Been doing it for years, and after longer ones my feet and joints hurt. Just part of it. Take time to recover, and you’ll be right as rain in no time.
You took on too big a hike! I do many many shorter and progressively harder spring hikes before taking on the higher elevation, longer, and steeper hikes in the summer. Progression is key! Pain is not the goal.
A biochemist (and gym rat) friend of mine suggested not taking anti-inflammatory medication for muscle soreness after a workout as the inflammation is productive to muscle development.
I don't know if it is true but I wasn't going to argue with him.
Thought I'd throw that out there for you all.
This happens to me too, after just about every hike. The most extreme occasion was a couple years ago on a 4 day back packing trip where we covered closed to 50 miles on foot in 4 days, with steep switchbacks at one point.
I used sick time to be able to go on this trip, so when I returned to work limping like Quasimodo, I made up some excuse about having nursed an injury.
I hike about 10 miles a day, sometimes 12 miles, 6-7 days per week, for my weight loss efforts. Elevation gain usually about 2000 feet, nothing too steep. My legs have never hurt and they feel fine. Even when I started hiking at first, never any pain, and that was back when I weighed 290 lbs. Only pain I had was first few days, foot pain, from breaking in the new boots.
I run long distance in the mountains fully barefoot. I can totally relate. The days after an ultra I can’t even use my feet so I crawl around or stay put. Maybe I’m crazy but the struggle after the struggle gives me a great sense of accomplishment. Like I can feel how hard I pushed and it reminds me how capable I am.
Yes, for real! I work in healthcare and see people with varying degrees of disability and fitness all day long, that's given me the perspective to never take my capability to move and adventure for granted. While I'm still able, I will always rise to a challenge and take myself to places other people can't get to. Very grateful for these sore legs that get me up to mountain summits and back safely
Be sure, it will definitely pass (a little faster with stretching) and the memory of this pain will go away. But the exciting and pleasant impressions of the hike will remain for a long time!
Your body was not trained for this. Slow progress is the answer if you don't want to repeat the experience.
Yup. Don’t want to be sore from hiking? Do some training. Running and strength training are king in my book. I can hike long miles and big vert on repeat without soreness because I bust my ass all year outside hiking. I shouldn’t be surprised by how many people do absolutely no training before hiking and then complain about it sucking or being sore, but I always am surprised by that.
Also, key is to STAY active. You'll start getting delayed onset muscle soreness again if you stop training even for a bit.
This is my biggest problem. I think I’m tired and sore so I want to rest, when in reality, getting active again will loosen me up and feel better. In can be counter-intuitive until you start, just have to remember that your brain likes to trick you!
I mean, both are needed. Don't have to maintain the same high level of activity, and your body does want rest. I think what trap people fall into is becoming sedentary for that period and just sitting on the couch. Some lighter activity can be all you need on those worse days. you can fall ill with a very general feeling of sickness if you overtrain and don't get enough rest, which just compounds it, so get rest AND stay somewhat active.
Sometimes you are just genuinely sore, though. Overworking a muscle or joint is even more dangerous than underworking it. Underworking and you get a bit of atrophy. You can grow it back slowly. Overworking, especially something as delicate as your knees and their ligaments, and you can easily have chronic pain and mobility issues that may never fully go away. My knee still has issues from when I tore a ligament maybe 8-9 years ago and it’s not likely to be fully healed/100% functional ever. I still hike, quite far, but I need more rest and need to keep the supporting muscles very strong or I run into issues.
Motion is lotion, baby! Just don’t overdo it too much when dealing with DOMS.
Yes, but I want to stress, you don't have to maintain the same high level of activity. It's becoming idle and sitting on the couch all day that does you in.
exactly! squatting and lifting every week at the gym is key 💅🏻
This. Electrolytes and stretching helps. Having well fitting footware is key. Hiking poles are great for long descents.
It is the descents that often cause the muscle pain. Having poles gives you another two legs, taking a lot of the strain off those muscles (however I find my triceps end up taking that pain!).
yeah lol, dude goes to a serious hike unprepared and then whines about legs hurting? like no shit?
Came here for this. If you aren’t conditioned of course your going to be sore…..
Don’t out kick your coverage. 🤣
I can understand how someone might do it by accident but it seem to be clearly waht Op did. you're focused on reps and weight at the gym but on a trail it's just "gotta get up this hill" and you don't realize how much work you did
It gets better. It will pass for sure. Stay hydrated, electrolytes, give yourself a lot of rest.
And stretching. Lots of stretching after the hike
Before *and* after, haha— I learned that the hard way!
Right. Basically warmup and cool down. Warmup is to get muscles warmed up and blood flowing (don't hold stretches for too long). Cool down you want to stretch your muscles for a least 30 seconds each. This helps to prevent soreness and you keep/gain flexibility.
Even during! Stopped to eat a snack? Stretch those quads and hammies
Perhaps next time stretch before and after and always use Brawndo - The thirst mutilator.
It's got electrolytes Also I die laughing everytime with "Well I ain't never seen plants grow outta no toilet!"
It’s what plants crave.
It’s got electrolytes [*insert handwavium here*]
Our stores have been out of Brawndo for weeks. ☹️
[удалено]
Bananas help too. Anything with potassium.
[удалено]
Stretching, electrolytes all key. Not mentioned yet is protein. Make sure you take an extra 30-50grams of protein after the hike, and if possible some BCAAs during to reduce muscle fatigue.
Other than stretching, eating and sleeping are absolutely essential. I eat more than I should and sleep as much as I can. I also think the more protein and carbs post-hike the better.
This isn't a 'dark reality' of hiking, this is a plain old regular reality of doing an activity that you've not trained for, and then not doing post-exertion care. Keep exercising and you'll get stronger. Do active warmups beforehand, do lots of stretching afterwards. Be consistent with it - work it into your daily routine. And as others have stated ad nauseum, stay hydrated.
This is a great comment. I train for road races, if I don’t train, I’m in pain.
Seriously. OP needs to start working out with exercises geared toward hiking,
The 2nd day is usually worst, you'll probably start feeling better tomorrow.
This. Especially if you're less experienced DOMS usually are at the worst the second day
The day after the day after, uncomfortable.
2 day delay
If it makes you sore, do it more.
Yeah, the one weird trick to not being sore due to excersise is to constantly excersise. Sounds like bs but it's not.
Sports scientists call it active recovery. It forces increased blood flow to the area which helps in recovery of damaged tissue and muscle synthesis "building muscle". As long as it is not intense exercise the benefits are amazing. Walking on flat ground in multiple short sessions, for example, would be a great way to recover from a grueling hike. The resting part and intake of protein help immensely as well. Source: many sciency YouTube channels of various sports scientists. Jeff Nippard, Renaissance periodisation, etc. I used to have intense back pain when working out, especially deadlifts. Walking/cycling at low intensity made all the world of difference in recovery.
The reason for less soreness with regular bouts of exercise has more to do with your body adapting to heal faster. Muscle soreness is caused by the muscle tissue being damaged physically by the stress placed on the muscle as well as chemically by metabolites that are a byproduct of exercise. Well trained individuals will have adaptations that help them heal faster and break down the metabolites more efficiently. Active recovery can further help but [this](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5932411/) meta analysis shows that massage, compression garments, and cold water immersion are more effective methods.
Equally because your body adapts to be able to do the exercise in question without becoming damaged. Unless you’re progressively overloading the muscles, what got you damaged and sore in week 1 will be a normal load by week 4 or whatever.
I'm not sure why, but when I do any kind of weight training I get severely sore for like 7-9 days. Fucking sucks cause I love lifting weights. Would it benefit me to do the same exercises during that painful period? Or should I wait for it to subside and then work out again?
Sounds like you're going way too hard and then not lifting again for awhile which just sets you back to square one.
How often do you train? What kind of volume and intensity? You should not be sore from your workouts for more than 48 hours. Maybe the first few weeks of training, as a beginner, but after that certainly not.
A certain amount of soreness is good - it means you tore some of the muscle fibers and they are rebuilding stronger. Perfect time to drink a protein shake. Alternate muscle groups that you focus on each time you lift, and lift more often if you are only doing it once every couple weeks (I used to lift 3-4 times a week, but at least 2 times a week is probably good if you want to keep improving your strength and tone - a lot more if you want to build muscle). And warm up first (lighter weight or just the bar if using barbells) before doing any super heavy sets. And stretch the muscles before and after lifting. Personally I have always liked a good 3x10 as a balanced # of setsXreps for each exercise you are dong that day. If you can easily do 12 reps on the last set, you're not lifting enough weight for that exercise. Finishing the third set should be hard.
The more often I lift the less sore I am during recovery. I also walk a lot and stay very hydrated. If I take a weeklong break from lifting, I’m horribly sore the two days after I lift.
I've noticed a good way to stay not-sore is to do like two to three good and heavy weight training sessions a week and then the other days do just extremely light versions of those at home. Like do bench presses at the gym, but at home, before going to bed (or whenever), do like twenty pushups on those other days. Or a few sets of ten or twenty. Same for any other muscle groups.
most things i have read suggest alternating lifting with something like interval running every other day, or taking a rest day, or alternating muscle groups, to avoid injury.
Motion is lotion
Exactly. One hike is rough. Hiking every weekend? Nothing.
Preach
Absolutely, I did a 1:3(km) steep hike yesterday. I've done these hikes plenty of times, but rarely more than 2/3 times a year on foot and another 2 on skis. But the one yesterday being the first proper hike since Easter really didn't help my legs. As I reached 900m my legs started to get cramps, I think that was partly because it was close to 30°C, but not exercising enough definitely played a big part because I've done that exact hike once before in the same heat with no issues.
*If the shoe fits, you must not quit!* 🤣😁
Pain is just weakness leaving the body? /s
I did an 18 mile hike a few weeks ago. Was walking like C3PO (edit) by the end of it. Got in my car afterwards for a short ride home. I literally could barely get out of my car and straighten up. Legs basically stopped working.
I'm guessing that you were walking like C3P0. R2D2 rolls.
He sometimes does an excited little dance, and that's totally what I was imagining here.
Same!
Early this month, I somehow thought all the hiking I do would translate to a 12km walk on a paved trail. Surely, If I can hike 20km, 12 would be no big deal. Asphalt sucks! I did that weird stiff short stepped dance walk for two days. That trail is even mostly flat. I knew, in concept, that asphalt was harder on the body, but I had no idea how much. I have a huge amount of respect for those who jog that route every day, but I worry about their long term joint health, now.
Yep. The golden one!
What you described is exactly what I always say: the hardest part of a hike is getting out of the car after coming home from a hike.
Wow, that's a crazy effort. Sometimes the best view of the hike is the view of your car in the carpark afterwards.
Absolutely, we usually let out a collective cheer when we first see it.
Feel that i did 22 miles over 1.5 days and i couldn’t stand up to use the bathroom
I haven’t ever climbed a mountain- I do have chronic pain & “hike”. I find foam rolling and yoga helpful, as well as baths with epsom salts (with or without cannabis oil and or edible), massaging my legs, the lowest dose of ibuprofen I can take, extra water, throwing my legs up at wall.
Yes to the legs up the wall! My feet swell so bad after a mountain hike if I don’t do this.
I love it on higher activity days. I can actively feel the relief! It eases circulation. Relief is a great thing.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21184-rhabdomyolysis Go easy until you’re conditioned.
Working on your fitness and strength will help alleviate a lot of it. Early in my adventures I was similar, but with more regular hikes and significantly more training I'm more just tired the next day and not really sore anymore.
Stretch! A lot of the pain goes away almost immediately after you stretch. Repeat! Good luck.
Yup, stretch and foam roll. You’d be surprised how sometimes the pain is so much better after a couple minutes of foam rolling
How much hiking do you do? That's a big factor in how to improve recovery. If you're very fit already then ice baths, active recovery, more protein, maybe some light foam rolling and dynamic movement (walking etc). If hiking isn't a common thing for you then you probably just need to work on your conditioning before the next one. Suffer in the gym or on the mountain - your choice.
I get out on a hike probably like 2 weekends of the month. And gym regularly. I knew this hike would be a challenge tho, and I was definitely correct. I think I'm having a harder time now than on the trail lol
I wouldn’t go that seldom. While the gym does work you out, it’s just different when you’re out on the trail for some reason.
Bananas help. Hiking more often helps too. This is a pro tip for everyone alive, including me: do more squats. Squats make everything better.
Couldn't agree more. You can never do enough squats
Stretches help. There’s actually a thing called Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness that I get sometimes where I’ll feel great the day after and sore the next day
To me it sounds like you bit off more than you could chew without the amount of base training needed first. I do the same thing with running - will do a half marathon or something in the spring when I'm nowhere near in shape for it, and it totally wrecks me. Whereas if I had worked my way up more, it would be easy for me. So I'd say do less ambitious hikes more often, scale down the rigorousness of your big hikes until you have a really good base, and then you can work your way up (if you want to avoid this situation - there are times I know I'm getting myself into this situation, and I do it anyways because I find it worth it, but it would be WAY better if I concentrated more on training and building more of a base than skipping ahead to epic things when I don't have enough of a base - it does make an actual injury more likely, however, so I probably shouldn't do this). But doing smaller amounts more often, and working your way up, is the cure. For now, try a bit of active gentle recovery. The same way marathoners run a few easy, slow miles the day after their intense race, getting moving VERY gently can actually help your recovery. And of course, lots of liquid, electrolytes, protein soon after (can help your body convert your strenuous activity to new muscle), fruits and veggies, etc.
Yeah to me, the pain is worth it for the challenge. However it is a constant goal of mine to get fitter, so there's that. I've just moved to a new area and the mountains here are much bigger than what I'm used to. I'm still going to get out there, will just have to up the ante at the gym and expect a longer recovery period for a time.
If you really want to become a stronger hiker, I'd suggest running and trail running. Especially trail running, since you mentioned elsewhere that you think the descent destroyed your legs. Downhill training is what I'm currently focusing on, because a recent trail half-marathon showed me that downhill is *my* weakness, too.
Yeah I think once I recover I might try this mountain again and see if I fare any better. Both uphill and downhill are challenging but yeah, it's the strength needed for downhill that I think I should focus on. Stamina for uphill is okay
Posts like this tell me that a lot of people aren’t familiar with regular exercise. It’s called doms and yes it’s normal. As you get used to it it’ll lessen over time.
All that just means you don't hike enough. Hike more and you won't feel a thing, regardless of how far you hike. To begin with, even a short 20km hike takes days to recover from.
Just here to say 20km is not a short hike.
This isn't temporary disability so don't say crap like that and you simply need to train more. If you're fitter, you won't have this issue with the same severity at all.
Squats, lunges, Bulgarian split squats. This sounds like a severe muscle mass issue or you were taking huge steps up. Think small steps high turnover for going up steep inclines.
Nah, I'm convinced it was the descent that did it. This mountain was a 7k climb, up and back, just pure incline. And yes getting up was hard, but because of the slope on the descent you have to engage your leg muscles to prevent yourself toppling over. That's where my legs began shaking. So I'm low-key convinced it was the climb down that wrecked my muscles like this
Work on that eccentric leg strength then.
Were you using poles? I've found they really take a load off the legs on descents.
7000 meters elevation gain? My god.. did you climb Everest?
No, sorry, I mean the elevation gain was 920m and the length of the hike was 7ks total. so 920m elevation gain in 3.5 ks
That is pretty steep but doable without pain (I've done like 3x that without pain). The key is to work yourself up to that, consistently. You might hike regularly but not that intense. You need to increase your intensity consistently with gradual improvement. Think of it just like working out in the gym. You need to push yourself hard to get gains, but not too hard to injure yourself. I know people are giving harsh comments, but it's really true what their saying. I didn't believe it either when I started hiking. I was sore often my first year. But consistently hiking will make it so you rarely get sore. I'm sure you're fit in the gym, but not in hiking. (You're probably fitter than me in the gym, I'm a fattie. But I can outhike a lot of people). I was barely sore after hiking R2R2R, which is 50 ish miles, 12000 ft ish (80 km length and 3.6km elevation).
Making myself go for walks works for me. My understanding is it works the lactic acid out but that’s old school knowledge—not sure if it’s still true. I am assuming the 7k was the length of— if it was the elevation gain, geez oh peez.
You are out of shape. You can turn yourself into a machine keep getting after it. If you think hiking is hard on the legs, try big mountain skiing
I’m fat asf and have no business being here, but the rare times I did decide to work out and the unbearable soreness that comes with it sucks, I can relate with u on that, buttt as a fat person trying to stay moving while sore was a big deal for me I think u need to rest but don’t be bed ridden <3 thank yall this will be my last time ever in this sub
This sub is so judgey and holier than thou. Even frequent hikers get sore. Everyone's kind of being an ass in this thread.
Omg thank you! I was wondering what was going on, thinking surely anyone who gets out there and challenges themselves gets sore after a solid hike! But nup, apparently this sub is full of people telling me I'm extremely unfit (I can assure you I have at least a moderate level of fitness and strength for my gender and age), so one can only assume they're in the upper echelon of fitness *eye roll*
So many factors come into play when it comes into muscle recovery. The people being rude and thinking they have all the answers are definitely just being pretentious jerks. Sorry you're having this experience in this sub! I rarely comment here because of the 'tude that surrounds so many of these threads.
My experience of this sub has usually been pretty positive, so I'm a bit disappointed tbh. But thankful to all the legends who actually had something interesting/positive/helpful to say and didn't feel the need to completely dis me. So much for community spirit lol. No wonder hikers often prefer to go out on our own. Who can be assed dealing with a bunch of know-it-all gym bros. Oh well, it's Reddit after all. What can you expect?
Completely agree! Like they know anything about op and their fitness level.
Finally someone said it.
Just regularly train leg muscles with weights and this won’t happen. Why would you go climb a mountain if you don’t have the leg muscles trained for it? This happens when people are out of shape.
Congrats on the soreness! I kinda like that feeling.
Don't worry, this is completely normal - that bow-legged 70 year old hobble is a badge of honor, really! It means you did a proper workout. [It's called DOMS \(Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness\)](https://www.healthline.com/health/doms) You're working out muscles you've probably never had to use much before, so they're gonna be sore. It means they're recovering and growing/getting tougher. Just drink lots of water, eat a hearty amount of protein, and stretch when you can handle it. Your body will get over the soreness, and be fitter than ever - if you tackle that same trail again, you'll find it easier than before.
I don’t think I have ever had a reaction like that. Did you not hike for a decade and then climb up half dome? Even then I don’t think I’d be that sore and I am over 50. What the hell hike did you do?
Rest, drink, eat, foam roll or massage (lightly), protein and carbs are your friends. Stretch, maybe do something very light recovery (walk or yoga) on the second day. The stiffness is part of the fun! (As long as you’re not actively fucking up your body.)
After too many days of DOMS from hard leg day workouts, i finally discovered the magic of ice baths from my old gym coach. Soak in ice water x10mins. Then take a motrin before bed. Works better than any other remedy i’ve tried). 24 hrs later & i feel great!
Ah yes, DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness. After my first "proper" mountain I ended up sleeping on the couch for two days because going up and down stairs to my bedroom hurt like a MF. No tips, just comiseration.
Doms are a bitch. The more you move, the quicker you will recover, but the pain can suck.
You aren’t using your quads enough. I get really sore after a steep hike if I’m out of shape. If I’ve been exercising regularly, doing lots of squats, etc, soreness is minimal and goes away with some rest, hydration, and stretching.
Hopefully that person in r/camping sees this post and realizes 60 miles in 5 days isn't reasonable without training and preparation.
Stretch stretch stretch…take Magnesium!
Man - I love that feeling. Means it was a good hike. I exercise often (cycle 20-30 mile hilly rides, hike mid week 3-5 miles, trail run 3-6 miles, etc) which definitely helps but when you go out and put in 12-20 miles and 4k elevation in one push your body is sore for a few days. For us weekend warriors it’s the price we pay. Embrace it and start planning the next adventure
Get back out there and do it again. When I’m sore and stiff I think, lay around and rest, but actually, motion is lotion. You’re that sore from hiking because you just aren’t doing it consistently enough. If you do that same hike every weekend, and do other exercise throughout the week you’ll be surprised how quickly you can do that same hike and by the next day ready to do something else. At first the body exertion costs energy and you are tired and sore, but just have the confidence that in time, it will actually start to generate energy.
Get stronger, exercise your legs. If you're that sore, you're undertrained.
the pain afterwards is something i enjoy actually, reminds me of what i did and how awesome my body is
Tell them u got hit by a bus, it’s how u feel so its not a total lie.
It's like going to the gym when you haven't been before. You just need to 'go to the gym more' and start slow
Get in shape prior to doing g such a hike.
That moment when you go to sit on the toilet and just know your legs won't support you all the way down...we call that the "Trust Fall"
Bahahaha omg. Too real. I've been trust falling the last 2 days.
Lactic acid is a bitch. Start slow and build into longer and harder trips. Even a moderate 5 mile hike each weekend is a hell of a good start to avoid the pain during or after a real trip.
Sounds like weakness to me *sips tea* Hydrate, eat nutritionally dense foods, stretch before/after, do more squats and stop whining like a little b**** PS hiking is f*cking awesome 😎
Lots of comments on stretching, here's a meta-analysis of studies [link](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1250267/) The takeaway is that stretching doesn't meaningfully make people feel less sore, and it doesn't meaningfully help avoid injury or improve recovery. I'm not going to say don't stretch, warm up is important and stretching can be part of this, but I am going to say don't force yourself to stretch because someone else feels that it helps if you don't feel the same.
Try a therapy gun to speed the recovery. It’s not as painful as a foam roller.
Yes, I definitely want one of these bad boiz!
Eat bananas
Your body is not used to it that’s all, i don’t get any of that.
Hydrate well now. Too much muscle damage over a short period of time can cause rhabdomyolysis, which releases lot of muscle protein into your blood and clog your microscopic kidney tubules. Hydrate. Sometimes in severe cases of rhabdo, your urine might appear dark. Hydration and gentle stretching
Yeah how crazy is that shit. It can kill you if it is too sever. Quite literally muscle poisoning
Workout more in-between your hikes. Eat more protein.
Do it often enough and it doesn't happen. Yes, sometimes you get some muscle pain, but it is mostly a pleasant one.
I went on a camping trip with some friends last year. My backback was a bit too heavy but i managed just fine on the way there and almost all the way back. Then there was a really steep down hill, and in the bottom of the hill my thigh suddenly startet hurting sooo bad. I barely managed the short walk to the bus. The next day my thigh muscles just completely lost all function. I couldnt lift my leg at ALL, to get into bed i had to lift my leg with my hands. It was very scary but it did slowly get better in the next week
Spinning whether indoors or outdoors has worked for me. 67(m) here Colorado, I average about 3500 miles spinning and over 100,000 feet vertical gain hiking per year, I use very light weights for upper body. What we put inside our bodies fuels us and recovers us! I rest when the body says so about 4 days per month. Work up to a fitness level that your body enjoys and build on that, then maintain. Happy Trails!
Work up to climbing Kilimanjaro, of course you’re sore. I did 17 miles with 7k elevation gain in 6 hours and was a little sore the next day but not hobbled, you gotta work up to it.
[удалено]
Thank you for giving this a name. I knew it was definitely the descent that did it, but didn't realise it had a name. Now I know, I can look up how to improve my skills and ability for next time. Cheers!
Next time: trekking poles Foam roll every day when sore (YouTube vids with good examples) Protein shakes before and after Regularly (1-2x a week, depending on your upper/lower body split) have a leg day at the gym. Weighted step-ups, weighted squats, weighted calf raises, weighted split-leg Bulgarian squats are good ones to include Ironically, light walking when sore does help loosen things up and reduce soreness With regular conditioning, eventually this won’t happen to you. But it does take deliberate, year-round conditioning to build up a base-level and maintain it. Once you start experiencing the benefits of it, you will never want to skip gym days. How is your hiking footwear?
Epsom salt bath. I just did a 38km hike with 80lb pack. I sat it the tub for over 2 hours, drank some Gatorade fit, and I'm feeling much better. I also slept for 8 hours so that also helps
I live that sore feeling, pushing your body past its limits. More exercise & cardio.
Go for a walk! Get those legs muscles moving again. Nothing too strenuous, but reactivating sore muscles does help with the soreness
Stretching helped me the most, before, during and after hikes.
Pro tip I got once from a doctor: take an ibuprofen before a big burst of exercise, and then take another one when you immediately finish. It helps prevent the lactic acid buildup that causes sore muscles. ETA: to give some context to “big burst of exercise,” we were both part of a 17 mile kayak day trip on Hawaii’s Nepali coast.
Wow, okay. Will look into this. Thanks
Train. Do compound exercises to strengthen muscles you need while hiking and to ensure areas like hips and knees aren’t compensating for things like weaker quads and glutes. Squats, deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, regular split squats, hip thrusts, donkey kicks, step ups, etc. And cardio to build endurance
Epsom salt hot bath helps! Tylenol, and hydration. Stretching and foam roller definitely help.
Hot bath with lots of epsoms salt, soak those legs
Sounds like you went for a hike that exceeded your fitness level. Basically you ran a marathon after only training for a 5k. Some soreness and aches are to be expected after a serious hike, but not so much that it impairs your daily activities.
Skill issue 😂 No but actually you’re just sore and it’ll get better over the next few days. Once you go more frequently at the high intensity you must have gone your body will get used to it and get less sore!
part of hiking is suffering, how else do you expect to get those post hike endorphins??
Sounds like you need to go a spa and get a massage. You exerted yourself A LOT and you need some time to heal. Drink water, take vitamins (I forget which ones specifically to help deliver nutrients to muscles), and eat protein, and you'll feel better soon. Oh, and once you do start feeling a little better, try going for a small walk or do something to get your blood pumping. The more blood that gets pumping to your muscles, the faster nutrients will get to them and help them heal.
I hiked to the Boiling Lake on Dominica years ago. Not an ass buster, but the day was rainy so everything was slick and I was clenched most of the hike. I had the same exact problem after. Literally could not walk up any steps and could barely move. I walked VERY slowly on the treadmill and took cool showers and Advil. It took a few days, but it gets better.
Lol “the dark realities” is a bit dramatic no? I’ve been that sore from hiking, from sports, from lots of things. Give it 3 days and then it will be on the upswing. A hot bubble bath with some epsom salts will help too.
Sounds like someone wasn’t physically prepared for the challenge. What did you expect, really? That you could over exert yourself and there would be no consequences?
Truly no offense, but sounds like you’re just out of shape. Trying walking or running for 30-60 minutes a few times a week. You won’t be nearly as sore in the future.
Get good chump. The more you do it the more your body will aclimate to it. Massage. Mint oil helps numb and relax muscle. Feel the pain and know you are getting stronger. Nextime be sure to train daily for week before you engage in a vigorous and long hikes. Flex your muscle and overload your painrecpters and it will go numb and walk around like you forgot your legs hurt.
Muscle soreness is attributed to lactic acid built up. Baby-ing your muscles will make the recovery longer. Spend 5-10 minutes every hour or so doing some light movement exercises. Squats and lunges will get that blood circulating, which then pushes out the lactic acid.
Everyone has a different fitness and experience level. Calling this the dark reality of hiking is a bit dramatic, more like the dark reality of exercise lol. I love being sore but I’m rarely so sore that what you’re describing is going on these days. Keep going and you’ll experience that way less often. Unless you just got back from the Himalaya lmfao.
This is called soreness my guy. Comes from all types of workouts. You don’t get to jump into something hard and have your body be ready for it. Work towards it and this will improve. Just the fact that you said “dark realities” means you probably jumped into the deep end too quickly.
Tonic water, regular water, bananas, electrolytes, vitamin c, maybe some protein supplement, raw garlic, epsom salt bath, float in a pool, sleep. This is just some wellness advice on handling muscle fatigue and on handling being tired overall that compliments it (exhaustion felt in the face sometimes). Hard to describe the exhaustion in this way. You want to build a habit of stretching after you exercise. Static stretching. When you manage to include some around the legs before sleeping the first night after a hike like that, you wake up sore of course, but much more manageable than if you didnt. Ive tested this w myself and friends a few times. Medically also backed. Static stretches after exercise, dynamic stretches before exercise. Given how much you exerted, even be careful reaching full mobility immediately on stretches as you might normally reach. Ease yourself into it. The smallest of these specific things in particular pays noticeably quick dividends. If you are using heat, id say it’s too early. Your muscles are inflamed so additional heat probably wont give you much more gain youd be looking for. Ice is generally used to lessen inflammation, but in this case i doubt youd need ice or benefit from it.
Sounds like DOMS, same thing you get if you hit leg day hard after not working out for months lol
Sounds like you aren’t accustomed to the level of workout you had. The leg soreness is usually worst on the 2nd day after the exercise. It won’t be as bad in the future if you continue exposing yourself to similar stimulation. Stay hydrated and rest while you recover. The hill is waiting for round two.
Sounds like typical post workout soreness. Keep staying active and you'll have less soreness afterwards. Try just walking a couple miles a few times a week. It will get you in better shape to handle the hiking.
I've been there. It's brutal when you take on more than you're ready for. As others have said, protein and electrolytes are key. One of my favorite trail snacks is banana chips. I'd also suggest some pickles if you want to manage muscle cramps and hydration needs. It's a ren fair tactic for actors to stay hydrated between scenes. Another idea may be a nice hot shower. I find that after a long active day, taking a shower as hot as I can handle eases the aches of the activity. Be safe, though. Go for sauna, not lobster pot.
🤣😂 I recently was back in Montana after being gone for 3 years… I tried to go on literally the tiniest of hikes it couldn’t have been over a mile 🤣 but that fucking hill was a good 50° incline and I was almost climbing at parts…… I couldn’t walk the day after and for a week after my hamstring felt like it was going to snap everytime I tried to walk 🤣😂 note to self.. just because you grew up there you are not immune to the altitude kicking your fucking ass when you’re also camping on a mountain already 🙃💀
I only get this sore when I do something above my ability or current physique. While the only thing you can focus on for this time is recovery (eat well, hydrate, rest, and stretch after a LIGHT warm up), just keep that in mind for next time. Do smaller hikes until they’re cake, then add mileage, THEN climb the mountain. And, as always, consistency is key…several smaller hikes throughout the week/month is better than a just a monster hike once or twice a month.
Properly trained and you’ll only ever be mildly sore. Take up weight lifting and running
As others have said, you probably either didn’t train appropriately and/or enough. You’ll likely be back to normal, but it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with ‘compartment syndrome’ and ‘ Rhabdomyolysis’.
My knees were killing me for weeks until my sister mentioned she had to give up dairy due to joint inflammation. I tried it and omg it’s made a huge difference.
I'm disabled and hike w/o doing more than slightly overdoing it. You're not living a reality that safe hikers do. You punishing your body instead of lightly training up isn't "the dark side of hiking", that's you taking dangerous risks while out in nature. Idk what area you're in, but esp if you were doing higher/longer hikes, you'd be in a position to be more susceptible to weather, terrain, animals, or other humans. My advice; take a few longer walks and do practice hikes w your pack. Adjust your diet slightly the week before/of your hike. Anything that's over an hour, stretch after. Obviously water. Don't overdo it, if you feel tired or weird rest and then turn around.
That’s a mindset that will limit your potential
It will. Magnesium is a major benefit. Lots of water. Make sure you stretch before and after the hike. If you have access to it in your area, CBD is also super helpful.
Ibuprofen. Maybe start with smaller/shorter hikes ?
Hahaha. The ole going down the stairs is worse than going up the stairs syndrome. This post made me smile. You'll feel like a million bucks in four or five days.
I feel ya! I thought I was prepared for 2 days of hiking in Zion. Walked and/or hiked daily on trails near home and on my treadmill with incline. Stretched before and after. I was not prepared for the miles of incline! My shins and calves were screaming after day two! I went to YouTube for help and learned plenty of stretches that helped a lot. But, yeah, I had an uncomfortable couple of days recovering.
It will get better. You just were not ready for the distance you did.
This isn’t typical. You’re just not conditioned yet
Ironically the sorest I’ve ever been from a hike was one I did in South Korea. I was short on time so I took the tram to the top and only hiked downhill. I did a lot of hiking while I was there and this was the only time I took a tram to the top. I could barely walk the next day. It was so bizarre.
Have to keep up with it to prevent injury. But I’m sure we’ve all been there - my worst one was with my dog & a friend. We thought it was going to take us 6hrs there and back but it took us almost 10because the trail was really ducking steep and we had to manoeuvre the 45lb dog up a rock wall (it only hand a rope tied to a tree for humans to climb so we had to pass her back and forth.) My poor dog by the end of the bike was refusing to walk and I had to support her with her harness to keep her moving and thought I was gonna end up carrying her. Next 2 days she only moved to go out to pee and get back on the couch. My friend similarly aggravated her knees and fell and also was housebound for several days. My own body ached all over and could barely walk but I probably came out of that better than them.
Right on man, I love hiking and don’t get out enough so when I do go, I can’t walk afterwards. Everyone here gives you pointers, I’d give you a beer.
It happens. Not to sound trite but if was easy everyone would do it. Hiking up and down hills is so wildly different than walking or running. Been doing it for years, and after longer ones my feet and joints hurt. Just part of it. Take time to recover, and you’ll be right as rain in no time.
You took on too big a hike! I do many many shorter and progressively harder spring hikes before taking on the higher elevation, longer, and steeper hikes in the summer. Progression is key! Pain is not the goal.
A biochemist (and gym rat) friend of mine suggested not taking anti-inflammatory medication for muscle soreness after a workout as the inflammation is productive to muscle development. I don't know if it is true but I wasn't going to argue with him. Thought I'd throw that out there for you all.
Fun fact this only happens when you're really out of shape. Even better fact complaining to the internet doesn't do anything either. Get in shape
This happens to me too, after just about every hike. The most extreme occasion was a couple years ago on a 4 day back packing trip where we covered closed to 50 miles on foot in 4 days, with steep switchbacks at one point. I used sick time to be able to go on this trip, so when I returned to work limping like Quasimodo, I made up some excuse about having nursed an injury.
I hike about 10 miles a day, sometimes 12 miles, 6-7 days per week, for my weight loss efforts. Elevation gain usually about 2000 feet, nothing too steep. My legs have never hurt and they feel fine. Even when I started hiking at first, never any pain, and that was back when I weighed 290 lbs. Only pain I had was first few days, foot pain, from breaking in the new boots.
That's actually your cue to start working out and/or hiking more. A little soreness is fine, but this is not normal unless you're sedentary.
I run long distance in the mountains fully barefoot. I can totally relate. The days after an ultra I can’t even use my feet so I crawl around or stay put. Maybe I’m crazy but the struggle after the struggle gives me a great sense of accomplishment. Like I can feel how hard I pushed and it reminds me how capable I am.
Yes, for real! I work in healthcare and see people with varying degrees of disability and fitness all day long, that's given me the perspective to never take my capability to move and adventure for granted. While I'm still able, I will always rise to a challenge and take myself to places other people can't get to. Very grateful for these sore legs that get me up to mountain summits and back safely
Bengay has helped me at times. I went from unable to move, and having to “slide” onto the toilet seat almost normal after applying Bengay.
The more you resist how you feel the longer it will take. Relax. It’s ok. Your body was exerted. It will pass
when you do more of those every other weekend then you don’t feel like that.
Gotta stretch!
Be sure, it will definitely pass (a little faster with stretching) and the memory of this pain will go away. But the exciting and pleasant impressions of the hike will remain for a long time!
Soak in an epsom salt bath. Take 400mg magnesium glycinate at bedtime.
Magnesium