Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Phase 2

I think this is my new favorite thread.So many things I want to respond to with my ADD.
First to those that can hike to get in shape for hiking, Kudos.I am really truly jealous.
Some of us live in urban areas and although there might be some hills it is nothing compared to hiking with significant elevation change and altitude that the Sierras and Baldy etc. offer.And that type of low altitude hiking is mostly unsatisfactory to me.
So since some of us have to work most of the week and in my case work Saturdays the only opportunity to get into or keep in shape is to find a workout in a gym or stadium stairs to get fit and/or hiking shape in the mornings before work.I have one weekend day off so I choose to spend it with my family so planning a weekend hike is usually not an option.

Bee,
You will love the stadium stairs.One frequent complaint of hikers is the strain on feet,knees,hips and legs while going downhill on a hike. The stairs will get your muscles that you need for going uphill but IMO more importantly it strengthens the muscles required for deaccleration and braking while going down hill.While many exercises emphasize the quads ie. stair steppers,treadmills don't give you the downhill work one needs for hiking. Please start slowly like walking up and down the stairs to start. You can slowly add speed like running on them as you get stronger.Stairs also offer the same cardio benefits of running witout the pounding on feet,ankles,kness,hips and back.The bent knee on stepping up prevents the pounding of running. Going down stairs you can control the pounding of joints by the speed of descent and catching your self on your toes so the foot,knee,hip and back have no jarring impact that running does. Again start slow and slowly increase you speed as you get stronger keeping good form landing on an arched foot to cushion impact.

Steve,
I have treated literally thousands of hamstring pulls and tears. My research and clinical experience reveal a muscular imbalance between the quads and the hamstrings.The quads are much stronger in general than the hamstrings. Often the strength of quads to hamstrings is 2-1. When running the quads push and the hamstrings grab and pull.With greater strength in the quads pushing harder and faster than the hamstring can pull there is a greater tendancy to injure or tear the hammy. Research points out hamstring injuries are due to their weakness and not lack of flexibilty which most people think is the cause of a hamstring injury.BTW I love that exercise that you posted. It is one of my favorite ball exercises.Great hammy strengthening exercise.

Another souce of leg injuries especially hammies is poor spinal mechanics specifically poor motion of the illiums and also the SI jt.(sacro-illiac).The illium is essential in almost all movement especially the running motion. The illiums is where the leg bone articulates with the "hip socket" and it is the bone you feels aound the waist where your belt line is.Keeping the illiums moving can be done with stretching but a good manipulation really can free up that area.Squats cause more weight room injuries than any single exercise I have ever seen. Usually poor technigue and too much weight. Squats can be death to knees and backs and once again the main benefit is to strengthen the quads which are already too strong for most hamstrings.
Leg curls with weights (heel to butt),bridges on the ball as you showed and any machine that can isolate and strengthen the hamstring is highly recommended.

All stretches should be dynamic. I really hate to see people doing straight leg hamstring streches of any kind.Dynamic motion ie.jogging, weights, walking,stairs or any movement is MUCH MUCH better than any static stretching.High level colleges and pro sports team almost NEVER do any form of static stretching because they cause injuries and do not prevent injuries.
If any one has any questions please feel free to ask.I spent 20 of my 25 years in practice as a team doctor at the high school and college level.I also own a sports training faciltity where we have trained many elite athletes.