Quad soreness

[RAM190Hog]

Been prepping all spring/summer for my elk hunt. Idaho unit 49, steep country. I fear the one area I didn’t spend enough time was eccentric leg exercises. Been doing some training hikes involving about 2000’ up/down over 4.5 total miles with 55-60lb pack. Feel pretty good throughout hike, but next day soreness has been rough. The descent is what is beating me up. Took almost 5 days to feel somewhat normal after first hike. After Thursday’s bike, I’m on day 2 and feeling a lot of improvement. But I wish I had started heavy descents and eccentric squats / lunges a while back.

Any recommendations for exercises / supplements other than “train harder and earlier?” I’m 44 with young kids so I’m getting the work in as often as I can.

 

[willfrye027]

If you had soreness from riding your quad around, maybe you should hike more

 

[BugleMeTimber]

I've been drinking protein shakes after my hikes all year and I seem to recover well at 35 years old. I'm not a big weight lifter or anything but I've been told it helps feed your muscles to recover quicker, any pros out there on this one? Stretching is probably helpful too.

 

[Corvus Corax]

Hydration, nutrition and stretching will be your friend post exertion. Keep your training up during the off season. Now you have something to focus on (eccentric loading). Rolling your quads and IT band could help in the short term it is pretty uncomfortable though. A Nalgene works well for this.

 

[Hensatc]

As has been said water and calories are required for recovery.... most people overlook sleep - sleep is anabolic, it’s where we recover, get bigger/faster/stronger... at 43 with young kids too I feel your pain ... replicating overweighted downhills in the gym is nearly impossible (super complex movement) but things like singe leg sit-downs two leg stand up will work balance and single leg eccentrics. Otherwise work slow controlled negatives with spotter help on the positives focusing on higher rep counts to build muscular endurance ... nothing beats specificity though so keep hiking. Post hike recovery can be accelerated with minimal impact exercise (like easy biking). Also don’t be proud ... we’re not 18 anymore... listen to your body ... an extra recovery day is far better than shut down for weeks from an injury. Good luck, stay safe!


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[Werty]

Take smaller steps, it helps me.

 

[*zap*]

Trekking poles, smaller steps, land on the balls of your feet and lower your hips going downhill will all help with downhill loaded/weighted hiking. Metabolic Nutrition TAG is a fantastic recovery supplement, I strongly recommend it.

Box step up/onto and then down/off the other side will allow this training @ home. Boring but can be very effective.

40's is pretty young yet.

 

[renagde]

Buy (or make) some squat wedges and do more squats. If you do squats with your heel elevated, it really works your quads over more than a regular squat.

 

[P Carter]

Sorry to say, but the real answer is to train harder and more gradual. There’s no secret to it; there is no need to be sore after that kind of hike if you train right.

That said, in the short term, a foam roller and quad stretches, light exercise the next day (walking, swim, bike), plenty of fluids, a healthy diet with less sugar and more protein should help with the soreness.

 

[Nkustan]

A foam roller along with some daily cbd caps has helped me quite a bit with post exertion soreness. That being said, not much replaces good sleep and a good diet full of high protein and a lot of water.

 

[BRTreedogs]

BCAA

 

[AaronMColeman]

The min tian will take its toll regardless. I live in the min trains I hunt and still have some trouble.

One thing that has helped a ton is HIIT workouts. They simulate off balance and odd leg movements. When I was a runner I struggled getting into hunting shape. Now with the HIIT it’s a lot easier. That’s my 2 cents.

Also, I’ve stopped drinking (due to my rotten stomach not by choice). That has been a game changer too.

 

[marcjstevens]

I had knee pain after a week of hunting last year. I rested for weeks but still had the pain. I started doing sets of 50 hamstring curls with bands. Haven’t had knee pain since and my PT said the hamstrings are often overlooked but essential for balancing you out


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[rkcdvm]

BCAA's help. A few of the older guys I hunt and fish with live and die by mineral water. I tried it a few years ago and I have to say I am a believer. As Aaron stated above, HIIT workouts are quick and affective.
Like him I gave up the booze and I'm 10x stronger than before.

 

[Jac]

You had what’s called the “doms” I get that after a hardwork leg workout quads get really sore. Lots of water and sleep is good. Also make sure to do a good cool down. I had the doms pretty bad 2 weeks ago and on day 4 I went for a run got the blood flowing seemed to help.

 

[RichC64]

You have got to get back on the horse the next day as your fitness/conditioning improves. Recovery exercise will get the blood moving through the big muscles and get the repair happening. Initially exercises that use the leg muscles in other combinations. Swimming, bike, rowing machine etc.

After a while you want to be do a smaller volume of the pack work you did the day before so as to simulate multi day hunting. No different from marathon training.

 

[bozeman]

I will second the mimic multiple days of hunting/hiking by mimicking during a workout schedule......also, around 3 or 4 days a month, only shoot once per day with no practice like many have to do on a hunt.......just the like the cold bow challenge.

You can also put some treadmills in reverse at an angle and walk facing backwards as well.......

 

[Foggy Mountain]

If something is effecting you work it that way or harder more. Guys if I could I’m gonna say something. I’ve spent over 40 years in a gym powerlifting. The main thing that stops or hurts guys is their brain. Nothing, no magic pill, no stretching, yuppie ball, certain exercise etc will ever overcome grit.
Now I’m not saying anything else could hurt but it’s not taking the place of physically doing something.
If hiking hurts, do it with weights on your back, that type thing.
Soreness means you aren’t doing it enough. It’s an unfamiliar exercise to underdeveloped muscles. Here’s some more advice. When you’re sore don’t stop working it. Think about rehab. If you have a bad knee they never stop using it. They’re getting fresh blood in it.
Do it more consistently op, the only way it’ll happen. If young kids are taking your time, train around your time with them. If you’ve got to supplement a stepper wearing a pack before work at 4am just to not go 5 days do it. This needs to be routine. 44 is pretty young, be careful but push yourself. Don’t make excuses find the answers and I mean no disrespect by that.

 

[RAM190Hog]

Good advice here. I found after that one hike (and what I believe was DOMs), I recovered much more quickly. I had spent most of the summer on flatfish trail runs, and lots of MTB. I went straight to a very steep hike w 50lbs pack and my quads were not ready for eccentric portion of it. Every hike felt better and better. Starting earlier this summer!

 

[Sccritterkiller]

We are same age...I spend 20 min a night stretching, foam rolling, lax ball on whatever muscle groups I worked that day. It's made a huge difference in shortening my recovery time and helping with my flexibility.