Hiker’s Handbook
BOOTCAMP
Movement Improvement Widen your range of motion to feel your best on the trail and avoid injuries. By KAELYN SILVA
Mobility refers to the ease with which your joints move throughout their range of motion. Having mobile joints can minimize your risk of injury and lead to reduced pain while you hike. Don’t confuse mobility with flexibility: Contrary to popular belief, stretching doesn’t help with mobility. ¶ Training to improve mobility should include compound movements: those that take you through the full range of motion, not just the easily-accessed middle. ¶ With mobility exercises, it is important to be intentional; that is, to concentrate on what you are feeling at the joints involved. Begin by completing the following exercises at a low intensity at least once per week—though the more you do it, the better you’ll feel. As you get comfortable, you can increase the difficulty. THE EXPERT: Kaelyn Silva, CSCS, is the owner of Pasadena Sport Science in Pasadena, California. When she’s not training clients, she enjoys hiking with her dogs in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
44 Backpacker
| SUMMER 2022
Scan here to access our online training course, 6 Weeks to Trail Fit.
P H O T O B Y D E N I S E M I L I T Z E R ; K A E LY N S I LVA
7
