Rest and Recovery Days: Hiking
Written by Holden Rethwill
“Get out of the gym.”
This isn’t something you hear often coming from coaches who make their living convincing you to spend time in their gym. But I believe this is a crucial piece to success inside the gym, as well as creating the most well-rounded, and whole version of yourself!
As coaches and athletes, we talk about fitness all the time as it pertains to what we can do inside the gym or in a competitive setting. But what’s the point of being in shape if we don’t take the opportunity to use this fitness from time to time?
Over the next few weeks I’ll be going over some awesome recovery, or “rest day” activities that some of us coaches and athletes like to incorporate from time to time.
The first activity on the menu is something I just did the other day. Hiking! Not only is hiking a great chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it’s a chance to clear your mind, all while getting a little workout in as well!
Being from the Pacific Northwest, hiking has always been a favorite outdoor activity of mine. There are some truly beautiful trails to blaze and mountains to climb up there. Upon moving to San Diego, I started looking for opportunities down here. What trails could I run, or where could I hike?
My beast of choice most recently? Running (it quickly turned to a shuffle) up Kwaay Paay.
Some people may look at me like I’m crazy, this is a workout, not active recovery. But to me, getting outside the gym is a chance to allow my body to work in a different way than the constant beating we give it with barbells, gymnastics, etc. I was using my fitness. All of the hours I’ve spent in the gym trying to become the best version of myself would be pointless to me if I didn’t take the opportunity to use it.
If you’re looking for other opportunities that aren’t quite…so vertical…there are plenty of other trails to check out in the San Diego area. Not in San Diego? A quick Google search of trails in your current location will turn up plenty of opportunities ranging from easy to difficult.
If you’re looking for a great way to use some of that fitness you’ve worked so hard to attain, I highly recommend going hiking or walking some trails on whatever days you decide to rest! Getting outside gives you a chance to escape the city, and is a great way to do some thinking and connecting with nature
If you know of any great trails or have any awesome stories about hikes you’ve been on we’d love to hear about them! Otherwise, stay tuned for the next discussion on active recovery and rest day fun!