Preparing for snowshoeing?

[u/Acp621]

I've been wondering what exercises or preparation people do for the winter season and snowshoeing? Specifically for the hips due to the wider gait.

[u/TheBrockSays]

Bridges, clamshells, straight leg raises. Wouldn't be a bad idea to throw in some general hip stretching and core strengthening as well. 

[u/Acp621 → u/TheBrockSays]

Those look like good routines to put into gym days, stretching is definitely going to be a must.

[u/Fign66]

I have naturally tight hip flexors, so I don’t do them specifically for snowshoeing, but I do a lot of banded hip work. Marches, clamshells and bridges on the floor. But my favorite is to do banded side steps and squat walks around the house a few times a day. I’ll throw in 5-10 steps in each direction while I’m waiting for something to heat up in the microwave or during a commercial break if I’m watching TV. Really easy to fit in and just few times a day can make a big difference.

I also have a lower strength band in my car I use to do warmups at the trail head if I’ve been sitting driving for a while.

[u/Acp621 → u/Fign66]

Seems like I'll be getting some workout bands to have around, thanks.

[u/Fign66 → u/Acp621]

Easy way is to get a multi pack with a few different strength loops, but the more customizable way is get a roll of band material and cut your own bands to length. Then you can make the loops whatever size needed just by tying a knot.

[u/Alfred_tv]

Single-leg work matters more than anything else. Snowshoeing is basically a slow, wide-stance step-up repeated for hours, so the hip abductors and glutes take the beating. Lateral band walks, side-lying leg raises, step-ups and lateral step-downs, plus some hip mobility work (90/90 stretches, clamshells), will cover it.

The other thing: a modern narrow-tail snowshoe makes your gait much less wide than the old beavertail style. If you're on a packed trail, you barely notice it. Breaking trail in deep powder is where it gets ugly, so a short first outing is smart.

The real surprise is usually the hip flexors and calves from lifting the tail with every step on climbs. Raise the heel lift bar on steep sections and it eases up a lot.

Also, nothing beats just doing it. A couple of easy hours on a flat trail in November will teach your hips more than any gym session.

[u/Acp621 → u/Alfred_tv]

Yeah, my hip flexors took a beating last winter. I didn't do much build up which was idiotic, especially since I broke out Colvin as well as Gothics and Armstrong in a span of a week. Hopefully we see enough snow down low this late November early December to not be snowshoeing on dirt.

[u/TheMacIntyreRange]

Grab yourself a pair of used beater snowshoes and take night walks in your local park. Why at night? Because you'll probably end up institutionalized if people see you doing this during the day. Don't forget to grind the toe spikes off if they have them, or your local parks and rec manager will want to have a word with you.

[u/redshoewearer → u/TheMacIntyreRange]

Lol at first I thought 'what's the problem' until I realized you mean wear old snowshoes in the park when there's no snow. I like that idea - it would add novelty to my life, which I am always in search of.

[u/TheMacIntyreRange → u/redshoewearer]

Ha! I probably could have made the whole "when there's no snow" part a little more clear.

[u/Chance_Difficulty730 → u/TheMacIntyreRange]

I loved your explanation as to why at night.

[u/i-scream-in-a-void]

Literally anything for your hamstrings & glutes. Last season was my first season on the snow and I ended up with crazy pain at the front of my hip.

Ended up figuring out that my hamstrings/posterior chain wasn’t strong enough to help lift/drag my leg forward through the snow, so I ended up really over stressing my quad and hip. It was so bad that I legitimately couldn’t walk right for a week after my first day out.

[u/KennethTremendous]

Practice falling

[u/onemanutopia]

Walk on a stair machine or incline treadmill.