Are You Overusing Your KNEES in Hiking?

[@RB-fp8hn]

This is honestly the best channel on hiking fitness. The topics you cover, most people don't even realize that these are important until they observe their own trials and tribulations (and I don't think most people are introspective enough to make such observations).

[@slowlife2158]

I agree wholeheartedly. These types of videos have helped me workshop my own joint pains while hiking and backpacking. On my latest hike I had almost no knee pain because of what I learned here. And he’s right about the principles. My issues turn out to be a combination of issues, and I was able to put together some exercises, some adjustments of how I hike, and different footwear specific to my problems. Way to go, ChaseMountains!

[@TheUnhousedWanderer]

This motion actually comes naturally to me now. I've been lifting weights and hiking for years now and I'm pretty conscious of what my body is doing.

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

I visualize my knee and and ankle joints as almost fixed, with little range of motion, and focus on using the hip joint's range of motion when walking uphill. To me that forces my glutes to do more of the work, and makes getting up the hill easier, and more efficient, as the glute muscles have so much more power than your calves. I just learned to do from instinct or trying to figure out the least fatiguing way to get up a hill.

[@chrissimmonds8357]

I love the idea of this, especially since I had DOMS in my calfs. However, I couldn't really understand the exercise or how to engage the Gluts. I would have liked to have seen more examples of people walking not stationary.

[@abderrahimbenmoussa4359]

Accidentally discovered using my glutes few days back in Scotland, and I am literally running on hikes now

[@reformed_attempt_1]

such an underrated video. Not only this is just a solid advice, but you put extra effort in explaining how exactly to achieve progress, the biomechanics of the hips etc.

[@danos5181]

Thanks for the video. However, unfortunately I could not really get this exercise. I think if you could take a video of yourself in motion (ideally in slow motion although we can alter the speed) while using this glute concentration it would help make things clearer.

[@amblincork]

I agree - a 5 minute video showing the exercise precisely with all the comments edited out would be much ore useful

[@AK40ALFREDO]

Well said

[@univerz217]

exactly, spend less time on holding the position and concentrate on the movement - ideally with a drawing which joint should move/rotate and when.

[@ragbra]

Agree, if he's not allowed to move the knee forward, nor extend the knee angle, nor straighten the back, then there are no more moving parts!

[@shaykh5555]

exactly my point!

[@g.b.1375]

Years ago I found a book by a former PT who became a photo journalist. When she was in Africa her PT experience led her to have a couple of pages of photos and observations of how the indigenous Africans walked compared to US citizens. She observed that they had a longer stride and were primarily using their glutes to drive forward and were leaving their heels down longer during each stride. I tried to duplicate this but don't know that I ever got it working efficiently, so thanks for this. The Africans in the photos had either bare feet or very thin soled sandals with no heel, it's been too long to remember for certain.

[@philly5452]

So interesting I keep hearing short strides increased cadence for injury prevention 😂

[@toriokras1582]

Not clear what you are demonstrating. How to stay crunched up in one position? How does this help to walk?

[@thecma3]

Super helpful! A friend who's spent a lot of time in PT shared similar exercises with me that I found super helpful for reducing knee pain after long days. This is an excellent, concise explaination and tutorial to practice the form.

[@mezmerya5130]

It's amazing how many people need to be taught walking. I've kinda figured it out myself, but this video is 100% true. Strength protocol deadlifts + squats + calve exercises healed my knees, flat foot, improved scoliosis and allowed me to achieve my lofty daily goals during my hikes. I still have a lot of work to do on my gluteus medius, tho, but those exercises are pain and im lazy

[@petehalupka1]

Preach. Same here. Glute bridges been healing mine. And side plank clam shells.

[@fromthestreets-zn7xr]

thank you! as an avid hiker 5 weeks post broken knee cap surgery, I'm a bit nervous to see what future hikes will mean for me. I will keep this exercise in mind.

[@anninwhack1998]

Thx for excellent video that I will work on. I have knee injury from my teens playing basketball w two episodes of being scoped out. After decades of tight hips and hamstring and therapies I have only recently learned that my glutes were totally shut down on my gait and my lower back and hips would be tight and exhausted. I have been self managing a complete redo of my stride to force my glutes to engage. My one mantra from you is my foot is a spring that moves my leg forward. This exercise will help so much in really getting it right!

[@denise2169]

Keeping my sternum lifted as I move forward helps me to use my gluts when using hip extension!

[@michaeljordan215]

I have been considering this concept a lot lately. In wildland firefighting we hike a lot and I am aware that proper glute utilization is paramount. I recieved some advice from a fellow firefighter to train uphill sprints with wide strides to improve hiking speed and strength and I believe that this is true because it is effective at involving the glutes because of the stride length and explosiveness. Anyone interested in improving on this subject should consider this. Also, just taking a longer stride on your hike and trying to feel your upper hamstring/glutes fire on each step.

[@lookinin123]

Well, I'm the dummy in the room.I can't get the hang of this for the life of me. Hiked a decent ascent a few days ago (2000' gain over 2.75 miles) but my glutes and calves are still killing me. I'd love to see this shown with a backpack on and on some sloping ground, if that would be possible. I know my legs will thank me if I can re-learn how to walk. Thanks for taking the time to shoot this video. 👍

[@philly5452]

Try doing this hip hinge first to get the hang of it, the progression could be put the standing foot on a foam wedge slope and use weights

[@rnmatsuda]

When I first saw the exercise, I could not understand it but by the end of the video I totally understood it and I realised that this was one of the reason for my knee pain last year when I hiked in Tatras mountains. Thank you!

[@pablofernandez2671]

Totally gamechanger! I’ve always han strong quands but weak gluts, this teached me how to move better.

[@kevinzhaohongu2be]

Until now the most detailed video about how to adjust you posture in hiking

[@ChaseMountains]

Could you find your glute?

[@THX5000]

Awesome. I have been dealing with lower back pain and strengthening glutes and rotating pelvis inward towards belly helps for this.

[@bitkurd]

When the student is ready the teacher appears! Thank you 🙏

[@jhasiant]

Really great video on a little talked about topic. One thing I think you are missing is the signalling from the ball of your foot behind the big toe and arch which triggers the glute to activate. I was a natural supinator and I couldn't figure out why my glutes weren't activating. After learning from Conor Harris to consciously drive through the arch and big toe I really started to notice a change in my biomechanics

[@michaelmcphee2930]

I've just finished a ten day hike through an undulating southern sandy coastal region in Western Australia and strangely did not experience any calf stiffness or soreness whatsoever. I was track fit to start with and found that i was ascending sandy hills in a very similar stance, as you've demonstrated, using a quicker shuffling gait with ease.

[@noisepuppet]

Been thinking about this very thing for weeks. Needed this analysis. The algorithm reads minds.

[@eladbari]

It's still hard to comprehend how such glute walking looks like with a backpack on, because only the stance was shown. Basically, just walk in smaller steps without extending one leg forwards and try to feel you glute working?

[@bigp169]

That's what I'm trying to figure out. What does walking using your glutes look like?

[@willvan]

I’ve been hinging a lot recently. Something that I’ve found, especially with hinging on my left, is making sure I actually do have pressure on my foot that’s behind me kick standing. Rather than just floating there for balance, I find if I can push off my big toe and 5th met, it helps find my inner heel on the foot that’s planted

[@dontask7898]

The absolute least most vital thing NOT talked about backpacking is physical exercise, and taking care of one's body. Stretching and resistance training is forgotten by backpackers.

[@carlosluque4753]

100% The glutes are by far one of the most (if not the main) important muscles in the body for hiking and sports like trail running. I am amazed how hugely improves grip and posture even for walking. Hip flexors too play a massive role. Love the content!

[@a12i9]

perfect timing, I'm gonna go hiking next week and definitely need to activate my glutes more 😊

[@ajcamperspantry5069]

Good stuff Chase. Watched this for helping with my dodgy knee. 😅 Hope you’re doing well Bigfella. AJ

[@kimmycj2424]

These techniques are helpful for me on my next trip to Yosemite, thank you 🙏

[@thoquach7609]

OMG! This is what I need. I love hiking but every time I hike, my knees hurt so bad after hiking. Thank you so much!❤

[@helenburns2186]

I so appreciate you bringing light to this solution. I found the demonstration so unclear. Any chance you could film yourself doing the exercoes with the correct technique maybe with a voice over explanation? Then maybe a demonstration of the correct technique while walking? Thanks so much for providing a solution to a problem that so many of us have.

[@scottrawicz7613]

At Summer camp in the 70s, we were told to lock the knee so you were hiking bone in bone sand not exhaust the muscles.

[@Therealgilmoregurl]

Holy crap this is life changing

[@Pohlmaster]

Thank you, Linus!

[@safromnc8616]

I've been hiking my entire life - if you look at my body I have monster calves and the muscle that runs above and across my knee if quite prominent. I don't have any issues and never have. It is also probably a thing as I played a lot of 'jumping sports' (volleyball, basketball, tennis) at a fairly high level well into 40's.

[@hannah5]

Great cues! Love the salmon socks too. :)

[@ittotaq]

Can you make a video of you moving rather than just standing.

[@ChaseMountains]

@@ittotaq plenty of videos of me moving on my channel if you like.

[@helenburns2186]

I so appreciate you bringing light to this being the solution. I found the demonstration so unclear. Any chance you could film yourself doing the exercise correctly, maybe with a voice over explanation? Then a demonstration of your correct method of walking. Thanks again for providing a solution to a problem that so many of us have.

[@nickphillips2797]

I think I might've come across another way to encourage the proper movement. I think I also normally have trouble extending the hip properly without straightening the knee or mainly arching my back. But I was moving into a 3rd story apt and going up the stairs carrying big boxes my technique was basically to hug them and rest an edge in the crease of my hip. Then I stayed in a partial squat for balance and went up the stairs. Felt a massive glute burn for sure with this but in a good way. I have torn my miniscus and had on/off knee problems for awhile but after moving for days my knee and hips had never felt better it was kind of crazy, would've expected the opposite. So awesome to get more info on why that might've been the case, very informative thanks! Let me know if u ever try the heavy box exercise haha

[@getsmart3701]

I'll get on this...hiking in a few weeks and I think I'm going to need time to digest what your showing. Thanks for the video mate.

[@ChaseMountains]

@@getsmart3701 yes it’s definitely something to work on. Let me know when you get it!

[@Nyelands]

He is really over complicating it. A much easier way to teach this is to stop arching your back and don't lean too much forward when you're walking up a hill or stairs. Do this and you will feel your gluten firing. You want to have you pelvis under - not behind - your center of mass.

[@barryjohnson1330]

Interesting video. Gonna try this out, but my knee pain seems to derive more from the downhill. Getting harder with age, but have always said I would rather go up hill than down!

[@bobdavey6502]

It's amazing how hard it is to utilize the glutes. I've backpacked for years and still don't seem to have the system down. Calves get rock hard, upper leg muscles and glutes get medium hard at best which tells me something's wrong. The processes in this video seem a bit complex but thanks for trying to explain it anyway.

[@lukelee3]

Never had knee issues hiking unless it was steep downhill only for 8+ miles off a mountain. This does work the glutes more. Basically walk as if there's a 40 degrees incline and your lower half feet to heel makes impact before your toe half foot does. A bit uncomfortable to do though.

[@TheNicotineTest]

Great video. The concept is explained quite well! Thanks!

[@gabriellehogan317]

A video of what correct hip extension is would be helpful. Poor Linus ... 1st time doing it ... I'd prefer to learn visually from the expert

[@MilyFellis]

This is quite hard! I’m hypermobile and just over used my knee trail running, and now I think this is my issue 😅

[@aurelgergey5470]

Where can I download this fabulous backdrop image:-)? Thanks for the helpful vid!

[@marianfrances4959]

Awesome!👍😎🇨🇦

[@mustang19ms]

I have another issue when hiking, I dehydrate like crazy, I sweat too much and after 3 hours of climbing, I start to get cramps, if I really take care of hydration I might get to 4 hours on some hikes.. it's frustrating, I bring 4 liters of water sometimes on 1 day hikes, 3 liters minimum.. When I used to train martial arts, I always went hard, and after 1 hr of intense exercise cramps began and it meant the end of training, although I might still have some energy left in my muscles. I tried drinking salts, if it helps, it's negligible, and I feel I get diarrhea because of it on hikes.

[@Andrew_Dai]

i try to practice in front of table, it works, but need a lot to build muscle memory when I do hiking, or even walking and running to use hip. now I am practice with more hip on running, hiking should be next stage..

[@janedrowned]

How many times per week should you do that? For how many reps? On the day of the hike or outside of it? More clarity would be appreciated.

[@Valaran1]

This seems closely related to the squat-hinge continuum in the field of bodybuilding. Do you think incorporating consistent hinge & squat motions in a gym can achieve the same results demonstrated here?

[@ChaseMountains]

@@Valaran1 yes, if you hinge well!

[@kanamala]

Great video. Thanks for your help. Got a like and my sub. Really appreciate your channel

[@groundwatergear]

Do you suggest using the poles in a different position for this purpose, or continuing to use them with the arms at 90 degrees?

[@lmergenti]

I started using this same idea for cycling last year. The key for me is making that slight pelvic rotation at the same time that I draw my belly in slightly. This helps the core work together with the glutes. It's taken me a long time to train my body to do this while cycling, but the result is amazing. I've made a full one mile per hour average speed increase without increasing my heart rate. BUT... for the life of me, I am not able to adapt this to my hiking. It feels awkward, unnatural, and I can't maintain it for more than a few minutes. Any ideas?

[@sashimifr]

How can you teach your neuromuscular system to use glutes and hamstrings especially in hiking DOWN rather than relying exclusively on quads (which is putting huge amounts of stress on the ACL) ?

[@Motio3]

Love this video. Especially helpful is the cue about driving your foot down into the ground. Tried it yesterday on a hike. Effective cue! I do have a question or two. I'm coming from is a place of curiosity about how to achieve an efficient overall body position relative to the slope. Or at least not grossly inefficient, which I suspect I have a history of! Something I'm personally playing with: How much happens at the foot and ankle, vs the hip? I am only working on technique for day hiking. So no heavy pack comes into play. In other words, I'd like to see you demonstrate how to take this muscle recruitment pattern onto some sloping terrain, showing how the foot and ankle do their share as well. Because as it gets steeper, very different demands are put on foot and ankle, seems to me? If you can point me to another of your videos on that subject, I would appreciate. New to your channel, I scanned through the list and saw some foot and ankle content but nothing on how to blend into gait in general. Tricky question I know because so much individual difference between individual bodies. Thanks!

[@moun7ainc0w]

What shoes are you wearing?

[@gibrancantu489]

Which Altras are you using?

[@emberchord]

So what you’re saying is that I woke up today with a sore ass means that I did well on my 20km hike yesterday?

[@marktahu2932]

Is this similar to the martial arts 'riding horse stance', in a round about way?

[@therob39]

instructions unclear: while extending the hip, is the knee supposed to stay in that place of space? then automatically the knee will extend slightly as well. or is the angle of the knee supposed to stay fix? then the knee will automatically move forward, while extending the hip. please clarify!

[@ubermaya]

Very useful !! The cues you’ve mentioned are easy to understand . I gotta do these exercises & mindfully hike next time

[@kirby7489]

I’m only feeling it in my quads 🤷‍♂️

[@ceeemm1901]

Hike with your glutes! Don't leave your glutes at home!

[@MetaBaza]

Is this the same as the one-legged deadlift moving pattern?

[@ChaseMountains]

@@MetaBaza not the same, but if you can master this, your deadlift will improve, same with KB swings

[@GulliNL]

Aww just a month too late for me, I've been experiencing this knee ache you're mentioning :) I must confess I'm not at all an experienced hiker (coming from the flat plains, I already start sweating when I see a modest hill). When I go hiking we usually go up the mountain with the gondola and then hike down for about 8-15 kilometers (I'd say a 1 to 2 km descent). How can I utilize these tips while doing such hikes?

[@mirosawr8228]

The exercise is ok, but you should meke demonstration on how to utilise it when walking.

[@corero66]

I followed along video. I felt both glutes engaged, but during exercise on both legs 1min after staying hinge position i start to feel numbing sensation in my feet and upward along leg as if i'm restricting bloodflow. Is it normal? Why it happens?

[@aidandodge466]

Try this with a weighted backpack on 😂 This is perfect advice for runners and day hikers but not for backpackers.

[@hamishwrobb8749]

@ChaseMountains Do you still havs an online knee training program?.

[@ChaseMountains]

@@hamishwrobb8749 I sure do it’s called mountain proof knees and the link is in the description 😉

[@drive395]

Standing still and crouching down? Good exercise if I want to stand still and crouch down i guess.

[@Kitiwake]

Or in biking

[@kae2678]

wanna feel your glute firing? walk with pushing off the ground with your heels. That will activate your glutes

[@architennis]

You spent a lot of time with him (being awkward) and you intentionally doing it wrong. I'd like to see much more of you doing it correctly. I have no idea what to practice after this, unfortunately.

[@malcolmbronte-stewart2114]

I tried to follow these instructions, adopted the position suggested, made several minor adjustments and still could not feel any engagement of the glutes. Quads became fatigued. I do not understand what has to be done in this exercise to achieve the objective. Any suggestions?

[@melodycervantes4167]

I'm not sure if I'm doing it right, but the main thing I did to feel my glutes was to put all the weight on the forward heel. Distributing it evenly across the foot seemed to use the quads instead. I also tried raising my arms; I wasn't using a chair for balance, so I instead lifted my arms as high as I could, which seemed to help. That might be a lower back exercise, though, but I don't think it hurt.

[@melodycervantes4167]

I basically followed some of the advice from this video, (12 minute foundation training) which apparently cured a lot of people's back pain. kzbin.info/www/bejne/anOyhamXh8Z3oKssi=iZnZ8SWjG4HCroCR

[@hamishwrobb8749]

Will this help for IT band syndrome?

[@ChaseMountains]

@@hamishwrobb8749 I actually have a video specifically on that kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHjWgJmIfZmIe6ssi=rqKv7DdTp5Jy9vE5

[@ArthurKingw]

I was hiking yesterday and my glutes are burning like hell right now

[@michaelmayfield8229]

Hello mate. I’m uk based but heading to Nepal November to base camp what barefoot shoe would you recommend I’m currently in Vivo primus trail fg

[@ChaseMountains]

@@michaelmayfield8229 November in nepal your toes will be a bit chilly in the primus. I would get one of the vivo boots with some insulation. They change models constantly so I have no idea what they’re called

[@michaelmayfield8229]

Thank you mate

[@incitatus953]

Just walk barefoot

[@cyclefrst7799]

Cyclists also do this to deliver power longer and protect their knees.

[@l2ebel]

Going up is np, going down is shit 😅

[@sekutard5157]

i dont understand 🗿🗿🗿 gotta try

[@jalexb503]

Could you talk about the cues for glute maxing downhills? I’ve always found the downhill to be very quad heavy. Maybe leaning more forward and driving hips forward instead of dropping the hips by bending the knee?

[@Chance-ry1hq]

🙄

[@davidrobjant7386]

Riveting, but only because I remain as mystified at the end as I was at the beginning. I think I have mastered the difference between "glutes" and "quads" and I guess "extension" means "range of movement"? But then there is a whole patter about "dominance" and wee bit of latin and throughout I have the impression that a conference of physiotherapists would know exactly what you are talking about. I have no idea. What has moving this guy about like a pipe cleaner sculpture got to do with gait in movement? There were maybe five seconds of gait video at the start with a green tick versus a red cross against them. Why did we move on from that before explaining it and go straight into the pipe cleaner stick man standing on one leg? Totally mystifying.

[@saeedkhan202]

More talking and less practical showing how to walk. Thousand words and one picture are equal.

[@me-lg1yw]

Ridiculous!

[@compellingpeople]

I'm not kidding when I say that after hiking every day for a week, my glutes lost all of their fat and I lost 10lbs. no pills, injections, or change in diet. just a lot of sleep and a lot of hiking with my GLUTES engaged.

[@tf-ok]

Cap

[@randyx2076]

14 minutes of pure confusion

[@RajTravelogues]

are you teaching piggyback ride or hike? no real hiking done with your system but just posing..