So you’re over 50 and you think you need to stop doing the activities that you love, such as hiking?
Absolutely not! In fact, with discipline and the appropriate strength work, you can take on hikes you once thought impossible and go beyond your wildest expectations.
Meet one of our inspiring clients: Gaynor, 69, trekking in Spain
Ready to hit the trail like Gaynor? Focus on these 3 key things
1. Improve you lower back, hip and pelvis stability
One of the most important aspects of good core stability and building the foundation of control is improving the strength of the muscles around the lumbar spine, hips and pelvis.
The greatest aspect of clinical Pilates is that a large number of exercises focus on stability and control around the lumbar spine, in particular the activation and control of the multifidus muscle (the main stabiliser of the lower back). The role of this muscle group is to control the “glide” of one vertebral segment on the other. This reduces the load on the pain sensitive structures of the lower back (the discs and facet joints) and forms the foundation of good posture and control.
However, good lower back control alone is not enough. The multifidus is a small stabilising muscle group and cannot handle heavier loads on its own. That’s where the power and load-bearing capacity of the gluteal muscles, located around the hips and pelvis, becomes essential.
- Gluteus maximus (important for propulsion)
- Gluteus medius (important for side to side control of the hips, especially in women)
- Gluteus minimus (A small stabiliser around the hip at pulls the capsule away to stop impingement of the hip).
Together these muscle groups provide control and propulsion around the hips which are the most important muscle groups during climbing.
2. Adding compound lifts (Further strength development)
Core and pelvic stability provide a solid foundation for control, but additional strength development requires more advanced training.
Adding exercises like barbell squats and deadlifts helps you build real, functional strength, the kind that makes hiking feel easier and more powerful.
Compound lifts are multi-joint strengthening activities, that require co-ordination, multi muscle development and take advantage of the stability you have created in your clinical Pilates training.
In addition, these exercises are the key to building bone density and resilience in heavier and more complicated terrain.
It is never too early or too late to start compound strength training, as long as you have build a foundation of control AND progress the exercises sensibly, ideally under the supervision of a qualified exercise professional
3. Balance and agility training
The third and bonus element is working on your balance, especially your agility. Being able to navigate uneven and unpredictable terrain is important and can be trained. This is not just for athletes and kids, but for everyone.
Practicing drills such as:
- Change of direction
- Quickly altering standing from one foot to another
- More complicated change of direction drills and picking things off the ground
These simple activities train the brain to respond to unpredictable situations and the balance senses in the joints (the proprioception senses) to become sharper and more reactive so that you can keep you balance in the more complicated environments.
So just because you’re over 50, it doesn’t mean you have to give up the activities you love, especially hiking.
With the right foundation of strength, balance, and stability, you can not only return to the trails but take on new challenges you never thought possible.
Your body is more capable than you realise. Whether it’s a local bushwalk or a bucket-list trek overseas, it all starts with believing you can and backing that belief with the right training.
So lace up your boots, start moving, and let’s get you ready for your next adventure. The mountains are calling and you’re more than ready to answer.
Book a FREE Full Body Assessment HERE
Do you have any questions?
Call us on (03) 9857 0644 or (07) 3505 1494 (Paddington)
Email us at admin@mdhealth.com.au
Check out our other blog posts here
Our clinical staff would be happy to have chat if you have any questions.
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