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I have found this sort of downhill "jog" to be very helpfulYes, that would also be my advice. Very precisely formulated.
However you can also try to run down the hills (if they are not too step). The way to do it is close to the advice already given. But try to lean slightly backwards when doing it, relax in the shoulders and arms and keep the poles ready so you can use them if you stumble. And don't run fast. Run slowly. Like jogging. Short steps. It may sound strange but it may losen up the muscles a bit, at least as long as you run slowly.
For me it works fine, it loosens the weight on the knees since there is a more "flowing movement" and the "bumping down the hill" also loosen up the other muscles in the body. It fells sort of refreshing, but I'm well avare that not everyone likes it. We're all different.
Running AND zig-zagging..... . Actually did that on several occasions on this year’s Camino...
When I was about 45 years yonger I used to run down hills. Also 'scree running'.
Now my knees would give out!
I must have good knees because I love the downhills but hate working hard to climb uphill!Go slow.
Step short.
Lengthen the poles a bit.
Put a lot of weight onto the poles. I estimate 10-15 kgs at least using my bathroom scales.
Tread lightly.
Wear knee support
Zig zagging can help.
Downhills are a killer. Rather go uphill anytime!
Yes, as long as there are not many loose rocks in the path!I have found this sort of downhill "jog" to be very helpful
I think you have four legs cuz you are a donkey!For me it works to think of my trekking sticks as turning me into a quadruped. So my trekking sticks are my front two legs.
Hey, Jeff, this is a very serious post, coming from you.Check and perhaps tighten boot laces - you don't want to cut off the blood supply but you also don't want your feet sliding forward and your toes hitting the end of the toe box. Look up lacing systems around the ankle.
Roger that. Perspective is everything. ThanksWhat steep hill? Consider it in a different projection and it turns into a gentle stroll in rolling hills. 150 metres of ascent & 250 metres of descent in over 7km is not exactly a mountain climb
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Keep knees bent and stay forward (ie skiing). Use poles to your advantage.Does anyone have any resources or tips & tricks for using Trekking Poles ... walking down hills like this?
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I am serious quite often, just bored that I can't get out and play for the present. The only footwear I can get into at the moment are flipflops (too cold) or an old pair of Grandad soft slippers - even pulling on socks is a nuisance hence spending my time knitting socks for heffalumps!Hey, Jeff, this is a very serious post, coming from you.
Thought Kanga was a Roo not an Eeyore?I think you have four legs cuz you are a donkey!
Yeah, that's always been one of my pet peeves -- the distortion of reality created by the elevation profiles. Even your example is distorted by a factor of roughly 2.5 to 1. I realize that it's impossible to portray an actual distance-to-elevation graph for a typical 25-30km guidebook stage, but pilgrims must recognize that, like you say, those "mountains" on the graphs are really just molehills. On a related note, I've heard it said that the earth as a whole is as smooth as billiard ball at real scale.What steep hill? Consider it in a different projection and it turns into a gentle stroll in rolling hills. 150 metres of ascent & 250 metres of descent in over 7km is not exactly a mountain climb
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Hmmm, I'm not very familiar with the facial anatomy of a kangaroo as we have none in the US. You could be correct. I thought it should of been a kangaroo, but thought "she" resembled more of a donkey, but without the ears...I wasn't really sure!Thought Kanga was a Roo not an Eeyore?
I have found this sort of downhill "jog" to be very helpful
Always good, detailed tips from you, Dave, no matter what the subject!
Yes, that is why I recommend leaning slightly backwards. It takes a bit of practicing, depending on your agility etc, but trust me. It's rewarding and loosen up the sore muscles.Several responders have suggested running, trotting, or jogging downhill. That's fine if you're wearing running shorts and a tee shirt, but remember, on the Camino you're wearing a 7 or 8kg (or more) backpack, which means your center of gravity is not where your body expects it to be -- the slightest stumble can lead to a nasty face plant or worse.
Excellent!!! Someone else also found it. My wife was having lots of trouble going downhill. We lengthened poles which increased arm load, which helped somewhat, but she was still in pain. In desperation , I said 'bend you knees a little like skiing downhill" It worked! It took her a little while to get accustomed to this gait, but she finished the Camino doing her downhills with knees slightly bent.Keep knees bent and stay forward (ie skiing). Use poles to your advantage.
Buen Camino
When I groused in my Instagram post about those stones you call ball bearings my brother-in-law commented, “Mountain bikers call those rocks “babyheads.”I found several hills challenging to climb down on the Camino Frances. Some were steep hills littered with stones which functioned like ball bearings, eg. downhill from the Alto del Perdon. Others, like the forest climb down to Roncesvalles, were challenging because of steepness combined with a lack of any surface on which I could find traction. I could never manage that climb in wet weather, with the steep hillside turned to slick mud. I remember one downhill which was hard on my knees because of steepness alone: the walk down from the Alto de Mostelares opposite Castrojeriz. The route was paved. The pavement was quite rough and would provide traction in wet weather. But it was steep. I soon decided to shorten my steps and cross back and forth across the road, moving downward gradually to minimize the strain on my knees. A young man coming up behind me imitated my walk. Fortunately, there were no mad runners approaching to threaten my safety and I made it to the bottom slowly, with little strain on the knees. Any steep down climb, especially on a challenging surface, requires an alert response to conditions.
Does anyone have any resources or tips & tricks for using Trekking Poles ... walking down hills like this?
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Apart from poles and their use, you might want to tighten your boot strings so your toes don’t slide forward an get injured, blisters an bruised toes aren’t fun.
Apart from poles and their use, you might want to tighten your boot strings so your toes don’t slide forward an get injured, blisters an bruised toes aren’t fun.
I think it's a nice idea, and could work some of the time, but some of those downhills are very long. One that comes quickly to mind at the moment is heading down to Embalse de Salime on the Primitivo...it goes on and on and on. Hard to help someone for that duration. The Le Puy route has plenty of them, too, going straight down over many rocks for quite a way.Maybe I am being ridiculous but if you are walking with others perhaps someone more adept at downhill can simply help you down slowly? My wife can not do down very well at all and I am often times (on local hikes, not the camino) just a step or two ahead and standing sideways I offer her my arm or hand in support. Having a firm body to lean on instead of a pole may give you more security and make the whole thing easier?
Actually walking the Primitivo last fall, I jogged down the hill to the dam that everyone complains about,with no problems. I am 74 and found jogging slowly down steep hills easier that trying to hold myself back. Everyone is different but I never dread the downhill that many hate. Give it a try and Buen Camino.Go slow.
Step short.
Lengthen the poles a bit.
Put a lot of weight onto the poles. I estimate 10-15 kgs at least using my bathroom scales.
Tread lightly.
Wear knee support
Zig zagging can help.
Downhills are a killer. Rather go uphill anytime!
Thought Kanga was a Roo not an Eeyore?
Actually walking the Primitivo last fall, I jogged down the hill to the dam that everyone complains about,with no problems. I am 74 and found jogging slowly down steep hills easier that trying to hold myself back. Everyone is different but I never dread the downhill that many hate. Give it a try and Buen Camino.
After suffering a complete rupture of my right quad tendon seven years ago, I won’t run down any surface unless I am absolutely sure of my footing. Slipping and falling while going downhill or down steps is one of the most common ways to rupture a quad tendon. I suffered my injury playing American football in the backyard on Thanksgiving Day.It has nothing to do with weight. I'm 108 kilo or 239 pounds with backpack on. And believe me, my knees are well worn....slow jogging downhill is great. For me. That's why I emphasise that you can try and see if it works for you too. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. But it's worth a try, because if it does, it's really a help and your knees and muscles will love you for it...
It has nothing to do with weight. I'm 108 kilo or 239 pounds with backpack on. And believe me, my knees are well worn....slow jogging downhill is great. For me. That's why I emphasise that you can try and see if it works for you too. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. But it's worth a try, because if it does, it's really a help and your knees and muscles will love you for it...
I tried a slow jog downhill into Portomarin once, a bit of a bouncy step. It was not my normal pace, and by the bottom I was in a state that required that I hobble along for four days into Santiago.I have had to provide first aid to those who have just done a slow jog downhill.
How about the walking backwards approach when on pavement, any thoughts about the effectiveness of that? When I first saw people doing it I did a double take. I tried it but never got comfortable with i
Actually when I walk down hills,I tend to overstride,much in the same way you overstride when running down hills,which causes all kinds of problems. I actually shorten my stride and find it very comfortable. I learned a long time ago not to overstride going downhills,and found that I could pass many runners who were overstriding and taking fewer steps. All I am suggesting is for any interested,give it a try. I am not wanting to step on any sacred issues! AS ALWAYS,BUEN CAMINO.The “Good Thing” that happens with “Running”…downhill…maybe?
The OP asks for “tips & tricks for using Trekking Poles ... walking down hills like this (picture/graph - very steep)”
I don’t support the advice to try running down hill to someone who is already concerned about his ability to navigate down a steep hill and the moment you introduce running or jogging you can forget about trying to use your poles. They will only hinder you and probably trip you. You may end up stabbing yourself and many others as you are rolling/cart wheeling down that steep hill shown in the graph.
Speed (running or jogging) by itself does not make things easier on joints/muscles. If you introduce speed going downhill; in order to maintain control, you must bend your knees more with each longer and jarring step to protect the knee joint. As Dave mentioned earlier, the deeper knee bend acts as a shock absorber for the joint and thus can aid in better protecting the joint from injury. You can get the same protection and control with a deeper knee bend while walking slowly. This eliminates all the obvious risks associated with loss of control during a descent that could be induced by running/jogging downhill with a higher than normal center of gravity. So I think the beneficial motion that Torben is advocating is really more about a deeper knee bend with each step (required when running or jogging) and not about the speed one travels over the surface when running/jogging.
I am generalizing here but I think most people who post this kind of a question here as the OP did are not experienced trail hikers. Experience is valuable when reading the trail surface and making good decisions about potential hazards. At walking pace, most of us can make fairly good decisions reading those hazards and if we make a bad decision we have a chance to recover and minimize injury. At jogging speed, you have no chance of recovery with a slip or misstep going downhill…you WILL fall down and maybe take others with you. If you have concerns about the steep downhill sections, follow your head and gut and slow down.
My comments relate primarily to the steeper downhill surfaces composed of dirt and rock on the CF. There are a couple of short but very steep asphalt sections that require some special attention, otherwise the asphalt on a downhill is pretty safe if you want to run/jog. Just keep in mind it’s the first time you are jogging on THIS asphalt so there could be small loose ball bearing type stones in a area you don’t notice or a slick spot of oil or diesel fuel on the road surface.