Dance Downhill

Today’s hike was from Tagkarada down to Damouchari (a seaside town most famouse as the setting for the film Mama Mia). It was a 10km slog down the steepest path I’ve ever been on.

Amy descending toward Damouchari.

Anyone who hikes knows how hard downhill can be. Like, four hours on a Thigh-Master. Knees aching, glutes aching, “sewing machine leg”.

Well, thanks to my ballroom-dancing teacher Maryna (shout-out to Carolina Ballroom), I think I have downhill licked.

Muscles get tired. Bones don’t. Also, gravity should be doing the work. So try this, the next time you need to descend a long, steep path:

  1. Stand on both legs, in a relaxed First Position, for you ballet dancers out there, somewhat sideways to the hill.
  2. You have and Uphill Leg (UL henceforth) and a Downhill Leg (DL).
  3. Aim your DL at where you want to plant your foot.
  4. Bend the knee of the UL, lifting your heel off the ground.
  5. This will bring the DL to the ground, straight, with your skeleton bearing your weight.
  6. Keep your center-of-gravity over the straight DL.
  7. Bring the UL next to the DL; only the toe only of the UL should be on the ground at this point. (This ensures that your straight DL is bearing your weight.
  8. Straighten the UL, by lowering UL’s heel, shifting your weight over it, and bend the DL, raising the DL’s heel.
  9. Lift the DL, straighten it, aim it, and lower it to the ground by bending the knee of the UL (and raising its heel), keeping your center-of-gravity over the straight DL.
  10. Etc.

Downhill is hard when you use muscles to lower your body, again and again. This technique lets gravity do the work, while your skeleton keeps you up, especially if you keep your center-of-gravity over whichever leg is straight. Always lift the heel of whichever leg is bent, to ensure that it is not bearing weight.

I got through three solid hours of downhill with no discernible muscle fatigue. Also, this is the basic Salsa and Mambo step; if you are raising your heel when you bend a leg, you will automatically get awesome “Cuban motion” in your hips. A nice long downhill hike, and you’ll kill it at the club!

Dancers.