Need to start exercising, but not sure where to start? Walking is one of the safest, simplest forms of exercise, and the Hill has no end of great places to do it.
Mark this statistic: On average, every minute spent exercising can extend your life by 1.5 to 2 minutes!
For most outdoor walks you need no special equipment apart from a good pair of comfortable supportive shoes. They can be the difference between a fun, rejuvenating walk and an uncomfortable, painful one.
Walking benefits
The health benefits of walking include the increase of aerobic endurance; it's easier on the joints, burns almost as many calories as jogging and reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. Fit walkers are less likely to fall and suffer injuries because their bones are strengthened and they have better range of movement around their joints.
There's no doubt, walking is good for you: good for your heart, lungs, muscles and great for your overall well-being. It's something that costs you nothing and can fit in with almost any lifestyle and all ages. Unlike most sports and fitness activities, walking can be done anywhere at any time. Whether you want to walk to improve your general health, to keep fit or control your weight, it can be fun.
Remember your walking technique:
* Walk with your chin up and look straight ahead.
* Your chest should be lifted and shoulders back.
* Swing your arms as you walk.
* Pull your abdominals in slightly to support your back.
* Walk so that the heel of your foot touches the ground first.
* Roll your weight forward.
Always contact your physician before starting any new fitness program. He or she can help guide you on intensity and duration of your workouts. In general, start slowly and take it easy at first; see how you feel before trying more challenging workouts. Stop if you feel out of breath, dizzy, faint or nauseated or if you have pain.
The intensity of walking for fitness benefits will vary according to the age and fitness of the individual. If you do little activity now, you should start walking at a suitable level and work up to a more demanding pace.
A simple way to work out how briskly you should walk is to aim to walk fast without over-exertion. You should always be able to say at least four words without catching your breath. If you can say more than 12 or 15 words, you may want to pick up the pace a bit.
Most of us walk about without thinking of walking as a regular activity, but if you focus on the intensity or distance covered, it can greatly increase your fitness level. Anyone can take up walking activities provided they are healthy.
START A JOURNAL
Set personal goals - both short- and long-term. This may apply to time, distance, weight. Once you have set a goal, make a plan to reach it. Always log your workouts in a journal. This way, you can track your progress.
Find time for walking at least three times per week as a starting point. Even if you don't have time for one long session, you can break it up across the day.
WHAT IS A PEDOMETER?
A great walking tool to use is a pedometer. This is a simple device used to measure the number of steps you take during your training session.
Attach the pedometer to your belt or waistband near the front of your hipbone, in line with your kneecap. The pedometer must stay upright to work correctly. If your body shape causes the pedometer to tip over, clip it instead to the side or back of your waistband. Women can clip it to the front of their sports bra.
HOW FAR SHOULD I WALK?
Some people wear their pedometers all the time and count the steps of walking to bathroom from the couch or from the kitchen to the bedroom. These short walks are relatively insignificant. A mile walk along the waterfront is significant.
There are times where you park at the far end of the parking lot at a grocery store. Should you add these steps to your daily workout total? It's completely up to you which steps you want to record and which ones you don't. That is the beauty of it!
A good thing to remember is, a mile equals roughly 2,000 steps. The "ultimate" goal is to work up to 10,000 steps per training session. If this sounds like too much of a challenge, start with just walking down the driveway and back. Record your steps. The next workout, try to reach your neighbor's driveway, record your steps, and so on.
So, you can start walking today, even with a friend or relative. You will feel better mentally and physically and once you have started, and you'll find yourself looking forward to your walking program. Good luck![[In-content Ad]]
