Famous American Comedian Steven Wright once said, “Everywhere is walking distance, if you have the time”…So very true, isn’t it!!! Walking like running, swimming and hiking or for that matter even dancing is considered one amongst the different types of aerobic activity. It is the type of activity that primarily works on type I muscle fibers. This helps to increase muscle endurance and capillary size, and generally helps the heart muscle to pump blood more efficiently. For better results it is generally done at a pace you can sustain for an extended period of time.

Brisk walking is considered to be the best form as opposed to walking at a normal pace. However, if your knees don’t permit you to walk fast, walking at a good pace will surely give you the much desired benefits. Walking as an exercise nourishes the spinal structures and facilitates strong circulation, pumping nutrients into soft tissues and draining toxins. It also increases flexibility and the body posture. Walking along with regular stretching allows greater range of motion; helps prevent awkward movements and susceptibility to future injury. Since this is a low-impact workout, walking invariably does not pose the same risk of injury as opposed to working out in the gym or running. Walking suits people of all age groups; in fact, for those in their 50s or above its extra beneficial as it helps in tissue-cleansing and compared to any other aerobic activity puts less stress on one’s spinal disc.

If you are the one for weight loss, indulge in power walking. Power walking or speed walking is the act of walking with a speed at the upper end of the natural range for the walking gait, typically 7 to 9 km/h (4.5 to 5.5 mph). However if you are able to briskly walk 30 to 40 mins a day or more on most days of the week, then it’s a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. These 30- 40 mins of brisk walking increases cardiovascular fitness, strengthens bones, helps burning of excess body fat and boosts muscle power and endurance. It’s a great way to reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.

 

Here are some basis suggestions as you build up your daily walking routine:

• First thing first, see your doctor for a medical check-up before embarking on any new fitness program, particularly, if you are aged over 40 years, are overweight or haven’t exercised in a long time
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing
• Always befriend a pair of good walking shoes to avoid blisters and shin splints. Look out for a low and supportive heel that will help you walk better. Also, choose a shoe that fits properly as per your foot gait and be sure that your toe has enough room in the toe box.
• Warming up cooling down after walking is an absolute must. The best way to warm up is to walk slowly; this will give your muscles time to warm up, and then pick up the speed. Afterwards, gently stretch your leg muscles – particularly your calves and front and back thighs. Stretches should be held for about 20 seconds. If you feel any pain, ease off the stretch. Don’t bounce or jolt or you could overstretch muscle tissue and cause microscopic tears, which lead to muscle stiffness and tenderness.
• Drink plenty of fluids before and after your walk. If you are taking a long walk, take water bottle with you.
• Take light, easy steps and make sure your heel touches down before your toes
• Whenever possible, walk on grass rather than concrete to help absorb the impact
• Our bodies tend to get used to physical activity, so continue to increase your intensity as you are able to improve your fitness levels.

You can increase the intensity of your walks by:

• walking up hills
• walking with hand weights
• increasing your walking speed gradually by including some quick walking
• increasing the distance you walk quickly before returning to a moderate walking pace
• And walking longer
• If you don’t enjoy an activity, it’s unlikely that you’ll stick with it.

To enhance the fun factor and stay active long-term, consider the following:

• Walk to music, simple. Walking to upbeat music can really get the required adrenalin flowing. By the way rather than focusing on the clock, which can be tedious, you can make walking interesting as you focus and enjoy your music until your workout is complete. However keep a check on your music enjoyment while walking in heavy traffic areas as it may pose a safety risk
• In this age of smart devices why let go of an interesting walking app. Such apps can track your progress to see how far you’ve come along and aren’t they a cool way to fill you up with a sense of accomplishment as you reach for your walking goals
• If you are a dog lover never miss out an opportunity to walk a dog. A 2011 study at Michigan State University involving 5,900 adults, including 2,710 dog owners, showed that 60 percent of participants who walked their dogs met standard recommended exercise needs. Only one-third of people who didn’t walk dogs demonstrated similar fitness. That’s incidentally 1-0 in favor of dog lovers. Don’t fret if you still don’t have a dog , there is always a neighbor’s friendly dog around the corner 
• Challenge yourself to take the stairs instead of the lift wherever you can
• If you are the one who takes the metro or any other public transport for work try getting down one stop earlier and walk to work or home. Else you can always prefer to walk (and NOT drive) to the local shops
• Join a walking club for some peer level motivation

Now that we are geared up to start our walking routine and also spice it up with lots of variations and attachments, let’s see as to how walking can be made different for different age groups ……

• If you are in your teens or in the 20s, you can really afford to exert yourself the most and a good 90 mins of walking will give you the desired results. Don’t forget to merge your walking with running or jogging in between
• If you are in your 30s or in 40s, its time to concentrate on the pace of your walking. Do walk briskly but make sure that you take ample amount of rest in between. Since this is the age group when most women cope with motherhood and most people are trying to reach the peak of their career, its best to keep oneself active and alert by embracing brisk walking as a regular form of exercise
• If you are in your 50s or above, then be conscious of the fact that generally in this age your bone mineral density starts falling. So make sure that you are walking as much as possible so that your joints do not get stiff. Always walk at a comfortable pace and don’t exert yourself too much. If you are upto it and don’t get tired too easily, try jogging in between your walks. This will increase your metabolism and keep the old age at a bay!!!

So you see, walking as a form of exercise is most inclusive of all. It embraces all age groups and all forms of attachments to keep itself interesting as well as beneficial. So stop procrastinating, reach out for your cool walking kit and start exploring those lovely walking trails!!!

Three cheers to your fun filled walking experience…..

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