Ways To Get More Out Of Your Walks.

 

Although fall is here and we are heading into winter in some parts of the country (including mine), many areas stay at nice temperatures so people can walk all year. The thing is, even if you walk inside at the mall, you can still use these tips to help you have a more effective walk and walking is considered a great form of exercise.  Walking is accessible to most people, is a low impact activity so there is less strain and stress on your joints, can help you lose weight, and improves your health. 

One of the things you can do is to walk with intention.  This means you should write down you weekly walking goals so you have a tangible plan for your walking.  I don't mean an entry like "walk for 30 minutes".  Instead write down the type of walk you are doing each day such as an interval walk, or a fun walk with a friend.  In addition, a walk should be as short as 15 minutes but it could be 45 minutes or even an hour depending on how far you want to do.

Next, think about varying your walk so that one day you are climbing hills while the next day, you are walking on the beach. You don't want to get bored following the same path every day.  When you change the grade of the walk, you are able to work other parts of the body such as the glutes and burn more calories.  If you walk on a treadmill, change the incline of the machine to replicate hills.  Try to maintain the same pace when walking on an incline to give your body a better workout.  If you walk in a mall, try going from one level to the next using stairs.

Furthermore, try to walk with a buddy because it makes it easier to stick with walking regularly.  It is much better to have someone to encourage you, have fun with, talk to so you are more likely to stick with it. When you walk with a buddy, there is also an accountability issue because you have to coordinate the walk with someone.  Remember, the walk doesn't have to be exactly at the same time everyday depending on the demands of the day.

If you can, incorporate interval training or alternating periods of harder and easier walking.  You might want to walk as fast as you can for a period of about 45 seconds and then slow down for a more leisurely walk for 30 seconds for the whole walk.  This type of walk helps increase your cardio health and endurance.

Work towards a personal best for some of your walks.  If you use a set trail on a regular basis, time how long it takes to complete the walk and then the next time you do it, try to beat that time so you increase your personal best.  You might start with beating your time by 5 seconds, then 10, then 15, etc so you have a goal of how much to beat the previous record by.  This helps you do it.

Since music is considered a great motivator, especially when it comes to exercising, think about listening to music as you walk.  Take time to plan your play list because you want music with a steady beat that will help you walk at a steady pace for endurance walks but you might want something with a faster beat if you are trying to make a new personal best.  Choose music you like and have a good time.  

If the weather is nice enough, try walking on trails so that you are walking on uneven trails, or even on dirt roads because it requires that you pay more attention to your surroundings, improves spacial awareness, and works on balance.  In addition, the uneven terrain helps you burn more calories, while strengthening the smaller stabilizing muscles.

Follow these seven suggestions to help you improve the efficacy of your walking workout.  Have fun and enjoy yourself.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.