A Walk a Day
The
popularity
of walking
as a fitness
activity is
growing by
leaps and
bounds. Low
risk and
easy to
start,
walking has
proved its
health
benefits in
numerous
studies. A
classic
eight-year
study of
13,000
people
conducted at
the
Institute
for Aerobics
Research
under the
direction of
Dr. Steven
Blair found
that those
who walked
the
equivalent
of 30
minutes a
day had a
significantly
lower risk
of premature
death than
those who
rarely
exercised.
A regular
walking
program can
help:
-
Reduce
blood
cholesterol
-
Lower
blood
pressure
-
Increase
cardiovascular
endurance
-
Boost
bone
strength
- Burn
calories
and keep
weight
down
Get
Ready
A walking
program is
simple to
start. All
you need are
comfortable
clothes and
shoes. It is
a good idea
to layer
loose
clothing,
keeping in
mind that
exercise
elevates the
body’s
temperature.
Shoes
specifically
designed for
walking are
your best
option.
Every
workout
should begin
with a brief
warm-up and
a few simple
stretches.
Walk around
the house or
in place for
a few
minutes to
get the
blood
flowing to
the muscles
before you
attempt to
stretch
them.
Although
walking
primarily
works the
major
muscles of
the legs,
don’t forget
to stretch
your back,
shoulders
and arms.
This will
help to
loosen up
any tension
you may be
carrying and
make your
walk more
enjoyable,
as well as
more
effective.
Get
Moving
Beginning
walkers can
make their
workouts
less
strenuous by
limiting how
fast and far
they walk.
Keep the
following in
mind:
-
Walk
short
distances—Begin
with a
five-minute
stroll
and
gradually
increase
your
distance.
-
Forget
about
speed—Walk
at a
comfortable
pace.
Focus on
good
posture,
keeping
your
head
lifted
and
shoulders
relaxed.
-
Swing
your
arms
naturally—Breathe
deeply.
If you
can’t
catch
your
breath,
slow
down or
avoid
hills.
-
Be sure
that you
can talk
while
walking—If
you
can’t
converse,
you are
walking
too
fast.
Get Fit!
Walking
is one
fitness
activity
that allows
you numerous
options.
Once you
have reached
a point
where you
can walk a
few miles
with
relative
ease, you
can start to
vary the
intensity.
Walking
hills, in
addition to
increasing
your
cardiovascular
endurance,
is a great
way to tone
the legs.
Concentrate
on
lengthening
your stride
or
increasing
your speed.
And don’t
forget to
reward
yourself
after each
workout with
a few
minutes of
relaxing
stretches to
help prevent
sore
muscles.
Listening
to lively
music while
you walk is
also a great
way to
energize
your
workout. But
if you wear
headphones,
keep the
volume down
and watch
out for
traffic that
you may not
hear.
Keep
track of
your
progress.
Many experts
recommend
that you
walk a
minimum of
30 minutes a
day, but
there are no
hard and
fast rules.
Fit walking
into your
schedule
whenever you
can. That
may mean
three
10-minute
walks each
day, or even
hour-long
walks two to
three times
a week. The
best
schedule is
one that
keeps you
walking and
keeps you
fit!
