Oftentimes people complicate exercise or in this case, walking. And, while complicated exercise is needed and enjoyed by many people, less complicated versions exist. Consider walking.
Make a plan for walking to help manage weight, it benefits joint and bodily health by building muscles and promoting a good blood flow, and it can even help to alleviate conditions such as depression and anxiety. Oftentimes, people with systemic disease such as diabetes or heart conditions such as high blood pressure find walking helps to manage their condition.
There is no one set method to walking, but try to walk at as fast a pace as you are comfortable. There’s leisurely strolling and then there’s walking. If you are someone who’s been sedentary lately, it may be important to your skeletal system to walk correctly: look up not down, try to maintain upright posture, but at the same time keep your upper-half relaxed, comfortable, arms swinging in rhythm at your sides.
Make a plan for Walking
Choose your walking clothes (anything works, although you’re likely to perform better if you’re comfortable). Use shoes that are made for performing exercise; the shoes should fit appropriately, taking into consideration your foot type—shoe soles are built on a tiered scale of necessary arch support, and wearing a shoe that performs best to your own needs will ensure that you are comfortable and able to keep walking. Pick out a walking route and stick to it.
And work up to walking long distances; you may want to start by just walking for a set amount of time—say twenty minutes—and then increase your walk times by ten minutes on subsequent weeks. Also, just because walking is less invasive than, say, running, you will still need to warm up and then cool down. Start your walking session by walking slowly for ten minutes and then after your walk make sure you walk slowly again—leisurely-paced. After your workout, it may be beneficial for you to stretch for ten minutes or so, working all the muscles of the legs, back, etc. Stretching before your walk may or may not be beneficial, and stretching already warmed-up muscles will have the greatest benefit.
