Good Tips for a Good Walk

As you know if you have been reading my posts, I am doing a lot more walking these days.  I found some interesting tips on the web that I thought I would share with you. 

A study by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health found brisk walking was associated wpreventing weight gain and maintaining weight loss whereas slow walking was not.  The difference between the two lies with you.  While the CDC reports brisk walking to be ≥ 3.5 mph, your level of exertion determines if brisk walking is the moderate intensity activity it is intended to be.  Ideally a brisk walk means you are between 50 and 70% of your maximum heart rate (MHR).  If you don’t know your MHR, use the talk test: you should be breathing harder than usual and be able to speak in long sentences, but not able to sing. Brisk walking isn’t just a faster leisurely walk; it requires proper posture and total body effort, complete with relaxed shoulders, eyes looking forward, and hands relaxed. As one arm moves forward, the other moves back, while alternating with each step.  
The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week and two or more days of muscle strengthening activities.  So if you’re just starting out, brisk walking can have far-reaching benefits for your overall health.

Brisk walking also improves endurance, which can prepare you for more intense activity down the road.   Try interval-style walking: Three minutes of fast walking, then three minutes of slower walking, repeated ten times.

A walking program to try

(This article was first printed in the Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School "Exercise: A Program You Can Live With." For more information or to order, please go to http://www.health.harvard.edu/special_health_reports/Exercise.htm.)
Before you take your first steps, follow these guidelines to plan your program.

• Find a safe place to walk. Options include quiet streets, trails in parks, athletic tracks at local schools, or a shopping mall.
• Invest in a good pair of shoes. Shoes for walking should have thick, flexible soles that cushion your feet and elevate your heel a half to three-quarters of an inch above the sole. The upper portion of the shoe should be constructed of “breathable” materials such as nylon mesh or leather.
• Wear clothes appropriate to the season. Wear lighter clothes than you’d need if you were standing still; you’ll warm up as you exercise. Dress in layers so you can peel off garments if you get hot.
• Warm-up and cool-down. Include five-minute warm-up and cool-down segments as part of your total walking time. A slow walk is a good warm-up and cool-down. Or you may want to stretch for your cool-down (but not as a warm-up since you should only stretch muscles that have been adequately warmed up).

Practice good walking technique:

• Walk at a brisk, steady pace. Slow down if you’re too breathless to carry on a conversation.
• Keep your back straight, and gently contract your stomach muscles.
• Hold your head up. Lift your chest and shoulders.
• Point your toes straight ahead.
• Let your arms swing loosely at your sides. If you want to boost your speed, bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle and swing your hands from waist to chest height.
• Land on your heel and roll forward onto the ball of your foot, pushing off from your toes. Walking flat-footed or only on the ball of the foot may lead to soreness and fatigue.
• Take long, easy strides, but don’t strain. To go faster, take quicker steps instead of longer ones.
• Lean forward slightly when walking faster or going up hills.

Sample walking program

Follow the plan charted below to build up your strength and endurance. If you haven’t been exercising, start at the beginning. If you’re already exercising, but want to increase your activity, start at the level that best matches your current routine and build from there.

A walking program to try
	Sessions per week	Warm-up	Walking time	Cool-down	Total minutes
Week 1	2	5 min. slow walking	5 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	15 min.
Week 2	3	5 min. slow walking	5 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	15 min.
Week 3	4	5 min. slow walking	10 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	20 min.
Week 4	5	5 min. slow walking	10 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	20 min.
Week 5	6	5 min. slow walking	10 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	20 min.
Weeks 6–7	6	5 min. slow walking	15 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	25 min.
Week 8	6	5 min. slow walking	20 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	30 min.
Week 9	6	5 min. slow walking	25 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	35 min.
Week 10	6	5 min. slow walking	30 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	40 min.
Week 11	6	5 min. slow walking	40 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	50 min.
Week 12	7	5 min. slow walking	50 min. brisk walking	5 min. slow walking	60 min.

(This article was first printed in the Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School "Exercise: A Program You Can Live With." For more information or to order, please go to http://www.health.harvard.edu/special_health_reports/Exercise.htm.)