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Walking – the best exercise
Is walking serious fitness? A lot of women ask me this. Many of them are worried that they are taking the lazy option. Walking is a powerful fitness and health tool, say experts. A Harvard University study showed that women who walked 4.8 kmph, 3 days a week reduced their risk of heart disease by 40%. Apart from helping to keep the heart healthy, walking is an easy way to lose weight.
If that's too long for you, don't worry. Forty minutes on the walking track will also help. Do keep at it with all your energy if you are a regular. And those who want to
start go put on your walking shoes. To get the best out of your walk–outdoors or on the treadmill you need to walk right. Here's a simple before-during- after guide.Before
Keep sipping water as you walk
The right footwear is very important. It makes a world of difference to your walking pleasure. Also gives you a firm grip to help you speed up. It must have an adequate heel and forefoot cushioning, ankle and arch support. It should be made of fiber which keeps the feet dry. If you are overweight please ensure there's sturdy, heavy foam at the heel to withstand extra pressure. Never wear shoes without socks when you are walking. This could irritate or inflame the skin of your feet. The right time to buy shoes is late afternoon as later in the day your feet tend to swell a bit.
The clothing
Wear something light and loose to allow free movement of your limbs. The material should allow your skin to breathe and let sweat evaporate.
It is important to drink two glasses of water before and after a walk. Otherwise you could end up dehydrated and feeling disoriented or exhausted. For Indian summers dehydration could get serious–there are people who have passed out while walking? If you feel thirsty while walking, carry a flask and keep sipping water throughout. Ready to hit the track?
Warm up Any form of aerobic workout should be preceded by a warm up. Start your walk with a good 5-7 minute warm up. Walk at a slow pace, arms relaxed by the side of the body. Warming up has many benefits. It reduces the workload on cardiac muscles, increases the oxygen supply to muscles and also prevents soreness and strains. After the warm-up you are ready to get into the real action or the aerobic component of walking.
This should be at least 40 minutes to 1 hour. Maintaining the correct posture during
the walk is important. Here's a checklist. n Keep your chin parallel to the ground n Pull down the shoulders and relax n Lift up your chest, look ahead n Keep your abdomen contracted n Relax your knees and arms n Maintain a comfortable stride.I see many people walking with their arms straight by their sides. The right way to do it is to bend your arms at a 90-degrees angle and swing them like you would when running. While walking, land with the heel of the foot and roll the full foot on the surface. Then, forcefully push off with the forefoot and move on to the next stride. To speed up, increase the arm swing, place one foot in front of the other in a straight line and roll the hips forcefully while taking the forward stride.
After
Cool down At least for 5-7 minutes. Reduce your speed gradually. Follow through with static stretches for muscles of lower limbs and back. Hold each stretch for at
least 20 seconds. A cool-down is important as it helps reduce the accumulation of lactic acid. This will prevent soreness of muscles and pain in the shin area. For greater health benefits and reducing the risk of injury, try to combine walking with strength training exercises.At this point I would like to caution people with special needs. Cardiac patients, diabetics, pregnant women and people with respiratory problems, limb disorders or any injury should consult a doctor before they start any form of exercise, including walking. Elderly people who are otherwise healthy should walk for a longer duration at a slower pace walk out to workout Thirty minutes of brisk walking every day will help you lose a kilo in two months and improve your overall health.