Walking for Exercise

 

Walking is too easy.  How can anything that you do every day of your life be considered exercise?

 

Believe it or not, there are many different types of walking to choose from.  Check them out and see if one of them appeals to you.

 

The usual activities of daily living involve standing and intermittent walking, which is the first walking category.  Besides walking for exercise, try to be on your feet for at least an hour a day.  No brainer, you say, but you probably spend more time on your butt than you do on your feet.

 

Strolling and casual walking is the second category and refers to doing a 30 minute mile.  This is what you are doing when you are shopping, walking with your children, or even with a slow dog who wants to stop to sniff at every bush.  This is pretty low intensity stuff but it still burns more calories than sitting or standing.

 

Ah, functional walking which is next.  This is more like it.  This is exercise you say.  This is the kind of walking that gets you where you want to go, but still isn’t in the breaking a sweat category.  We are talking about a 20-30 minute mile here.

 

Okay, ready to ratchet it up a bit?  Let’s go for a brisk walk.  We are now talking about 15-30 minutes to cover a mile.  This is pretty fast but you get significant health benefits, especially if you do it for 30 minutes a day.

 

For real enthusiasts there is power walking, which means a 12-15 minute mile.  This is really skimming along so you will have to work up to this one.  With this form you are not only walking pretty fast but are probably using your arms to propel yourself along.  A good walking audio will help you with technique and tempo.

 

Variations on traditional one foot in front of the other walking are covered by Dr. Walter H. Ettinger in his book “Fitness After 50.”  Recommendations include interval walking where you change your pace and intensity at specific intervals during your training period.  Do you prefer water exercises?  Walking in a swimming pool is another way to vary your walking program.  The water adds resistance which increases the intensity, so this is not a piece of cake.  Walking uphill really gets the heart rate up.  If you don’t have any hills in your neighborhood you may have to visit a gym and work on a treadmill or stair climbing machine.

 

Disavow yourself of the notion that walking it too easy to be considered an exercise regime.  Walking is a popular aerobic activity for people of all ages.  It is easy to do and the equipment outlay is marginal.

 

Comments

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[Tristan Benette]

People who frequently walk live longer and get mental health and spiritual benefits. They have fewer incidences of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases. So, get those walking shoes on and start walking! =D