Walking as exercise

If you decide that you are going to start walking as an exercise, it is a good idea to prepare. So here are some ideas on how to prepare and what to do before, during and after your walk. As always when starting a new exercise program always consult your physician before starting this or any exercise program.

BEFORE YOU WALK

·    Make sure you are wearing walking or running shoes with good support and cushioning.

·    Take your pulse for ten seconds and multiply by six for your resting heart rate.

·    Do at least three minutes of slow walking or relaxed arm and leg movements before you walk.

DURING YOUR WALK

·    Lengthen your spine while you walk. Visualize your head floating up to the sky like a helium balloon.

·    Make sure your buttocks’ muscles are relaxed and your shoulders are moving freely.

·    Warm up by walking at a slow-to-normal pace for the first five minutes.

·    Increase your speed gradually until you are walking briskly.

·   Take your ten-second pulse approximately five to ten minutes into your brisk walk to ensure you are working at the appropriate level (i.e., your target heart rate).

·   Make sure you can talk comfortably while you are walking.

·   Keep walking at a level that doesn’t exhaust you and can be maintained for at least twenty minutes.

·   Work up to a thirty-to-forty-five-minute walk. If you are unable to walk this long at one time, take shorter walks throughout the day.

·   At the end of your walk, cool down with a five-minute slow walk. This safely lowers your pulse.

AFTER YOUR WALK

·   Perform the heel cord, hip flexor, and hamstring stretches.

·   Check your pulse and make sure it is lower than the level you reached during the brisk walk. If not, contact your physician before continuing with the program.

·   Try to walk as often as possible. Walking three times a week is the minimum necessary to improve cardiovascular fitness and increase bone density. If you experience shortness of breath or chest pain while walking, stop immediately and contact your physician.