Why you should walk
Walks help maintain normal weight, strengthen bones and muscles, improve endurance and coordination of movements. They are good influence on the cardiovascular system and reduce stress. At the same time, you do not need to pay a coach, buy sports equipment and rearrange your schedule. You can walk at any time – even a 15-minute walk during your lunch break will benefit.
How to improve the quality of your walk
1. Improve your walking technique
If you constantly slouch or walk with your head buried in your phone, walking is unlikely to be of much use. Follow the simple ones recommendations.
- Straighten your back. Slouching makes breathing difficult and causes pain in the spine. Stretch your spine, imagining that there is a thread stretching upward from the top of your head. Align your shoulders: lift them, and then move them back and down. Maintain a neutral pelvic position. Keep your abs tight, but don’t push your tailbone forward or stick your stomach out.
- Keep your head straight. Don’t lower your eyes – this position creates additional stress on the upper back and neck.
- Relax your hands. Swing your arms from your shoulders, not from your elbow. Let them move freely.
- Walk quietly and smoothly. Your foot should roll from heel to toe, rather than landing on the pavement with a thud. Do not extend your leg too far – this will increase the stress on the joints.
- Wear suitable shoes. The right pair supports arch of the foot, has a stable heel and a thick flexible sole. Check the size: there should be about one centimeter between your toes and the edge of the shoe.
2. Vary your pace and warm up.
Walking is not a high performance sport, but some of the techniques of professionals can be implemented into your life. For example, adopt the training structure. First you need to warm up your muscles. To do this, walk slowly for 10–15 minutes. During the main part of the walk alternate fast pace and moderate. Such interval exercise improves heart function and burns more calories than regular walking. At the end, go back to a slow step so that the muscles cool down, 5-10 minutes is enough. Next, you can do stretching exercises, for example, bending to the side or bending slightly backward.
3. Try walking in silence
Walking to music has its advantages – it allows you to regulate walking speed and increases endurance. But spending time in silence is also beneficial. For example, this is possible to practice Mindfulness is the ability to concentrate on the present moment without remembering the past or worrying about the future. And also a walk without headphones will improve creativity.
How to get used to walking regularly
1. Set realistic goals
If your athletic maximum is a 20-meter walk from the computer to the cooler, do not rush to immediately overcome the 10 thousand steps mark. In the first week, five-minute walks are enough. For example, you can get out into the fresh air during your lunch break. When this format becomes a habit, set a new goal – say, a 20-minute walk after work.
Ideally need to Give physical activity half an hour a day. But if you can’t find that much time at once, break it down into short chunks. Five-minute slots can be found even in the busiest schedules.
2. Make the walk interesting
Look for new routes. For example, think of several non-standard routes to the nearest shopping center. You can also add an interactive element to your daily walk. Set up a challenge with your friends “Who can walk the most in a week” and share your results over the weekend. Or hold a photo competition: agree to take pictures during walks that will meet certain criteria. For example, find the funniest sign, capture a sunset, or photograph the maximum number of blue objects.
3. Praise yourself
Record your daily results in a notepad – this will help you track your progress. You can thank your perseverance not only for the fact that you go through more and more steps. If you managed to go for walks for 10 days in a row, then this is also a good reason to say a few good words. But you can also come up with material motivation. For example, for a special achievement, give yourself new sneakers or a reusable water bottle.
4. Don’t be upset if something goes wrong
If you didn’t manage to go for a walk, don’t beat yourself up. Skipping is not a reason to completely abandon the idea of walking regularly. Remind yourself of the benefits of physical activity and get outside again. If the break is prolonged, you can initially reduce the load to gradually improve the result.
Don’t shirk 🚶♀️🚶♂️