Why Walk?
Walking is a natural motion that requires little skill or athletic ability and is therefore the ideal exercise for many people. Daily walking can strengthen the heart, help in weight control, build endurance and reduce mental stress. Walking places little physical stress on the joints, making injury less likely than with other activities. In addition, walking doesn't require a partner or special facility - just you, some comfortable clothes and a pair of sneakers (walking or running shoes are best).
Precautions
Not all adults need to see their health care provider before starting a moderate intensity physical activity program. However, the following groups should consult their health care provider before beginning an exercise routine:
Start Slowly
Many people make the mistake of trying to do too much too soon. It is very important to start slowly in order to avoid injury and prevent burnout. The speed and duration of your walking session should depend on your initial degree of fitness. If you are unfit, walking 15 minutes may be a challenge. As you become more conditioned, you can increase the speed and duration of your walk.
Warming Up
Warming up prior to exercise helps prevent muscle strains and other injuries due to tight muscles. A warm-up should include a 5 minute slow walk to increase blood flow to exercising muscles. After this low intensity walk, stretch all the major muscle groups of the body paying special attention to the muscles of the legs and hips.
Cool Down and Stretch Following Exercise
A proper cool down includes a slow walk (similar to that of the warm-up) and stretching. At the completion of exercise, continue to walk slowly in order to allow blood to be slowly pumped throughout the body. The slow walk prevents blood from pooling in the legs which can happen if you don't keep moving. Stretching after exercise helps maintain flexibility (prevent stiffness) and therefore prevent injuries. Stretching after a good workout can also be a very relaxing and enjoyable part of your exercise program.
Reaching Your Goals
People have many different reasons for starting an exercise program. Walking is an activity that can be used to help reduce cholesterol, lose weight, or simply become more physically fit. If your main goal is to be healthy and reduce risk for disease, it is recommended that you walk 30 minutes per day at a low to moderate intensity on most days of the week (at least 5 days).
If you are using walking in conjunction with a weight loss program, burning lots of calories should be the number one priority. Daily walking for 40 to 60 minutes at a moderate intensity can burn a substantial amount of calories and may reduce appetite in some people. Increasing the intensity of exercise while maintaining the same duration will burn more calories. However, risk for injury increases with high intensity exercise, and injuries can limit your ability to continue exercising. In order to minimize injuries, substituting other activities such as cycling, rowing, or stair climbing on several days of the week may be helpful.
Some people use walking as a stepping-stone to eventual jogging. These people may want to incorporate a walk-jog routine (walking with spurts of jogging intermixed) into their regular exercise program. With improved exercise tolerance the spurts of jogging become longer and the walking periods become shorter (total exercise time doesn't change). Eventually jogging can be done for the entire exercise session.
Monitoring Heart Rate
Although heart rate is a good indicator of your exercise intensity, other physical cues can be useful in determining an appropriate work rate. As a rule of thumb, if you can't carry on a conversation, you're walking too fast. It is not necessary that everyone take their heart rate when exercising. However, if you want to monitor your intensity closely, taking a heart rate may be helpful. To take your heart rate or pulse, simply take your index and middle finger of one hand and place it on the palm side of the wrist of your opposite hand. Gently press the two fingers on the thumb side of your wrist.
Sticking With It
Many things can become barriers to an exercise program. In order to maintain a walking routine, you must make it an important priority. Things that may help you stick with your program include:
Don't worry if on some days you don't participate in a formal exercise session but always try to fit walking into your daily routine (walk to class, take the stairs, walk during work or study breaks, and park a greater distance from the grocery store or mall). Remember, exercise is something that is good for you. It's not something you have to do, but rather something that can provide enjoyment and self-satisfaction.
Exercise not only makes you feel physically better, but can increase alertness important in routine, daily activities. The benefits of exercise diminish quickly with periods of inactivity, therefore maintaining a realistic exercise program that can last a lifetime is important.
Indiana University Health Center
Indiana University Health Center 600 N Jordan Bloomington, IN 47405 812-855-4011
Date Published: 2000-07-03
