Walking

Document Sample
Walking
Walking

Achilles Tendon & Calf. With both

hands against a wall or tree, place one

For Maximum Gain foot well behind you. Keeping the rear leg

straight and its heel on the ground, lean in

You don’t have to walk any particular way, toward the wall or tree. Hold for 20

but here are some tips to give you more seconds. Alternate legs. Repeat 5 times.

benefits from walking. Good posture, arm

swing, and stride can increase intensity of Quadriceps. Put the left hand on a wall

exercise and lower risk of injury. or tree for balance and with the right

hand reach behind your back and grasp

Posture. Lean slightly forward-from the the ankle of the right leg. Pull it up

ankles, not the waist. Leaning from the toward your buttocks until you feel

waist tires your back and makes breathing tension along the front of your thigh.

harder. Keep your head up and your chin Hold for 20 seconds. Alternate legs.

pointing the way. Repeat 5 times.



Arm Swing. Make walking a total body Hamstring. Stand on one leg; prop the

activity. Keep your elbows firmly bent at other leg parallel to the ground on a fence

a 90° angle, and swing from the shoulder. or table. Slide both hands toward the

Your hand should end its forward swing at propped-up ankle as far as they’ll go.

breastbone height. On the backswing, if Hold for 20 seconds. Alternate legs.

you’re moving fast, the upper arm is Repeat 5 times.

parallel to the ground.

When the Weather is Bad

Stride. Make your stride long and

smooth. Borrow some moves from

Move your walk indoors. Shopping

competitive race walkers: Keep your

malls are a popular alternative-some

supporting leg straight as your body

passes over it, and let the hip rise and

2,400 malls nationwide let walkers in

relax. As that leg moves to the rear, before shopping hours, usually

keep its foot on the ground as long as between 6:30 and 10 A.M. In fact,

many have walking clubs. If none is nearby, find a

possible before pushing off.

local health club that has an indoor track or

treadmill.

Remember to Stretch

Resources

Whatever level you’re walking, stretching

prevents injury. Warm muscles respond walking.about.com/library/cal/ucrockport.htm

best, so walk for 5-10 minutes until you’re

warm. Then stop and do all 3 of the www.thewalkingsite.com

following static (no bouncing) stretches.

Repeat at the end of the walk. www.walkingconnection.com

Walking

Measure your intensity. The









A

recommendation for a “training heart

rate” is 60 to 90 percent of the fastest

t a competitive extreme, your heart can beat in a minute. Figure

walking is a track event. At your maximum heart rate by subtracting

the casual end of things, it’s a your age in years from 220. Multiply the

surprisingly effective strategy result by 0.6 and 0.9 to get the bottom

for lifelong health. and top of your target zone for aerobic

Walking has an unlikely virtue in its training.

inefficiency. If you want to work major

muscle groups, get your blood pumping, Set your frequency. The goal is 3 to 5

and take in oxygen, then efficiency is not walks every week, with a heart rate in

your first priority. Studies show that your target zone for 15 to 60 minutes.

walkers traveling faster than five miles an Schedule your walks in advance, and keep

hour actually burn twice as many calories your appointments.

as runners going the same speed.

Go. Technique is not as important as

getting out there and doing something.

Getting Started

Keep in mind that healthy people are well

As you begin your walking program, keep

overall; their activities help fend off

in mind that there is no big hurry. This is

heart disease and circulatory problems.

lifetime health, not overnight magic.

The key is staying active.

Forget stopwatches, heart rates, and

technique. Just go for a walk at a

Keep it up. To make walking a habit

comfortable pace slightly above a stroll.

takes willpower and strategy can help.

To start, 15 to 30 minutes of moving is

Schedule regular walks with a friend, walk

good. (If you are over 45 and this is your

first thing in the morning before other

first step towards fitness, check with a

commitments crop up, vary your route to

physician first.)

keep it interesting, or get a dog. Finally,

don’t think of it as exercise. It’s time

Beyond Strolling you’ve set aside for yourself. Enjoy it.

Measure your time. Time how long it

takes you to walk a mile comfortably on What to Wear

flat ground. Chances are it’ll take

A good pair of walking shoes. Choose a

between 15 and 20 minutes. That’s your

pair with a firm heal cup for stability, a

starting capacity-build from there.

rocker sole to enhance a smooth heel-to-

toe motion and plenty of room for toes so

Measure several courses. Use your they can spread out as they push off.

pedometer or the rule of 10 city blocks to

Wear loose, comfortable clothes.

a mile to measure routes. Two miles per

course is enough for a start.



The Chicago Partnership for Health Promotion is funded by the USDA Food Stamp Program to encourage Chicago

families to make healthier food choices, learn to prepare and consume healthier foods every day and be more

physically active. The University of Illinois at Chicago Neighborhoods Initiative is the Land Grant Administrative

Hub for CPHP. The USDA, UIC and CPHP are equal opportunity providers and employers. For more information

about partnership or CPHP programs in your community, contact CPHP at 312-355-3659. www.cphp.uic.edu


Share This Document


Related docs
Other docs by AustinPettis
Oct. 2007 issue
Views: 6  |  Downloads: 0
Olive Harvey College
Views: 9  |  Downloads: 0
Field Forms Learning Contract[285]
Views: 4  |  Downloads: 0
German Conversation and Pronunciation
Views: 14  |  Downloads: 1
Art and Design McHenry County College
Views: 7  |  Downloads: 0
SocW 599 Proposed Course of Study form
Views: 22  |  Downloads: 0
by registering with docstoc.com you agree to our
privacy policy

You are almost ready to download!

You are almost ready to download!