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