Walking is one of the best well-rounded exercises for simplicity with the ability to do it anywhere/anytime, and with all the variations available, it is a great choice, even in the winter. You can walk alone, or with someone, inside or out, for a short time or long, and with a few variations, you can enjoy the same benefits of more vigorous exercises. If you haven’t walked much lately, you can start with ten minutes and gradually increase the time and the intensity. You should consider doing some type of warm-up including stretching and easy movements after you’ve been sitting or lying down.
Let’s look at a few variations to change up your walking routine – add intensity, work on balance, flexibility and strength:
- Location – inside with no shoes, or outside with your best runners, on a treadmill, in your living room or rec room, at a mall, or on a trail or street.
- Time – you can go first thing in the morning, or last thing at night and you can easily walk as long as you can. Before or after meals is usually good, too.
- Speed – start out slow and gradually increase your normal pace, but also vary your workout, do some higher speed as part of your walk.
- Direction – forward is the most common choice but for a challenge and a way to work different muscles, try sideways with your leading leg going in front of the other or behind. Also try walking backwards – you must be careful to turn your neck as far as you can and be careful to see where you are going. For an even better workout, try doing a backwards kick as you walk.
- Intensity – it’s more intense when you walk faster, or walk up hills, or stairs. You will soon notice your breath rate speeding up and may become exhausted quickly. Be careful not to overdo it.
- Footwear – A quality pair of walking shoes is always a good investment. You usually do get what you pay for. If you have low or high arches, you may need custom orthotics for better alignment to help your feet, knees, and hips. You may find that you are able to walk around your house without shoes. Just be careful not to walk too much before noticing if it bothers you or not. Consider dedicating
- Short person walking – here is a great way to work your leg muscles in relatively few steps. Simply squat slightly, lower your hips about six inches, and start walking.
- Sumo walk – here you stand like a Sumo wrestler with your feet at least two feet apart and try to walk forward keeping your feet separated. This really works the outer hip muscles (gluteus medius and minimus).
- High knee-raises – A great way to work those hip flexors (which commonly grow weak over time) is to raise your knee as high as you can and step forward. You will notice you take shorter steps, and move a little slower than normal, but it’s a great variety of your walking work out. Alternatively, you can kick forward with each step.
- Toe walking – In order to strengthen your calf muscles, try about 20 or thirty steps up on your toes. You can gradually increase this but be careful.
- Walk in the Water – whether in a pool, indoor or out, a river or lake, walking against the resistance of the water is a fantastic way to work the muscles with a little more intensity
So, mix up your workout with a few of these variations. You may not want to do them all, but try one at a time, maybe two. It’s a great way to add variety and make your walking more productive and fun. As always, stop your exercising if you feel sore, try some ice for sharp pains, and be sure to do plenty of stretching.