Walking is by far the most popular type of exercise. It's also incredibly effective, especially when long-term weight loss is the primary goal.
The vast majority of my clients take up walking when they begin their programs. True, it's easy and doesn't require any unique skills, but if you spend an hour a day walking with bad form, you won't get the full benefit of the exercise, and you could even do yourself harm.
Here are seven tips to help you maintain the best form when walking:
- Maintain good posture. Keep your head centered, with your chin even with the ground and your eyes looking ahead. Keep your chest lifted. Your shoulders should be pulled back, yet relaxed. This may seem like a lot of work at first, but it is really a more natural, less straining body position than slouching.
- Contract your abdominals. This helps out your back.
- Lean forward slightly from your ankles (not your hips).
- Keep your elbows flexed to ninety degrees and let them swing at your sides in opposition to your legs. Don't let them cross the center of your body or swing higher than your chest. Relax your arms so that you aren't putting undue stress on your shoulders. When you want to speed your leg action, speed up your arm swinging.
- Your hips should rotate slightly with each step. You probably won't even have to think about this.
- Invest in a good pair of walking shoes. Remember that shoes wear out on the inside first, so if you think yours look okay despite having a lot of miles on them, you may be doing your feet a disservice which will radiate you your knees and back.
- Minimize your impact level by landing on your heel with your forefoot raised. Then push off your forefoot. Landing flat-footed can cause a lot of problems.
Above all (and this may sound strange, but eventually you'll know what I mean), maintain an easy stride. Tense muscles cannot endure as much as relaxed muscles can. If you concentrate on your form for a few weeks, your walks will be much more rewarding and enjoyable. |
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