Walking is the most underrated form of exercise, some people don’t even consider it as an exercise but in reality it is unfair to put walking in the “pointless” category. You may miss out on the most effective physical activity if you categorized walking as ineffective. Think about the mental boost you can get while on a walk. Walking is a great way to keep and improve your overall health. Walking is low impact, can be done at one’s convenience and the most important at your own pace. It provides fuel for your body and also renovates your mental wellbeing. Walking can be as good as a workout if you don’t want to consider it equivalent to running.
Types of walking
There are various types of walks from casual steady walking to power or race-walking. You can choose one of them or a few of them according to your fitness levels. Some popular types of walking:
Brisk walking– commonly known as “steps per minute”, minimum 100 steps per minute is consider brisk walking.
Power walking– also known as speed walking, typically 7 to 9 km/hour. The difference between power walking and jogging is of the foot, at least one foot must be in contact to ground at all times.
Strolling– slightly slow pace or say pastime walking. This walk is good for beginners as it will help to create a routine. Pastime walk is advisable for upcoming photographers too, come close to nature while earning good health.
Intermittent– also known as interval walking. It is a combination of fast and slow paced walking.
Every type of walk is full of benefits, you can decide which suits best for you as per your fitness level and convenience. Physical activity is important for everyone.
Benefits of walking
Physical benefits
Walking improves fitness, reduces the risk of heart disease and improves cardiac health. It reduces joint pains, stiffness and also improves endurance, blood circulation and posture. Regular walking may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. This may reduce the risk of stroke in both men and women. Walking is also an effective way of weight-loss. Regular walks help in reducing body fat and afterwards helps in maintaining the body fat.
Mental benefits
Walking opens the free flow of ideas, which results in increasing creative output and solutions. It rejuvenates memory and prevents the deterioration of brain tissue as we age. Walking alleviates depression and fatigue, which exhilarates mood and reduces stress. It helps in relieving anxiety and depression.
How to make walk effective
Building up your physical strength is essential, and 30 minutes walk in a day could help to that, if difficult to do 30 minutes at one time, divide the time in 3 bouts of 10 minutes each. You can improvise your time as per your needs and capabilities, and if your goal is weight loss, then you need to go over 30 minutes a day.
Some small and effective tips
- Choose shoes with proper arch support.
- Take the stairs instead of elevators.
- Get off public transport one stop earlier and walk home or work.
- Walk to local groceries and shops.
- Walk your dog or neighbour’s dogs.
- Walk your baby in strollers.
We all know that sound sleep is the key for a new brighter day and regular walking helps you to sleep, it will also keep you less up at night. It led to better sound sleep. Solid eight hours snooze is the most important thing you can do to your health. Walking helps you achieve that eight-hour mark.
You need to follow the walking regime daily to achieve better results. Walking with a companion makes it an enjoyable social activity.
It brings an opportunity to bond with friends and family. An outdoor walk is an effective way to calm you down, results in uplifting your mood. These benefits come without spending enormous money.