If you decide that you are going to start walking as an exercise, it is a good idea to prepare. So here are some ideas on how to prepare and what to do before, during and after your walk. As always when starting a new exercise program always consult your physician before starting this or any exercise program.
BEFORE YOU WALK
· Make sure you are wearing walking or running
shoes with good support and cushioning.
· Take your pulse for ten seconds and multiply by
six for your resting heart rate.
· Do at least three minutes of slow walking or
relaxed arm and leg movements before you walk.
DURING YOUR WALK
· Lengthen your spine while you walk. Visualize
your head floating up to the sky like a helium balloon.
· Make sure your buttocks’ muscles are relaxed and your shoulders are moving freely.
· Warm up by walking at a slow-to-normal pace for
the first five minutes.
· Increase your speed gradually until you are
walking briskly.
· Take your ten-second pulse approximately five to ten minutes into your brisk walk to ensure you are working at the appropriate level (i.e., your target heart rate).
· Make sure you can talk comfortably while you are
walking.
· Keep walking at a level that doesn’t exhaust you and can be
maintained for at least twenty minutes.
· Work up to a thirty-to-forty-five-minute walk.
If you are unable to walk this long at one time, take shorter walks throughout
the day.
· At the end of your walk, cool down with a
five-minute slow walk. This safely lowers your pulse.
AFTER YOUR WALK
· Perform the heel cord, hip flexor, and hamstring
stretches.
· Check your pulse and make sure it is lower than
the level you reached during the brisk walk. If not, contact your physician
before continuing with the program.
· Try to walk as often as possible. Walking three
times a week is the minimum necessary to improve cardiovascular fitness and
increase bone density. If you experience shortness of breath or chest pain while
walking, stop immediately and contact your physician.
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