8 Ways to Shake Up Your Walking Routine: People who are interested in maintaining their health may consider walking as a viable option because even workouts of modest intensity offer a variety of advantages.
In the same way that eating the same thing every day might become monotonous, doing the same kind of exercise can also become boring. A few minor adjustments can have a significant impact on the outcome.
Those who walk on a regular basis or those who choose to skip the monotony of daily strolls altogether can give their step a little more spring by making a few straightforward adjustments.
8 Ways to Shake Up Your Walking Routine
Walking is not only an enjoyable and healthful activity. It is at your disposal. However, despite the fact that walking takes only a small amount of equipment, it is essential to have a nice pair of shoes. Do you want to find a better way to walk? Try out the advice that is provided below.
Also Read: A Beginner’s Guide to Weight Training
01. Use hand weights
Including weights in your walk can help you achieve both cardiovascular and strength training goals.
According to studies, weight training lowers the risk of getting a metabolic condition by 17 percent and is beneficial for your heart, as demonstrated by a 2019 study. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are more common diagnoses for people with metabolic diseases.
Rue advises against using weights during the whole stroll.
Hand weights can increase your rate of energy expenditure, but you should take caution while using them as holding them for extended periods of time or when walking may create overuse problems, the expert adds.
02. Make it a circuit
Consider performing a circuit as an additional choice. First, place a pair of dumbbells inside your house or on your lawn. Go around the block once, pause, and perform some tricep raises and curls, then go around the block once more.
When doing cardio workouts, Rue advises against using ankle weights since they compel you to engage your quadriceps instead of your hamstrings. They may also result in an imbalance of muscles, as stated in the Harvard Health Letter.
03. Find a fitness trail
You can do strength training without using weights. All it takes to become stronger is to use your body.
Fitness trails, which are obstacle courses with equipment for pull-ups, push-ups, rowing, and stretches to develop upper and lower body strength, are frequently seen in parks.
To locate one, try doing an internet search for “fitness trails near me,” visiting the website of your neighborhood parks and recreation, or giving the municipal office a call.
04. Recruit a friend
Individuals that work out together tend to stay well together.
According to one study, exercising in a group helped older persons maintain or enhance their functional health and also increased their level of life satisfaction.
Get a walking partner who follows a routine that you find appealing to assist you. You can gain encouragement from other exercisers if you don’t know anyone in your neighborhood by using apps like Strava that include social networking elements.
05. Try meditation
The National Institutes of Health’s 2017 National Health Interview Survey indicates that meditation is becoming more popular, and for good reason.
Researchers discovered that mind-body relaxation techniques can reduce blood pressure and control inflammation, circadian cycles, and glucose metabolism.
“Any physical activity can be transformed into a meditation in one way or another. You can do this by shutting out the outside world with music on your headphones or by walking in a park or trail.” adds Rue.
While you walk, you can also practice guided meditations by downloading an app like Headspace or listening to a podcast.
06. Do fartlek walks
Fartlek intervals are intervals of increasing and decreasing speed, usually employed in running. These workouts are high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which enables participants to achieve more in a shorter amount of time.
According to one study, doing 10-minute interval training was just as effective as working out continuously for 50 minutes in improving cardiometabolic health, or lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Additionally, studies demonstrate that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) improves muscles’ capability to oxidize oxygen. Try walking faster for three minutes, lowering your pace for two, and repeating the process to perform a fartlek walk.
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07. Gradually increase pace
A 2019 study found that walking at a faster pace is linked to a lower risk of respiratory illnesses and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Even so, it’s important to avoid going from a stroll to a power walk deserving of the Olympics in a single day. Instead, to avoid getting hurt, pick up the pace gradually.
“To begin, walk for 10 minutes a day, three to five days a week, at a brisk pace,” advises Rue. “After a few weeks of this, increase the amount of time you spend by five to ten minutes each day until you reach thirty minutes.”
08. Add stairs
You’ve probably heard that one method to incorporate more movement into your daily routine is to use the stairs rather than the elevator. You can also walk more aggressively with it. Climbing stairs can make your stroll a little bit more difficult and has been demonstrated to lower the chance of death.
If your house lacks steps, you may usually find them outside a high school stadium, a local government facility, or a train station.
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