Six Simple Strategies to Turn Your
Walks into Workouts
By Tina
Seay
If You are already fitness walking several times
a week – great! Now its time to step it up a bit.
Here are 6 ways to turn your walks into workouts.
They involve adding a little creativity but with these
few simple techniques you can maximize the benefits
of your walk and get more of an overall body workout.
Swing it!
Have you ever made fun of the walkers who swing their
arms? Well they know something you don't. This is
the best way to increase the effectiveness of your
workout. Bend your arms at your elbow 90 degrees as
you walk. Swinging your arms will quicken your pace,
raise your heart rate and help you to burn 5 to 10
percent more calories. Continue walking at a quick
pace with your arms swinging naturally by your side.
As you walk gradually bend them into the 90 degree
angle. Keep a natural rhythm to your swing. Walking
with bent arms will help with your gait, balance,
and propulsion."
Interval walking
Breaking up your walk into slow and fast segments
is a great way to increase your stamina, build muscle
and burn more calories. "Vary the pace of your walk
so that you have a phase of working hard (up to 90
percent of your maximum heart rate) followed by a
recovery phase where you stroll slowly bringing your
heart rate down," Head for the hills
Rough it!
If you normally walk circuit on sidewalks or paved
road shoulders, it might be time to find a trail.
"Walking on a rough but level track requires 50 percent
more energy than walking on a paved road," Find a
local park that has hiking trails or maybe there is
a hiking club in your area that you can join. Look
in the phone book or on the internet under volksmarching.
Circuit walking
A combination of walking and strength training. This
may seem a little foreign at first but give it a try
and you’ll find that time go by quickly and you’ll
become stronger for it. Walk for a while then stop
and do an exercise like sit ups or push ups on a park
bench or even jumping jacks, just some exercise other
than walking. This will shock your body into a new
level of fitness.
Enter an event
Sign up for a 5K or 10K walking event or even walk
for a cause, Breast Cancer or pregnancy center. Set
a goal and train for that goal like an athlete. This
will keep you motivated and push you towards the next
level of fitness walking.
Reward yourself with a good pair of walking
shoes.
Tina Seay is the author and webdesigner of http://www.LearnSomethingToday.com
Her goal is to help others achieve their goals and
live a quality life. Her other websites include http://www.YourWeddingStory.net
and http://www.ForTheCatLover.com
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