Have you been thinking about doing walking exercises but you don’t know how to start? Don’t worry because we’ve got all the information you need right here. Although you might assume that it’s as simple and putting on some shoes and heading outdoors, there are a ton of other factors that could affect the success of your walking journey.
While walking anywhere is usually always beneficial for your health, there are other things you need to consider to truly maximize the benefits you will get from starting a walking program, as well as safety protocols that anyone beginning a workout should always acknowledge.
15-time US Champion racewalker, author of The Complete Guide to Competitive Walking, and Walking coach, Dave McGovern, says, “One of the great things about walking as a form of exercise is that almost everybody already walks. It’s just a matter of increasing the amount, and in most cases, the speed of your walking,” when talking about making walking a common exercise program.
Even if you are a seasoned workout person or just a beginner, there are certain things you need to know about starting a walking program. These include setting the right pace, putting together the proper training program that works for you, as well as the necessary safety tips that all walkers should know.
Things To Consider Before Starting Your Walking Program
1. Pick Your Pace
Assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Amanda Paluch, PhD., who researches physical activity, epidemiology, and kinesiology, shares that every step you take counts when it comes to your physical activity. But, by increasing your walking pace and duration is one way to truly boost your fitness via walking.
Dr. Paluch recommends going for a moderate intensity in walking, which is also be called low-intesity steady-state (LISS) exercise. She explains, “This would be an effort where your heart rate and breathing is slightly elevated. A good gauge is you can talk, but cannot sing.”
2. Using the Right Gear: Shoes Matter!
The great thing about practicing a walking workout is the fact that you don’t really require fancy clothing or gear. But one of the most important elements to this type of workout is the right kind of shoes. McGovern shares, “Although you won’t need special shoes for easier walks versus for more brisk walking, you should look for a low-heeled running shoe.” That’s because this type of shoe will help with your forward momentum. He adds, “Think racing flats rather than thicker-soled trainers.”
NASM-certified personal trainer and walking coach, Carrie Boyle, who works with the virtual walking program, 99 Walks, recommends that you go to your local running store where an associate can help assess your gait and fit you with the right type of shoe.
On the other hand, when it comes to clothing, you don’t necessarily have to buy anything special, unless you want to because it motivates you. Rather, Boyle suggests “shopping your closet” for items that are comfortable, breathable, and easy to layer depending on the weather. She prefers cotton fabrics precisely because they are more breathable.
3. Ways to Stay Safe While Walking
Managing to keep safe during your walks is very important. According to McGovern, there are five safety checks to make before every walk.
- Don’t Bring Your Earbuds. McGovern explains, “I realize a lot of walkers like to listen to music while training.” But one problem with this is that it also discourages people from being aware of their surroundings. He adds, “Being aware of your surroundings is critical to staying safe when training outdoors.” He also says that they can be more distracting and make it difficult to hear cars, people, and even animals that may approach you.
- Walk In the Right Direction. McGovern suggest that you walk facing traffic since you’re a person and not a vehicle.
- Make Yourself Visible. If you prefer to walk before dawn or during or after dusk, make sure your clothing or shoes are reflective. There are items you can purchase such as vests and armbands precisely for high visibility. But regardless of the time of day you choose to walk, it’s always a good idea to wear bright clothing so that you are more visible to traffic, bikers, drivers and any others on the route you choose.
- Carry Identification. It’s always important to carry identification whenever you leave the house. McGovern suggests using the Road iD, which is a metal tag that you can have customized to include necessary information such as your name, city, state, in-case-of-emergency contacts, allergies, and even medical history, which you can simply attach to your fitness tracker or to a band. You can also place your driver’s license inside a running belt, secure pocket, or cellphone case, shares the Road Runners Club of America.
- Make Your Habits Known. If you live with someone, make sure that they know which route you decide to take while you walk. Or if you live alone, give your friends and family a general idea about where you usually walk. McGovern says, “Avoid unpopulated areas, deserted streets, overgrown trails, and unlit streets.”
4. Always Warn Up Before Your Walking Workout
It may sound bizarre, but the actual appropriate warm-up for a walking workout, is to walk. Yup. McGovern explains, “In most circumstances, you can warm-up by simply walking at an easier pace at the start of your workout and build into a faster pace.”
For those that plan to walk at a faster pace than usual, he also recommends doing some dynamic flexibility drills like leg swings, walking toe touches, and hip circles to stretch things out a bit. The whole idea behind this is to get your muscles moving gently already ahead of time in order to be ready for the actual walking workout.
5. Determine Your Baseline
If you have never done a walking workout before, then it’s important to first determine your baseline.
Some people like to use fitness trackers to track how many steps they take in a day. This could be one way to determine where to start on your walking journey. Dr. Paluch suggests to average the number of steps you take in a day, then increase that number by 1,000 steps every day until you’ve slowly progressed and made your way up anywhere between 7,000 to 10,000 steps in a day. According to her, in her research, taking at least 7,000 steps every day ‘correlated with a lower risk of death compared with those who took fewer steps than that,’ while the benefits also tapered off at 10,000 steps daily already.
If the number of steps isn’t something you want to focus on, then switch to duration, explains Paluch. She recommends adding just 10-minute walks on most days of the week, then eventually upping that number by 5 to 10 minutes of walking per week. The main goal would be to get 150 to 300 minutes of walking done per week.
Boyle also shares that you should always have one day of rest or an active rest day for recovery. More importantly, she talks about the importance of listening to your body. You can use the rest time to do something you like to do like read a book, meditate, or even cook. Active recovery means that you do a complementary activity, or a lighter version of the activity that you are used to doing. This could even mean going out for a slow walk, where you don’t raise your heart rate, or maybe trying light swimming or some gentle yoga. Whatever you decide, just remember that it’s meant to be relaxing and not a workout.
If you decide to start your walking workouts, remember that the goal is to feel good about your activity while being prepared and following these simple and easy guidelines to help you reach your physical goals. The great part is that you will benefit your health overall, and who wouldn’t want to do that? So get ready, get set, and go walk!
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