Step up walking

Walking as an exercise was promoted as a new remedy for the newage problem of comfort living and related health problems like metabolic syndrome, obesity, heart diseases etc. It is better to walk a bit at least as exercise than doing nothing — certainly it is true as well! But even that is becoming ‘not enough a prescription’ in many of the contemporary lives.

So let’s learn to walk

• Time: Any time is appropriate, but it is appropriate to choose morning hours or evening hours. Night is meant for stroll only and not for heavy /high intensity exercises.
• Duration: A minimum of 30 minutes is suggested as it helps to activate many chemical and pathways which changes based on duration of the activity especially fat burning.
• Place: Ideally open air with freshness and purity, or even indoor on a cycle/treadmill. An even surface is necessary to avoid injuries especially among the senior people.
• Clothing: Fitting shoes and breathable clothing is recommended.
• Empty stomach or light snacks are fine. It is but a must to ensure clean bowels and bladder (eliminate waste to avoid undue stress on nervous system).
• Slow steady steps and comfortable speed.
• Ensure soles are placed fully and completely on ground (you are walking and nor running). load and pressure must be evenly distributed to avoid injuries (short and long duration). One easy method is to check the shoes for marks which would help us identify pressure marks and reveal the technique defects. Correct them gradually with practice.
• Hand movements (like an army march past) are to be added as it helps to keep up the momentum of upper body, balances the speed and minor muscle tone changes.
• Change the speed at intervals — Interval training — this helps to avoid development of Mono – tonicity and ensure long term benefits. Slow jogging is also fine.
• An ideal speed is between 4 to 6 km in an hour (walking speed) on an average.
• Add joint movements in between to ensure proper circulation and distribution of warmth thus helping the body as a whole to involve.
• Vary walking style by raising the knees up/gentle hoping etc.
• Add variations: Reverse walk (walking backwards), side steps, long steps, Stationary walk etc. Reverse walk is an ideal try always.
• Slow down as you reach the time and allow cooling down.
• Cooling down is followed by few deep abdominal breaths.
• Hydrate with normal temperature water (not refrigerated for sure).
• An easy and non technical way to assess your exercise intensity is to check the sweating. (Be careful that weather, individual constitutional variations are to be considered).

(The writer is CMO, Swami Parmanand Prakritik Chikitsalaya Yoga Avam Anusandhan Kendra, Delhi)