Let’s Take a Walk

You don’t have to be in a gym to get in a good cardio session. Just take it outdoors and have yourself a heart pumpin’ workout.

Consider these benefits of walking for your physical and mental health:

• A brisk walk will aid in strengthening your heart allowing it to pump more efficiently, increases your intake of oxygen which will help improve your circulation and assist in lowering your blood pressure.
  
  
• Walking helps tone your muscles and more importantly will help prevent osteoporosis or help stop the loss of bone mass in osteoporosis.
  
  
• Walking can reduce stress, help you to clear your thoughts and feel better.

5 Tips to Rev Up Your Walking Program

Step it up!
When on your walk if you spot a sturdy bench, without trespassing of course, step up one foot at a time and come back down. Make sure to step your entire foot on the bench push up through your lead leg pulling yourself up. Repeat leading with same leg for 10 repetitions then switch legs. This will rev up your heart rate and it’s a great way to tighten up your glutes and thighs! Then continue on your happy trail.

Play it by ear…
Bring your IPOD or whatever music playing device you own, and every time a new song starts switch up your form. For example, walk to warm up for the first song then when the second song starts pick it up to a light jog, next song walk to bring your heart rate back down, then maybe do some lunges for the next song. Continue switching it up for a fat burning workout.

Hold in that belly….
To burn more calories, hold your belly in so that you are pulling it towards the back of your spine.  Do this for as long as you can. When you feel other muscles kicking in to help then let the contraction go and rest. Then hold it in again! Challenge yourself by increasing your time you are holding the contraction. This will not only increase the amount of calories you will burn during your walk, it will strengthen your core.

Smoke’ em
Pick a walker on your path that seems a bit more fit and faster than you. Then pick up your pace and try and catch’em, you may even have to jog, whatever it takes then smoke right by them! You will feel rewarded and exhilarated.

Change the Terrain…
Try changing the location of your walk. Walking on soft sand at the beach or a grassy field is more challenging than just walking on asphalt. The change of scenery might be nice too!