There is no question exercise is an essential part of aging well. Look on any news stand to find articles linking exercise to physical stamina, injury avoidance, memory improvement, mental faculties and more. Perhaps the oldest and maybe best form of exercise is walking, and it is available to almost everyone at any age. As with any exercise, taking a few minutes to plan how you will start and maintain the activity safely is time well spent.
Planning a Program
The great thing about walking for exercise is that it is one of the most adaptable choices you can make. It is available to almost anyone and can be done almost anywhere. Walking benefits cardiovascular health, muscle strength and flexibility, balance, body weight and disease resistance. The issue of age is not as important in starting a walking program as your level of fitness. For every 75-year-old who is running marathons, at least one 30-year-old is breathless getting off the sofa. If you have a medical condition you are concerned about, talk with your physician; but otherwise if you feel up to starting, you are ready to go.
Goal Setting
The best way to get results from your walking program is to set goals. These can be time or distance goals or a combination of the two. Avoid setting goals for things like weight loss, because this type of goal depends on too many other factors. It's enough to know that if you are walking regularly, you are improving your health. Remember that this is your program, and don't compare it with someone else's. Start by setting a distance you feel comfortable with, and gauge your level of exertion and how you feel afterward. It is helpful to keep a log so you can chart your progress as you walk either farther or faster. The American Heart Association recommends that people be active 30 minutes a day, five or more days per week. Consider seeing how far you can walk in 30 minutes.
Starting Out
It is a good idea to start with warm muscles before you move too aggressively. You can limber up with toe touches. In the beginning, it doesn't really matter if you can actually touch the toes. Calf stretches are another good way to start a walking session. Stand facing a wall or something else you can put your hands against, and stretch one leg behind you, straightening your knee and pushing your heel to the ground. It's a good idea to have a timer or watch and record the amount of time you walk. An easy way to find out how far you are walking is to reset the odometer on your car and drive your route.
Special Considerations
Because walking is such a familiar activity for everyone, your body already has the experience to draw on to do it safely. If you have a condition that requires special attention, don't let it keep you from starting a walking program. If you need a walker or cane, use it. Just record how far you go when you begin and watch yourself improve. Remember the "Use it or lose it" principle and get going.
Member Comments