In this article you will know the benefits of walkinghow to start walking correctly, how long is the ideal time, and whether or not it is good to walk barefoot.
“Walking is the best remedy for man.” This phrase, supposedly uttered by Hippocrates two thousand years ago, applies even more today.
This is especially true in the case of industrialized societies. New technologies have not only transformed our way of working; they have also had an even greater impact on our lifestyles by reducing the physical effort required to perform most everyday activities (with the exception of sports).
We can walk for fun, but also to improve our health by making it part of our daily routine. The many benefits of walking cannot be overestimated as they are backed by solid scientific evidence.
What are the health benefits of walking?
Walking regularly acts directly on the circulatory and locomotor systems:
- Reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke;
- Lowering blood pressure;
- Lowering blood cholesterol levels;
- Increasing bone density, which prevents osteoporosis;
- Mitigating the negative consequences of osteoarthritis;
- Relieving back pain.
Furthermore, among the benefits of walking regularly, there is also the improvement of general health and longevity. According to the report by the Director of the United States Department of Health, people who walk regularly live longer and have a better quality of life.
Are there other benefits of walking?
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Improve physical condition.
Walking regularly means walking daily, or at least a few times a week; for at least 30 minutes.
Regular walking, like other light to moderate total-body physical activities, can greatly improve your aerobic fitness and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Also, when you walk regularly, you reduce the risk of injury. Since joints have a better range of motion and muscles are more flexible.
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Improve weight control
Your weight reflects the balance between the calories you absorb while eating; and the calories you expend during your daily physical activities.
Walking for 30 minutes, you walk an approximate distance of 2.0 to 2.5 km; and about 125 calories (520 kilojoules) are burned. This may seem like a small amount, but if you walk five days a week for a year, you could burn more than 32,000 calories. And as a result, you would burn more than 5 kg of fat.
Also, the latest scientific findings show that walking has even more benefits if you burn a minimum of 2,000 calories per week while walking (approximately 8 hours of walking per week).
Walking, especially when walking in good company and in a pleasant place; reduces depression and anxiety. Also, walkers are often good sleepers.
Also read: How to sleep well.
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Improve the healing process
Slow walking is often recommended for people with different health problems.
At first, you can only do short distances. But if you persevere, you can quickly increase the distance and speed up your healing.
By now the multiple benefits of walking are clear. And now, how can I start doing it?
How to start walking correctly?
Try to walk naturally, keeping in mind the following tips:
A good posture it is essential to enjoy all the benefits of walking:
- Keep your head and spine straight.
- Be sure not to lean forward or backward.
- Look ahead, but occasionally look down for obstacles.
- Keep your shoulders and arms relaxed. Let them sway naturally; without forcing them.
breathe regularlynot too lightly or deeply.
- Never hold your breath or force yourself to take a deep breath.
What is the recommended frequency, duration, pace and speed.
It is better to walk every day, since the benefits are cumulative.
- The more spaced the walking sessions are, the more the cumulative effects will be reduced. When there are more than five days between sessions, the cumulative effect is negligible.
- Gentle but dynamic activities (ie activities that are done while moving, such as walking) are the most effective way to burn fat in a healthy way. However, this effect begins after approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
- The walking pace varies from person to person and depends on their physical condition, type of terrain, weather conditions and goals.
- The most commonly recommended speed is a dynamic speed that corresponds to about 90 to 110 steps per minute, or 4 to 5 km per hour.
- Slow down if you have difficulty breathing. It is better to walk slowly for longer than a little too fast.
If you feel uncomfortable or in pain, stop walking.
- Check your shoes.
- Consult your doctor or a fitness specialist.
How long should I walk?
Generally, we recommend at least:
- 1 hour of walking per day, 5 days a week, up to 18 years of age
- 30 minutes a day between 18 and 64 years old
- 1 hour a day more for people over 64 years of age
The experts of the website specialized in training Deportesdeciudad recommend going little by little. You have to set goals and quantify the times and the number of steps and set realistic goals.
The risk, when the goals are too high, is discouragement if not being able to meet them. And, as a result, abandonment.
If we start very carefully, we will tell ourselves that eventually, 4,000 steps is fine, and we will go to 5,000. Little by little, we can reach 10,000. But the most important thing is to walk!
In a study conducted in 2004, by Catrine Tudor-Locke and David R. Bassett, Jr., scientists at Arizona State University, United States, established a scale:
- For healthy adultswalking less than 5,000 steps a day is equivalent to a “sedentary” lifestyle.
- Between 5,000 and 7,500 steps determine a “low activity”.
- Between 7,500 and 10,000, a “somewhat active” style.
- A person has an “active” life when they exceed 10,000 steps.
- It is “very active” when your number of daily steps is above 12,500.
Should I do warm-up exercises before walking?
It is not clear if stretching, which is generally recommended before vigorous activity, is beneficial.
However, as a precaution, we recommend that you start by walking slowly for 5 minutes, then at a moderate pace; and then gradually accelerate before reaching your cruising speed.
The first 5 minutes relax the muscles and help reduce the risk of stretching and straining.
At the end of the session, to avoid getting dizzy due to a sudden stop in physical activity; slow down for 3 to 5 minutes.
Is it good to walk or run barefoot?
The use of sneakers, comfortable shoes or boots that have a rigid support; in the long term they can lead to a loss of the natural flexibility of the foot. Indeed, the muscles that give the arch of the foot its flexibility will sooner or later weaken due to the fixed support of the shoes that immobilize them.
Therefore, no matter how good your shoes are and how much attention you pay to your health; it’s good to walk barefoot once in a while. Since it returns to your feet some natural flexibility.
For this reason, we advise you to walk barefoot at home, on the beach and where there is no obvious danger to your feet.
We hope this information is helpful and you can begin to take advantage of the benefits of walking.
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