Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Prepare your walks
• Part 2 of 3: Preparing for your walk
• Part 3 of 3: Improve your performance
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Walking is a basic exercise that we use every day, but it can take discipline to walk enough to get healthier. It is recommended that you take at least 10,000 steps per day for increased exercise, which can be easily measured with a pedometer. You can also use fitness watches and smartphone apps. Take the time to prepare for your walk, and gradually increase and increase your walking intensity for added benefits.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Prepare your walks

1. Find a good place to walk. In general, the best locations for walking have flat terrain, straight road, smooth surface, and minimal traffic. The convenient choice would be to go for a walk in the area, but if the road is too steep, winding or just not what you are looking for, consider other areas around your city as well.
   • Make sure you wear the right footwear. Walking puts some pressure on your feet, which can cause pain if you don't wear properly fitting walking shoes. Also make sure you wear the right shoes for the weather.
   • Take your car to a park if it is too far to walk. Parks are often flat and very quiet.
   • Some towns have cycling or hiking trails that are relatively flat and well maintained. They also have less traffic from cars. These are also good places to go for a walk.
   • If you can resist the temptation to stop and go shopping, shopping centers are also good places to walk. They are flat, large and have many different paths, so you won't get bored easily.
   • If you live near a large lake or the sea, the coastline can be a nice, relaxing place to get some fresh air and fit an early morning walk into your daily routine.
   • If working out indoors is your thing, use a treadmill, set at a slow speed, for walking.
2. Create a playlist for walking. Listening to music on your walk can help, especially if you are easily bored by quiet activities. Consider listening to music that allows your thoughts to wander and reflect on other areas of your life. You can also listen to music that is optimistic and that you know will keep you motivated to walk. Walks are an excellent opportunity to think and plan for the future, but try not to think about topics that are stressing you out. Your walk should definitely be an opportunity to relax!
   • Copy your favorite music to your phone or MP3 player so you can listen to it anywhere.
   • A walk is also a great opportunity to listen to an audiobook or podcast.
   • If you listen to music or other audio while walking outdoors, pay extra attention to your surroundings.Listening to something on your headphones or with earplugs in will make it more difficult to hear oncoming traffic.
3. Set reasonable expectations for your progress. If you've been sedentary for a long time, it's best to start slower and aim for shorter distances. Write these tangible goals in a notebook or on your calendar so you can stay focused and keep track of small successes.
   • For example, you can start walking for 30 minutes a day, three times a week.
   • Just keep in mind that walking is a fairly mild exercise that doesn't require vigorous physical exertion for most people. With the right preparation and clothing, you will probably be able to walk for hours. You will not tire in the same way as you would with more vigorous exercise, such as running or weight training.
4. Learn to keep going "slowly but steadily." This will be easier for some than for others. As a well-known phrase indicates, walking is really a marathon, and certainly not a sprint, so work on your mental stamina before embarking on this journey.
   • Don't expect quick results. When you start incorporating walking into your daily schedule, you will have to make healthier choices towards a better lifestyle - it is a change that you need to sustain indefinitely. Don't expect walking to be a quick-fit solution or a quick, one-time way to lose weight.

Part 2 of 3: Preparing for your walk

1. Drink enough before you go for a walk. Make sure to drink at least a quarter to a half liter of water an hour before you start walking. Drink more water if you plan to walk for a longer period of time. You are not supposed to get dehydrated on the road, especially if you are hiking in the hot sun.
   • You can carry a metal water bottle with you to get enough moisture during your trip.
   • Some people get stomach cramps if they drink water right before or while they exercise, so be careful with that. Give your body time to process the water before taking an enthusiastic walk.
   • Do not drink so much water that you have to go to the toilet on the way. Alternatively, you can plan a route with a public toilet somewhere along the road.
2. Choose an easy first walk. Make sure that no matter how far you are from your starting point, you are always able to return. A walk on an oval track of no more than 0.4 km is perfect.
   • If you're comfortable extending the walk beyond your initial plan, go for it! Walking is less physically demanding than most other activities, so don't be afraid to exceed your goals.
3. Set a time. When you walk for the first time, you determine how many minutes you are going to walk. Choose a length of time that you know you can sustain. Do not worry about how short that period is. Just keep moving until you achieve it. 2-5 minutes a day is a good start. You will walk longer every week.
   • Don't worry about how far you walk. It is more important that you walk longer. Running faster and farther will come with experience.

Part 3 of 3: Improve your performance

1. Walk longer. With every walk you make sure you walk 30 seconds to 1 minute longer, until you can walk for 10 minutes in a row. Again, don't worry if you can't walk longer than the day before. Set yourself a goal and stick to it, and you will achieve it faster than you think. After you reach 10 minutes, you may progress less quickly, but keep trying to walk five minutes longer each week.
2. Work on speed and difficulty once you are able to walk for 45 minutes a day. Get off the track and walk around town. You may encounter slopes and descents, which will increase the difficulty of your hikes.
   • Look for more and more difficult terrain to practice, and work your way up to eventually climbing hills and cliffs for the ultimate challenge.
3. Determine your target heart rate and maximum heart rate. You can also buy a heart rate monitor and put it on during your workout for more accuracy and precision. If you stay below your target heart rate (THR), you need to increase your pace to make sure it is beneficial for your health.
   • Your body will not burn fat unless you walk on your THR for an extended period of time.
   • When walking, there will be weight loss and better fitness through prolonged exercise, not by walking faster or further.
4. Make your workout heavier with interval training. Walk faster for 1-2 minutes in a row, then slowly return to your normal speed for two minutes. Add an interval every 1-2 days until you reach your desired total time, including rest times. As you get physically fitter, your rest periods decrease to a minute or less.

Tips

• Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy, supportive athletic shoes.
• Walking with good posture. Keep your head up, your eyes out and your shoulders back. Move your arms at your sides as you walk, and walk in a rolling motion through the foot from heel to toes. Keep your palms facing your hips.
• Walking is a very good stress management technique, in addition to being good exercise. If you actively breathe through your stomach during each step, you will benefit even more.
• If you don't have time to walk for pleasure, look for ways to incorporate walking into your daily routine. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator; walk to the shops if they are close by; if you're visiting a friend who doesn't live too far away, leave the car at home. It's surprising how much of a difference it can make when you regularly climb a few flights of stairs and take frequent short walks.
• Learn to race walk. It burns more calories, trains more muscles and offers more cardiovascular benefits.
• Walking can cause muscle cramps. If you get cramps, put your hands on your head and breathe steadily and steadily through your nose and out of your mouth. Make sure you have water with you.
• In the beginning it is not necessary to do a warm-up, but if you are going to put more stress on your legs, you should do some light stretching exercises.
• If you are going by car, park it a few blocks away from your destination. That way you have to walk there.
• If you live in the center of a city where walking is the standard and you hardly need a car, you may find that you don't even need to go for a walk for exercise, because you already do it naturally.
• If you usually drive to school / university / work, walk to a park nearby. Or park your car a few blocks from your destination and walk the rest of the way!

Warnings

• Wear white and reflective clothing when walking after dark. Don't assume that drivers are paying attention or that they can see you in the dark.
• Prepare for your walk. Bring water. Also bring a whistle in case you run into a dog or annoying people. It's also a good idea to carry a cellphone with you.
• If you are walking and get out of breath, take it easy or stop for a while. Ask for help if you need it.
• Before starting this or any other exercise program, you should consult your doctor, especially if you have had little exercise for more than six months.

Necessities

• A bottle of water
• A cell phone for emergencies
• A danger whistle to call for help in case of problems, for example because of a criminal, an aggressive animal or when you are in physical distress
• A hat, sunscreen and sunglasses on sunny days
• An MP3 player or CD player, so you can listen to music while walking
• A small clip-on light or a flashing bracelet, especially when there is no suitable sidewalk or where cyclists and pedestrians share the sidewalk and they may not be able to see you in the dark