Walk Talk Series

Day 8 – Posture

Welcome to Week 2

As we get into this week, both Advanced and Beginners have the same walking assignments – to work on aspects of their walking form. Even the most advanced walker needs to take time and think about their form.

Walking Form – Posture

How you hold your body is very important to walking comfortably and easily. With good posture you will be able to breathe easier and you will avoid back pain.

  • Stand up straight.
  • Think of being a tall and straight, do not arch your back.
  • Do not lean forward or lean back. Leaning puts strain on the back muscles.
  • Eyes forward, not looking down but rather 20 feet ahead.
  • Chin up (parallel to the ground). This reduces strain on neck and back.
  • Shrug once and let your shoulders fall and relax, your shoulders slightly back.
  • Suck in your stomach
  • Tuck in your behind – rotate your hip forward slightly. This will keep you from arching your back.

 

 Today’s Walk

With a new week, increase your walking time by 5 minutes for the next 3 days.

  • 20-40 minute walk at a comfortable pace.
  • Warm up with 5 minutes at a very easy pace.
  • Stretching 5 minutes.
  • Now resume your walk at a comfortable pace.
  • End with 5 minutes of gentle stretching

Advanced walkers: Try this Distance Walk.

When to do the Distance Walk

Once per week. Those training for a 3-Day walk should perform two distance days back-to-back each week.

Benefits

Builds endurance and burns off calories (approximately 100 per mile for 150-pound person.) Those training for longer distance events should build up their mileage steadily. Those training for a 5K or 10K competitive walk should exceed the event distance by a mile or two in their distance workout.

Distance Walking Workout

  • Start at an easy pace for 5-10 minutes.
  • Stop and do a stretching and flexibility routine for 5 minutes.
  • Resume your walk at a pace that brings your heart rate up to 65-80% of your maximum heart rate (MHR). This is a comfortable pace range between being able to speak in sentences to being able to speak only in short phrases.
  • Walk for 5-10 miles, or longer if you have built up your endurance.
  • End with 5 minutes of gentle stretching and flexibility exercises.

Aerobic Metabolism Definition:

The creation of energy through the combustion of carbohydrates and fats in the presence of oxygen. The only byproducts are carbon dioxide and water, which your body disposes of by breathing and sweating. Walkers want to use aerobic metabolism for walking energy because it results in less muscle soreness afterwards and it makes the body dip into its stored sugar and fat to burn. Walkers achieve this zone by walking at a comfortable to brisk pace where you may be breathing a little hard but still able to speak in full sentences.

Looking for Beauty 

With your chin up and eyes forward, you can see more of what is around you. Today, pick out 5 lovely things as you walk. Depending on your environment, this may be easy or hard. Even in the most grim industrial areas there can be in interesting play of light and shadow, clouds, a shade of blue that strikes you. Make your walk a hunt for beauty.

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
~ John Muir