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Before you get started with a walking program, it’s important to know the 4 walking mistakes to avoid.
Walking is a great way to get exercise, lose weight and get fit, but if not done properly, it can be counterproductive. These four mistakes are the ones most often made by inexperienced walkers when starting a new walking fitness plan:
- Stride
- Shoes
- Posture
- Frequency
1) Stride
It would seem that if you want to walk faster, you should take longer strides – increasing the distance walked between one foot and the other. Right? Wrong! Increasing your stride tends to result in an ungainly (and unnatural) walk that can end up hurting your feet and shins. If you want to walk faster, take shorter strides, but more of them during the same amount of time.
2) Shoes
Not all shoes coined as “walking shoes” are good for your feet. If they happen to be too stiff, too heavy, or too small, they may actually do more harm to your feet than good. When purchasing a new pair of walking shoes, consult with an athletic store expert. They can size you for a shoe that will be not only comfortable to walk in, but will give you the support and the flexibility your feet need when walking.
Also important to remember–shoes wear out. 😛 While your favorite pair of walking shoes may seem like they still have some miles in them, they may, in fact, have lost their cushioning ability. If you walk 30 minutes per day three or four times per week, plan on buying new shoes every six months. Your feet will thank you for it!
3) Posture
Using the proper posture is important when walking. Many people tend to walk with their head tilted forward and their eyes looking down. This creates an imbalance of weight and can lead to neck, back and shoulder problems. Instead, walk with your head aligned over your neck with your eyes looking forward about 10 to 20 feet in front of you. Strive to keep your head, neck, and spine all aligned with each other.
4) Frequency
Surprisingly, you can walk too much. If you find yourself losing your enthusiasm to pound the pavement, feel tired all day and always have aches and pains…these could be signals your body is sending you to walk less frequently. The most you should be walking is six days per week. Your body needs at least one day to build muscle, repair torn muscle fibers and to put energy back into your muscles.
An even better plan is to walk four days per week, do some upper body strength training two days and rest the seventh day. Your two days of strength training should alternate with your walk days, meaning you should not strength train two days in a row, but have a walk day or two between them. Doing it this way balances your upper body muscle groups with the lower body and it gives the muscles you use for walking a little extra time off.
Avoid these 4 walking mistakes. Don’t let these mistakes derail your walking fitness program. Take heed, walk smart, and have fun!
This mug from my store can add to the fun 😉 ?
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