Turn Your Walk into a Beneficial Workout. . .

You know how important exercise is & how it effects all aspects of your life…. you’ve been thinking about it long enough & now, you’ve made up your mind – you’re going to get out there & get exercising!

You don’t have a lot of time or a large budget & you love the outdoors - so you decide to take up walking. It’s pretty easy to do (which is something you like – cause “who likes to sweat & work hard anyway?”) but because of that you’re not too sure if walking will be enough. I mean “aren’t you supposed to sweat like a pig, pant like a dog & hurt somewhere in order to get & keep fit?”

Well I’m excited to say “no”. The “no-pain no-gain” manta of the past – is just that - a thing of the past. Interestingly enough the saying originates from the military & high performance athletic coaches. It doesn’t (& never really did) make all that much sense for us – the average person.

The key to fitness success for the typical human being (not a professional athlete) is “to use as much of your body - as often as possible”. And the best part is you don’t have to sweat like a pig, pant like a dog or hurt somewhere in order to make it work – I say “Yah!” to that.

So if the solution is for us to be as active as possible, then why is it, we are actually less active today, than we were 30 years ago? And sadly, we are in the worst shape we have ever been - North America is at epidemic proportions in cancer, diabetes, stroke, heart disease & obesity!
Not only is exercise at the top of the list to help prevent & even help cure the majority of today’s health challenges but it’s vital in the overall health of the people in our generation & for those to come.

And with walking being one of the easiest forms of exercise that we can pretty much ‘all’ do – then why aren’t we doing it? Walking is not only easy to do but it is easy on you, (especially when we use Poles – because they help us to lessen the impact with which we hit the ground, by 26%). As well it’s inexpensive, you can do it when & wherever you like (& you don’t have to pay any monthly fees or worry about arranging your schedule around when the gym is open or when a class is on).

It’s still quite amazing though how many people don’t think of walking as exercise…but I’m very happy to say – that it very much is!

It of course depends on how intensely you walk, whether or not you are on an incline, swinging or pumping your arms or using Walking Poles. No matter what, walking is a wonderful, low impact sport that everyone can benefit from.

Taking a stroll on level ground at a low to moderate intensity – is still better than staying home watching television. And if you want to get more from your walk swing or pump your arms while picking up the pace just slightly – this will increase your cardio-vascular benefits. Walking up an incline while swinging or pumping your arms will increase it even more. Ultimately walking a combination of level ground & inclines at a more moderate intensity (which means you should still be able to carry on a conversation & not be out of breath) while swinging or pumping your arms will help you benefit the most.

Yet if you want to take your walk to the next level & basically “turn a simple walk around the block onto an efficient, effective, aerobic – total body workout” – you actually don’t have to go any faster or work any harder – you just have to add Walking Poles.

When you walk (without Poles) you use less than 50% of or major muscles - basically you use your lower body to haul your upper body around. But by just adding Walking Poles you will engage over 90% or your major muscles - putting your whole body to work (& in doing so walking will actually seem easier to do while your benefits will be more)…I don’t know about you but – but I like the sound of that!

Studies show that by adding Poles to your walk (& without walking any faster than regular walking) you will not only work muscles you didn’t know you had, but you will also increase your cardio by a minimum of 20% & increase your calorie burn by up to 48%.

Walking is a wonderful activity – so make it even more fun & alot more beneficial . . . add Poles & Walk – on!