6 ways to improve your walk
Whether you’re hitting 10,000 steps a day or just going for a postdinner jaunt around the block to help get things moving, walking in some form is most likely part of your regular routine. As new data from the National Health Interview Survey has found, 58.7% of adults walked for leisure in the past seven days.
But are you doing it the right way? Are there things that you could be doing — or wearing — to get more out of your strolls? Yes, experts tell Yahoo Life. They share six upgrades that’ll make you a more efficient, more challenged walker. Walk this way …
Watch your pace
You probably already keep track of your total step count. But walking expert Joanna Hall, founder of the walking system WalkActive, wants you to take it a step further (no pun intended).
Hall tells Yahoo Life that walkers should also monitor how quickly they’re walking and how many steps they’re getting in per minute. That’s because scientific research says consistently walking at a pace of at least 100 steps per minute can lead to health benefits such as lower blood pressure and better glucose management, which are linked to reducing the risk of lifestyle-related diseases and mortality.
Hall recommends aiming for 120 steps per minute, which she says roughly equates to the beats per minute (BPM) of Justin Timberlake’s song “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” According to Hall, this pace syncs up with our heart rate, making us feel more “euphoric, brighter and happier” during walks.
Want to create a playlist of upbeat songs? Other popular songs that have a BPM of 120 include:
“Dynamite,” BTS
"Uptown Funk," Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
“Stupid Love,” Lady Gaga
“Rumour Has It,” Adele
“Juice,” Lizzo
"Happy," Pharrell Williams
Listen to your walk
You may plug into a podcast or playlist on your walk, but you might want to keep an ear out for something else: the sound of your feet against the ground.
Milica McDowell, a physical therapist and VP at foot health education platform Gait Happens, tells Yahoo Life that in order to improve your walking pattern, you should “listen” to your walk. An ideal walking pattern should include “spending equal time on both feet.” If you hear “scuffing,” or an uneven pattern like a gallop, you may want to work to adjust your stride.
“Try to work on contacting the ground first with your heel, then rolling forward over the foot to push off from the big toe with each step,” she explains.
You can practice this on a flat, even surface, such as a treadmill, or even just around the mall. “Walking on flat surfaces with intention, where you are paying attention to your speed, stride and how your body feels, can help you be more present and will improve your walking focus,” McDowell says. “Working on a rhythmic breathing pattern while walking is also an amazing way to improve your focus and feelings of alertness when walking.”
Kick things up a notch
If you’re walking to improve your overall fitness, you may find that over time that your walking routine feels less challenging as your body adapts. Dr. Marie Therese Kanagie-McAleese, a physician at University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center affiliated with Walk With a Doc, tells Yahoo Life that she recommends amping up your walk by turning it into an interval workout. You can do this, she says, by “alternating periods of brisk power walking, where your heart rate increases, with a slower pace.”
One thing to try during the more intense parts of your walking workout is making sure you’re “pumping” your arms effectively, she says. This means keeping elbows bent at a 90-degree angle and moving your arms forward and back for a more exaggerated swing than you might during a leisurely stroll.
Try new terrain
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Danielle Ponzio of Rothman Orthopaedic Institute at AtlantiCare tells Yahoo Life that you can challenge yourself by moving away from the sidewalk or treadmill.
“There’s certainly more of a challenge if you’re walking in different terrain, such as when you’re hiking rather than walking, which may involve an uneven surface,” she says.
The beach, she says, is also a great place to walk. The sand shifts and moves under your feet, which means you have to focus on balance and traction as you move.
Turn walking into rucking
Rucking involves wearing a weighted backpack while walking. Kanagie-McAleese says that doing so “increases the weight to large muscle groups in the legs, increases the aerobic exercise of your walk and activates your core muscles.”
A weighted backpack isn’t the only option for ensuring you’re getting a more challenging walk. You can also try ankle or wrist weights or a weighted vest to increase the resistance as you move. Just remember not to go too heavy: Experts recommend sticking to 3 pounds per side for ankle or wrist weights, and no more than 10% of your body weight for a vest.
Focus on your footwear
The easiest way to improve your walk? Make sure you keep your feet happy. “Walking in shoes with proper space for optimal toe function is key,” McDowell says.
McDowell says that when your feet are inside your shoes, they should appear the same way as your bare foot does — so, no scrunched-up toes, please. “Walking shoes should be foot-shaped, not pointy, and have enough room that you can wiggle your toes and even spread them out while wearing the shoe.” She adds that a more functional shoe, which includes one with a wider toe box and less cushion, will help improve your walking pattern.
🚶🏼♂️A guide to getting more out of your walks:
Racewalking is a Summer Olympics mainstay. Here's what it involves, and why it's easier on the joints than running and burns more calories than regular walking.
Wearing wrist weights can make your walk more challenging. While experts are quick to debunk some claims made about wearing wrist weights (they're not toning your arms as much as you think), there are some benefits. Just be sure to use them safely.
There's a lot to like about mall walking. Smooth, even floors, air conditioning, the promise of a post-trek treat ... experts say mall walking can be an accessible, affordable way to get your steps in.
Why weighted vests are having a moment. Notice people wearing heavy vests on their walks? Adding weight can make walks more intense and calorie-burning, according to experts.
Don't skip the stairs. Next time you're doing laps at your local track, consider taking time to climb the bleachers. Stair climbing strengthens the glutes and leg muscles, and can improve your aerobic fitness levels. How well you handle stairs can also be an indicator of good health, cardiologist Laurence Sperling says. Are you wheezing as you climb? You should inform your doctor.
Consider a "fart walk." It's a crass name, but there are lots of benefits to taking a walk after you eat. Time to walk away from feeling bloated!
Why you should keep walking. Curious about the benefits of walking? Research shows it may aid sleep, support good mental health, reduce blood pressure, lower the risk of dementia, heart disease and cancer, strengthen bones and help you live longer.
Does your size dictate how many steps you should get in? Yes, suggests a recent study, which found that people with a high risk of obesity may need to take more than 14,500 steps a day.
OK, but do you really need to walk 10,000 steps a day? For a lot of people, 10,000 steps is the go-to benchmark for daily walking. But experts are divided as to whether that number really means anything.
Speed matters. A recent study found that walking faster — three to four miles or more — comes with a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to slower paces. Think brisk, baby!
