There are some lessons in life that once learnt, can never be forgotten.
Walking is one of them.
Unless your proud parents
recorded a video of you taking your first step, you may have forgotten how you
learnt it, but it's one brain activity that remains in your memory forever. The
body just knows how to do it.
As the toddler progresses from
crawling to walking, he falls less and is able to balance more. You probably
walked more in your childhood and adolescent years than you do now, no thanks
to modern day comforts and technology.
Walking is a form of exercise
accessible to just about everybody. It's safe, simple, doesn't require
registration fees, trims your waistline, has many health benefits, and is a
great way to start exercising if you've been idle for a while.
Depending on the intensity of
your walk, walking can be a gentle, low-impact exercise that is especially
recommended for senior citizens. Walking can help control disease progression,
and relieve symptoms in people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis
or other musculoskeletal problems.
Earlier this week, Kuala Lumpur
was listed as the second best shopping city within the Asia Pacific region,
beating Singapore, which took the number five spot. Hong Kong was listed as the
best. The number of malls sprouting here is simply unbelievable. Come weekends,
these places are packed with screaming children, grandparents and parents
taking advantage of sales and what-nots (you can tell I'm not into retail
therapy).
Do the mall walk
Now, instead of just shopping and
fulfilling your designer desires, why not embark on some mall-walking? Yes,
there is such a thing, although I'm not sure if it exists here. You can argue
that you're walking in the mall anyway, but it's not the same.
When you're shopping, the pattern
is to amble, stop, chat, walk, have-a-slurpy stop, sit, etc. You're not working
your heart rate as you would when you consciously exercise. And the stop-go
activity is actually more tiring than a proper workout!
With mall-walking, you don't have
to worry about traffic, pollution or weather, but take extra caution regarding
safety in the car parks. The only setback is if you go at peak hours, you'll
keep jostling with fellow shoppers.
All you need is a pair of good,
comfortable walking shoes. Get one with flexible soles to cushion your feet and
absorb shock. Shoes are something you shouldn't scrimp on, as a cheap, low
quality pair of footwear tends to make your feet hurt, potentially cause
injuries, and discourage you from completing your workout.
The origins of mall-walking are
unclear, but in many parts of the United States, malls have community-sponsored
walking programmes. Some have collaborated with local hospitals or health
organisations to establish walkers' clubs that provide awards for walking
certain distances, discounts for shopping at the mall, occasional free
breakfasts, and mileage logs for members - all in the name of walking for
better health.
Doing it backwards
Now, most of us know only how to
walk one way - forward. Strange at it may sound, walking backward offers plenty
of benefits, and is believed to burn more calories than walking forward.
When I first heard of it, I was
sceptical until I tried it myself after straining my iliotibial band from
taking a tumble while skiing. I discovered it was less stressful on my joints,
and allowed my injury to heal faster.
Walking backwards also increases
your sense of balance and hearing, because you cannot depend on vision to steer
you. It's great for people involved in a sport where they need to change
directions rapidly or run backwards.
I occasionally incorporate this
into my dance conditioning classes, pairing my students in twos so they can
keep check and warn their partners of potholes and uneven surfaces.
Two University of Oregon
professors, Barry Bates and Janet Dufek, have studied the benefits of backward
walking and running on people since the 1980s. They found that backward walking
creates reduced shear force on the knees, and may be useful for anyone experiencing
pain going up and down stairs, or doing lunges or squats.
Walking backwards uses more
energy in a shorter period of time. It is good for those recovering from
hamstring strain because of reduced hip range of motion. Backward walking
creates no eccentric loading of the knee joint, and can give hikers and
scramblers some rest from overuse.
If you're embarking on your first
walk in a decade, be it forward or backward, pay attention to your body.
Gasping for air is not a good sign. At the slightest hint of pain or dizziness,
stop immediately, seek help and address the problem. If necessary, go to the
doctor.
Never continue with your
exercises thinking you can work through the pain. Most of us have this mindset
that pain is good. I confess I'm often guilty of ignoring pain, and once danced
through a fractured foot, only to have it worsen.
I haven't gotten any wiser since
that incident a decade ago, but at least I can (sort of) differentiate the
kinds of pain and know when to stop.
Like any exercise form, it's
crucial that you warm up before starting to walk. Walk slowly and march in
place for about five minutes, increasing your pace until you begin to feel your
muscles warming up. Then do a quick stretch for the calves, quadriceps and
hamstrings, as these are the muscles engaged most while walking.
To reduce stress on your heart
and muscles, end each walking session by slowing down your pace for five
minutes, like taking a stroll with your sweetheart. Then, repeat your
stretches, holding them for a longer time.
Start slowly, and as your fitness
improves, take it up a notch by brisk walking, carrying water bottles for added
resistance, or walking on an incline.
Remember, step on the heels
first, followed by the ball and the toes. Research has shown that regular,
brisk walking can reduce the risk of heart attack by the same amount as more
vigorous exercise, such as jogging.
Maximise heart rate
As you walk, measure the
intensity of your workout by checking your heart rate. Knowing your heart rate
allows you to increase the intensity to maximise your workout, or slow down to
avoid overdoing it.
A simple way to calculate your
heart rate is by using the Karvonen formula, devised by a Scandinavian
physiologist, and widely considered the gold standard by fitness professionals.
To get your maximum heart rate,
minus your age from 220. For example, if you're a 40-year-old, your maximum
heart rate would be 180, ie you shouldn't work at a level that sends your heart
pumping at 180 pulses per minute.
If you're new to exercise, your
targeted heart rate range should be between 50 per cent to 60 per cent of your
maximum heart rate, ie you should be working to get your pulse up to 90-108. As
your fitness improves, you can take your targeted heart rate range up to 85 per
cent.
To find out if you're exercising
within the range of your target heart rate, stop walking to check your pulse
manually at your wrist (radial artery) or neck (carotid artery). Another option
is to wear an electronic device that displays your heart rate.
If you don't like walking alone,
invite your spouse, partner, friend or neighbour to join you. I've seen many
individuals walk with their dogs. In fact, sometimes I'm not sure who is the
master, because oftentimes, I've seen the dogs keep better pace than their
owners!
When I go on my weekend hikes up
a hill, a familiar face I bump into is a woman who races with her two German
shepherds. Not only do they keep her company, they are excellent guard dogs and
sniff out the snakes in the area.
Walk six times a week, at least
30 minutes per session, or break it up into two 15-minute sessions. That's not
too much to ask, is it?
The Star/ANN
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