Feel the Burn During a Walk with These Tips
By Rachel Carver
Regular walking is a great way to increase your overall activity and your step count. Walking each day can also set you on a path to building healthy habits. Daily exercise improves your heart strength and can decrease your body fat.
Intensifying your walking routine can increase your heart rate, which will burn more calories. Follow these tips to turn your daily walk into a calorie-burning workout.
Speed Up
You can easily burn calories on a walk just by moving faster. Start by picking a distance. Try to walk the same distance in a shorter amount of time than the previous day.
Practice Interval Walking
Start your walk at your normal pace, and add short bursts at a faster pace. This will keep you more engaged because you will have to remember when to speed up and slow down. Walk slower for 30 seconds and then speed walk for 90 seconds.
Take the Stairs
Walking steps is more challenging than a flat surface. Stairs require the use of different muscle groups. Walking up and down steps can almost double the amount of calories you burn during a fast walk on a flat surface. Take some extra trips up and down your stairs after starting a load of laundry, or use a park's outdoor staircase.
Walk Hills
Walking uphill requires more leg strength and challenges your cardiovascular system. Walking down a hill uses different muscles and joints. Training your body to slow your momentum can help prevent falls as you age. Find a steep hill in your neighborhood or increase the incline on your treadmill. Find ways to incorporate hills into your walks to burn more calories and increase strength.
Go Off the Beaten Path
Concrete can be hard on your joints. Find a park or a hiking trail. Grass will make the ground absorb more force, and it will be more challenging for you to maintain your normal walk times.
Use Your Arms
Moving your arms as you walk will make the workout harder and burn more calories. Start by making a conscious effort to swing your arms as you walk. You can work your way up to swinging your arms over your head to make the most of the exercise.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Temple, Tex.