Get Fit for Spring
Warm Weather is Here! Let’s Get Moving!
As spring approaches, it is now a good time to start preparing for some outdoor activities. One of the most easiest and basic forms of physical activity is walking. We walk when we go shopping, we walk at work, we walk to check the mail, and we walk for many other reasons. We pretty much walk all of the time. However, walking for exercise can be different. Walking may be performed at many levels of intensity. In order for walking to become an exercise, we must walk for certain periods of time with variety of intensities. A good way to begin a walking routine is to begin with finding a safe area for you to walk. Walking with a partner is a great way to maintain good support and safety. Once you find area suitable for safe walking, begin you walk with a moderately paced stride for 5-10 minutes, for a good warm-up.
A warm-up is crucial to allow your muscles and cardiovascular system to become adjusted to physical activity. After your 5-10 minutes, slowly increase your speed to a level that gets your breathing and heart rate up, at least slowly above resting level. Try to stay at this level for at least 15-20 minutes. If you are having difficult time maintaining this pace for 15-20 minutes, work at small intervals. Intervals combine short bursts of higher intensities with slow recovery periods. So work at walking faster for 1 minute, then slow down for the next 1 or 2 minutes, then repeat this process for 10-20 minutes. After you have finished your walking exercise it’s time to cool down. Continue to walk for 5-10 minutes at a slower pace. Allow your body to recover and return to normal levels. Finish your exercise with some basic stretching. Remember to drink plenty of water. Hydration is very important in replacing fluids for the body. Have a great day walking!
Standing hamstring stretch (15 seconds)
Quadriceps stretch (15 seconds)
Gluten stretch (15 seconds)
Calf stretch (15 seconds)