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Take the first step to fighting AIDS, better health

Take the first step to fighting AIDS, better health

If you are planning to walk in this years AIDS Walk Colorado on Saturday, Aug. 13, I salute you! To help you get ready, I have put together a walking guide to good fitness.

Because walking is important to any workout, my hope is that your motivation to help those with HIV/AIDS, transforms into a continued interest and desire in the exercise.

Why Walk?

Our bodies were primarily designed for walking, not for sitting or laying down. Because the walking stride involves more muscles, walking can improve muscle tone throughout the body-including the abdominals, thighs, buttocks, calves, arms, chest and back. It’s also an excellent cardiovascular activity, and is virtually injury-free.

Walking is a convenient and versatile fitness activity. Walkers have become very inventive, they are able to practice their activity anytime and anywhere.

There are several additional benefits of regular walking:

  • It makes muscles burn fat, an important part of weight management.
  • It tones muscle and contributes to giving your muscles a “cut” look.
  • It improves mood and increases energy levels, which is an important part in stress management.
  • It helps control risk factors for heart disease, lowers blood pressure, help control diabetes, and may rise HDL, or “good cholesterol.”

Walking as a workout

Walking is a wonderful way to exercise. The number of calories burned while walking are comparable to many more intense exercise. Many carts describing the caloric burning of walking have been published and are accessible via the internet, but here are a few examples:

  • at five miles per hour, walking burns 320 calories per hour.
  • at six miles per hour, walking burns 440 calories per hour.
  • at seven miles per hour, walking burns 680 calories per hour.

Ready, Set, Walk

As always, it is a good idea to do some stretching. Muscle, tendon, ligament, and joint structures are flexible and they can stiffen, limiting your range of motion and the ability to contract additional muscle fibers. Therefore, stretching before you begin walking actually allows you to walk further.

My favorite two stretching exercises before I walk are the “heel to buttock” and “wall push-up” stretches.

For the heel to buttock stand on one foot. Lift the other foot (bend your knee) with the opposite hand. Attempt to raise to heel of the lifted foot to buttocks.

Keep the trunk upright. Hold 30 to 40 seconds. Repeat three or four times. Change legs and repeat. This also stretches the quadriceps.

To perform the wall push-up, stand three feet from a wall, feet apart and flat on the ground, hands on the wall, and arms straight for support. Lean hips forward, and bend knees slightly. This is great for stretching the calf.

Monitoring Heart Rate

In addition to doing proper stretching exercises, it is important to monitor your heart rate when walking. To monitor your target heart rate, locate your carotid artery with the tips of your third and fourth fingers. The carotid artery is in the strip of muscles that run up and down the front of your neck. Press your fingers on one side of your neck. Or find your radial artery by pressing your fingers on the underside of your other wrist just below your thumb.

Using a watch, count the number of times your heart rate beats in 10 seconds. Compare the number of beats for 10 seconds with your target heart rate range and adjust your intensity to stay within your zone.

If this is your first big walk, here’s a schedule of when you need to check your pulse:

  • Before exercising, know your resting heart rate.
  • Every 4-6 minutes during exercise, to make sure you are in your target zone.
  • During your cool-down, so you are aware of when your heart rate is slowing down.
  • Ten minutes after cool-down, check that your pulse is back to your resting heart rate.

Footwear Tips

Remember that walking is more than putting on a pair of shoes. There are several things one should consider when preparing to make walking a regular exercise, selecting walking shoes should be at the top of the list.

Walking is easy, the common refrain goes. Just lace-up your shoes and head out the door. Walking shoes are like lovers. There is no one type for everyone, but when you find yours, you’re set for life. Stick with it. Good shoes are the only protection you’ve got from the impact of hard surfaces in long stretches of road. Go to a store where a sales associate is familiar with walking shoes and make sure your happy with your selection.

Walking safety

Walking safety is a very important factor. There is safety in numbers, so try not to walk alone (unless you’re at the health club). Although this is the cardinal rule of walking safety, a majority of walkers do this exercise solo. Find a partner or group to walk with. Whenever possible walk during daylight hours. If you must walk at night, where reflective clothing and avoid deserted areas. Walk defensively, watching for and avoiding cars, bikes, and dogs. Finally, avoid wearing headphones and walk focused and confidently.

Water and walking

According to American College of Sports Medicine guidelines athletes should consume12 to 16 ounces of fluid prior to walking. Along the course of your workout, you should drink between four and eight ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes. Proper body fluid balance is vital for maximal physical performance. For this reason, dehydration is a major limiting factor in any work performance. Water requirements are greatly increased in long distance walking, especially in warm and humid weather. Acute water loss through profuse sweating will cause dehydration. SO maintain your water intake given the intensity and length of your walk.

Maintaining Motivation

Sustained motivation is essential to achieving your potential. To keep your motivation high, use mental stimuli. Find what gets you psyched and surround yourself with it – posters, saying, photos, walking magazines and/or videos. The more you see it, the more you remember it. For example, you might put up either a sign on your wall or a note on your mirror desk reminding you of your fitness goals. One walker I know uses his goal of walking time in a 10K walk as his access number for an automatic bank machine. You must succeed based on your own personal motivation, dedication and commitment.

When you have made a commitment to use walking as part of your exercise routine, begin slowly and work your way up. But remember, On Saturday, you are dedicating your time and effort to helping fight AIDS.

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