Take Our 3-Week Challenge to Give Your Walk a Boost

No matter how much you already enjoy walking, switching things up a bit will allow you to reap even greater benefits. Given the health benefits of this low-impact activity, that is very remarkable. Among the many positive aspects of walking, Teddy Savage, Planet Fitness’s national lead trainer, highlights the following. According to the American Heart Association, “walking helps your heart by supporting healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improves your mood, and keeps your bones, joints, and muscles strong.”

Week 1 challenge: Tap into mindfulness

According to Lindsey Benoit O’Connell, C.S.C.S., creator of The LAB Wellness, “mindful walking can improve your focus and concentration because you’re bringing your attention to the present moment.” Walking thoughtfully entails the following:

Notice how you move:

Take note of your motions: “Pay attention to your body and all its movements—how your arms swing, the way your foot presses into the pavement, or the way your lungs fill with air,” suggests O’Connell.

Hear your surroundings:

Pay attention to the sounds in your immediate area. Then listen to just one sound, like a bird or the wind, for example. As O’Connell puts it, “really channel yourself into that one sound, then let the others go.”

Look more closely.

Take a closer look at it. “Take it in,” O’Connell instructs. Take a moment to notice the unique patterns in the clouds or the intricate ridges on a tree’s bark.

Week 2 challenge: Sneak in more steps

Increasing your average daily step count is a great way to start exercising more, which in turn benefits your heart, lungs, muscles, and more. Two of Savage’s go-to “extra steps” strategies are as follows:

Go after the sun. “Catching a sunrise or sunset is poetic—it’s well worth the extra steps to find the perfect viewing spot,” says Savage. You can increase the number of steps you take each week by walking to a location that is further than your regular walking path.

Let go of the reins “Pets and kids are often the best adventure companions—let them guide you to places that interest them,” says Savage.

Also Read: Navigating Your Virtual Journey: Trains to Mathura and Vrindavan

Moderate exercise has been linked to improved cognitive and immunological function, better sleep, and even longer life. For more enjoyable strolls:

Week 3 challenge: Kick up the intensity

Pick up the pace.

Quicken your pace. After warming up at a normal pace for 5 minutes, you should speed walk for 2–3 minutes. During your stroll, “do as many of these intervals as you can,” Savage advises.

Add more movement.

Incorporate more action. Strengthen your muscles and increase your range of motion by performing activities that would normally be done at a gym or at home. You should stop every few blocks and do some jumping jacks, lunges, skips, or squat jumps.