Brisk walking – one of the best ways to work out

Brisk walking – one of the best ways to work out

Exercise is essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a good body weight. Improve your health and trim your waistline with brisk walking.

Brisk walking / iStock
Brisk walking / iStock

If you are tired of doing time-consuming workouts that don’t really work, you might want to give brisk walking a try. Many fitness experts around the globe recommend brisk walking because of the many health benefits that it offers.

What is brisk walking?

Brisk walking differs from strolling or taking a normal walk. The difference is in the pace. It is walking faster than you normally would, but not as fast as a full run. According to healthcorps.org, it is taking 100 steps per minute, or walking 4 kilometres an hour.

How to brisk walk correctly

Learning how to brisk walk correctly will help you walk more effectively. It can also help prevent injuries. Here’s how to do it:

  • When you brisk walk, make sure your heel touches down first, before your toes.
  • Keep your back up straight, bend your elbows and relax your shoulders. Also, keep your hands loosely clenched.
  • Avoid twisting your waist from side to side.

Why brisk walking is such a great workout

It is safe. Brisk walking is one of the safest workouts for young and old.

It is free. You don’t have to pay a cent to brisk walk!

It is easy. You don’t need a specialist or an expert to teach you how to brisk walk; you can easily learn on your own.

It is convenient. You can brisk walk anywhere at any time.

It has numerous health benefits. According to the American HeartAssociation, brisk walking for 40 minutes three to four times a week lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

WebMD reports that ‘brisk walking can help trim your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and depression’. 

Brisk walking can also help you to maintain a healthy body weight. Doing 30 minutes of brisk walking daily helps burn about 150 calories a day; this is according to a report by Mayo Clinic.

If you can commit to a regular programme of brisk walking, you will see and feel the benefits in no time. So get your walking shoes on, and give it a go!

Disclaimer: Health-related information provided in this article is not a substitute for medical advice. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat health problems. It is always advisable to consult your doctor about any health-related issues.

ALSO: Four benefits of listening to music while walking

Main image courtesy of iStock/SPmemory

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