I used to be a runner….
I do it sparingly….
My knees are still good….
I LOVE walking…..
Walking is among the world’s most popular forms of exercise, and far and away the most favored in the United States. And for good reason: It’s simple, accessible and effective. Taking regular walks lowers the risk of many health problems including anxiety, depression, diabetes and some cancers.
However, once your body becomes accustomed to walking, you might want to pick up the pace, said Alyssa Olenick, an exercise physiologist and postdoctoral research fellow in the energy metabolism lab at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
If you can nudge even part of your walk into a run, it offers many of the same physical and mental benefits in far less time. But just how much better is running? And how can you turn your walk into a run?
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Those who can’t run (or don’t want to) can turn up the intensity in other ways, Dr. Olenick said. For instance, add a few hills to your walking route, and push the pace as you climb them. You could jump on a trampoline or try a HIIT workout, on land or in the pool.
Best of all is to mix and match — brisk walking or other moderate-intensity exercise on some days, vigorous workouts on others, taking more steps on days when you can’t squeeze in a workout.
“Get a little bit of everything” each week if you can, Dr. Olenick said. “It all adds up.”…
image…ASICS