Transform Your Walk

THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY, every day, millions of people take to the streets--and the parks, the trails, even the mall. If you're looking to boost your fitness, reduce stress, and manage your weight, walking is a natural choice that really works. In fact, walking just 2,000 extra steps a day, or about a mile, is enough to keep most people from gaining weight, according to research by James O. Hill, Ph.D., director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver and co-author of The Step Diet Book. "Building a little bit more walking into your day can prevent that 1 to 2 pounds that people tend to gain each year," Hill says. And while putting one foot in front of the other is simple enough, it helps to have a few tricks of the trade to make your walks more effective and pleasurable. Here, a team of exercise experts answers our questions about how to transform a simple stroll into a savvy fitness strategy.

Where should I walk? 
Just about anywhere will do fine. But if walking forms your cardio foundation, be sure to vary the surfaces you walk on to keep your routine well-rounded. "On a treadmill you can do high-intensity speed intervals and hill climbing in rapid succession, allowing the treadmill's absorbable surface to reduce impact," says Debbie Rocker, a Los Angeles-based walking coach and creator of the Walkvest training system. "Trails provide a softer surface and environmental stimuli so workouts stay interesting. Sand walking is strenuous, providing maximum cardio building and toning benefits." (Sand walking does involve constant shifting, which can be hard on sore backs.) Street surfaces allow you to walk faster, but lights, curbs, and traffic make it difficult to walk unimpeded for long periods. To lessen the street's hard impact, Rocker suggests visualizing your legs as shock absorbers. [pagebreak]

What's a good pace? 
Different goals require a range of walking speeds. Try these pacing tips from Shirley Archer, health and wellness educator at the Health Improvement Program at Stanford University Medical School and author of Walking Deck: 50 Ways to Walk Yourself Healthy:
* For better health, stride comfortably at a steady pace, breathing easily. You'll feel like you've exercised without being overworked.
* To improve fitness and/or lose weight, you need to train efficiently by combining steady, brisk walking with intervals that alternate short, intense bursts of walking very fast and one to five minutes of walking at a moderate pace. Breathing should be manageable yet somewhat challenged at the moderate pace, and harder on the intervals. And if you're not breaking a sweat, you're not walking fast enough.
* For stress management, maintain a comfortable, rhythmic pace that allows you to focus on a mantra or your breath. [pagebreak]

How long do I need to walk to benefit? 
As long as you mix up the pace and include some brisk walking, two or three 10-minute sessions a day can definitely improve your health and fitness. A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that three 10-minute bouts of walking throughout the day delivered health and fitness benefits comparable to a single, 30-minute walk. "If you're unfit or overweight, a 10-minute walk is a great place to start," says Rocker. You can work your way up to two or three sessions throughout the day. [pagebreak]

How can I use walking to lose weight? 
To lose weight, plan to walk five to six days a week. Vary the duration, intensity, and terrain to keep your body challenged. For example, a 145-pound woman burns 109 calories walking 3 mph for 30 minutes. Up the pace to 4 mph and you'll burn 164 calories in the same amount of time. Add hills and you'll burn 197 calories. Using intervals is particularly good if you're just getting started and can't sustain a fast pace for long. [pagebreak]

Do I need high-tech gear like a pedometer? 
"Gadgets are great if they're easy to use and enhance your training," says Rocker. The trick is to choose the right tool for your needs. A heart-rate monitor lets you track whether you're in your optimal training zone so you can adjust your intensity. Pedometers are amazingly simple, functional, and inexpensive. "The benefit of pedometers is self-motivation; they give you an easy measuring system," says Joy Prouty, a Reebok master trainer and ACSM-certified health fitness director. One caveat: If gear is too complicated or detracts from walking pleasure, leave it at home. [pagebreak]

What's the best stride for maximum efficiency (and comfort)? 
Walk with a slight forward lean, feet parallel, toes pointing straight ahead. Strike the ground heel first, foot flexed, without locking your knees. Keeping your hips centered under you, roll through the midfoot, pushing off the ball of your foot and using your legs to propel yourself forward. Continue to roll through as you transfer onto your other foot and take your next step. Swing your arms naturally by your sides or, to increase the intensity, bend your elbows to 90 degrees and drive them forward. Look straight ahead, glancing down from time to time to scan the terrain.
1. DO drive your elbows directly forward and back alongside your torso.
2. DON'T overstride (it's better to take quicker rather than longer steps).
3. DO keep your hips and shoulders squared and facing front.
4. DON'T sway your hips, swing your arms across your body's midline, or rotate your torso