Walking…the Perfect Exercise!
Okay, I know it’s NOT the perfect exercise—swimming is probably the best exercise we can do, but not all of us have access to water for swimming. And, even if there is water—be it pool, ocean or lake--nearby, the weather or climate is not always agreeable. So, the next best thing is walking—it doesn’t use as many muscle groups as swimming, but at least it can be done almost anywhere, anytime…and the benefits are undeniable. When I walk in the park (or in our neighborhood), I swing my arms well, feel the roll of the muscles in my thighs, breathe-in deeply through my nose…and I feel that all is well with the world. Unlike running, walking does not require that pre-/warm-up stretch. I can just walk out my door or step out of my car and start walking. I start slow for the first 10 minutes…allowing the blood to flow through my extremities, slowly warming the muscles. After that first ten minutes, I slowly but steadily increase my speed until I get to the fastest sustainable walking