Seven Steps Toward Good Walking
Form
By Maia Appleby
 Walking
is by far the most popular type of exercise.
It’s also incredibly effective, especially
when long-term weight loss is the primary
goal.
The
vast majority of my clients take up walking
when they begin their programs. True, it’s
easy and doesn’t require any unique skills,
but if you spend an hour a day walking with
bad form, you won’t get the full benefit
of the exercise, and you could even do yourself
harm.
Here are seven tips to help you maintain the
best form when walking:
Maintain good posture. Keep
your head centered, with your chin even
with the ground and your eyes looking ahead.
Keep your chest lifted. Your shoulders should
be pulled back, yet relaxed. This may seem
like a lot of work at first, but it is really
a more natural, less straining body position
than slouching.
Contract your abdominals.
This helps out your back.
Lean forward slightly from
your ankles (not your hips).
Keep your elbows flexed
to ninety degrees and let them swing at
your sides in opposition to your legs. Don't
let them cross the center of your body or
swing higher than your chest. Relax your
arms so that you aren't putting undue stress
on your shoulders. When you want to speed
your leg action, speed up your arm swinging.
Your hips should rotate
slightly with each step. You probably won't
even have to think about this.
Invest in a good pair of
walking shoes. Remember that shoes wear
out on the inside first, so if you think
yours look okay despite having a lot of
miles on them, you may be doing your feet
a disservice which will radiate you your
knees and back.
Minimize your impact level
by landing on your heel with your forefoot
raised. Then push off your forefoot. Landing
flat-footed can cause a lot of problems.
Above all (and this may sound strange, but
eventually you'll know what I mean), maintain
an easy stride. Tense muscles cannot endure
as much as relaxed muscles can. If you concentrate
on your form for a few weeks, your walks will
be much more rewarding and enjoyable.
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