9 Walking Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making (The Healthy)

Posted: Feb 14, 2024 in In the News

This updated article appeared in The Hhttps://www.thehealthy.com/exercise/walking/walking-mistakes/ealthy on February 14, 2024.

 

9 Walking Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making

If you’re looking for a way to excuse-proof your exercise routine, look no further: Walking is not only a simple and effective way to stay physically active, it’s also a safer way to improve your health during the Covid-19 pandemic because you can exercise outdoors.

“The biggest benefit of walking is that it’s really accessible to just about everybody,” says Christopher John Lundstrom, PhD, MEd, director of sport and exercise science at the University of Minnesota School of Kinesiology.

It’s time efficient, you can do it almost anywhere and you don’t need any specialized gear or clothes—just a pair of quality walking shoes with arch support and comfortable clothes. “Walking requires very little and can be done on the spur of the moment, too. You can get out even if it’s just for a few minutes.”

And if you have a treadmill at home, you don’t even need to leave the house to reap the benefits.

Walking is also a low-impact activity, says Chris Gagliardi, personal trainer and scientific education content manager at the American Council on Exercise. That alone makes it a great exercise option for people with joint problems or other health issues that can make running and other high-impact exercises difficult.

“It is also highly adjustable—in terms of speed, incline, duration, and location—to meet the needs of all people,” Gagliardi says.

Considering all of the above, it’s no surprise that walking is the most popular aerobic physical activity in the U.S. In any given week, about six in 10 adults report walking for at least 10 minutes.

But what might be surprising is that there are a lot of common mistakes people make when walking for fitness. Some mistakes can lead to injuries. But even minor transgressions can make your walking less beneficial and less enjoyable—which can mess with your motivation and make it harder to develop a consistent routine.

Here are the most common walking mistakes and tips on how to fix them.

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