Rippe’s Tips for Fitness Walking Success
Whether your goal is that 24-mile stroll in Tortola or just better fitness for a more enjoyable life, the following tips can help you get the most out of the training calendar.
Use the right shoes and clothes. Walking is simple and cheap, but purchasing a good pair of shoes designed for walking that fit your feet properly will be worth every penny. Fitness walking shoes provide the cushioning and support to better protect your feet, ankles and knees. There are lots of good brands. Look for a knowledgeable salesclerk in either a regular or athletic shoe store to explain the features and help you select. Walking clothing can be very simple—loose fitting and comfortable is best. Layering in cooler weather will help you stay warm while allowing you to adjust.
Think FIT. The most important aspects that define walking for fitness, as opposed to taking a stroll, are frequency, intensity, and time walked—FIT. The Walk Training Calendar provides an appropriately increasing frequency and time (or distance) walked. You determine the intensity. To begin you can maintain the proper intensity by walking at a pace at which you can have a comfortable conversation—a pace you would described as "moderate." As your fitness level increases, step up your walking pace to a level you’d describe as "somewhat strong to strong." As you pass week 30 or so, you should walk at a pace you’d describe as "strong to very strong." Believe it or not, research shows that "perceived exertion" works well in helping people maintain an appropriate training pace.
Always warm up and cool down. Warming up and cooling down for four or five minutes each session help prevent injury. Start by walking slowly for a minute, then stretch the major muscle groups of the legs, then continue walking gradually increasing speed till you hit your desired pace. Cool down by reversing the process. Warm up and cool down are particularly important for stair- or hill-climbing sessions.
Don’t push too hard or too fast—rest as needed. One of the most common reasons people quit a training program is they try to do too much too fast and injure themselves. The Walk Training Calendar is designed to help you get ready to walk 24 miles over 2 days at a comfortable (not necessarily aerobic) pace. As you get started and build up, REST as needed for a minute or two. Repeat a week’s activities if you need to. Be particularly careful about resting on the stair- or hill-climbing sessions. Remember the tortoise won the race because the hare collapsed from overexertion.
Drink plenty of water. Most people don’t drink enough water, period. Dehydration, even mild dehydration, can make you feel and perform less than your best. So drink before, during and after your sessions. Take a water bottle on your walks, and while you’re at it, keep one on your desk.
Even you don’t plan to Walk Tortola or take other longer hikes, use the Walk Training Calendar to reach your fitness goals. You can follow the calendar until you reach a level of walking activity that enables you to maintain your fitness goals. By week 12-15, for example, your walking sessions will provide about 30 to 45 minutes of exercise on 5 days a week—the level recommended to maintain overall fitness.