Walking Workout! Tips to Get Better Inch Loss From Your Walk.

Walking Workout!

Tips To Get Better Inch Loss From Your Walk!

 How would you like to get more out of every walk (more inches lost, more calories burned, more pain reduction, more metabolic boost) whether you are doing a walking workout at home, doing a fitness walk or just walking while doing "life"?There is a misconception that "walking" is the best exercise you can do and you can't get "hurt" .  I'll agree walking is a wonderful way to get your body moving (certainly better than sitting on the couch) but I have to respectfully disagree about the not "getting hurt" part.Walking is a repetitive movement pattern.  In other words, you are doing the same action over and over again.  If you have a lot muscle imbalance, weak joints and poor bio-mechanics, you can do more harm than good.But...all is not lost!Posture power to the rescue.  When you learn how to put your body into a more aligned posture, allowing your skeleton to hold yourself up instead of trying to use imbalanced muscles, tendons, ligaments...your walk because graceful, elegant and best of all...you will find your extra fluff (and pain) melting away.Yes...alignment is that important and posture power is the key!Important points!

• begin with your legs directly under hip ball joints.  Line up hip joints to middle of ankle and 2 - 3 toe.
• Toes pointed straight ahead  (check to make sure your heels aren't going towards the center of your body.
• When doing a walking workout at home, feel like you are doing a big of a march and when bringing your leg down, come down toe ball joint first and then your heel. i.e. don't walk flat footed.  Use the full foot (toe/heel/toe/heel).  When walking outside it't the opposite.  (heel/toe/heel/toe)
• Connect your brain to your tailbone and imagine it being pulled down into the ground.
• Lift your torso weight up out of your hips.  Don't sink down.  Think about how much your whole torso weighs.  You are putting all that pressure right down into your hips making it harder to swing your legs freely.
• Shoulders roll back and slide those shoulder blades down your back.
• Head is lifted from the back of the skull.
• Make sure the middle of your shoulder lines up with the middle of your hip.

I know...this is a ton to remember.  Don't even try to do all of this at once, especially when walking outside.  Take just one or two things at a time and practice them.  If you do too much at once...it can make you pretty darn sore because your body won't be used to being in "proper alignment".Want one thing to focus on right away?  I like to focus on making sure my shoulders are in alignment with my hips.  In other words, check to make sure you aren't leaning forward at the waist or hip.  This, alone, can transform your walking workouts.Try this...do some walking in place right now and bend slightly forward from your hips.  Pay attention to what you are feeling.  Then bring your upper body back up shoulder in alignment with hips.  Feel the difference in the muscle activation in your lower body?  It's powerful!Hope these tips help.  Watch the video for more detailed explanations!I love to share walking tips and tricks!If you enjoy walking too, click here to check out my new Stretch and Stride walking class package.