A Head to Toe Guide to Walking
In a landmark Harvard study of some 40,000 women over the age of 45, those who walked as
little as 1 hour a week—even at a stroll—were half as likely to have heart attacks or blocked
coronary arteries as those who rarely walked. Walking is easier with good form, so use these
easy tips on proper posture to get started on your way to healthier tomorrows!
Chest
Yoga practitioners sometimes refer to the breastbone area as your "heart light." Keep your
heart light lifted and shining straight ahead.
Abdominals
Pull your belly button toward your spine as if you were zipping up a snug pair of jeans. Keep
those abs firm and tight as you walk.
Feet
With each step, plant your heel, roll onto the ball of your foot, and push off with your
toes. Avoid rolling your foot inward or outward. To protect your feet and joints, wear good
walking shoes. A proper fit means they feel great right out of the box. Make sure there's a
finger-width between the end of your longest toe and the inside of the front of the shoe.
Head
Imagine a string attached to the top of your head, pulling it straight toward the sky. Keep
your chin lifted and your ears in line with your shoulders.
Shoulders
Keep them relaxed, down and slightly back. If they start hunching up toward your ears, take a
deep breath and drop them back again.
Arms
Elbows should be bent at about 90-degree angles, hands slightly cupped. Relax your arms and
pump them forward and back as you walk; they should not crisscross in front of you. Walking with
light hand weights can help build muscle and burn calories, but too much weight will strain
elbows and shoulders.
Want to pick up the pace?
Think short strides. One of the most common walking mistakes that people make is lengthening
their strides to walk faster. When you do this, your front foot actually acts like a brake,
jarring your joints and ultimately slowing you down. Instead, take short, quick, heel-to-toe
strides. Your feet will roll forward more easily, and you'll move at greater speed without the
stress.
Source: 30 Minutes a Day to a Healthy Heart from Reader's Digest