HEALTH & FITNESS: WALK THIS WAY

 By Helen Bond

 An underrated and hassle-free sport for members of all ages.

Two years ago, Kate Newkirk was feeling the physical effects of being a marathon runner. Her knees were shot and her back hurt. But when she began teaching a walking class at University Club of Houston, she noticed she reaped the same fitness benefits without the wear and tear on her body. Now Newkirk, the club’s assistant athletic director, is a walking convert.

“It’s the all around best exercise for any age and any fitness level,” says Newkirk, who power walks at least four times a week. But walking isn’t just an alternative for hard-core fitness fanatics. Ask University Club member Terri Rachelle, who helped Newkirk launch a member-based walking club. On a recent sunny Sunday morning, she was part of a group of 30 walkers who descended upon Houston’s Memorial Park for a three-mile walking excursion.

Walking is underrated, Rachelle says. “Walking can be manipulated to be a lot of things,” she says. “It can be a fun stroll, power walking, or interval walking. It can be almost anything you choose it to be. With jogging you either run or you don’t run.”

These Houston folks are on to something. Walking is easy, accessible, and effective. The hassle-free sport fits into just about any schedule and doesn’t require the use of expensive equipment. And if it’s raining outside, you can head indoors to your favorite shopping mall or club treadmill. It’s tough to come up with an excuse not to find time to walk.

Nearly 80 million Americans can’t be wrong. That’s how many people participate in exercise walking, according to the latest survey conducted by the National Sporting Goods Association. The survey also ranked walking No. 1 among the 59 sports, recreation, and fitness activities analyzed.

THE RIGHT STRIDE
Walking briskly and regularly can benefit your health in several ways. As a terrific form of aerobic exercise, walking improves flexibility, balance, bone density, cardiovascular health — and it can help you lose weight.

Research shows that walking one mile in 15 minutes burns about the same number of calories as jogging an equal distance in eight and a half minutes — without the pounding your body takes from running. In fact, walking is often more effective than other activities because it’s virtually injury free and has the lowest dropout rate of any form of exercise.

Then there are the mental perks. As with most exercise, walking can counter depression and reduce stress. Do it consistently and you can lower your blood pressure and resting heart rate, which can strengthen the body’s response to stress. Get moving outdoors and suddenly you’ll find time not only to stop and smell, but also see, the roses. A great social exercise, walking can provide the forum to talk over life’s travails with a friend, without the heavy breathing of, say, jogging.

The best part about walking is you don’t have to train for it. You’ve been doing it all your life. But when you walk for fitness, the right technique increases the health benefits and prevents injury and fatigue. Don’t saunter, stroll, or shuffle. Strut your stuff. People tend to look at their feet. Instead, walk tall. Keep your head up, chest high, abdomen muscles in, and arms at a 90-degree angle. Swing your arms in an arc from waist to chest high.

Use your hips to help move your legs forward, gently rolling your foot, heel first, with toes pointed up in a smooth, controlled motion. Push off again with your toes. Take quick, not longer steps. Your stride length will develop naturally.

STEP BY STEP
Here are some other helpful hints:

• Go the distance. Beginners can start with a 10-minute walk, but if the goal is to lose weight and be heart healthy, strive to walk at an even clip for a minimum of 30 minutes, three times a week. Breaking up your walking routine into three, 10-minute segments also can be effective. Gradually increase your workout to four to five days a week, recommends Brenda Hade, fitness coordinator at The Capital Club in Richmond, Virginia.

Although you will eventually want to fine-tune your pace for fitness, initially concentrate more on the time you devote to walking. If you focus on your distance, technique, and the frequency of the activity, you will slowly build up the stamina to increase your speed.

• Grab a friend. Many Associate Clubs have organized walking classes or groups. Or start your own. Walking with someone else is more fun; a buddy can keep you motivated.

• Head for the hills. A mere rise in the road can get your heart pumping and burn more calories. Stairs and hills are great for strengthening those quads.

• Change the scenery. Find new places to walk, such as a park or local zoo. Members who take part in The Capital Club’s “Body Walk” class see Richmond from a new perspective with nature walks around Belle Island, a path along the James River, and a tour of Richmond’s historic Church Hill district.

• Mix it up. Kick off the day with a morning hike, shake off the midday doldrums with a lunchtime walk, or blow off steam with a brisk walk at day’s end. Vary your exercise routine to power up your walking.

• Create challenges. If you walk a 15-minute mile, set your sport watch and try to shave off time, Hade suggests. Aim to pass just one more walker on the path ahead of you or walk to the next street corner.

• Buy a pedometer. Record yourself on an average day. Work to add more steps daily. If you take 130 steps per minute, your walking pace should be a solid four miles per hour.

• Shorten your stride. To pick up speed, increase the rotation of your arms and stride length. The faster the turnover in stride, the faster you will go.

• Do intervals. Alternate bouts of slower walking with fast walking or jogging. Start out with 30-second to 60-second intervals. Eventually, you can speed up for longer stretches and stroll for shorter breaks.

• Add gadgets. Walking poles give you pushing power. Rubberized resistance bands wrapped around a fence or park bench offer a powerful arm workout. If you don’t have time to stop, the PowerBelt (800-797-2358) features retractable resistance cords for an upper-body workout while you walk. Whatever gadget you try will add variety to your walking routine.

• Safety first. If you walk outdoors, stay alert to your surroundings. Leave your headsets at home (or turn the volume low) and walk facing oncoming traffic. Always carry identification and let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return.

IF THE SHOE FITS
When it comes to buying walking shoes, forget flash and go for fit, says orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Bowman, president of the American Association of Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Surgeons. “Feet come in all different sizes and widths,” Dr. Bowman says. “It may be a great shoe, but it’s not going to work for everybody.”

Running shoes can often double as walking shoes. Keep an eye on the condition of the midsole, which usually breaks down long before a shoe’s outside looks shabby. Replace your shoes every 600 walking miles or so, Dr. Bowman advises.

“It’s a good investment,” Dr. Bowman says. “If you have a good piece of equipment, it protects your feet and your knees.” ’

 Here are some buying tips to help you put your best foot forward: 

• Size ’em up. Sizes among shoe brands and styles vary. Try on several styles, and don’t go by the shoe size, judge the fit.

• Get wet. Buy lightweight, supportive shoes that conform to your foot type. Don’t know the personality of your tootsies? Dunk a bare foot in water and step with your full weight onto concrete, a brown paper shopping bag, or another surface that will reveal a clear foot pattern. Most feet fall into one of three categories: straight foot with a low arch; semi-curved foot, medium arch; or a curved foot, high arch. Flatfooters will leave the fullest imprint, with the arch area showing the most contact with the surface. If your arch is high, you may not see any imprint in the midfoot area. Most people, with the easiest feet to fit, fall in-between. Talk to your salesperson about the right shoe for you.

• Measure up. Often, people have one foot larger than the other. Measure both feet, and fit to the largest foot.

• Better late. Try on shoes at the end of the day when your feet are the largest because they may be slightly swollen. Wear the socks you would slip on for a workout.

• Stand tall. During the fitting process, stand up to ensure a precise fit. The general rule of thumb is to buy a shoe that is a half-inch longer than your longest toe. Make sure the ball of your foot fits comfortably into the widest part of the shoe.

 • You get what you pay for. Be wary of a shoe clearance sale. Ask the salesperson why the shoes are such a bargain. Many shoes are made of material that breaks down over time giving shoes a shelf life, Dr. Bowman says. If you’re serious about walking for health, experts recommend a sport-specific shoe. — Helen Bond