How To Take Your Daily Walk to the Next Level

Anyone observing me on a walk would be confused about what I am doing. I call it a walk but it's more like a moving Pilates session!  Walking is a wonderful form of exercise that is enjoyable and provides many health benefits.  So many of my Pilates clients choose walking holidays when they travel, both in Australia and overseas and it's an honour for me to help them prepare for these memorable adventures through Pilates. However,  humans have adapted to walking, and even though walking is excellent for our health and fitness, adding new challenges while you are walking increases the benefits to your body and mind. If I go on a 20 - 30 minute walk, I include several other ways of moving to make the time spent walking as beneficial and effective as possible. I always start with regular walking and then try to incorporate:

Walking on Uneven Surfaces

If we stick with walking on flat ground continually when we do encounter uneven surfaces our bodies won't be able to adapt to these conditions resulting in pain and dysfunction. Our feet are designed for this and if we don't maintain this valuable movement we lose it.  Look for hills and inclines when you are walking and use them.  I have access to sand and rocks at the bay on my walk and I call this my "proprioceptive walk" as I step carefully around the rocks.  Avoid wet rocks or those that look slippery with seaweed. If you are new to this take it very gently. Start small and gradually build up your proprioception and balance as you challenge your body in this way. If you don't have access to rocks look for sand in a children's playground, step up and down the gutter in a quiet street. Use whatever you can find to challenge yourself safely on different surfaces during your walk. Please note: If you have poor balance make sure you have a railing or something secure you can hold on to at all times to support you and keep you safe from falling.

Using Any Equipment Available To You In Parks

In the image above taken a few years ago, my Mum, Pam is balancing on a balance beam in our local park. I use this myself regularly as well as a series of tree stumps at uneven heights. I step from one to the other and then walk across the beam.  Most suburbs offer some type of play equipment for children and sometimes exercise equipment for adults in their local parks.  These can be an incredible resource for you on your walk. See what you can find and how you can make it work for you.  Just a few minutes out of your walk spent on equipment provides huge benefits in the long term.

Walking Backward or Retro Walking

When walking forward starts to get a little repetitive, retro walking or walking backward is the answer. Not only is retro walking fun it's also highly beneficial. It reverses the forward focus that we have constantly and encourages connection with the back of our bodies. Because we can't see where we are going it improves our proprioception and balance which is a bonus. Try waking backward for 5 or 10 steps at a time before turning forward again and gradually increasing the number of steps. Make sure you do it in an open space like a park where you won't walk into any people or objects. At first, it may feel very strange but after a while, you will enjoy the break from walking forward!

Skipping

We all skip as children but how long is it since you've skipped? I'm not talking about skipping with a rope but hopping on 1 leg and then stepping forward and repeating.  This challenges your coordination and your control and is highly beneficial for your fascia, As we age our fascia can get matted but exercises such as skipping are ideal for bringing it back to the springy quality of our younger years. This movement may draw the most stares if you skip in your local park, but just keep reminding yourself about the incredible benefits. It also lifts your mood as it's a happy, joyful movement!

Much of what I'm describing is what you would have done naturally as a child. By remembering those childhood movements and incorporating them into your daily walk you will be improving your balance, proprioception, coordination and brain health. I also work on all of these skills with my Pilates clients. 

If you would like to get started with Pilates, you can email me at [email protected] .  Alternatively, you can book an Initial Assessment with me here or  take the free 10 day trial of JS Mind Body Pilates, my online studio and start straight away.  It would be my pleasure to assist you on your Pilates journey to pain-free living and beyond!