You're fed up with fitness clubs, jaundiced about jogging, and
dubious about dancing. What's a would-be burnt-out exerciser
to do?
Return to the simple life: walk. Think that doesn't qualify as
"real" exercise? Hah!
Try a walking or Volkssport event, and you'll realize that
walking can be just as perspiration-inducing as any other sport.
For a calendar of events, a tutorial, and more, visit the American
Volkssport Association's Volksmarch and Walking index at http://www.ava.org/.
But walking doesn't require joining a club or competing.To benefit
from walking as a form of exercise, the experts advise that you
pay attention to your speed, your stride, and your posture.
There's a big difference between the benefits in a leisurely stroll
where you stop to smell the roses and pet the neighbor's cat, a
brisk walk, and race walking. Pay attention to your posture as well,
with your chin up and eyes ahead, and your arms swinging. And do
take time to do warm up and cool down.
Last, but not least: wear comfortable shoes. Whether you're walking
in a mall because of the bad weather (and mall-walking is an increasingly
popular form of no-excuses exercise -- just remember to stride, not shop!),
or racewalking up a hill, improperly fitting shoes can result in agony both
during and after your exercise. Try on several different types of shoes,
walking around the store to test them.
In a recent search for new walking shoes, for example, I tried on several
different pairs. Some of them looked great on my feet -- but after
walking around, I realized that they weren't quite the right fit for my
foot's low arch. After several more attempts, I discovered my perfect
match with Ryka's Sheoji ETS walking shoe. They were lightweight (if I
want to exercise with weights, I'd prefer to carry them in my hands, not
on my feet!), and contained both a sockliner and good cushioning.
To learn more about different Ryka brands or find a store in your
area, visit the Web site at http://www.ryka.com/.
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