5 ways to get more out of every step you take on the road to better health

Dr Amanda Paluch, assistant professor of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts School of Public Health and Health Sciences in Amherst, US, says there are benefits to walking, no matter what level you're at.

That's because any type of physical activity is better than none. Walking accrues benefits even at its most basic level - just putting one foot in front of the other and taking a turn around the street, through a park or down a trail.

For those who are willing and able, there are ways to boost the benefits of walking to reap even more rewards.

Here are five simple ways to put more pep in your steps.

1. Nordic walk your way to even greater fitness

Nordic walking, created to help cross-country skiers train during the summer, involves using a set of specially designed poles that work the muscles in your upper body. It has been shown to improve resting heart rate and blood pressure and to increase exercise capacity and oxygen consumption. It's increasingly being suggested as a form of physical activity for older adults.

Dr Keith Diaz an associate professor at Columbia University's department of medicine in New York City, USA describes the science behind this is as compelling.

He says: "You're engaging more muscles and using your upper body more, so you burn more calories than you do with regular walking."

Paluch explains that the added intensity is what benefits your heart health.

"You're getting your heart rate up and also improving your fitness level, which is a major contributor to good health," she says. "It can be fun just to have a different way of walking."

2. Add lunges

Research suggests adding lunges can also add health benefits to a walk.

Diaz says: "As we age, physical function can decline. Lunge-walking is a means to maintain, if not improve, your muscular function."

"Work some muscles that are different from the ones you use walking," she says. "Including even 10 minutes of resistance either before or after a walk can maximise the health benefits of walking. These can be simple activities that don't take a lot of time, such as sit-ups or modified push-ups."

Lifting light weights can also add benefits, but Paluch does not recommend carrying weights while walking because there is a higher chance of injury.

She says: "Using weights right after a walk would be best, because your body is already warmed up."

3. Pick up the pace

While walking at any pace is better than not walking at all, studies show a faster, more intense pace incurs greater cardiorespiratory fitness and reduces your chance of long-term illness.

Diaz says: "Your pace is a big determinant of how much health benefit you get from walking. Increasing pace is the easiest thing to do."

Paluch explains that picking up speed can be done in intervals of any duration.

"Even doing it for just 20 seconds can have a benefit," she says. "It really depends on where you're starting from."

4. Put the phone away

Diaz advises against watching screens while you're walking.

He says: "That may sound obvious, but in this day and age, that's what a lot of people do."

He adds that taking a break from digital devices allows people to de-stress more fully.

"Walking itself is a mood booster," he explains. "But is the mood boost because you're walking or because you took a screen break?"

5. Bring a friend

Research shows group outdoor health walks can mitigate social isolation and improve social wellbeing, which has been linked to better health and longevity. Studies have also found strong social connections help people get and stay active.

Diaz explains that walking can be a social activity as well as a physical activity.

"While there's no evidence that talking while walking burns extra calories," he says. "There is research suggesting that genuine laughter increases energy expenditure by up to 20%.

"You may not see the pounds falling off, but you'll have a good time trying."

This article is published with kind permission of the American Heart Association, which has been striving to save and improve lives for more than 100 years.

Further reading

1. Paluch et al: Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts

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