Brisk Walking While Swinging Your Arms Naturally May Help Ease Back Pain
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One of the easiest exercises is to walk, in fact, the benefits of brisk walking are widely known. But, are we paying heed? Brisk walking is convenient, can be done with variation so is never boring and can bring you all the benefits of exercise in the long run. It's the best way to prevent or manage health issues and can be a significant contributor to longevity and better health, both mental and physical. Here are eight reasons why you should take up brisk walking ASAP:
1. Strengthens Muscles And Joints
2. Better Metabolism
3. Regulates Hormones
4. Helps Maintain Healthy Body Weight
5. Improves Overall Health
6. Energetic Start To The Day
7. Improved Mental Health
8. Requires Much Less Commitment And Resources
9. FAQs
Strengthens Muscles And Joints
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Incorporating brisk walking into your routine can immensely benefit the overall robustness of your body. You can improve your muscle strength and loosen up stiff joints by bettering lubrication and loosening muscles with consistent brisk walking. It is also on the low-intensity side of the exercise spectrum and thus is highly recommended for those with conditions that may not allow for straining oneself. If you are susceptible to back pain that is prolonged, brisk walking can help provide some relief.
Conscious walking helps in increasing blood circulation, thereby enabling flexibility around your lower back. Your legs also gain strength as you build muscle and endurance by brisk walking regularly.
Tip: Ensure you are wearing the right footwear, especially if you would be walking on a harder surface such as pavement, to protect yourself against joint-pain.
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As you walk, your body requires more energy. Walking at a quicker pace will better your body's metabolism and help utilise body strength efficiently. It stimulates digestion in your body. Regular brisk walking can help with the breakdown of your food. It helps to digest food properly and cuts on the retention of fats. It enhances the movement of food through your body and helps in making more of the nutrition it's getting. If you intend on losing belly fat, the increased metabolism can work in your favour.
Tip: Make sure you are increasing your pace as you walk.
Regulates Hormones
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Regularly taking some time to take a break from work and such to engage in physical invigoration can have a significant impact on hormonal health.
Not only can that lower the body's stress hormones such as cortisol (the hormone that can cause serious threats to heart health and blood pressure upon prolonged exposure), it also generates endorphins, hormones that interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain.Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. It can also help ease health issues stemming from hormonal imbalances such as PCOD.
Tip: Be diligent about consistency. To see real long-term improvements, the short term (hormonal) regulations have to be regular.
Helps Maintain Healthy Body Weight
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Brisk walking requires you to burn more energy in the form of calories, and enhances both, your lean muscles and your metabolism, creating the perfect combination for maintaining healthy body weight and physique. This is done by either helping to reduce any excess or gain the deficit in form of muscles.
If you want to lose belly fat, you can walk at a steady speed with faster steps which makes your heart beat faster and makes you breathe harder. This method gets you in the fat-burning zone and helps you rapidly lose the calories you consumed.
Tip: A healthy diet and proper nutritional resources for your body will also dictate the kind of results you achieve.
Improves Overall Health
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The health benefits of brisk walking are immense. There is a direct correlation between regular physical exercise and better cardiovascular health and blood pressure. Brisk walking can also help avoid the likes of diabetes as it increases insulin sensitivity.The cells in your muscles can function better to gain glucose from energy. Other benefits include lower blood pressure, better blood circulation, better oxygen circulation, stronger organs, balanced cholesterol, lower blood sugar lower chances of certain cancers or bone diseases like osteoporosis, the list is endless!
Tip: Try to keep a track of your heart rate. The ideal number to look for would be 110-120 beats per minute (bpm) but that may vary from person to person.
Energetic Start To The Day
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Starting your day with a walk may give you more energy throughout the day. Additionally, one actively has to choose to embark on a workout before every single session. When more make that choice over and over, it solidifies a commitment with their own selves.
With or without the realisation dawning upon them, they would start making healthier choices in the rest of their day such as snacking on fruit or taking the stairs up a couple of floors instead of the elevator, etc. It also helps that a workout helps one feel more energised, which would make cravings less likely.
Tip: Ensure you are not engaging in unhealthy behaviours and justifying it with the walk.
Improved Mental Health
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As health improves, the hormones that play a major part in how we feel become more regulated, the moods begin to rise, and overall mental health and well-being improves. These effects of brisk walking are often apparent from day one but can become more permanent with time.
There is also the added bonus of better circulation of oxygen, especially if you are walking in an area with some greenery. Today the world is such that we tend to neglect our own well-being when it comes to work, despite hearing harrowing warnings from health professionals.
A walk every day can also double as a much-needed break. It can also help with, self-esteem, mental clarity and better sleep, therefore, increasing overall productivity.
Tip: Every once in a while, attempt walking without any distractions such as the phone, completely focused on the act of walking and the world around you.
Requires Much Less Commitment And Resources
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Brisk walking is one of the most convenient forms of exercise that can sustainably be added to anyone's routine. It requires none to minimal equipment, depending on personal preference, and not as much commitment as a gym would, for instance. One can engage in a productive session virtually anywhere. It also allows you to keep things interesting by trying out different routes or even terrains.
Tip: Make brisk walking an active part of your life, like changing clothes at work and walking home, for instance, as this would leave less chance for you to opt-out.
FAQs
Q. What is the correct posture for walking?
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A. The correct way is to engage the whole body by keeping the head up, lengthening the back but keeping shoulders down, swinging the arms, elbows preferably locked, while stepping from heel to toe. Be sure to engage your core.
Q. What is the right time for a brisk walk?
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A. Although it all comes down to personal preference, many argue that mornings are the best to walk; you get a great and energetic start to your day. It is best to go on an empty stomach, but if you can't, you can have a light breakfast such as a fruit or a smoothie before you go.
Q. Is it necessary to keep a fast pace?
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A. To reap maximum health benefits, it is necessary to keep a faster pace than a leisurely stroll. Having said that, one must understand one's own body and how much it can manage. Your pace may not match another person's, but find a pace that helps you sweat and get your heart rate up. That way you will ensure maximum benefit.
Q. How long should the walk be?
A. It differs from person to person, but the minimum time you need to spend on walking is 30 minutes at the very least. An average of 45 minutes to an hour is best, five times a week.
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Brisk Walking While Swinging Your Arms Naturally May Help Ease Back Pain
Source: https://www.femina.in/wellness/fitness/reasons-to-start-brisk-walking-today-185946.html
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