STEP BY STEP-The 8km/5 miles a day programme
A walking activity formula based on my own walking experiences. It is believed that we homo sapiens originated from a worldwide migration of Homo erectus from out of Africa nearly 2.5 million years ago. There are a variety of scientific counter-claims to this hypothesis, but nevertheless, whatever the figure; it’s a hell of a long time since we started walking on two legs! Hippocrates is believed to have once remarked that “walking is man’s best medicine”, but even he was probably not fully aware of all the health benefits that can be derived from walking. Pursuing this most natural of all exercises can:
• Lower osteoporosis bone density loss.
• Reduce the risk of heart attack.
• Lessen anxiety and tension.
• Burn calories.
• Reduce stress on the joints.
• Slim the waistline.
• Lower blood pressure.
• Improve stamina and energy.
• Ease back pain.
• Improve muscle tone.
Even if we benefit from just half of the above then walking must be the safest and most efficient way to attain and maintain ultimate health and fitness.
There are two ways of walking. There is the ‘normal’ walking pace that everyone resorts to, whether it’s shopping, playing golf or strolling along a promenade. The other is ‘energy’ or ‘fast-pace’ walking where a person walks at a much faster tempo to increase the heart rate to a required level, thereby improving their general aerobic or cardiac fitness, while at the same time burning off those unwanted calories to stimulate fat loss. Of course, achieving the desired fitness and fat loss depends on the duration of each walk and the regularity of the exercise. Please note that I don’t mention weight loss. That is because it often has no bearing on exercise and subsequent fat loss. The reason is simple: if you are exercising at the right intensity you will invariably experience muscle development while losing fat; as muscle is heavier than fat, weight loss can often be disappointingly below expectations. My motto would be: forget the scales but remember your belt or your dress!
I realise that some will find it difficult to spare the time allocated for the longer walks. If you are working long hours or commuting a fair distance to work each day, it can become a real challenge, especially when there are kids to think of, household chores to do, dinner to cook etc. The programme might be even more challenging in the winter when some of you will be leaving home in the dark and returning in the dark. With these busy lifestyle situations, alternative exercises would need to be considered, but bear in mind that any sort of regular physical activity will burn calories, so instead you might consider:
(a) Utilising your lunch break to do a 30-min walk.
(b) Walking up stairs instead of taking a lift.
(c) Walking to the station or car park rather than catching a bus.
(d) Utilising your weekend time to compensate for insufficient exercise during the week.
(e) Negotiating with your partner on household duties so that both of you might benefit from the Step by Step walking programme.
Whatever your situation, let’s hope that the following programme will give you the impetus to start on a life-changing routine.
First of all let me begin by listing the simple but essential items you’ll need before embarking on the Step-by-Stepprogramme and the ultimate goal of walking 8km/5mfour days a week.
(1) Footwear: the single most important piece of equipment is the shoes, so it’s worthwhile making sure that they have the following features:
• Are lightweight.
• Have all round comfort and support.
• Have a flexible cushioned sole to absorb shock.
• Provide enough room to allow complete toe movement.
• Are made from a breathable material (preferably). Wearing them in for a few weeks before you start on a serious programme is a good idea, especially if they’re new.
Warning: don’t get suckered into buying cheap. Something that costs under ￡20 is usually of inferior make-up so carefully check the thickness of the sole etc. It’s worth buying quality!
(2) Clothing: light, loose and leisurely is how I’d describe the ideal clothing. Don’t start off overdressed; better to be cool at the start. You can always have a light sweater in your pack if you need it. Socks: preferably wool but choice of material not as crucial as that of wearing two pairs of socks. I always followed this practice and never once experienced blisters during 5 months of walking.
(3) Drinking Water: fast-paced walking will invariably cause you to sweat, so make sure that you always have drinking water on hand. I always carried two one-litre bottles with me. A recommended minimum daily intake of water for everyone is around 2 litres. When you are walking fast-pace you will naturally consume more.
(4) Pedometer: this handy piece of equipment allows you to set goals and gives you a focus on your progress. Mine combined as a watch, but by setting it to pedometer mode I could keep constant tabs on: Steps taken – Distance walked – Heart rate and so on. There are a variety of makes and models on the market including Heart-rate Monitors and GPS trackers so it pays to evaluate before purchasing.
(5) Accessory Pack: a light waist-pack is what I used during my five month walk. They come in a few varieties. Mine had a twin water bottle pouch, two smaller pockets for items such as a mobile phone, coins etc and a larger pouch for food, a light water-proof coat or whatever other paraphernalia you feel is necessary to take along. For me, I found that items were more easily accessible with a waist-pack rather than a back-pack. However, it’s a personal preference and if you happen to prefer a back-pack then use it.
(6) Lightweight Water and Wind-proof Jacket: the type that can roll up into a compact size is ideal.
(7) Walking Sticks: I only had one and that was a rustic wooden type, but I found it an essential piece of kit. However, I would occasionally see walkers with twin sticks or poles especially around the Lake District.
My daughter, who has recently walked part of the Camino Pilgrim Trail in Spain, told me that she found the two poles were a great help. I believe that the three main advantages to using walking poles are:
(a) They can help maintain balance on uneven terrain.
(b) They help work your upper body as well as your legs.
(c) They eliminate the hand-swelling condition than many people experience on long walks.
(8) Music: I found that my MP3 player was invaluable, especially when walking through uninspiring landscape for long periods. They should not be used where concentration is needed, such as over rough, uneven terrain or if walking on busy roads or cycle tracks.
(9) Hat: it is a good idea to always wear a hat. In cold weather a significant portion of your body heat (around 30%) is lost through your head. On hot sunny days a hat gives you added protection against the sun’s rays.
(10) Mobile Phone: I cannot stress enough about how crucial they can be when confronted with certain tricky situations while walking.Here are just a few scenarios where a mobile phone becomes a vital tool:
• You are delayed due to an injury and you need to contact someone to stop them worrying about your non-appearance.
• You are lost and need advice from someone to put you back on track.
• You have fallen and broken or sprained a leg… or worse. You need to get medical help fast. (It can happen!)
• The heavens have suddenly opened and the rain is coming down in bucket-loads. You are drenched through and need to cut short your walk and have someone pick you up at some nearby location.
Okay, we’ve seen what we need to get– now let’s look at what we need to do:
(1) Health Risk: you have concerns about possible health risks associated with this walking program, please consult your doctor.
(2) Warm-up: at the start of each day’s walk you should begin by walking at a low intensity pace for about 5 minutes to raise body temperature in preparation for the stretching exercises.
(3) Stretching: these exercises help loosen muscles before you start – and again after you have completed the walking session. It is very important never to stretch ‘cold’ muscles. The five-minute warm up above is vital, otherwise you risk tearing the muscle and causing injury. Concentrate mainly on stretching the quadriceps, the hamstring, and the calf muscles. You also might find that the Achilles might sometimes need to be stretched. I also found that stretching the lower back can be beneficial.
It is beyond the scope of this book to provide detailed information on stretches beyond those I’ve listed below, but there are many websites out there which list the most suitable stretching exercises before walking, and crucially, how to do them properly. A basic Google search of “warm-up stretches before walking/exercise” should provide plenty of additional information to complement my own and help you on your way. Being meticulous about my warm-up and stretching routine was probably why I remained relatively free from any leg injury during that five-month period… and for a 73-year-old man, that’s saying something!
Quads Stretch
You will need to stand upright and if need be, help balance yourself by leaning against a wall or a post. Lift one leg behind you so you can grasp your foot with a hand – remain upright and push your knee gently back as far as you can. You should then feel the stretch on the quadriceps. Hold for 40 seconds then switch legs.
Calf Stretch
Start in a standing position holding onto something for support. With one leg placed in front of the other bear down and forward with your rear leg until you feel the stretch on your rear calf muscle–hold for 40 seconds then switch legs.
Hamstring
Stand by a wall or post for support and extend one leg straight out on a 30” high object in front of you (higher if you can comfortably manage it), and feel the stretch on your hamstring. You can increase the intensity of the stretch by leaning forward slightly, keeping the extended leg straight. Hold this position for 40 seconds then repeat with other leg. The hamstring stretch can also be done by sitting upright on a bench with one leg held straight in front of you. Bend forward from the waist and feel the stretch, hold for 40 seconds before readjusting position.
Achilles Stretch
From the calf stretch position, transfer the bodyweight forward bending the back knee so that the Achilles tendon can be stretched, ensuring the heel stays on the ground. Or place front of foot on raised object below you and bear down with your heel; by leaning forward you can stretch the calf muscle at the same time. Keep your heel down and hold 30 to 40 seconds.
Lower Back Stretch
Stand with your feet slightly apart before reaching down to touch your toes. You don’t need to touch your feet; just push down as far as you can comfortably and let your arms hang there and feel the stretch on your lower back. As with all stretches, don’t bob! Just hold the stretch. Try holding for 40 seconds, and then straighten up before repeating the exercise once more.
(4) Walking Warm-up: after completing the stretching exercises spend the first five minutes of your walk at a moderate pace, gradually increasing your walking rate to a faster tempo. Try to develop a rhythmic walking style that you feel comfortable with; remember that each of us has an individual style or technique that differs, however slightly, from someone else.
(5) Cool-down: it is also recommended that you spend a little time cooling-down after your walking session by gradually reducing the tempo to a moderately slow rate for a few minutes. The scale of aerobic intensity during your walk will determine how long you’ll need to cool down for, but usually about five minutes would be sufficient.
Now you need to become familiar with your heart-rate target zone. A heart-rate target chart can be sourced from most fitness centres, sport shops or from the internet. To obtain full aerobic benefit from walking it is necessary to keep track of your heart beat and keep it between 60 to 85% of your maximum heart rate – this will be your target zone. (A calculation based on an individual’s age.)
To work out your MHR (Maximum Heart Rate) simply deduct your age from 220. For instance if you are 60 years of age, your MHR will be 160. Therefore, 60% of your MHR would be 96 and 85% of your MHR would be 136, so your target zone as a 60 year old would be between 96 BPM (heart Beats Per Minute) and 136 BPM. Below 60% gives you very little aerobic benefit and above 85% is too strenuous with only moderate aerobic benefit. In fact, only if you are in excellent physical condition should you aim to go beyond 85%.
Pulse Rate: if you don’t possess a device to automatically record your heart beat, then you’ll need to resort to the basics. There are a few ways of measuring your pulse rate, but I found the best way is to place two fingers on your throat just below the corner of your jaw (feel around there and you’ll find it). The other method is to find the pulse on your wrist by feeling immediately under your thumb line, placing two fingers about 1inch (2cm) below your wrist joint. Simply count the beats for 10 seconds and multiply by 6, or count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get your pulse rate per minute.
You should check your pulse rate periodically to ensure you are continually within your target zone. Most people need to be still in order to do this, therefore having a reliable pulse meter has got to be the most ideal and trouble-free method for measuring heart rate.
Monitor Your Progress: having a note book handy is advisable as you can then record the time taken for each walk. Nothing will give you greater encouragement than seeing improvements in your weekly progress. If you maintain the goals set in the programmes below you will definitely see a growing enhancement in your performance – both in completing your walks faster to seeing an ongoing reduction in your heart-rate.
Monitor Your Body’s Well-being: take note of your physical reaction to this new regime. Remember that if you are relatively unfit, the Step-by-Step walking programme will place extra demands on underused muscles and joints so it pays to keep check on how they’re coping. Aches after a walk are common as they usually indicate that muscles and joints are being tested. Pain, however, is not acceptable; if it persists see your doctor.
If you are starting at the Beginners Programme and can successfully accomplish the targets given for the 10-week period you will find that the other two programmes will be easier to achieve.
Your Diet: if your motive for embarking on the Step-by-Step walking programme is to lose body fat, develop a fit, toned body and enjoy a healthy lifestyle then your diet is the most important – the most essential factor in bringing these goals into reality. Many fitness experts believe that to achieve a well-toned, healthy body, you need to be thinking ‘75% nutrition/25% exercise’. I know a person who goes to the gym and does an hour’s aerobic workout at least four times a week. In addition, he walks there and back each time; a distance of around 4km. Yet he still struggles with his body fat.
The basic reason is simple mathematics: calories absorbed- minus calories burned. If you are consuming the equivalent of 2,500 calories a day in food, but are burning up say 600 calories on an exercise programme, another 900 on normal everyday activity including food digestion another 500 while sleeping, you’re still 500 calories behind the ‘eight ball’. With those sorts of figures, your figure isn’t gonna be anything like what you’re aiming for!
Personal caloric requirements vary according to gender, weight, age and activity level. To maintain an ongoing energy and weight stability level, women need about 2,000 calories a day and men need around 2,500. The energy content of stored body fat can be around 3,000 calories or more, so a 500 calorie deficit would be required each day in order to stay neutral. The solution is safe and simple – create that energy deficit you need by reducing your calorie-rich intake of food and at the same time increase your energy level to expend superfluous calories. In other words, eat healthier, less fattening food and become more active!
I eat pretty healthily myself, but I am no expert in nutrition therefore cannot give you much in the way of professional guidance on this matter. However, because of the extreme importance of nutrition and the hand-in-glove relationship it has with exercise I would recommend that you familiarise yourself on the subject by using the internet or searching for a suitable book. There’s plenty of specialised material out there to guide you further.
Step by Step – Beginners Programme
If you’ve been fairly inactive in the past, maybe recovering from an illness or overweight, use caution or consult your doctor before you start.
Weeks 1 & 2 – Three x 1 mile (1.5km) walks.
(Includes warm-up and cool-down). Approx time: 25 mins.
Weeks 3 & 4 – Three x 1 mile (1.5km) walks. Approx time: 25 mins.
Weeks 5 & 6 – Three x 1¼ mile (2km) walks. Approx time: 30 mins.
Weeks 7 & 8 – Three to Four x 1½ mile (2.4km) walks. Approx time: 35 mins.
Week 9 – Three to Four x 1¾ mile (2.8km) walks. Approx time: 40 mins.
Week 10 – Three to Four x 2 miles (3.2km) walks. Approx time: 45 mins.
Note: it is essential when going through this 10-week beginner’s programme that you aim to reduce the above times by walking faster as your fitness improves. However, regaining fitness will differ from one individual to another, so if you feel that you might be overdoing it, and then ease up. Conversely, if your heart rate is not working to its optimum level then walk at a faster pace.
Step by Step – Intermediate Programme
We are now ready to start your intermediate programme. Bypass the beginner’s programme if you are confident you can safely begin at the intermediate level. As with the beginner’s advice, aim to reduce your times by walking faster as your fitness improves. However, if you begin to feel physically distressed then listen to your body and ease up. But if your heart rate is not working to its optimum level then increase your pace.
After each walk try recording relevant data in your notebook such as time taken, average heart rate and so on. This will help you gauge improvements and make any adjustments, where necessary.
Week 1 – Three to Four x 1¼ mile (2km) walks each week. Approx time: 22 mins.
Weeks 2 & 3 – Three to Four x 1½ mile (2.4km) walks each week. Approx time: 28 mins.
Weeks 4 to 6 – Three to Four …
