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By Judy Heller

Judy Heller, founder of
Wonders of Walking LLC,
advocates walking for well being and pleasure. Wonders of Walking promotes Walking Events for Walkers by Walkers. Judy Heller is founder and owner of EroFit & Associates, LLC, celebrating Fitness for a Lifetime. Heller offers personalized fitness training and coaching for individuals and groups.
Contact: Judy Heller
at 503-282-1677:
email judy@erofit.com
jheller@wondersofwalking.com

Also visit: www.erofit.com
www.wondersofwalking.com

I only went out
for a walk and
concluded to stay out until sundown,
For going out,
I found
Was really going in.

— John Muir

Better Walking in 2007
It’s All Technique and Motivation.

What is a New Year’s resolution but a desire to improve or do something differently or better? As the calendar page turns, the slate can be wiped clean, allowing us to set a new or different course for ourselves. Just remember you can do this any time: I’ve never been big on the idea that the eve of a new year is the only time to make resolutions.

For years, my annual tradition has been participating in New Year’s first run/walks. This is the time I confirm my personal commitment to health and fitness with friends and family for the coming year.

You can do the same, too. Ask yourself, for 2007, is there something you would like to do differently with your walking?

Many of my clients come to me because they want to walk better. They want to improve their technique, their overall fitness level for a trip they are planning, or they want to lose weight, manage health issues, or be able to walk without fear of injury.

How do you improve your performance? You begin by improving your walking technique; creating a balance between walking, stretching, and cross-training with other kinds of exercise; knowing your desired walking goals; and having a support network in place to keep you motivated.

While it’s true we have been walking for most of our lives, it’s still possible to improve our technique so we reap better benefits. Make a resolution to focus on improving your form.

Here’s How:
Posture: Walk tall. Good posture can enhance your appearance and self-esteem. Keep your chin up, eyes forward, and back straight.
Head: Look straight ahead, chin parallel to ground with face and neck relaxed.
Shoulders: Should be down and relaxed, not hunched up by your ears. Strive for a stable upper body.
Arms: Keep your elbows bent in an angle between 85 to 90 degrees. Swing your arms freely from the shoulder in a back and forth motion, more back than forward. Keep your arms parallel to the ground and not crossing over your chest.
Hands: Relaxed and held so that your thumbs are on top, fingers lightly flexed.
Torso: Strive for an erect upper back with your chest moderately elevated. The upper torso should be balanced evenly over the pelvic girdle, not tilted forward or backwards from the waist.
Hips: Keep them level, aligned under shoulders.
Legs: Your knees and ankles should be aligned with the hips, shoulders, and ears. Avoid over-striding.
Feet: Keep your toes pointed straight ahead, not turned in or out; focus on a crisp heel plant, rolling forward to the end of your toes.

It helps to develop a sense of purpose for your walking, as explained by other walkers I know:

Weight gain and family history inspired Gary to start walking. “I had to buy larger sized clothes. The very nice custom suits I had tailored in Turkey no longer fit, and my sport coats couldn’t be buttoned. Two, both my older brother, at age 58, and my dad, at age 71, had heart attacks. I was inspired by a top-flight racewalker. I wanted to emulate her and get closer to her time.”

Gary’s action plan included walk-specific training with events to serve as goals. He altered his eating habits and added strength training. Thus far, Gary has lost 35 pounds. He feels more healthy and confident and has been able to achieve his goal of walking faster, too.

Two-time Olympian Philip Dunn suggests: “A trick I’ve used is to create specific goals and define what it will take to achieve those goals. If I know that I want to perform well at a particular competition, I define what that performance goal will be. Then I work backwards from that date.

“For example, I am racing in the 50k Nationals in San Diego in January 2007. I want to walk a specific time on race day, and I know that to do so, I have to train at a certain level. To do that, I need walk-specific workouts. It becomes a progression such that I know I am meeting my goal in January every time that I complete my workouts in November. If I don’t complete the prescribed workout, I will be less likely to meet that goal.”

We know that we won’t do things that don’t bring us rewards. Those “feel good” feelings are what keep us going. Having a coach or a support system of friends and family who can hold you accountable is a good way to keep you on track, and it’s a method recommended by everyone I spoke with.

It also helps to schedule workouts and walks. This way you can balance fitness with all of life’s other priorities.

Change is a process with markers along the way. Even small changes can make a dramatic difference over time, whether related to fitness or any other aspect of life.

Happy New Year!