Walk with Walgreens - Making Your Walk Feel a Little Easier

In exercise classes, fitness trainers use interval training to confuse our muscles so they don’t know what’s coming next and to get them to work harder.  But there’s another good effect from interval training – you don’t get bored or too tired from doing one exercise.  My trainer mixes it up ALL the time and I that makes the workouts so much more enjoyable.

I use the same principal when I’m out walking.   A very simple technique is to use the telephone poles along the street.  Walk at one pace for three telephone poles, and then when you pass that third pole, pick up your pace (or sprint if you are up to it) to the next pole.   Then it’s back to walking for the next two poles, and so on.  It takes your attention away from the length of the entire walk, and how far you still have to go!  This technique allows you have small successes along the way.

I often use the telephone poles, or mail boxes, or short fences along the front of people’s yards, to stop and stretch or do squats etc.  Sometimes I will fast walk three or four poles and then lunge to the next pole.   It’s all a matter of distracting you from the entire task before you, and it’s also a way to get some exercises into the walk, and it’s also good for what interval training is actually intended – to trick the body and gain more from the workout.  But for me, the bottom line is that is always makes it more fun and enjoyable, and when I get back I feel like I’ve accomplished even more than the walk! 

Make up your own intervals, use your creativity, maybe be a good citizen and pick up trash.  If you are with your kids, you can skip for two poles and then side step to the next.  They think it’s hilarious but it keep you moving!   Have fun!