Get your heart pumping on your walk
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. Walking is a great way to reach those goals, and it can count as moderate or vigorous exercise depending on your pace and intensity.
If you want more from your walking routine, try these tips to pick up your speed, raise your heart rate, and get the most from every step.
Bend your arms. Like a pendulum, a shorter arm swings faster. Since your body likes to stay in sync, your legs will quicken to match your arms. Bend your elbows 85 to 90 degrees and swing your arms forward and back, not side to side or diagonally across your body. Keep your hands in relaxed fists or open, whichever is comfortable, as long as you are not clenching. Bent arms also prevent the swelling that comes from blood pooling in your hands on longer walks.
Land on your heel. As your leg swings forward, your heel should be the first part of your foot to touch the pavement. Keep your toes up as you land. This sets up the heel-to-toe rolling motion that carries you farther and faster than slapping your foot down with each step. Roll from heel to toes as smoothly as you can, then push off with your toes.
Push off strong. Concentrate on genuinely pushing off the ground to propel yourself forward. For maximum power, bend at the ball of your foot and raise your heel as if showing the person behind you the sole of your shoe.
Take shorter, quicker steps. A common mistake when trying to walk faster is overstriding: taking steps longer than normal. Big steps actually slow you down because driving your body weight over an outstretched leg is harder. In effect, your leg works as a brake, chopping up your stride and increasing impact, which can raise injury risk. Focus instead on shorter, quicker steps, setting your front leg almost directly beneath you as you fall into the next step. This creates a smoother, rolling stride that lets you shift your weight over your front leg and swing your back leg forward. The result: a faster walking speed.
Keep your front leg straight. From the moment your foot lands until it passes under your body, keep it straight but not locked. This prevents bouncing, giving you a smoother stride and easier forward drive.
Don't forget posture. Whatever your walking style, hold to these body-positioning basics:
Stand tall
Shoulders back, down, and relaxed
Swing from your shoulders
Maintain a neutral spine
Step lightly
This may sound like a lot to track, but you do not have to manage it all at once. Start at the top of the list and work on one tip at a time. Give that single element your attention at the start of each walk, then check in on it periodically rather than constantly.
If your form slips, simply readjust. Stick with one tip for about a week, then move to the next. Some changes will click quickly; others take longer to become habit.
