The Walking Cure by Jerry Brainum 12/24

 

 

Perhaps the most low-tech form of exercise is walking. With all the fancy equipment and various exercise machines available, walking is often overlooked as an effective form of exercise. On the other hand, the most popular aerobic exercise I see at various commercial gyms seems to be walking on a treadmill. Walking can provide some surprising health effects. I first became aware of the power of walking when I wrote a recent article for this publication about the dangers of extended sitting, defined as sitting for more than 2 hours without movement. While researching that article, I found that one antidote to the adverse effects of extended sitting on cardiovascular function was to get up about every 20 to 30 minutes and walk for at least 5 minutes. That got me thinking that if such a minimal amount of walking can provide such a profound health benefit, what would be the effects of extended walking sessions?

The great thing about walking is that it requires no equipment and can be done anywhere, even on the Moon. Those who cannot engage in more intense aerobic exercise can still walk unless they are not ambulatory because of joint or hip problems that make walking more difficult. However, contrary to widespread belief, joint issues such as arthritis in the knees or hips are improved by walking but worsened by inactivity. Because it burns calories, walking can be a great way to lose excess body fat. I've known several professional bodybuilders who refused to do specific aerobic exercises, such as running, but readily engaged in walking, especially before a contest appearance when fat loss was a significant goal. The perception of these athletes is that while more intense forms of aerobic training such as running can interfere with muscle gains, walking, because of its inherently more gentle and less stressful nature, would allow them an outlet for increased calorie burning while eliminating the risk of muscle loss. One such bodybuilder was 6-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, whose preferred form of aerobics was walking.

While maintaining aerobic or cardiovascular fitness is vital for anyone, it becomes even more critical as you get past age 40. Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer in the world, and walking can reduce the number of cardiovascular risk factors that will help to prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease. From head to toe, the entire body works on a use it or lose it principle. Whatever isn't used regularly degenerates, making the body not that much different from a machine. Like the human body, machines rust and fall apart with extended disuse. Those who don't exercise will inevitably suffer from the effects of inactivity as they age, which significantly reduces their quality of life. Among these effects are sarcopenia and muscle loss with age, with a few risk factors and a lack of regular resistance training at the top of the list. You . . .