Your walk is wasted unless you change how you do it

You think you are moving. Maybe.

But if you are just shuffling along, you are missing out on what walking can actually do for your body. It is not a replacement for sprinting until your lungs burn. No. It does wonders. Matthew Nolan, chief instructor at Barry’s in NYC, told HuffPost that walking strengthens the heart. This improves circulation. Lowers blood pressure. Prevents stroke and heart disease.

“Mental health is also a greatbenefit… the release of the endorphins will help boost mood.”

Nolan says the mental shift is just as real as the physical one. Endorphins fire up. Mood lifts. Tyler Moldoff, a physical therapy at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery, adds that bone density improves. Joint health gets better. People with chronic knee pain? They benefit. Those with lower back issues? Same thing.

Walking is simple. Too simple? Not really. Recent research shows it is exceptional exercise if done properly. Done properly. What does that mean?

150 to 30 miles per week of moderate intensity. That is 30 minutes five days a week. Aim for 5000 steps minimum. Ideally 10,00. Once you hit those numbers you have the foundation. Now make it count.

Move to the beat

U.S. guidelines demand moderate intensity. A slow stroll doesn’t count. A snail’s pace won’t cut it. Moldoff suggests listening to your heart. Or at least trying. Since heart rate monitors aren’t always handy he suggests music. Find a song with 100 beats per min. Sync your steps.

“Try to sync your cadence,” he says.

Do a search on Spotify. Look for 100 BPM songs. Start walking to it. After a few minutes you breathe harder. You hit that moderate intensity mark. If 100 feels lazy bump it up to 110 or 20. Music makes it fun. You don’t realize you are working so hard because you are dancing with your feet.

Interval bursts

Maintaining that fast pace for 30 minutes? Hard. Okay? Try intervals. Nolan says Barry’s classes use them constantly. You can too. Add short bursts of fast walking. Or jogging. Just 30 seconds. Then recover. Next week go longer. One minute speed walk. Two.

Push until it burns. Stop. Walk normally. Repeat. It spikes your intensity without killing your spirits.

Lift heavy or go steep

Carry weights. No not heavy dumbbells in your grocery bags unless you really want to strain your wrists. Light weights work. Or body weight. Moldoff likes this approach. He says adding weight increases your metabolic rate. This means you consume more oxygen. You burn more calories. Leg muscles strengthen.

You can use a weighted vest. A backpack full of books works too. Plan ahead. Write it down. Stop at your driveway. Do pushups. Squats. Lunges. Maybe 15 crunches. A plank for 60 seconds. Three sets. Switch it up every time. Don’t do the same routine until your form falls apart. Target different muscles.

Or skip the weights entirely and find hills. Moldoff loves hills. Going uphill taxes the heart. It challenges your cardio. Some research even suggests it helps people with knee issues. Interesting. Downhill? Different story. Less stress on your breathing. Heart rate stays calmer. But it improves muscle strength in the lower limbs better than flat walking. Comfortable? Yes. Effective? Definitely.

Just keep moving

Consistency is king. Nolan says so. “Aim for 30 min most days.”

Do it regularly. The benefits emerge slowly. Then quickly. Listen to your body though. If it hurts? Stop. Rest. You do not need to kill yourself. Take a day off. Build endurance slowly. It is okay if week one is hard. Week eight might fly by.

Still want to add more steps? Here are shoes people buy online. HuffPost gets a kickback from these links. The prices change. Availability does too.

1. Lamincoa shoes for women. Readers won’t stop buying them.
2. Lightweight Skechers with breathable mesh.
3. Slip-on shoes with over 5.0 25 ratings.
4. Non-slip men’s shoes with good support.
5. Sneakers that look like dress shoes. For the office.
6. Stretchy women’s shoes that wick moisture.
7. Reebok tennis shoes. Stylish and sporty.
8. Bruno Marc shoes. Sleek. Dress up or down.
9. Slip-on sock sneakers. Comfy.
10. Another pair of Skechers. An Amazon bestseller.
11. Lightweight mesh sneakers. Durable.