Day 8-Talking the Walk

Today’s walk was fairly short---I spent all morning at my Exercise Rehab office downtown, trying to wrangle some new scheduling software. It was productive, but I was chomping at the bit to get outside and get my daily walk in. It seems to be a unanticipated benefit of Walk the Year. I can’t wait to walk. Hmm…how ‘bout that?

Since my brain had already worked pretty hard this morning, no brilliant ideas for books or profundities snuck into my head while I strolled. So, I won’t be able to pass any of my Jack Handy-esque Deep Thoughts your way today, but I can teach you something about walking. As in, the actual mechanics of good walking. I think I’ll do this every once in awhile. It’s good for me to verbalize what I know and have learned, and it’s good for you to perhaps learn something concrete about this absolutely perfect form of exercise. 

As long as you’re not on a treadmill.

That’s what I said. Get off your treadmill.

I know, I know, it’s irresponsible of me to dissuade you from exercising, right? Well, what if I told you that the same motion on a treadmill as the one you do outside uses fewer muscles? Wait! Don’t we want more muscles to burn more calories and help keep us in better alignment?

We do.

The “tread” on a treadmill moves in a constant circular motion so that you don’t walk into a wall. Unfortunately, as the “ground” rolls away from you, you’re not using all your muscles to “push off” in a natural gait pattern. You are simply lifting your leg (and using too much of your hip in the process!) and letting it fall again. This strain on your hip flexors, not to mention the complete under-utilization of your butt muscles (which are already seriously under-used due to your desk time), results in other parts of your body OVER-COMPENSATING which leads to…ahem…pain. 

Show Them Roundies Some Love! Get Off Them and Move Better!

Next time you try going it on the treadmill, pay attention to what your body does, and how it feels during and after. Then compare those feelings after a walk around your neighborhood or through the forest. 

For reals. 

I hope you enjoyed using all your muscles on your walk today, 

Dani