Relearning to Walk Without Strain

Walking is an instinctive act that is encoded in the genetic code of all humans.

For a young child, walking helps lay the foundation for their autonomy. Moving on their own encourages them to explore the world without relying on external help, which makes them independent.

Hippocrates said that: "walking is the best remedy for man". It would be the act of walking on two limbs that allowed humans to distinguish themselves from other species. The act of standing up to move on two limbs gave them the opportunity to see the world differently and take their destiny into their own hands.

After thousands of years of studies and experiments, the greatest specialists still agree on the benefits related to walking. The motor activity related to walking combined with practicing it in nature reduces stress and prolongs quality of life. It reduces the risk of heart disease and maintains bone density, decreases the risks of arthritis and cardiovascular accidents, helps lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Moreover, regular walking also has beneficial effects on mental health since it helps reduce anxiety and decrease the chances of depression. The movement related to walking allows the secretion of more endorphins and serotonin, two hormones linked to happiness. We could summarize by saying that walking makes you happy!

Even though the act of walking is instinctive and relatively simple for the vast majority of us, it can nevertheless cause fatigue and various discomforts for certain people who have been sick, injured, or who have abandoned this good habit for various reasons.

In the following text, you will find different precautions to take to rediscover the joy of being able to move without depending on external means. Whether it's to start getting back in shape or for the simple pleasure of it, relearning to walk is within everyone's reach.

Prepare your mind:

- Eliminate bogus excuses for not moving from your mind. You don't know what I'm talking about? Here are some examples to refresh your memory: "no time, no energy, it's not the right time; I have physical limitations"... Excuses will never make you progress, might as well get rid of them from the start.

- Set realistic goals and progress slowly;

- Focus on the benefits you get from it instead of focusing on the inconveniences. Walking will gradually lead you to become a better version of yourself. You will have better sleep; feel less fatigue, you will eliminate more easily, you will have a better appetite and especially a better mood... What's more important than being happier?

As prevention:

- Consult a doctor before undertaking any fitness program, even if it's just walking at first;

- Hydrate sufficiently. This good habit starts before physical activity and continues throughout the day by drinking room temperature water in small sips regularly.

- Walking is a habit that challenges the body. The human body adapts to everything. You just need to give it time to regain its bearings and give it new reference points. Start with small sessions and keep a precise schedule. Since walking is beneficial for the body, it will ask for more. It's better to create the habit of walking 5 to 10 minutes a day every day than to go on an expedition and never start again; - Walking in the morning or evening in spring, summer or fall is generally more pleasant, as the weather is cooler which facilitates maintaining a stable body temperature during effort;

- Walk in an environment you control; even if it means starting by limiting yourself at first to your house, your yard or your street. The terrain should preferably be flat to give your body every chance to maintain control of each movement.

- Do some stretching to warm up your muscles and prepare your tendons for effort; target the ankles, neck, knees; hips, arms and back;

During the walk:

- Stay alert and look ahead. Going for a walk alone to start regaining good habits allows you to be more aware of your body's movements (and also depend less on others to establish this essential discipline at the beginning). As much as possible, keep your head straight and glance at the ground without tilting your head to properly spot obstacles in front of you. Don't take for granted that the surface you're walking on is safe and stay vigilant, (an overly excited squirrel could test your sleeping cat reflexes).

- Get in the habit of drinking water during effort. Use a container that's easy to carry and hydrate regularly;

- Stay in tune with your body. Feeling and sustaining effort is beneficial, but persevering through pain can be harmful;

- Keep your back straight as much as possible; avoid hunching it or tilting your head toward the ground, this can create tension in the neck, or cause imbalances in the lower limbs;

- Breathe normally, the act of walking shouldn't make you out of breath. To ensure your pace is appropriate, speaking out loud shouldn't make you breathless (at this stage, walking with partners is recommended if you don't want to be committed);

- Relax your shoulders and arms. The natural swinging of arms gives you rhythm and allows the shoulders and hips to engage the upper body to facilitate balance. Avoid forcing the movement of arms or hips (nobody's recruiting models on the street anyway);

Be well equipped:

- It starts with a shoe adapted to your foot, comfortable and in good condition (it's preferable to set aside your pair of shoes if you could swallow toy cars with them). Preferably, there would be no heel and the sole would be flexible enough to allow ample and natural foot movement;

- Dress appropriately according to the temperature. Favor layering (we're not talking about sanitary precautions here). It's better to be able to add or remove clothing as needed than to shorten your route because your clothing isn't adapted. For rain, it's better to wear waterproof outerwear than to drag an umbrella that limits arm movements and will encumber you in case of strong winds (you're not Mary Poppins);

- Using walking poles (on the street, we use rubber tips for more grip) can facilitate balance. This also helps maintain awareness of arm movements (elbows should be at 90 degrees) and better get up in case of a fall. But above all, using walking poles allows you to defend against urban wildlife (among others, excited squirrels);

Keep motivation:

- To keep motivation, you must focus on your successes and progress slowly without judging your "performance". The first watchword for maintaining motivation: PLEASURE.

- Nothing better than exploring and discovering new places to have the desire to continue the adventure. Give yourself the right to explore. Expand your universe one step at a time by deepening your knowledge of your neighborhood, your province, your country... the world. Walking is one of the most beautiful ways to know other countries, other cultures and broaden your horizons;

- Listening to music while walking can help add color to grayer days;

- Surround yourself with nature as often as possible. Nature amplifies the physical and psychological benefits related to walking, but above all it reconnects you to the essence of life (in nature, it's better to set aside music to focus on the sounds of nature that promote relaxation and healing);

- Invite friends to join you. Join an association or walking group; This allows you to make beautiful encounters and amplify your happiness by sharing your experiences;

In closing, it's often about starting and putting one foot in front of the other to reach your goals. Whether you're starting to walk again for pleasure, to regain health or to socialize, what's certain is that your life will improve in all these aspects and without making as much effort as you think. The important thing is to stop postponing your good intentions. Make a human of yourself and walk right now!

Sources:

https://www.brunet.ca/

https://www.educatout.com/

https://www.coupdepouce.com/

https://www.noovomoi.ca/