Get the most out of your walking routine

When it comes to daily exercise, walking is one of the simplest and healthiest choices for our health, increasing our heart rate, strengthening our muscles and bones, and improving our moods.

Cape Cod Hospital Physical Therapist Kristen Siminski, MPT, makes walking a regular part of her life, so we asked her for her best ways to improve the experience and maximize the health benefits. Here are her suggestions.

Walk with a friend.

“Walking is my social life,” Siminski said. “It’s two for one – being able to get a walk in, but also being able to see a friend, which is so important. Loneliness is very real, not only with the elders, but in all age groups. I think anything you can do with a group of friends is good.”

Join a walking club.

If your friends don’t have a work schedule that allows time for a walk, you can make new friends by joining a walking group like the Cape Cod Nordic Walking Facebook group. The group started meeting in June of this year. Members get together to walk in different areas of the Cape a couple of times a week.

“I spoke to Carla Fogaren who leads the group and is the administrator for the Facebook group,” Siminski said. “She does it purely as a volunteer and leads multiple walks in different areas of the Cape. Like me, she said the social part is just as, if not more, important as the physical activity. She brings tea at the end and they socialize for a bit after the walks.”

Try Nordic walking on your own.

If joining a group seems like too much of a commitment, Nordic walking is still a great workout. The motion is similar to cross country skiing, where you push away on the straps of the poles using your triceps. Siminski loves that you can do it on any terrain. She enjoys doing it in both the woods and at the beach.

“Basically, what that does is it gives you some weight bearing for your arms, which is good,” she said. “It also increases your heart rate 10 to 15 beats per minute more than normal walking because you are using your arms.”

Multitask while walking.

If you prefer a more solitary walk, you can combine it with another activity you enjoy. We all live busy lives, so Siminski likes to walk while listening to books on tape or podcasts while she walks. It’s another two for one for her.

“It’s walking and doing something else that brings me joy,” she said. “I pair them together.”

Vary your walking route.

The Cape has so many beautiful walking trails why not take advantage of more of them? Exploring a new area is an adventure that brings a sense of joy. It also allows you to walk in different terrains which helps vary your workout in positive ways, Siminski said. If you usually walk on the beach, try walking in a forest. If your usual route is paved, try walking on a dirt trail with some hills to increase your heartrate.

Start slowly and build up walking time.

“Anything you can do to get outside to get fresh air, even if it’s just walking to the end of your street, is very helpful for your physical health, but also your mental health,” Siminski said. “People think that 20 minutes isn’t worth doing, but it absolutely is.”

The more time you do it, the more concrete the habit becomes. Then once it is a regular habit, try increasing your time in five-minute increments.

Do interval training to add more impact.

Interval training is the combination of different intensities of walking speeds. Siminski recommended starting slowly and working your way up to longer intervals. For example, you can start with speed walking for 15 seconds and then walking at your regular pace for 45 seconds. As you improve, you can do 30 seconds of speed walking followed by 30 seconds at your regular pace. She uses a free app called Interval Timer, which dings once to signal when to start speed walking. It then dings twice to signal when you can slow down.

Make sure you have proper equipment.

You need a good pair of sneakers designed for walkers. Once you start walking on a regular basis, make sure you replace your sneakers when they get worn out to avoid injury. How often to replace them depends on several things, Siminski.

“The technical answer is to change them up every 300 to 500 miles,” she said. “However, I think the best gauge is paying attention if you are getting any new aches or pain in ankles, feet, knees, hips or back because worn-out shoes can cause issues. Different shoes wear differently for different bodies and feet, so listen to your body first. A mileage number is just a number.”

For winter walking, she recommends investing in a warmer jacket and a good hat and gloves. If it’s icy out, you can attach non-skid ice traction cleats to your walking shoes

“Don’t be scared away by the cold weather,” she said. “The cold shouldn’t be a deterrent.”