I get asked this a lot. If you are new to WalkActive you’ll probably be thinking it’s only walking why would I need to do a warm up?
However a warm up is an essential part of any exercise programme – getting us in the right head space mentally as well as preparing the body physiologically to mobilise our joints and facilitate all the amazing biochemistry that happens when we start to move our bodies.
For me – when doing WalkActive – then a warm up is a good thing. WalkActive is more than just walking it’s a dynamic walking system to improve your posture, cardiovascular fitness, mobility, strength & balance. We’re training the body to get fitter and healthier all through walking, and will be especially important when walking at Optimum Walking Pace (OWP – love a bit of lingo!) to improve your CV fitness. Your Optimum Walking Pace is the fastest possible pace you can walk at WITHOUT compromising your WalkActive Technique and as you learn WalkActive your pace will definitely improve. I talk more on pace in WalkActive Stroll to Stride 5KM & WalkActive Pace & Fitness (released Spring 2021)
But if you are going for a more gentle walk and you’re walking at Posture Pace with a friend, you may not feel a warm up is necessary. But I’d like to encourage you to think of your warm up as representing a line in the sand where we step away from our day and invest in our physical health – at the very least a mental investment to help shift our mind set, quieten a busy brain & just connect a little more positively with our bodies.
So with this in mind here are three warm up suggestions that might fit with how you like to use your walk:
Option 1:
A short dog walk – walking at Posture Pace.
Time Taken: Just 30 seconds
Do this: Full overhead stretch, interlink hands and raise up on to tip toes, repeat 3/ 4 times.
Option 2:
A walk & talk with friends – walking at Posture Pace or Health Pace
Time Taken: 2 minutes
Do this: Easy Foot, Ankle and Back Warm Up
This is especially good if you have driven somewhere to walk. Great to lengthen out your back.
Option 3:
A fitness walk – walking at Optimum Walking Pace for a minimum 12 minutes. (You’ll find a lot more on this in Get WalkActive & my WalkActive Book Chapter on WalkActive for Fitness)
Time Taken: 10 minutes.
Do This: WalkActive Pace Warm Up
I hope these give you some ideas for getting more from your walking and at the very least, do look at a warm up as a physical bookmark, like opening up a book to open up your body and mind.
Please do leave me a comment below with any thoughts.
Joanna x
