These shoes are made for walking

Walking is considered one of the safest exercise methods for people of all ages. Being a tropical island we are blessed with year round good weather and sunny skies the opportunity to shed a few pounds is literary just at your doorstep. But are you walking right? In the right grounds? And are you attired correctly? Few nagging questions many of us who are conscious about health have about walking. This week we will try to find answers to many of these questions. To get an expert opinion we spoke to Major General (Dr) C. Thurairajah, a well known sports physician.

“It’s one of the safest ways to get a good work out. It is an aerobic workout with low impacts and is safe for any one. Walking can also help you to control your weight and keep fit, further it is also a good stress reliever. For the elderly walking is the safest form of exercise,” said Major General Thurairajah.
How ever if one is to reap benefits of walking it will have to be done at correct intensity. According to Major General Thurairajah taking a stroll will not help you get fit or lose weight. For walking to become a physical activity and to reap health benefits from walking it has to be properly structured.

“If you are able to sing while walking that means you are not walking intensely enough. If you are not able to talk while walking then you are walking too intensely. One has to walk at the correct intensity to burn fat,” he said.

One also has to know the correct style of walking to gain the maximum benefits and to avoid any unwanted injuries.

“Heel toe land is the correct style of walking. When one takes a step, the heel should land first and then the toes. There should also be vigorous movements of your arms and legs and one should hold their stomach in and have a relaxed breathing style while walking to get the best results” said Major General Thurairajah.

Both hard and soft even ground conditions are considered suitable for walking since it is a low impact exercise. How ever walkers should remember to wear shoes that are suitable for walking.

“It is essential that the individual is appropriately dressed when they exercise. Correct shoes are a must. Attire should be light and porous not tight. Further if its rainy or chilly one should be suitably clothed” advised Major General Thurairajah.

One should not have any meals before starting to exercise. There should be a gap of at least two hours between a meal and your exercise time. However one can have small snacks. It is important to have plenty of water to drink before after and while you walk.

Major General Thurairajah recommends that any one who is planning to take up walking to choose a time convenient for them. It is better to walk during day time when there is enough natural light or in an area which is well lit to avoid any accidents while walking and people should avoid where there is a high concentration of traffic. “It should be a time you are free every day. You should walk for at least 20 minutes daily to get maximum benefit of walking”, he highlighted. It is very important that proper stretching exercises are done prior to walking. Warming up and cooling down are equally important. If any one has any health conditions it is better for them to consult their physician before taking up walking as an exercise stressed Major General Thurairajah.

Walkers living in cities have several options on where they choose to engage in this exercise. Those of you who walk in the Race Course Grounds have the chance to join The Walkers Club.
“We are a group of people who enjoy walking and we would invite a regular walker to join our club after few months’ observation. It is a nice social group and we have an annual get together. So you have the opportunity to socialise when you come for a walk at the Race Course grounds”, said Lal Rodrigo Member of the walkers club.

One would be disappointed to find out that many of the sports clubs in Colombo will not allow walkers if they do not have membership and no walking membership is available.

“A member can bring a friend in when he comes to walk or exercise but we don’t allow any one without a membership to come and walk. This is mainly due to security reasons and we want to maintain the standards as well” said a senior member of NCC.