Shaping Up? Easy Does It
On the list of New Year’s resolutions, “getting in shape” rides high. After stuffing ourselves with the holiday treats of December, we vow that--come January--we’ll climb into sweats, lace up our sneakers and work out with a vengeance.
But all too often, this “Jan. 1” approach to exercise leads not to shaping up--but to dropping out.
“The single most common exercise mistake is doing too much, too soon,” says Michael Spezzano, health and fitness director at the YMCA’s national offices in Chicago. “People who’ve been inactive for years start out very enthusiastic and often do too much exercise or exercise incorrectly. Then they get injured and have to stop. Usually, they never start again.”
That’s why exercise experts urge beginners to start slowly and progress gradually. It’s also important to make a commitment to “hang in there” until your body adapts to its new routine and physical demands. Within three to six months, you’ll start to see and feel the results. But best of all--if you’ve picked a form of activity you enjoy--exercise will become fun. And when you start viewing your exercise as a welcome “play break” in your day, you’ve got all the motivation you need to be active for life.
For most people, the easiest, most enjoyable form of exercise is walking. America’s most popular physical activity, with 17 million frequent participants, fitness walking is an extremely effective--and economical--way to boost your health. As simple as stepping out the door, walking is something virtually everyone can do with very little risk of injury.
Follow this gradual weekly progression to make 2000 the year that you finally meet your resolution to get in shape.
Month One:
Week One: This is contemplation time, when you’ll simply think about ways to fit walking into your life. Eventually you’ll be walking for 30 minutes on most days of the week. But for now, just consider the time of day that will work best for you: first thing in the morning, at lunch, after work? Also, decide where you’ll walk. If possible, try to walk outdoors, for the extra health boost of sunshine and fresh air. If bad weather or other factors make outdoor walks inadvisable, consider walking in a mall, at a gym, through hallways of an apartment building or on a home treadmill. When you decide when and where you’ll walk, write down your commitment and post it in a prominent place.
Week Two: Now you’re ready to take your first steps. Four to six days this week, tie on a pair of comfortable walking shoes and go for an easy five-minute walk during the time you picked as the best for you. Consider using these walks as “mindful” times when you focus on the pleasurable feeling of moving your body through space.
Week Three: Add three minutes, so that you’re walking at a comfortable pace for eight minutes. To keep your muscles and joints supple and injury-free, do some gentle stretches. Walk easily for a few minutes to warm up, then stretch gently. Also, stretch at the end of your walk when your muscles are warm and pliable.
Week Four: Boost your daily walking time to 10 minutes, four to six days a week at a comfortable pace, remembering to stretch after you’re warmed up.
Months Two and Three:
Now that you’ve begun to establish the walking habit, it’s time to pick up the pace. This will help your cardiovascular system achieve the “training effect,” which is a complex constellation of physiological changes that occur as your body begins to adapt to the demands of regular aerobic conditioning. There are two basic ways to determine the proper exercise intensity for you to achieve the training effect:
1. Perceived exertion. Find a pace you consider “moderate” to “somewhat hard” in which you can feel that your heart rate has gone up some but not racing. You should be able to carry on a conversation without becoming breathless. On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being “very, very light” and 10 being “extremely hard”), about 4 to 7 is a desirable intensity range. One to 3 may be too light to allow you the maximum cardiovascular benefits; 8 to 10 is too hard for most people and increases the likelihood of orthopedic or cardiac problems. If your fitness level is low, you may want to begin at the lower end of this range and gradually increase your intensity over time. (You should consult your physician if you decide to exercise vigorously, and if you’re a man over 40, or a woman over 50 or a person of any age with risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking or obesity.)
2. Target heart rate. Exercising at 50% to 75% of your maximum heart rate (the fastest your heart can beat) will improve the fitness of your heart and lungs, which is why it’s considered a “training zone.” (People who are already fit may be able to exercise at up to 90% of their maximum heart rate and may benefit from a more intense training zone.) To find your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, if you are 40, your maximum heart rate would be 180. To determine your “training zone,” multiply your maximum heart rate (180) by 0.5 to get 90, and by 0.75 to get 135. Based on this target heart rate, then, a 40-year-old’s training zone would be 90 to 135 beats per minute.
Week Five: Walk five minutes at an easy pace to warm up. Then pick up your pace until you’re in your “training zone,” using either perceived exertion or target heart rate to determine the right intensity. Walk for three minutes in this zone, then slow down with five more minutes of walking at an easy pace--for a total walk time of 13 minutes. Do this four to six days a week. Your workouts will continue to follow this pattern, four to six days a week, increasing your training zone time slightly each week.
Week Six: Increase your training zone time to five minutes, for a 15-minute total walk time.
Week Seven: Training zone time: eight minutes; 18-minute total walk time.
Week Eight: Training zone time: 11 minutes; 21-minute total walk time.
Week Nine: Training zone time: 13 minutes; 23-minute total walk time.
Week 10: Training zone time: 15 minutes; 25-minute total walk time.
Week 11: Training zone time: 18 minutes; 28-minute total walk time.
Week 12: Training zone time: 20 minutes; 30-minute total walk time.
Month Four and Beyond:
Now that you’ve worked your way up to a 30-minute walking program, you might consider other ways to enhance your motivation, enjoyment and benefit of your workout. Some ideas:
* Walk with a friend, either human or canine.
* Check local newspapers for listings of walking clubs and walk with a group.
* Take the scenic route. Study a map of your city and look for parks, trails and recreation areas suitable for walking.
* Take quicker, not longer, steps. To pick up your pace, step more quickly and let your stride length come naturally. If you take 130 steps per minute, you’ll be walking at a pace of about four miles per hour, which will give your heart a great workout.
* Walk tall. Avoid slouching or hunching your shoulders and, instead, think about elongating your spine. Look forward, not down in the gutter.
* Bend your arms. For a speed boost, bend your elbows to 90 degrees and let your hands swing in an arc from your waistband to chest height.
* Push off with your toes. Land on your heel, roll your foot from heel to toe, then push off forcefully with your toes.
* Be sure to wear good walking shoes. When selecting a new pair, shop at the end of the day when your feet are at their largest to avoid the common mistake of buying shoes that are too small. Bring along the socks you’ll wear, and be sure there’s a thumb’s width distance between the end of your toe and the shoe. Try several brands until you find one that is snug at the heel but has “wiggle room” in the toes.
* Vary your pace. Go long and slow one day, short and fast another.
* Use walking time for your spirit too. Remember that your activity boosts not just body, but mind. You should strive to let your walk be a special time for contemplation, problem-solving and mindfulness.
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HEART RATE Goals
Age: 20
Target Heart Rate Range: 100 to 150 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 200
*
Age: 25
Target Heart Rate Range: 98 to 146 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 195
*
Age: 30
Target Heart Rate Range: 95 to 142 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 190
*
Age: 35
Target Heart Rate Range: 93 to 138 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 185
*
Age: 40
Target Heart Rate Range: 90 to 135 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 180
*
Age: 45
Target Heart Rate Range: 88 to 131 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 175
*
Age: 50
Target Heart Rate Range: 85 to 127 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 170
*
Age: 55
Target Heart Rate Range: 83 to 123 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 165
*
Age: 60
Target Heart Rate Range: 80 to 120 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 160
*
Age: 65
Target Heart Rate Range: 78 to 116 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 155
*
Age: 70
Target Heart Rate Range: 75 to 113 beats per minute
Maximum Heart Rate: 150
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Resources
“The Spirited Walker,” by Carolyn Scott Kortge (HarperSanFrancisco, 1998).
“The Healthy Heart Walking Book,” by the American Heart Assn. (MacMillan, 1995).
“Fitness Walking,” by Theresa Iknoian (Human Kinetics, 1995).
Walking Magazine, available on newsstands and by sub-
scription, or visit the Web site, https://www.walkingmag.com.
Fitness On Call. Get free expert answers to fitness questions Jan. 15 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. through the American Council on Exercise’s fourth annual “fitness on call” hotline event. More than 40 ACE-certified fitness professionals, plus sports medicine specialists and dietitians, will be fielding calls at (888) EXRCISE (397-2473).
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Stretches for Walking
Shins: Stand on one foot (holding on to something for balance, if necessary), lift your other foot off the ground and draw circles in the air with your toes. Make five to 10 circles in each direction, then switch legs.
Calves and Achilles: Stand an arm’s length away from a wall, step forward with your right foot and lean into the wall with your forearms, bending your right knee but keeping your left leg straight and your left heel on the ground until you feel a mild tension through the back of your left leg. Repeat with the other leg.
Hamstrings and Back: Stand with your feet about one foot apart, bend your knees, tuck your chin into your chest and gently bend forward from the waist, slowly rolling down, letting your head and arms hang loosely. Relax, breathe easily for two or three complete breaths, then slowly curl yourself back up.
Hips: Sit in a “butterfly” position with the soles of your feet together and your hands grasping your feet, bend from your hips and gently pull yourself forward.
