Mistake 4: You Go Out Fast and Stop Suddenly.
Every walker's guilty of this blooper from time to time: the "I'm in too much of a hurry for a warmup or cooldown" syndrome.
Careful. Sure you can save time by diving right in and out of a workout, but you'll pay sooner or later, somehow, especially if you make it a habit. Risk of injury aside, starting your walk suddenly at a breakneck pace will only increase the odds that you'll wear out before you've covered much ground. It'll also leave you sore and vulnerable to a whole host of injuries, says Jake Jacobson, a Levittown, New York-based racewalking and walking coach, and the author of the book Healthwalk to Fitness.
Skipping the all-important cooldown and stretching phase also can have drawbacks. It can leave you feeling temporarily faint for one thing and rob you of invaluable flexibility for another.
How To Fix It:
Start slowly.
Spend the first five minutes of your walk in stroll mode, advises Jacobson. This will increase blood flow to your leg muscles and warm them up, which is important for protection from injuries.
Accelerate gradually.
Once you're warmed up, increase your pace gradually. Accelerate until you're walking as fast as you would if you were on your way to an appointment, suggests Bach. For a more vigorous workout, gradually increase your speed until you're walking as fast as you would if you were five minutes late for that appointment. To push harder yet, imagine you're 10 minutes late.
Cool it.
Spend the last five to 10 minutes (or final few blocks) of your walk in stroll mode again, for a generous cooldown. "Anytime you've walked vigorously enough to elevate your heart rate, it's essential that you let your body cool down gradually," Stein says. If you stop suddenly, all the extra blood that's being pumped into your leg muscles can pool there, leaving you feeling dizzy and overheated.
Stretch it out.
Follow your cooldown with basic stretches so your muscles don't get stiff and tight, adds Bach. Be sure to stretch your hips, your hamstrings, your calves, and your shins. Here are some good strengthening and stretching exercises to add to your basic repertoire of hip, hamstring, calf, and shin stretches:The Hip Extender
Standing with your back straight, arms at your sides, and your feet shoulder-width apart, step forward with your right foot, bending your right knee so that your right heel hits the ground. Press your right leg gently toward the ground, and flex your right foot upward. (You should feel a stretch along the back of your right thigh.) Hold for 10 seconds, release, and stretch again, holding for 30 seconds. Repeat with the left leg.
The Tip-Toe Raise
This move stretches your calves. Standing straight, arms at your sides, raise your toes off the floor, hold for two beats, then slowly lower them. Repeat.
The Toe Stretch
While sitting on the ground, cross your legs so that your left ankle rests on your right knee. Hold your left ankle and heel with one hand, and hold the top of your left foot and toes with the other. Slowly pull your toes toward the sole of your foot. Hold for 30 seconds, then relax. Now work your right foot.
The Back Relaxer
Lie on your stomach with your arms at your sides and facing forward. Arch your back, slowly lifting your chest off the floor to a count of two beats. Hold for two beats. Then slowly lower your chest to the floor to a count of two beats. Over time, do the exercise more and more slowly until each step takes four beats.