Make Your Walks More Exciting:
The Penny Walk: Get dressed to go outside and grab a penny. Choose a number between 10 and 20 - this will be the number of times you flip the penny. Start your stroll outside and begin. Heads is right, tails is left. Everytime you come to a junction, flip the penny and turn in that direction. Once you get to the number, stop and look around. Find a nice place to relax before heading home.
Stop your walks: Don't want to change your route? Break the routine by doing some strength training. Here are two ideas:
- Step-Ups: Find a curb and step up with your left foot, then your right, and back down. Do this movement 15-20 times.
- Calf Raises: With the same curb, stand on the edge with your heels hanging off. To complete one calf raise, lower your heels down and then pull them back up to your tippy toes. For an extra challenge, try this exercise in a squat position. Hold onto a rail or bench for balance.
Add in activities such as jumping jacks, walking lunges, squats, or any other strength training exercise you prefer. Plan to do an exercise every 5-7 minutes of your walk.
Walk to different intervals: Change your pace - slow, normal, or fast - based on time, landmarks, or the music you are listening to.
Time: You can walk slowly for 3-4 minutes, then normal for a few minutes, and fast for a minute or more and then start again.
Landmarks: Change your speed based on different landmarks along your walking route, such as trees, poles, or houses.
Music: Find songs with different rhythms and add them to a playlist. You can organize the songs by speed - beginning with slow ballads and ending with upbeat dance songs - or you can mix them up. Walk or jog to the beat of each song.
