When you begin, don't push yourself too hard. Listen to your body and don’t let yourself get too tired. Relax and enjoy yourself. There will be plenty of time for tougher terrain and longer routes when you’re used to walking for exercise. |
What type of shoes, pack and clothes do I need? For a short walk around your area you don't really need a pack. Just take a bumbag with your keys, a few dollars and some ID as well as a water bottle. Any clothes you feel OK about walking in will do, but make sure you have |
| CONGRATULATIONS | Whether you walk for health, weight loss, companionship or as part of a larger training programme, you’ll soon start to see the benefits. It is really easy to take up: after all, most of us do some walking everyday already, but there are a few things to think about before getting really serious. |
For safety reasons, and until you have a better idea of the distances you can manage, stick to areas where there is transport, level ground and people around in case you do push yourself too hard and need help. This needn’t mean boring walks; find a local canal, riverside or other nearby beauty spots. |
| a couple of kilometres | at first, unless you are already quite fit. The beauty of walking is that you can increase your distances as gradually as you like, and vary the setting. Walkers tend not to set themselves tough distance or speed goals, so relax and enjoy increasing your capabilities and sense of well-being. |
Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use. Earl Nightingale |
| How far you walk will also depend on how much time you have and there are no hard and strict rules about how long you need to walk for and there are plenty of benefits to mild, or moderate, activity. Take time to rest on your walk and to take in what’s around you as you go. If you are building up your fitness from scratch, walking is ideal because it allows you maximum flexibility. |
|
HOME 
