Keep in mind, no one knows your body better than you do.
Listen to it! If you feel an unusual pain, stop or slow down.
It is best to move slowly than to cause an injury and not move
forward at all.
It is best to utilize the natural motion (gait) of the exercise
enthusiast.
Walkers attempt to utilize their upper bodies to assume more
control and become more efficient in order to burn more calories by
exaggerated motion, weight bearing, speed and terrain changes.
All will have some effect on their conditioning, but not all results
will be good ones! Handheld weights for instance have been
reported to cause hand soreness, joint and soft tissue damage as
well as a feeling of imbalance, making them undesirable to
some. Others say they tire too quickly with weights on their
waist or back. They may even injure muscle tissue by the
constant pounding or contact with the body. Are the weights too abrupt a change to become accustomed to? Would
some combination of these work better than others? Keep in
mind that everyone is different and ever-changing, therefore we need
to move slowly and incrementally. We must modify our exercise
routine gradually to allow our bodies to respond positively to the
new demands we are making upon it. We didn't find ourselves in
this condition overnight and it can't be undone overnight
either. True success is measured in inches not yards. It
is the little things you do that make the difference.
