\u201cIt also enhances body awareness by reinforcing good posture, stride mechanics and mindful movement, which are all essential for joint health and injury prevention.\u201d<\/p>\n
You may like<\/p>\n
Walking can be surprisingly effective at helping you build strength, tone and endurance in your muscles, despite being low-impact. And because many people can sustain walking longer than running, it can also mean burning more calories over time, especially if you\u2019re just starting with fitness.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver time, walking builds endurance and resiliency that support healthy aging both inside and outside the gym,\u201d says Chandler.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a balance perspective, walking requires coordination and weight shifting from one side of the body to the other, which strengthens stabilizing muscles and helps prevent falls as we age.\u201d<\/p>\n
I asked Chandler what we should all be doing to support our walking muscles, and he gave me his top three exercises to stretch and strengthen the lower body.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll need a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells, but you can also use filled water bottles or a backpack in a pinch.<\/p>\n
1. Calf stretch<\/p>\n
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(Image credit: Alo Moves)<\/p>\n
Sets: <\/strong>2-3 Duration: <\/strong>20-30sec each side<\/p>\n Why it works: <\/strong>\u201cTight calves can negatively affect your gait mechanics and may contribute to discomfort in the knees or lower back,\u201d says Chandler.<\/p>\n \u201cKeeping your calves flexible helps maintain a smooth, balanced stride, allowing you to walk longer distances comfortably and efficiently. Stretching the calves regularly also supports ankle mobility, which is key for stability during walking.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Romanian deadlift<\/p>\n (Image credit: Alo Moves)<\/p>\n Sets<\/strong>: 2-3 Reps<\/strong>: 8-10<\/p>\n Why it works: <\/strong>\u201cRomanian deadlifts [RDLs] are excellent for strengthening the hamstrings and glutes, which are the primary muscles that drive powerful, efficient steps,\u201d says Chandler.<\/p>\n \u201cStrengthening these muscles improves your walking speed and stamina, while helping to reduce fatigue during longer distances. Additionally, RDLs reinforce the hip hinge movement pattern, which is essential for protecting your lower back and promoting healthy posture as you move.\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Weighted march<\/p>\n (Image credit: Alo Moves)<\/p>\n Sets: <\/strong>2-3 Reps: <\/strong>10-12 each side<\/p>\n Why it works: <\/strong>\u201cKettlebell marches are a dynamic exercise that improves core stability, balance and coordination,\u201d says Chandler.<\/p>\n \u201cAll these elements are crucial for maintaining a strong, efficient walking gait. Because this movement mimics the natural gait cycle while adding resistance, you\u2019re training your body to walk better under load. This helps build endurance and control, reducing fatigue and improving overall walking performance.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Walking might seem like a simple way to work out but it\u2019s one of the best things you…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":258534,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4322],"tags":[1630,105,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-258533","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114839476424386826","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=258533"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258533\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/258534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=258533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=258533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=258533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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