Walkathon, and on...

Our Facebook news-feeds took on a distinctly healthier flavour last week, garnished with new pictures of our fittest friends crossing the finish line at the 2012 Malta Marathon that took place last Sunday.

With walking you just put one foot in front of the other and you are quite literally off- Matthew Muscat Inglott

While most of us will still feel the marathon is still a mile too far, others will figure, “Well if he/she can do it then so can I!”

Thanks to the ‘Walkathon’ category, more and more people from the unlikeliest walks of life are rising to the challenge and picking the latter reaction.

The atmosphere was indeed electric as ever at the finish line, as the sizable and delighted crowd at the Sliema ferries cheered on hordes of recreational runners triumphantly traversing the finish line.

There are so many avenues to a fitter and healthier lifestyle these days, and the Walkathon thankfully presents an exciting new option for those of us starting from scratch.

You can walk the whole distance if you like, so absolutely anyone can do it. All you have to do is make the decision right now and set the challenge of completing the course in 2013. Why not?

You will enjoy countless health benefits, not to mention a great day out at the end of it all combined with a fantastic sense of achievement. You’d be amazed just how much you can achieve with something as simple as walking. Indeed, so beneficial can this new endeavour ultimately prove to be that today I present 11 reasons to take it up right now.

We already know how to do it. Absolutely no new learning whatsoever is required. Taking up a new sport or going to the gym when you’ve never exercised before means you’re on the wrong side of a steep learning curve you may or may not possess the enthusiasm to tackle.

With walking you just put one foot in front of the other and you are quite literally off. Anybody can start regardless of fitness levels.

It doesn’t matter what sort of physical condition you find yourself in right now, because you can start off as slow or as fast as you like and as you gradually and progressively increase your pace over time, your fitness will improve and you will reap ever greater rewards.

You can pick any route or surroundings you like. We’re spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing picturesque locations on these beautiful islands of ours.

Travel to your favourite promenades or more challenging outdoor routes if you’re the adventurous type. Stay closer to home if you fancy something a little more convenient, and if you want total privacy or comfort then walking on a treadmill in your own living room is always an option too.

It’s free. Think about your other workout options for a moment and you’d be hard pressed to find one that does not involve parting with at least some of your hard-earned cash. Gym or sports club memberships cost money, as do just about all the fitness products out there on the market.

Stepping outside your front door and setting off is nobody’s business but your own and won’t cost you a cent. No special equipment is required.

Just about all you need to start walking is a comfortable pair of shoes. If you progress to jogging or running, then your footwear will become more of an issue, but for now you can get away with using a pair of shoes you already own, and a comfortable set of loose-fitting clothes.

You can make it social or enjoy some alone time. If you want some company, then a walking buddy is the perfect excuse for a good old chinwag to whittle away the time as you walk off the pounds.

If on the other hand you just want some time to organise your thoughts, take a breather and simply de-stress; a 20-minute walk on your own might just be the relief you were looking for.

It’s safe. Unless your route crosses a minefield, walking presents minimal risk of injury compared to other popular physical activities. Pesky injuries like ankle sprains can be avoided by ensuring your route consists of flat surfaces free of obstacles. Stay away from pavements that are falling apart and keep checking the ground in front of you for hazards.

The risks of sustaining general overuse injuries due to working out too intensely are also minimal provided you don’t overdo it with the overall distance.

It’s functional. These days fitness is all about being functional.

The closer an activity replicates functional everyday tasks, the more useful and practical the resulting physical adaptations it yields will be for the purpose of enhancing the quality of our lives on a day-to-day basis.

Improving our ability to walk means we get places quicker and get less tired in the process.

It’s a full body workout. OK, you won’t end up looking like an action film star from walking alone but virtually every joint in the body is mobilised, which means most of our muscles are in motion and flexibility can be preserved. The muscles working the most are those of the legs, which are among the biggest in the body, so more calories are burned both during and after activity.

You can do it whenever you want. You don’t have to conform to class timetables or club opening times. You can get out there and hit the road pretty much whenever you feel like it.

And finally, it’s easy to progress and take your training to the next level. As soon as your walks feel easy, all you have to do is quicken the pace, increase the distance or time, or even find a more challenging route consisting of more hills. Mixing in brief periods of jogging within your walk is the perfect way to break into the entirely new realm of running which brings with it an entirely new host of exciting benefits.

info@noble-gym.com