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Walk Across Arkansas
Steps To Ensure Fun And Safe Activities
Walking • Dressing
for Physical Activity
Let's look at how you can lessen the chance of injury and pain from a
physical activity.
- Warm Up. Warming up the body before an activity reduces the risk
of pulling a muscle and eases the body into the activity. One of the best ways
to warm up is to mimic the activity. For example, when walking, start by
keeping your pace at about 75% of the speed you normally go for about 5-10
minutes allowing the muscles to warm up and stretch. They will be more
flexible for the faster pace you will go into and be less likely to get
injured. Another way to warm up is by doing light stretches. The stretches
must be done slowly and gently to prevent injury to muscles, tendons, and
ligaments. Do not bounce. Hold each stretch for a count of 15-20 seconds. You
should not experience any pain when stretching. If you do feel pain, stop the
stretch immediately to prevent injury.
- Physical Activity. Do the main physical activity after you have
warmed up. It may be walking, running, dancing, muscle strengthening, or a
flexibility workout. Stretching to improve flexibility can be done three times
a week as well as before or after aerobic and strengthening activities.
- Cool Down. Five minutes of your physical activity should include a
cool down. If you are walking, slow down the pace. This allows the body to
return to a resting state and helps reduce muscle soreness.
- Schedule Strength Activities After Aerobic Activities.
If you are
planning to do more than one physical activity in the same day, do
strengthening activities after finishing your aerobic cool down. Your muscles
will be warmed up and you will have less soreness from the workout.
You can, of course, do endurance and strength activities on different days.
Remember to warm up and cool down for each of them.
Physical activity can be fun or it can be work. Since we would all rather
have fun, it is important you choose what you really like to do. Add music to
your activity, choose a time of day that is convenient for you, find a friend to
be your "physical activity partner." Remember, do not over do. Start slowly and
progress gradually. Most of all, HAVE FUN!
Walking
Drink plenty of water, before, during, and after exercise to avoid
dehydration.
How to Walk
Move at a steady pace, breathing deeply, with head erect, back straight, and
abdomen flat. Swing your arms freely at your sides. In the beginning, confine
your walks to level stretches of road or sidewalks, avoiding steep hills. If you
are walking in the early morning or evening be sure to wear reflective clothing.
If the sun is shining, be sure to wear sunscreen, hat, and protective clothing.
Pace Yourself
Monitor your level of exertion. The simplest way is to listen to your body.
Five to 10 minutes into your activity, your body should begin to feel warm. You
may begin to perspire. Your breathing should increase. If your pace seems too
easy, increase it slightly until you feel as if you are pushing yourself. If you
feel it is too hard, ease up.
Another way to pace yourself is the "talk-sing test."
- If you cannot talk and exercise at the same time, you are working too
hard.
- If you can talk while you exercise, you are doing just fine.
- If you can sing while your exercise, it would be safe (and more beneficial)
to exercise a little harder.
Dressing for Physical Activity
This most important thing to remember about physical activity is that it
should be fun. Wearing the right clothing during physical activity helps to make
it fun. Clothes can reflect your personality and still be safe and comfortable.
Let's start by looking at the kind of shoes you should wear.
Shoes are very important. For every step you take, each foot takes on the
weight of your whole body.
If you are running, jogging, or jumping, your feet take on the extra stress
of the body going up and down. When you go to buy shoes, remember four things
- Support. The back of the shoe should be firm to help control the
foot. This helps to prevent the Achilles tendon from being injured.
- Cushioning. Shoes should have plenty of cushion especially in the
heel because the heel of the foot hits the ground first and then rolls to the
toes.
- Performance. Shoes should be light weight and durable. The bottom of
the shoe should have traction to prevent falls. Shoes should be made of material
that will allow sweat to evaporate, such as nylon mesh.
- Fit. Shoes that fit right will make any activity more fun.
Tips to help ensure a good fit when buying shoes are:
- Shop late in the day when your feet are the biggest.
- Wear the same type socks you will wear during physical activity.
- The toe box, the toe end of the shoe, should be large enough for you to wiggle your toes and about a thumbnail longer than your longest toe.
- Feel inside the shoes for seams and ridges.
- The shoes should bend easily at the widest part.
- Walk briskly around the store to check for comfort and cushioning.
- Make sure the shoes feel good on your feet.
Once you have the proper shoes, look at the clothes you will wear during
physical activity. All clothing should be loose-fitting to permit freedom of
movement. You should feel comfortable and feel good in your clothes.
Physical activity causes you to produce body heat. Light-colored cotton or
cotton blend clothing that reflects the sun's rays is cooler in summer. Dark
layered clothes are warmer in winter. You can remove a layer if you feel you are
getting too hot. Hats are a good idea in winter or summer.
Never wear rubberized or plastic clothing because such garments interfere
with the evaporation of perspiration and can cause body temperature to rise to
dangerous levels. During the summer, wear some type of tennis hat or sailor's
hat that provides shade and can be soaked in water to help keep you cool. Hats
with a 3 inch brim provide the best protection against sunburn. In winter, wear
wool type hats or ski caps to hold body heat in.
Remember, the right shoes and clothes help any physical activity to be safe
and fun.
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