5 expert- recommended, hearthealthy walking exercises

Physical activity is important to maintaining overall health, but getting motivated to move can be challenging for many people. Luckily, simply going for a walk can have benefits. The American HeartAssociation said, “research has shownthatwalking canhave a significant impact on your health by lowering your chances ofheart disease.” It's recommended that adults incorporate at least 150minutes of moderate- intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise into their week, although it's preferred that they have a combination of both.

For moderate- intensity activity, lifestyle and news websiteWell + Good has five walking exercises ideal for maintaining hearthealth. Plus, the workouts are recommended by experts.

Engaging arms while walking

When you walk, you're usually primarily engaging your legswhile your arms likely swing slowly by your sides. But there are ways you can get your arms moving, too, and tone them in the process. Carry light dumbbells or add armweights. “There are comfortable wrist weights with thumb holes that make it easy to pump your arms while walking,” personal trainer and running coach Meghan Kennihan explained to MyFitnessPal. “The addedweight helps strengthenyourbicepsifyou keep your arms bent.”

Hiking

Hiking can offer options for gettingtheheartpumpingwithoutyou realizing it. Likely, you'll be walking on an incline and you get the added perk of exploring the scenery around you. “There definitely is a trailout there forsomeonewho wants to get outside, whether that be a 15- minute walk in the park, or someone who wants to spend a full summer hiking a long- distance trail,” Wesley Trimble, a program manager for the Silver Spring, Maryland- based AmericanHiking Society, toldNewsday.

Nordic walking

This workout involves walking usingpoles to imitate the action of cross- country skiing to push yourself forwardwhilewalking in your neighborhood or along a trail.

“When youwalk without poles, you activate muscles below the waist. WhenyouaddNordic poles, you activate all of the muscles of theupperbody aswell,” Dr. Aaron

Baggish, director of the Cardiovascular Performance Program at MassachusettsGeneralHospital HeartCenter toldHarvardHealth. “You're engaging 80% to 90% of yourmuscles, asopposedto50%.”

Walking indoors

Whentheweather is too cold or too hot, indoor walking can be a solid option. Personal trainer and spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise Lee Jordan told Prevention magazine that you can take some time to plan how you can walk around your home withoutbumpingintothings. Long hallwaysor a spacious roomcould be options. There's also an indoor workout here that can mostly be done by walking in place.

HIIT walking

High- intensity interval training can be applied to walking. Combine comfortable strolls with power walking to reap the benefits. Mayo Clinic reported that in one study, walkers who incorporated higher- intensity intervals to theirprogramenhanced their aerobic fitness, leg strengthandblood pressure. They did soby switching between three minutes of power walking and three minutes of leisurelywalking for at least 30 minutes four times weekly.