Tips For Tackling Hills

Walking today on showshoes!

Day 7  Minds In Motion Initiative 

 30 Day Walk30 Challenge

It was a beautiful day today and even better when you are doing something active. Today was my first time on snowshoes and it is a workout! There were some hills to climb and it brought to mind some of the basics for walking hills  ...
Things to keep in mind when walking up hills:
- lift your head and look to the top of the hill as you move ... this provides the illusion that the hill is not as steep
- keep your lean (into the hill) to a minimum
- leaning forward too far or back will put added pressure on your spine
- keep your posture tall as you walk up the hill ... upper torso over the hips and hips over the knees
- knees should be slightly bent
- shorten your stride ... a long stride will act as a brake on an incline
- for a great cardio interval workout ... power up hills and recover downhill
Walking downhill remember:
- take it easy ... walking downhill is stressful for the knees
- keep your posture tall and lean very slightly forward
- let gravity assist you ... feel your heart rate recover ... breathing will slow down
- keep knees slightly bent
Get ready for the next hill repeat!
Now we are off to the hills to walk30 ... or more.
Let us know about your walk30 ... take a picture, post on FaceBook, Instagram, blog or tweet about it …#walk30withmimi
Walk with us in support of mental health on May 10th in the MIMI K W Walking Classic for more information and registration at www.mimiwalks.com
Walk On Strong,
Sue