Walking – An Easy But Effective Exercise

While I have had exposure to, and regularly practice, many forms of exercises ranging from Yoga to free hand exercises, I have always had a special feeling and weakness for walking.

I feel many will agree with me that it is really a very easy but effective exercise. Unlike many other forms of physical exercises, walking can be started and practiced by almost every person irrespective of body fitness level and age. In the cases of Yoga and free hand exercises, you will find it very difficult in the beginning if you do not have at least a certain level of body fitness. It is only after regular practice for at least some weeks that you will start feeling comfortable with the exercise. But in case of walking, you can “customize” it in terms of your fitness level, such as 10 minutes walk, 30 minutes walk, brisk walk, walking at a moderate speed, etc. And slowly but gradually you can enhance your “walking routine”, with an increase in your fitness and endurance level.

This explains why even lazy people usually do not shy away from walking.

Another good thing about walking is that you do not need to keep a specific time of your day free for it (like keeping the early morning free for Yoga). Rather, walking can be easily “inserted” in our normal routine, like having a walk with your colleague for some time while going back to home from office.

Moreover, walking is an exercise which can be done while “socializing”. For example, you can have a walk with your friends, chatting and gossiping. It will be just like having a nice time with your friends, with the touch of a fitness exercise.

And just think of the benefits you can have in return of a regular walk. You can elude so many problems, such as blood pressure, diabetes and heart problem. And it is not only the question of eluding health problems, but curing them as well. I have found many people to be able to “shed off” their health problems (such as high blood pressure) courtesy regular walk. And I have come across at least a couple of aged people who are very fit for their age, not because of any lofty fitness regime but simply because they have remained serious about their “walking regime”.

I have been in love with walking since my childhood. I love to walk whenever I get the opportunity, and I always enjoy it whether I am in a picturesque hill town, a captivating sea beach or on a crowded pavement lying along a New Delhi street. I do Yoga. I do free hand exercises. And I enjoy all of them. But for me walking is like that sweet little daughter, who always enjoys the special affection of his Dad which her elder brothers can never “snatch” from her.

I have resumed my physical exercise, and enjoying it

One good thing to have happened recently in my life is that I have resumed my Yoga and free hand exercise after a long break. And you know, I am really enjoying it.

I started Yoga and free hand exercise in high school, and continued it till my college days. I was, honestly speaking, quite serious about my daily exercise routine, determined not to miss it for a single day. Even after college I retained the habit while pursuing the post-college professional courses (like PG Diploma in Public Relations).

Then ultimately came a time when I entered the professional life. Life became tough, demanding and strenuous. I slowly started finding the daily routine of exercise to be an unpleasant burden, and eventually I gave it up.

My professional life has already seen seven springs, and it has so far been a “sans exercise” period. Sometimes I have missed my fitness regime, and have started to resume it. But just after 3-4 days again I have found it to be burdensome, and withdrawn myself from it. This has happned for at least 4 to 5 times.

Then, after a long time, few days back again I got “bitten by the fitness bug”. This time I was determined that I would not only start it, but would stick to it. Yes, I used some common sense this time. I realized that now it is impossible to do a host of exercises every morning, as I used to do during my student days. Because now I do not have that time. So I decided to mark out a handful of exercises (both Yoga and free hand exercises), which would not take much time, and stick to them.

That precisely I have done. I have marked out certain exercises, and have been doing them every morning for last 2 weeks. And I am really enjoying my life. I am feeling fit, feeling energetic throughout the office hours and less exhausted after the office is over, and also happy. People may say it is psychological. May be. But how can one deny the fact that I am feeling better?

I have realized what we all actually know – No matter how much work pressure we have, we must have due time for two important aspects of our life – a.) Family and b.) Health.