Running or Walking:  Best way to Burn Calories

When it comes to burning calories and staying fit, the common phrase that runs through our mind is “taking a morning Jog”. Running is a work out that you can take with you any where. You don’t need a suitcase full of equipments. You just open the door and go.

Plus any pathological runner will tell you, nothing is quite as satisfying as getting a good run under your belt. You work up a great sweat, you burn the calories and your muscles feel pleasantly invigorating after you finish.

✏️ How to Avoid Exercise Injuries

 Ironically,  the euphoria doesn’t last more than a week before the unpleasant pain start setting in (especially for rookies). On the long run, most people decide not to run again especially after developing frequent chronic injuries and joint pain.
This usually occurs because we fail to run the right way. Yes, there is a right way to run.

– Runners have a habit of looking directly at the ground, almost as if they can’t bear to see what’s coming next. Keep your head down throws your upper-body posture off-killer and can lead to upper-back and neck pain.

– Relax your shoulders, keep your chest filled and pull your abdominal and muscles in lightly. Don’t overarch your back and stick your butt out.

– Keep your arms close to your body, and swing them forward and back rather than across your body. Don’t clench your fists. Pretend you are holding a butterfly in each hand; you don’t want your butterfly to escape, but you don’t want to crush them either.

– Lift your front knee and extend your back leg. Don’t shuffle alone like you are wearing cement boots. land heels first and roll through the entire length of your foot. Push off from the balls of your feet instead of running flat-footed and pounding off your heels.

Can You exercise by Walking?

Although running is a good exercise for the body,  Many people have joints that simply will not tolerate all that pounding. If you are not built to run, don’t argue with your body. You can get in a great condition by walking.

I know the question you want to ask, “Can you really get fit by walking?”.
Absolutely yes, as long as you walk long enough, hard enough and often enough. The beauty of walking is that it’s simply a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. Sure, walking burns fewer calories per minute than jogging, but most people last longer on a walk than a run, so you can make up for the running.
Walking is just that simple but only if you walk right.

How to walk right

Okay, we lied to you: there actually is more to walking than simply putting one foot in front of the other.
-Relax your shoulders, widen your chest and pull your abdominals gently inward.
-Keep your head and chin up and focus straight ahead.
-Keep your hands relaxed and cupped gently and swing your arms so that they brush past your body.

The truth is, no single type of exercise is better than all the rest, it’s merely a question of what’s best for you. So,  whether you run or walk, what’s important is doing it the right way.

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