Walking is the best Medicine

If I could make a New Years resolution for everyone it would be to walk more. For sedentary sofa spuds, it is not only a great way to kick start your exercise program but it is an excellent way to stay in shape as recommended by The World Health Organization, which states, "fitness walking is the easiest way for people of all ages to keep fit and healthy". Walking is the low impact way to reduce body fat, blood pressure, bad cholesterol (LDL), and increase aerobic capacity and good cholesterol (HDL) among other things. For experienced athletes, walking should be used more frequently as a recovery workout or as active rest. When racing, particularly longer distances, the practice of taking regular walk breaks from the beginning has aided many in finishing a marathon or bettering a previous time.
If weight loss is your goal, walking and running both burn the same number of calories per mile. That is you burn approximately 100 calories per mile (based on body weight) whether you walk or run a mile, it just takes you longer to cover that mile, making running more time efficient. Taking this into consideration, as a walker you have to cover more distance or get faster. Most beginner walkers tend to feel comfortable at 5kph or 3mph. To maximize your time and realize the aerobic benefits, you need to walk between 5.5 and 6.5 kph (3.5 to 4mph). Race walkers can walk as fast or faster then most recreational runners, clocking in at 12 to 15 kph (8 to 9mph).
Walking at a recreational pace can be as easy as putting one foot in front of the other, while picking up the speed requires a little technique. Elbows should be bent to 90 degrees and swing easily beside your body. Hands should not cross in front of your torso and should not come above your shoulders. Concentrate on pushing the elbows back, rather then pumping them forward. Lean slightly forward from the ankles, never the waist, looking slightly down and in front of your footfalls. Your feet will automatically want to land on the heel and roll through the entire foot. To speed up even more, keep this form but walk as if on a tightrope, one foot in front of the other. A natural tendency is to want to make your stride length longer in order to increase speed, when in fact you need to take smaller steps and increase your turn over. It is wise to practice your form and speed as intervals for the first couple of weeks by warming up, then concentrating on form and speed for a short duration, slow to recover, then repeat 3 or 4 more times. Finish with a cool-down.
Shins, calfs and inner thighs typically fatigue and become sore when beginning a walking program or picking up your pace. Add strengthening and stretching exercises to these areas to ensure a long walking career.

Walking is the best medicine. Hippocrates