Author’s note -- I hope
that you enjoy learning from this resource!
To help me to continue to provide valuable free content, please consider
showing your appreciation by leaving a donation HERE.
Thank you and Happy Trails!
First, I am not a doctor
or a physical therapist, so the following are simply suggestions and some
things to look for in an exercise program.
However, these ideas might help you develop an exercise plan with a mix
of high intensity interval training and low intensity,
steady state exercise.
First, get a step counter
and go out for a walk at a steady comfortable pace and find out how long it
takes you to complete 10,000 steps. Your
walking pace will fall into one of the following brackets:
· Slow
pace of 60-79 steps per minute, about 2
mph or 3.2 kph, taking up to two hours and 45 minutes to complete 10,000 steps.
· Medium
pace of 80-99 steps per minute, about 2.5 mph or 4 kph, completing 10,000 steps
in just over two hours.
· Brisk
pace of 100-119 steps per minute, about 3 mph or 4.8 kph, walking 10,000 steps
in less than one hour and 40 minutes.
· Fast
pace of 120+ steps per minute, about 3.5 mph or 5.6 kph, taking less than one
hour and 23 minutes to complete 10,000 steps.
According to both the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of
moderate-intensity aerobic, physical activity per week, which is the equivalent
of 30 minutes a day, or 75 minutes vigorous-intensity activity, or a
combination of both, five days per week.
These guidelines highlight
the importance of raising your heart rate through movement, but do not
prescribe any specific activities, instead encouraging people to move more and
sit less.
And not all activities
are created equally, some offer a better cardiovascular workout than
others. If you don’t have much time to
devote to an exercise program, choose an activity with a higher steps per
minute value and don’t forget the other things that you do during the day and
add them up to get to your 10,000 step goal.
Take things slow and
steady during month one. Start your exercise
program by walking at your current pace for 30 minutes five days a week. Always take two days off each week, to let
your body recover. Plan one session of
interval training each week, this is enough to maintain your current fitness level
and is where beginners and newcomers should start. And don’t forget stretches and weight
training.
A 16.9 oz, ½ liter, water
bottle weighs just over one pound or ½ kilogram and can be carried in each hand
to increase your strength and to afford good hydration.
In both months two and
month three, increase your walking pace on the light days, over the month
before. In both months two and three,
increase your interval training sessions to two times per week, to improve your
physical fitness, and increase your intensity over the month before. But remember, no back-to-back high intensity
interval workouts, and always put a low intensity, steady state workout day in
between interval workouts. Keep up with
your stretches and increase your weight training in both months, over the month
before. Increase the number of water
bottles that you carry in your knapsack.
· Check
with a doctor before starting any exercise program.
· Wear
proper footwear, comfortable shoes that offer good support are important to
prevent injuries.
· Warm
up by stretching and starting with a few minutes of easy walking. Finish your walk with a few easy minutes and
some more stretches to cool down.
· Vary
your speed during your walk, this is called interval walking. Three minutes of fast walking followed by
three minutes of walking at a moderate pace, will build better fitness levels than
walking at a steady pace over the same time.
· Add
some weight to your walk. Start with a backpack
carrying about 5% of your body weight, which for a 150 pound person would be
about seven and half pounds (3.4 kgs), or about the same number of 16.9 oz (½ liter)
water bottles.
· Add
stairs, hills or inclines to your workout.
Walking uphill and downhill engages different muscles in your legs
compared to walking on flat terrain. It
also burns more calories and increases the intensity of your workout.
· Gradually
increase the intensity of your workout. However,
whenever you are increasing your walking speed, adding weight, or beginning hills
do it gradually to allow your body to adapt.
· Stay
hydrated! Carry water, particularly on
long walks or during hot weather or wintry weather to avoid dehydration.
· Listen
to your body! If something hurts or you
experience pain and discomfort, stop, slow down or take a break. If the pain continues speak to a doctor.
· Try
to get outside. Being outside is good
for the mind and body, but don’t forget that you can also workout inside during
inclement weather on treadmills, stationary bicycles and walking tracks.
So, make Paleo Granddad
proud and get out there and get Paleo fit!
For
more information see the following:
· U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services
· Getting
Birchbark Fit: A Three Month Program
· Getting
into Wilderness Shape, a Three-Month Program ©
I hope that you enjoy
learning from this resource! To help me
to continue to provide valuable free content, please consider showing your
appreciation by leaving a donation HERE.
Thank you and Happy Trails!
I
hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me
on YouTube at BandanaMan Productions for other related videos, HERE. Don’t forget to follow me on both The
Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE,
and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube. If you have questions, as always, feel free
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bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.
That
is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!
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