BASIC TRAINING.Q: What's the best way to start a summer walking program? A: Sometimes it's hard to know where to start when it comes to figuring out a summer shape-up shape·up or shape-up n. An assembled group of dock workers from which the day's work crew is chosen by a representative of the union. Noun 1. plan. But the truth is, walking is one of the easiest and best forms of exercise. All you need is a good pair of workout shoes, comfortable clothing, sunscreen sunscreen /sun·screen/ (-skren) a substance applied to the skin to protect it from the effects of the sun's rays. sun·screen n. , and a positive attitude. To get started, just walk out the door. Walk for five minutes, and then come back. That's it. Do this for one whole week. Walk around your block. Walk around your complex, walk around the park. If that was easy, add five minutes to your walks next week. Set a goal. Figure out how long you want to walk and how far you want to walk. I suggest three miles or 45 minutes. While walking, keep your posture in mind. Head up and eyes forward. Pull the abdominal muscles abdominal muscles Clinical anatomy The large muscles of the anterior abdominal wall–external oblique, internal oblique, rectus abdominalis, which help in breathing, support spinal muscles while lifting, and help maintain abdominal organs and GI tract in their in and press the shoulders down. Drink plenty of water before, during and after. After your walk, stretch it out. Stretching will make you feel great and reduce your risk for injury. The main thing to focus on when starting an exercise program is developing the habit of doing it. Walking daily will help you reach your goal. FITNESS TIP Another way to stay motivated with your walking program is to use a pedometer pe·dom·e·ter n. An instrument that gauges the approximate distance traveled on foot by registering the number of steps taken. pedometer Noun . This little gadget (1) Slang for any hardware device, typically small. Synonymous with "gizmo." (2) A mini application that resides on a computer desktop or personal home page, typically found in the Windows environment. sits on your waist and counts your steps. An active person may reach 10,000 steps per day. Can you guess how many steps you take each day? To buy a pedometer, visit your local sporting goods Noun 1. sporting goods - sports equipment sold as a commodity commodity, trade good, good - articles of commerce sports equipment - equipment needed to participate in a particular sport store. ABOUT THE TRAINER Kathy Kaehler, NBC's ``Today'' show fitness expert, who has worked with Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Cindy Crawford For the porn star of the same name, see . Cynthia Ann Crawford (born February 20, 1966, in Dekalb, Illinois) is an American supermodel, MTV television personality, celebrity endorser, cover girl, and actress. and Michelle Pfeiffer, is ready to help you with your workout. Just e-mail her at Kathy.Kaehler(at)dailynews.com. If she answers your question in her column, she will send you her fitness tips newsletter for free. CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- 3) no caption (Kathy Kaehler) |
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