J'AIME March 2021

The difference between the two is not based on pace.
At any speed, walkers have one foot on the ground
at all times, but runners are entirely airborne during
some part of every stride. As the pace increases, the
percentage of each stride that is airborne increases;
competitive runners have ‘hang times’ of about 45%.
What goes up must come down. That’s why running
is a high-impact activity. Each time they land, runners
subject their bodies to a stress equal to about three
times their body weight. In just one mile, a typical
runner’s legs will have to absorb more than 100 tons
of impact force. It’s a testament to the human body
that running can be safe and enjoyable. At the same
time, though, it’s a testament to the force of gravity
that walkers have a much lower (1% to 5%) risk of
exercise-related injuries than runners (20% to 70%).
For those who regularly walk or who would
like to start getting out and walking more,
here are my top tips:
1. Don’t underestimate the importance of warming
up. To help avoid injury it is always best to start
walking at a slower than normal pace for five
minutes or so before picking up the tempo of the
walk.
2. Enjoy the outdoors. Although it is easy to stay
indoors and exercise, be it on a treadmill or exercise
bike, nothing beats getting out in the grass, sand,
dirt and roads. These are never completely level so
definitely work the muscles a lot more effectively
than a treadmill would. As an added bonus, luckily
for us in this country with the weather, we are also
more likely to burn more calories running against
the wind.
3. Use a fitness tracker. Psychologically we are more
likely to increase our physical activity by about
27% if we track it according to a study by Stanford
University, which in real terms is about an extra
mile of walking per day.
4. Make it social. Even under the lockdown rules we
are allowed to exercise outdoors with one other
person from another household, so make the most
of it and make it social. It is a great way to kill two
birds with one stone and get the daily exercise in,
as well as having a catch up with a friend which in
turn is also great for our mental health.
5. Hit the hills! Walking on a hiking trail with hills is
one way to include intervals in our walking routine
without making it feel like torture. Walking uphill
also burns more calories and helps us build muscle
in the lower body, which in turn can help speed
up the metabolism. For those who don’t have any
handy hills nearby, staircase workouts are great and
totally free to do from the comfort of your own
home.
6. Stretch, stretch and stretch! Remember to take
those all important few minutes at the end of a
walk to loosen warm, limber muscles which will
help ease some of the strain and fatigue our muscles
build up during exercise.
We are so lucky to have some of the most beautiful
parks and routes right here in this region. Here are
three of my favourite nature routes for gentle walking:
1. New Lichfield Canal Walk
This is a 2.4 kilometer loop trail located near
Waitrose in Lichfield that offers scenic views and is
good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used
for hiking, nature trips and bird watching. You can
actually walk down the abandoned railway track.
2. Sutton Park - Bracebridge Pool
Sutton Park is an amazing place for walkers and
one of my absolute favourites. There are so many
different gates and routes that you’ll never be bored
of it. One of my favourites is the walk around
Bracebridge Pool. It is probably less than a mile
long, but you can make it longer using other paths
and coming back to the pool.
3. Cannock Chase (Birches Valley Gate)
This is a very popular route thanks to the great
facilities that it boasts such as the Gruffalo trail
which is fab for kids, as well as facilities such as
toilets and a café. You can choose to meander
along and explore the different routes in your own
way or follow one of the specific walking trails.
For more information about walking or any fitness
related queries please feel free to get in touch with
Raúl at raul@ambitionpt.co.uk or through
Facebook or Instagram
@ambitionpersonaltraininguk.
www.jaimemagazine.com
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