Beaver Strides -- Get Your Move On!

Are you turned off by exercise because of body aches and pains? Being sore from
physical activity is a common reason why many people stop being active.
"Warming up" your muscles before you get your move on and "cooling down"
afterwards can minimize the discomfort of worked muscles. These are essential
to any physical activity program and feel great too - Here are a few...

Benefits of Warming Up

• A warm-up consists of a slow-to-moderate intensity activity that is
  performed in order to gradually prepare the body to perform sustained
  activity.
• Gradually warms muscle temperature, decreasing the likelihood of injury
  and amount of work for active muscles
• Gradually increases blood flow to the heart and other active
  muscles
• Increases elasticity of connective tissue and other muscle components,
  and lubricates the joints
• Reduces the chance of tightness and soreness post-exercise activity,
  and fatigue during higher level activity
• Offers psychological preparation for chosen activity
• Your response during warm-up determines the likelihood of your ability
  to complete the chosen activity

Walking Warm-up

Begin by making sure you have the appropriate shoes and clothing on for
walking, and if possible, have a watch on hand for timing the duration of your
walk.

Warm-up for at least 5-10 minutes (taking into consideration the chosen
activity, duration of activity, and personal warm-up needs)

Start out walking with hands at your sides, moving them as naturally as
possible (2 or 4 minutes approx.)

• Pace will be slower-to-moderate and the focus is to acclimate yourself
  to being physical
• Think about rhythmic or controlled breathing (i.e. in through the nose
  and out through the mouth)
• Slightly tighten your abdominal muscles to support good postural
  alignment

Next, begin to pump arms* at your side increasing the pace to a more
moderate intensity (3 or 6 minutes approx.)

• Keep breathing and allow your upper body and arms to respond to the
  movement of your lower body

Once the warm-up is complete, you are ready to enter the main part of the
walking program

• Try to remember breathing and postural cues while walking

* Pumping arms requires the following:

• Bending at the elbows to create a 90 degree angle
• Initiating a front-to-back movement of the arms from the shoulder
  joint

Walking Cool-down

Begin by gradually decreasing the intensity and pace of your walk. At this
point, you will be finished with the main part of your walking workout.

You will typically cool-down for at least 5-10 minutes, or for how ever
long is necessary for you to decrease your heart rate and come to a more
relaxed physical state

Begin by bringing your arms to your sides again (discontinue arm-pumping),
swinging your arms from front to back as naturally as possible (2 or 4 minutes
approx.)

• Pace will become slower and the focus is to achieve a more relaxed physical
  state
• Think about rhythmic or controlled breathing (i.e. in through the nose and
  out through the mouth)
• Postural alignment is still important during cool-down

Continue to slow the pace and recognize any areas that may be tight and
whether or not your heart rate has sufficiently decreased (3 or 6 minutes
approx.)

• Keep breathing and allow your upper body and arms to respond to the
  movement of your lower body
• If your heart rate is still elevated or you do not feel more physically
  relaxed, continue to reduce the pace or stop and rest

Once the cool-down is complete, you are ready to begin stretching and
continue with other scheduled activities

• Remember to drink plenty of water to re-hydrate and keep yourself hydrated
  this also keeps you more flexible
• Take breaks during the day to stretch and remain limber