(Akiit.com) If you are looking to improve your overall health via working on your fitness, then walking is well worth considering. Walking has long been a staple of many fitness routines, and when examined, it’s easy to see why: walking is undeniably beneficial for cardiovascular health if you set a brisk pace, and also benefits from being highly accessible to people of all budgets.
If you, too, have seen the benefits of walking and decided to give it a try for yourself, then you’ve certainly made a positive decision – but there are a few things you’ll want to know prior to setting off on your first outing. Below, we have put together a guide to the essential information all new joggers could benefit from knowing, so read on to ensure you’re fully prepared as you engage with your new fit-friendly hobby.
#1 – The right shoes are essential
Walking is generally seen as a fairly sedate choice, but it is nevertheless high-impact, and can cause problems with foot and calf pain particularly. The simplest way to ensure that you avoid this is to opt for a pair of dedicated walking shoes or, as a decent second 
option, sneakers that are in good condition, with thick treads and plenty of arch support. Walking in worn shoes, or those not designed for fitness wear, may feel fine the first couple of times, but will inevitably go on to cause pain and discomfort with every step.
#2 – Walk towards traffic as a pedestrian
Wherever possible, it’s best to choose routes that allow you to walk on large sidewalks far from traffic. However, this isn’t always feasible and is particularly difficult if you intend to walk in rural areas where sidewalks are few and far between.
Most of us may be inclined to think that the best way to avoid danger from traffic is to walk with the traffic almost as if we are another vehicle – and this is indeed the correct advice for cyclists. However, walking with the traffic has likely been the cause of many a car wreck involving pedestrians in the past: the best advice is to walk against the traffic, as this provides the opportunity to make eye contact with, and assess the driver’s intentions.
#3 – Don’t walk every day
Due to the relatively gentle nature of walking, it may seem sensible to try and walk every day. This, however, is not a good idea – or at least, it’s not a good idea if you are aiming to achieve a brisk pace while walking, as you should be. If you have been walking quickly at a beneficial pace, your body has undergone a workout, and it’s preferable to wait 48 hours to allow for recovery before walking again. You can take a gentle stroll on the “off” days, but high-intensity, fitness-focused walking should be reserved for alternate days only.
In conclusion
By ensuring you keep the above in mind, you should be able to find that your walking experience gets off to a successful start, and paves the way for you to enjoy a huge fitness boost in the future.
Staff Writer; Greg Adams