Walking is the New (Fill in the Blank...)

[XXtwindad]

I love walking. It's my "dirty little fitness" secret.

Imagine a gathering of high-caliber athletes celebrating a few post event beverages. One of them casually mentions they went for a "walk" a few days ago. The conversation stops. Throats are cleared. A few awkward, mumbled responses.

It's a bit of an exaggeration of course, but not by much. I know a prominent triathlete who's recuperating from an injury. He's started taking walks and lamented to all of his friends that this is what his life has become...taking afternoon walks.

How did the most fundamental expression of human movement wind up at the bottom of the "Fitness Hierarchy?"

There are some obvious answers. Part of it is the exigencies of the times we're living in. We're pressed for time - so any expenditure of energy has to involve visceral feedback: lots of sweat, elevated heart rate, high rates of perceived exertion and occasional discomfort.

Then too, walking has no axioms to extoll its virtues. No "walkers high." Very few people are excited about having completed a "killer walk." Extreme athleticism is not the first image that comes to mind with walking. Perhaps more along the lines of office workers on a lunch break with sensible shoes.

But walking should be at the very top of the exercise hierarchy, not at the bottom. For starters, it's much more structurally sound than cycling. And less high impact than running. Walking (especially on uneven terrain such as a trail) strengthens the foot and ankle complex in a way that cycling never will. This is especially important for people with flat feet and hyperflexible ankles (such as myself.) Also, walking (especially up hills) forces recruitment of the glute muscles that cycling rarely does.

The advantage to walking is that you can leave the house without a lot of equipment and "just do it." (There are, as in everything, socioeconomic factors here as well. It's much less convenient to just go for a walk when your neighborhood has no shade or is blighted)

The biggest benefit in walking for me is that things slow down. It's the same reason I cycle: it clears my head. And, as much as I enjoy Strava (perhaps "addicted" might be the right word) there is no quantitative way to measure the "Local Legend of Sorting Your Thoughts Out."

I know there are some "walkers" on this site. Gasman, Weisan, and Mr. Pink come to mind. Anyone else on board the "Slow Train Express?"

[mhespenheide]

I now average a half-hour to hour a day, taking my 18-month old outside. Often with my wife. We talk about everything that's going on.

Before he was born, I used to love backpacking. My goal for about a decade was to try for 30 days a year; many years I made it and some I didn't. Backpacking's just a long walk where you don't go home at the end of the day.

[Black Dog]

About an hour and a half a day with my dog in the woods. This more than anything keeps me centred. It also is so good for recuperation of mind and body. On a bike it is so easy to make the goal of the ride something other than the ride, with walking that is much less so.

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

About an hour and a half a day with my dog in the woods. This more than anything keeps me centred. It also is so good for recuperation of mind and body. On a bike it is so easy to make the goal of the ride something other than the ride, with walking that is much less so.

+1

I take our dog out in the AM for about 30 minutes...we have a nice wooded park at the end of our street...nice to be out in the woods to start the day...

My wife and I also take her out in the evenings, and that is when we get a chance to talk about "stuff" and make plans. Good together time!

Oh...gotta go....the dog just ran in and let me know it is time to head out......

[CZ413]

If you haven’t already read them, Rebecca Solnit’s book Wanderlust and Frederic Gros’s book A Philosophy of Walking are both really worth reading.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by CZ413

If you haven’t already read them, Rebecca Solnit’s book Wanderlust and Frederic Gros’s book A Philosophy of Walking are both really worth reading.

I actually had a professional disagreement with this author several years ago, so my perceptions are surely influenced by this. I own the book. I think she’s a very skilled researcher but a pretty pedestrian (haha) writer.

[NHAero]

I feel you should give us a step-by-step account of this disagreement. I hope at least you took it in stride.

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

I actually had a professional disagreement with this author several years ago, so my perceptions are surely influenced by this. I own the book. I think she’s a very skilled researcher but a pretty pedestrian (haha) writer.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by NHAero

I feel you should give us a step-by-step account of this disagreement. I hope at least you took it in stride.

Edit: A close friend and client who was familiar with the story suggested I edit my original response. Sufficed to say, I was not the impetus for Miss Solnit’s expression “mansplaining.”

[Tickdoc]

Around the block.

I’m gonna miss the ponds and sidewalks that infiltrate our neighborhood when we move.

[CZ413]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Edit: A close friend and client who was familiar with the story suggested I edit my original response. Sufficed to say, I was not the impetus for Miss Solnit’s expression “mansplaining.”

Hmm, looks like you edited this while I was starting to reply. I was going to say that Solnit didn’t actually coin that term — though she did write an essay (and later a book) called “Men Explain Things to Me.” It was one of those words essentially credited to the internet more than any one author. Anyway, I like Wanderlust mostly for the insight into the cultural history of walking: the research you pointed out in your earlier post. Gros’s book is somewhat similar, but includes short biographies of famous walkers with more meditative passages.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by CZ413

Hmm, looks like you edited this while I was starting to reply. I was going to say that Solnit didn’t actually coin that term — though she did write an essay (and later a book) called “Men Explain Things to Me.” It was one of those words essentially credited to the internet more than any one author. Anyway, I like Wanderlust mostly for the insight into the cultural history of walking: the research you pointed out in your earlier post. Gros’s book is somewhat similar, but includes short biographies of famous walkers with more meditative passages.

I'm currently reading "Born to Walk" by Dan Rubenstein. I think he's a better writer than Solnit, although she's a much better researcher. "Exercised" by Daniel Lieberman is right at the top of the list as well.

[CZ413]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

I'm currently reading "Born to Walk" by Dan Rubenstein. I think he's a better writer than Solnit, although she's a much better researcher. "Exercised" by Daniel Lieberman is right at the top of the list as well.

Thanks, I’ll put those on my list!

[jamesdak]

Walking is the New challenge in my life. Dangs knees are so jacked right now I have issues just hobbling around work. But I can still ride so life is good.

[Seramount]

at this point in time, my combined seven knee surgeries make walking arduous.

did a 4-mile walk last week, survived it but was having noticeable pain by the end.

cycling and swimming are infinitely more enjoyable and beneficial to me.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by mhespenheide

I now average a half-hour to hour a day, taking my 18-month old outside. Often with my wife. We talk about everything that's going on.

Before he was born, I used to love backpacking. My goal for about a decade was to try for 30 days a year; many years I made it and some I didn't. Backpacking's just a long walk where you don't go home at the end of the day.

It's kind of funny how many different ways we like to classify "walking." Not sure why that is. I guess you could certainly sell more subscriptions to "Hiking Magazine" than to "Walkers Gazette."

When my daughters were first born, and I had to combine exercise with caring for them, I walked everywhere with them in a stroller. All over Oakland. It was a great way to bond with them, and formed memories I'll never forget.