# Walking is a great way to exercise!



## fancicoffee13 (Feb 5, 2022)

I started walking again and was getting 5000 steps a day.  I have upped it to 8000 a day and am feeling better.  Walking out in the fresh air is great, however, here  lately we got 2 days of snow!  And lots of it!.  Wake up to minus degree temps and it never got over 7 degrees!  Walked around in the house.


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## JonSR77 (Feb 6, 2022)

yes, walking is definitely wonderful exercise.  for us older folks, it can pretty much be the ideal exercise.

But don't feel pressure to just do more, more, more.

That is a kind of popular idea, but not always wise, as we get older.


Some walking, some mild stretching and doing a few exercises with some very light weights...

that is a complete exercise program and plenty enough to keep us healthy.

My brother just had to have surgery on his shoulder. I told him that the people at the gym were not a good source of information. He did too much. He paid the price and had to have surgery.

Moderation is the way to go..

take care everyone.


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## HoneyNut (Feb 6, 2022)

JonSR77 said:


> He did too much. He paid the price and had to have surgery.
> 
> Moderation is the way to go..


That happened to me with an exercise DVD several years ago.  I'd followed the DVD exercise program when I was a little younger and it had been great, but when I did it as an older person it caused me to have impingement pain in my shoulder and I had to get an injection in the shoulder to recover from the pain.



fancicoffee13 said:


> however, here lately we got 2 days of snow! And lots of it!. Wake up to minus degree temps and it never got over 7 degrees! Walked around in the house.


I highly recommend getting a treadmill if the weather is frequently discouraging.  I would prefer to walk around outside but it seems like half the year there is a miserable cold wind blowing, so I get lots of use out of the treadmill I bought a few years ago.  As I age I find I have to do fewer minutes at a time (and not use the 'incline' feature!), but it is nice to get a 10-15 minute walking break several times a day, and I can simultaneously watch YouTube or other entertainment.


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## hollydolly (Feb 6, 2022)

I've always been someone who enjoys walking.
 I've spent half my life walking in many countries... but the last few years I've got a damaged kneecap, which is ok for normal walking, and I'm a very brisk walker , but if I walk more than a mile or 2 now, the right knee gives out, and is very painful, so I can't walk as I once did for fear that I'll be 2 or 3 miles from home or the hotel  or wherever I am...and have to painfully limp back... so now for the last 18 months or so I've installed a Treadmill here at the house, and I walk on that most days.. and get off the second I feel my knee hurting..


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## dobielvr (Feb 6, 2022)

I try to do a lot of walking too...and stretching.

I'm doing all the exercises I learned in physical therapy, plus I have an old stationary bike outside that's been calling my name.


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## fancicoffee13 (Feb 6, 2022)

hollydolly said:


> I've always been someone who enjoys walking.
> I've spent half my life walking in many countries... but the last few years I've got a damaged kneecap, which is ok for normal walking, and I'm a very brisk walker , but if I walk more than a mile or 2 now, the right knee gives out, and is very painful, so I can't walk as I once did for fear that I'll be 2 or 3 miles from home or the hotel  or wherever I am...and have to painfully limp back... so now for the last 18 months or so I've installed a Treadmill here at the house, and I walk on that most days.. and get off the second I feel my knee hurting..


Smart, that is the way I think also.  I had a knee replacement and had a few months therapy.  I walked in the apartment a lot, and could sit down when need be.  I didn't start walking until about the 4th month afterwards.


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## Trish (Feb 6, 2022)

@HoneyNut and @hollydolly  I like using treadmills but I have a mental block about running on them.  Do you run on your treadmills?  I have a spin bike which I can stand and cycle on so not just sitting down and no need to run


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## fancicoffee13 (Feb 6, 2022)

Trish said:


> @HoneyNut and @hollydolly  I like using treadmills but I have a mental block about running on them.  Do you run on your treadmills?  I have a spin bike which I can stand and cycle on so not just sitting down and no need to run


No, I just walk around in the apartment, or what I really like is taking a walk around the whole apartment complex, or even better, use the treadmill in the workout room.  They have a bike that I use once in a while.


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## hollydolly (Feb 6, 2022)

Trish said:


> @HoneyNut and @hollydolly  I like using treadmills but I have a mental block about running on them.  Do you run on your treadmills?  I have a spin bike which I can stand and cycle on so not just sitting down and no need to run


No I definitely do not run on mine..if my knee gave out while I was running there would be a disaster if I fell, so no.. I walk briskly, 4 or 5 mph, depending on the day


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## fancicoffee13 (Feb 6, 2022)

hollydolly said:


> No I definitely do not run on mine..if my knee gave out while I was running there would be a disaster if I fell, so no.. I walk briskly, 4 or 5 mph, depending on the day


Nope, not going to happen-running on a treadmill!  Dangerous!


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## Trish (Feb 6, 2022)

hollydolly said:


> No I definitely do not run on mine..if my knee gave out while I was running there would be a disaster if I fell, so no.. I walk briskly, 4 or 5 mph, depending on the day


Yes, that makes sense.  A couple of years ago, I damaged my knee and although it seems to have healed now, perhaps that's why I am cautious.


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## fancicoffee13 (Feb 6, 2022)

Trish said:


> Yes, that makes sense.  A couple of years ago, I damaged my knee and although it seems to have healed now, perhaps that's why I am cautious.


I had a knee replacement a couple of years ago, and I am still cautious.


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## hollydolly (Feb 6, 2022)

fancicoffee13 said:


> I had a knee replacement a couple of years ago, and I am still cautious.


I can totally understand that...


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## horseless carriage (Feb 6, 2022)

I love walking, especially to music, even better I like it when my wife's in my arms, only we don't call it walking, we call it dancing.


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## HoneyNut (Feb 6, 2022)

Trish said:


> I like using treadmills but I have a mental block about running on them. Do you run on your treadmills?


Oh gee golly no way.  My treadmill goes from 0.8 speed up to 12+.  I'm usually doing 2.0 which with my short legs is a medium fast walk.  If I am feeling spunky (or stressed out by work) I'll go up to 2.3 which is a fast walk.  In the past I've tried a 3 which was a slow jog.  I "cool down" (not that I ever get sweaty tho) gradually going down to 1.8 and on to 1.0.  Usually only use the 0.8 "barely-walking" speed if I'm tired and want to stop but am watching an interesting YouTube video that isn't quite over.

My treadmill has a cord I clip onto myself while I'm using it, and the cord is attached with a magnetic little plug on the machine.  If I were to trip or anything that pulled on the cord, the magnetic plug releases and that instantly stops the machine.  I haven't ever had a problem that caused that, but I've accidentally done it a number of times when swinging my arms around to music and accidentally pull the cord.  Bit of a startle to have the machine stop suddenly, but at the slow speed I use it doesn't affect my balance.


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## hollydolly (Feb 6, 2022)

HoneyNut said:


> Oh gee golly no way.  My treadmill goes from 0.8 speed up to 12+.  I'm usually doing 2.0 which with my short legs is a medium fast walk.  If I am feeling spunky (or stressed out by work) I'll go up to 2.3 which is a fast walk.  In the past I've tried a 3 which was a slow jog.  I "cool down" (not that I ever get sweaty tho) gradually going down to 1.8 and on to 1.0.  Usually only use the 0.8 "barely-walking" speed if I'm tired and want to stop but am watching an interesting YouTube video that isn't quite over.
> 
> My treadmill has a cord I clip onto myself while I'm using it, and the cord is attached with a magnetic little plug on the machine.  If I were to trip or anything that pulled on the cord, the magnetic plug releases and that instantly stops the machine.  I haven't ever had a problem that caused that, but I've accidentally done it a number of times when swinging my arms around to music and accidentally pull the cord.  Bit of a startle to have the machine stop suddenly, but at the slow speed I use it doesn't affect my balance.


I walk at 4 or 5mph , it's a brisk walk but I don't feel as if it's anywhere near a jog tbh... . I can't walk at less than 3mph, I'm naturally a fast walker so if I walk at less than 3mph I feel as tho' I;m not moving.. . I watch TV while I;m on the treadmill.. or I have a stand on there where I can put my phone if I want to watch something on there.. .

My treadmill also has a safety cord like yours with a magnetic plug , but I've never accidentally unplugged it.. that would probably cause my lower back to go into spasm , so I hope that never happens..


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## Trish (Feb 6, 2022)

i often watch tv when I use my bike or, more so in the morning, I will listen to music.  My bike also has an additional monitor stand for a laptop or tablet and there are videos of bike rides on YouTube which are quite good.


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## RFW (Feb 6, 2022)

I've been doing more and more walking each morning. Also trying to hopefully lose a few pounds. I still have to be on crutches most of the time until the cast comes off so it's not technically walking but I've built up a lot of upper body strength because of that.


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## RobinWren (Feb 6, 2022)

I usually walk a couple of hours a day with my dog. I have walked all my life and it has been a lifesaver for me during covid. It is also my social life meeting other dog owners. I do not like walking in the snow but rain, fog, sun will find me outdoors, the picture always changes, nature is a cure all for me.


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## fancicoffee13 (Feb 8, 2022)

Trish said:


> i often watch tv when I use my bike or, more so in the morning, I will listen to music.  My bike also has an additional monitor stand for a laptop or tablet and there are videos of bike rides on YouTube which are quite good.


Now I like the sound of that routine!  But, I don't have a treadmill in my apartment, however, I could take my laptop over to the workout room and turn on some music and walk by that.  Thanks for the idea!


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## SeaBreeze (Feb 8, 2022)

fancicoffee13 said:


> I started walking again and was getting 5000 steps a day.  I have upped it to 8000 a day and am feeling better.  Walking out in the fresh air is great, however, here  lately we got 2 days of snow!  And lots of it!.  Wake up to minus degree temps and it never got over 7 degrees!  Walked around in the house.


I agree, walking is great for health both mentally and physically.  I take a one hour walk with my dog every day out in a big open space park area.  When the temps are frigid with snow, less than 20 degrees, then I keep the dog home, it's not good for his paws to be on such cold ice and snow.  Usually that's only a few days a year, so that's a good thing for both of us.


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## Trish (Feb 9, 2022)

fancicoffee13 said:


> Now I like the sound of that routine!  But, I don't have a treadmill in my apartment, however, I could take my laptop over to the workout room and turn on some music and walk by that.  Thanks for the idea!



@fancicoffee13 YouTube has Virtual tours from different places.  Here's one from Yellowstone.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAC9_N0X-O

They tend to be found under "virtual exercise bike tours" but great for treadmills too.


Try some Meditation music as well: 







I use bluetooth headphones with my laptop/tablet so no lead to get in the way. 

Nice to have a workout room.  Have fun


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## fancicoffee13 (Feb 12, 2022)

SeaBreeze said:


> I agree, walking is great for health both mentally and physically.  I take a one hour walk with my dog every day out in a big open space park area.  When the temps are frigid with snow, less than 20 degrees, then I keep the dog home, it's not good for his paws to be on such cold ice and snow.  Usually that's only a few days a year, so that's a good thing for both of us.


Yeah, when it is that frigid outside, we don't spend much time outside either.  Just get their business done and back indoors!


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