5 Ways to Boost Your Walk in 2023 

I'm 89 years of age and use a stationary bike for my exercise. It is good for my heart and legs. i incorporate neck and head exercise with arm exercise. I can also watch TV to make my exercise enjoyable. I stopped walking because I was afraid of stumbling and getting hurt.

Great advice! Personally I'm increasingly influenced by the MovNat natural movement idea, where the outdoors becomes your gym. This takes your walks to the next level by using the natural features you are passing as resources to work on your strength and mobility. For example my nearest walk takes me past an old Victorian boathouse where there's a narrow rail they used to launch their steamer - ideal for practising balance. Then I walk out onto the pier where there's a mooring ring that's ideal for support while I work on improving my squat position - while a take in the glorious view. There's a secluded grassy path where I can practice crawling movements, lunges, jumps and the like. There are low benches where I can practice easy plyometric jumps and vaults. There's a glorious spot on the river bank where I sit and work on my cross-leg position. There's a kid's play area with almost infinite possibilities... And I'm still discovering new opportunities on every walk I do. So instead of a stuffy and dignified walk, your outing becomes an opportunity to riff and play with movement in a lovely natural environment. This is what the kids are doing as their parents amble along - so why did we forget how to play? This concept of walking helps keep you young at heart. Personally I find that this mindset adds a good deal of fun and value to my walks on days when I can't get to the hills for a more serious outing - and it can be tailored to pretty much any level of fitness and confidence. If you are embarrassed as a more senior person to be seen doing such "childish" things, most walks are almost deserted at dawn or dusk. Personally I don't care a jot - let them think what they like. The older walkers in my area mostly look overweight and stiff and weak - so I don't see much about their way of exercising that I should be seeking to emulate!

Great to have someone so professional, qualified and passionate dedicated to the aging seniors. Thank you!

Thank you so much! I am so happy I found your informative, encouraging and professional videos. I have osteoporosis and am working on accepting this! I am a life long exercise person yet at 65 and with Osteoporosis I need to learn a new routine. Thanks so very much!

Margaret you are a delight ! Clear calm and informative videos with a pleasant approach to improving fitness and strength. As I recover with post viral fatigue from illness, this is just the encouragement I need. Bless you x

Thanks, Margaret - another great video with wonderful advice. I’ve been walking backwards through my neighborhood, turning while walking, skipping, and /or doing cha cha steps intermittently. Also incorporate some punches and really move my arms without torquing my back, or do short, quick sprints. Listening to upbeat music makes all the difference sometimes, or I listen to my Bible app, depending upon how I feel. Getting started and getting out there is tough when you’re feeling overworked or stressed, but once I’m out, I’m usually glad I made the effort. I wish I had the time to do it more consistently. Keep up the good work - you do so much for so many!

We are so lucky to have free access to this kind of quality info and wake up call for thise living with osteoporosis. Margaret give advice that matter..and is a wake up call.

Very helpful & so important! Getting steps in, speeding up & load bearing … it’s a daily effort & so easy to not. Ug!! But thank you, worth every effort I make 😊 ! Love your videos 🍁🍂❤️

Margaret. I'm very interested in Nordic Walking. Could you do a detailed video on how to size, purchase and use walking poles, please? I like your video style very much!

Thank you, Margaret! Your videos are so helpful and have really inspired me. I appreciate them so much!

Thank you very much for your videos, I walk at the gym using the treadmill and also I do extra exercises like yoga, a little weight lifting and in addition for my hips I put the machine 60 lbs opening and closing legs. I am 72 years old and I am trying to keep most active as possible. Your videos helped me a lot to increase my bone density, in fact I bought a low intensity vibration plate.

Thank you so much Margaret for your amazing tips and videos, they are so helpful and inspiring 👌

Fabulous!❤❤❤❤

I think you are simply amazing! ❤️

So glad I discovered your wonderful informative channel. Thank you !

Love your videos & you. So much awesome information. I’m trying to watch all of them.I’m so glad I found you. Your inspiring and motivating me to try more.

Thanks so very much Margaret, an excellent video with perfect music! Hubby and I walk every day, uphill and downhill and thoroughly enjoy ourselves. However, these extra tips will be a great bonus too. Bless you for your help and advice

Thankyou. Walking is good. Can you do a video on hiking 4 miles a day or 4 miles 3 days a week at 60 or older in rough terrain and good up & down elevations ..Thankyou. Watching all your videos...oh, remember, the healthiest & longest living people in the blue zones live without ever going to a gym or pump iron...I always walk up hill and down hill & stay away from the flat.. I like to do up hill sprint jogs at 20 & thirty 30 feet.. I always carry a back day pack, with fruit, nuts, rice, rolled oats, apples, mandarins, and such... And of course 4 to 6 16.oz bottles of spring water.. There are good 4500 ft elevations & 3400 going on where I go..all dirt trails, some times I follow the deer trails and coyote trails up onto the sides of the surrounding mountains I hike in.. some weeks I go hiking every day.. I do better if I go 3 days a week , because otherwise I push myself pretty hard...Sometimes I put on ankle weights of 2 lb set or a 5 lb set.. what do you think of all this.. And I am a male. Also I never walk in town on asphalt or concrete, only at food 🥑 🥝 store.. otherwise I am always in dirt or sand or dirt & rocks.. city stuff is to hard on back & joints, I stay in dirt..

I want to thank you for your lovely videos which bring both new knowledge and colorful , positive cheerfulness to my day. You are so much appreciated! ! :) - Susan

I had breast cancer last year, this year I had two stents implanted. I started walking one week after being released from hospital, I walk a mile a day for now, on the second day I walk the same walk but in the opposite direction. This week I have increased my pace. I have now been diagnosed with osteoporosis. I think it’s a great tip to carry a pound during the walk but not sure I’m quite able to at this point but that will be my new aim. Thank you.

Such beautiful encouragement. Thank you.

If you want to strengthen your whole torso and shoulders and arms and hands while walking, take a heavy cotton tote on the walk with an appropriate weight in it, challenging but not too much for a mile walk--possibly 10-25 lbs, depending on your stature. This is an exercise called a "Farmer's carry" .Carry it on alternating sides for 100 paces or so each side. Focus on keeping your torso straight at the hips by challenging your body alignment to the RIGHT when carrying on the right, LEFT when caring on the left, because the natural tendency is rest the core by trying to "counterweight" by leaning to the opposite side. . Keeping straight upright chalkenges your core muscles. This exercise will strengthen your grip, forearms, your shoulders, your stabilizing torso muscles, and it will challenge at the level of exertion and cardio output as well. Concentrate on form when doing this. Try it!

I learned from you that I should take 2 walks a day! Thank god I’m not working anymore.

Japanese uses super slow jogging to increase exercise intensity for the elderly. It is a step up from walking. Cheers.

Nice channel...an older trail runner/jogger who is finding that my walk speed is not much slower than my jog speed (climbing and hills) but the key is to keep moving....lol

Thank you so much for this good advice. You are encouraging. God bless you richly. Greetings from Toronto Canada

Yep, agree with walking tall. Have observed myself walking past shop windows, my butt sticks out and front leaning forward.this is how I look '-,

Thank you!

i ❤️ you sweetie! i really appreciate your advice for folks my age. i'll be 60 on 28 feb, and have been struggling with some of this.

Thank you Margaret! Would it be possible for you to post the text of the tips here too? I took notes but would like to see what I might have missed.

Terrific suggestions. I will try to slowly add them. I walk 30 min a day

Use trekking poles, with rubber tips for pavement. I have repurposed used bicycle inner tubes filled with road sand, @3lbea, mule tape loops to hold weights. @8.4mph cardio running equivalent from when my knees could still run.

Dr. Leonard Schwartz Heavy Hands. Steve Reeves Power Walking.

I found some old 1980's bamboo cross country ski poles in my basement and I've been walking my trails with them. I even wear light weights on my ankles and wrists for higher exertion. The poles make walking rough terrain safer and they force the arms to get involved. I found a waltz timing works for me, so waltz songs are in my mind when I use poles.

Are weighted vest really helpful? Are there studies showing it helps build bone? If so Which vest is best? Thank you. I’ve learned so much from your videos. Thank you

Love your upbeat presentation style

Great tips. Thanks, Margaret!

Tips to make your walking more effective for your bones, heart and the rest of your body.

Great video and tips. I recently started walking, not a fan but is the only exercise i can do at this time. I challenge myself to the next tree!! LOL...every day a little farther.... next a little faster!

Thank you so much🌿

Thanks, Margaret..good advice

Love your videos! Thanks.

Thank you

Thank you,

Appreciate the tips and encouragement! Thanks!

I find that the Nordic Walking also helps my posture.

Can I use a 1lb. Weighted vest with scoliosis of the spine and pelvis? While walking up hill, I really hurt my groin muscle. It's still painful after 4 months. How can I heal my groin? 😔 I am so grateful for your kindness to help me Margaret.

Walking is my favourite yhooo thank you for this video .....

Heavyhands (developed by Dr. Leonard Schwartz) is one way to make walking into a great cardio/muscle building exercise. BTW, if people are doing Nordic walking, they really need to work it. I have seen people doing it and most of them do not know how.

I am well over 70 and walk 2 to 3 miles in nature at a brisk pace daily in all weather at between 3 and 3.5 mph. I miss maybe 3 days a year due to dangerous weather. It's my adrenalin. I sweat extremely profusely so adding weight would be unbearable and uncomfortable for me. I do upper body weights morning and evening for 25 min sets. I tried the poles and I kept tripping, gave those up. I do walk hills due to our terrain. I really need to work on my posture as in winter I keep my eyes on the ground in front of me due to snow and ice. I vary my speed slightly.

Hi Margaret, I really valued your video. Do you have an alternative suggestion to Nordic walking that I could do to build on my core while brisk walking? Thanks Adelina

Hi Margaret I’m in my 70s and had surgery (Corda. Equina), 3 years ago. Had a fall recently and hurt my coccyx. I walk daily but I find my feet are benumbed and I am stooping forward. When I start walking I feel my legs are very weak but after I’m fine. Also I cannot stand for long. Legs feel like jelly. I live in India.

Great tips! I will implement it to my walk routine.

Margaret ❤

Wow! Amazing video!

I ordered a hyperwear vest that came with 10 pounds loaded in it. If I take some out, should I make sure it's even, front and back? I wish I could have added them myself. When I weighed vest, it was over 10lbs. I love incorporated hills, thanks for telling us why it's better for us.

ayyyy luv Margarine, annnnnd Margreeeeeeettta

What is the playlist you're recommending, Margaret? When I clicked on the link you pointed to it opened a video called "warm up video for beginner walking seniors". I thought you were recommending methods and tips to improve our workouts for experienced walkers?

I'm not avoiding hills, I'm avoiding mud and cattle pug holes and grass tussocks and rocks. There's nowhere on the farm to actually stride out without watching the ground fixedly. Otherwise I'll fall or wreck an ankle

Is climbing stairs same as walking uphill?

Learning a lot from your videos. Thank you so much. Question: I am thinking of getting a weighted vest. Do you recommend any particular brand?

Hi Margaret Do you really need a weight vest? Thanks for the tips Sheila

Thanks so much for your informative videos! When I walk quickly downhill, I get shin splints. Any suggestions for how to prevent this? Thank you!

I read that the bones only respond to increases in weight. I heard that it ist beneficial to shed the weights for a period of time and then resume at a lower weight and start again? Is that accurate? In my case, I'm wearing a weighted Hyperpro vest and ankle weights all day. Should I add extra weight for shorter periods during the day?

I am 65 years..last somany years,6 ,7.. I am walking 5 to 6 k.m daily

There are no hills in Houston, any suggestions ❓

This is helpful. But isn't walking by itself better than doing nothing

Can you suggest a good weighted vest , please?

Am I missing something? Is there a playlist? Is it music or more videos?

Hi Margaret do you recommend using a rebounder for someone who is 57 and in fairly good shape?

I have flat feet and over pronate. Walking is painful for me. I do have stabilization shoes that help somewhat. Surgery is out of the question because it has very long recovery times where I wouldn't be able to do anything. Two years for two feet. Rheumatologist recommended walking for osteoporosis and I would love to be able to do so for other medical and health benefits. Any ideas that would help would be much appreciated.

I am 70 walking 6000- 10000 steps per day. Would ankle weights improve my fitness?

I take a 1 liter bottle of water with me and drink it on my 60-minute walk. This way I have an extra 2.2 pounds of weight and stay well hydrated.

Hyper vest Elite that your partner was wearing in 2018....is it still working for him? I am researching the best vest for a trail hiker/jogger. Thnx

Does walking on sandy beaches help bone? Or just muscle?

This waking tips boys Or girls

Margaret , do not forget we boys are watching also .

I am diabetic n 60 years old I do walk everyday for one hour any tip that you can give me because I get tired after n sugar level goes down after when I finish my walk...

plantar fasciatis is a real detriment to this.

"Nordic walking" = good. "Heavyhands" = better

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

bad title to video!