| I live in an area that has many hills. My husband | | | | muscles used such as those in your derriere, |
| and I have developed a walking route in our | | | | which hills are great for!. |
| neighborhood that takes maximum advantage of | | | | It is a low impact exercise but burns calories like a |
| these hills. Our route takes us on as many of the | | | | high impact exercise. Walking is pretty easy on |
| big hills as possible. There are quite a few | | | | your joints compared to running and many other |
| advantages to walking hills: | | | | aerobic activities and fitness classes. But because |
| Walking a hilly route acts as a natural interval | | | | of the extra energy required to move your self |
| training routine. You change the intensity at which | | | | vertically as well as horizontally you can get a |
| you work naturally by walking the hills. Many | | | | much more intense workout from climbing hills |
| personal trainers and exercise physiologists | | | | and really get your heart rate up in a way that |
| recommend doing such a work out regimen | | | | you don't usually when walking flat ground. |
| because it keeps the body from getting too used | | | | It is self regulating. Hill walking can be as hard or |
| to any one thing. When you do the same thing | | | | easy as you want it to be. Feeling tired? Slow |
| day in and day out, such a run the same route at | | | | down and take it easy, you'll still get a better |
| the same speed, your body becomes more | | | | workout going slow up a big hill than you would on |
| efficient and the exercise becomes less valuable. | | | | flat ground. Want more challenge? Pick up the |
| This is the same reason cross-training is | | | | pace. You can easily get winded and work at |
| recommended. It keeps your body working and | | | | maximum capacity if that is what you want. |
| uses a larger variety of muscles to help protect | | | | It requires no special equipment. Just some good |
| you from overuse injuries. | | | | walking shoes and some comfortable clothing are |
| Walking hills uses many more and different | | | | all that are required. |
| muscles than walking flat ground. And you use the | | | | Walking hills can be a very intense workout that is |
| muscles differently as well. You can really feel | | | | hard on your 'spare tire' without being hard on |
| your quadriceps muscles working as you climb a | | | | your joints, your time or your pocketbook.You |
| hill and you can also feel them on the way down, | | | | use a lot of different muscles including those of |
| but you are using a different part of the muscle. | | | | your core and arms as you climb hills at a quick |
| The same can be said for many of the other | | | | pace. Try it and see for yourself. |