If you walk 2+ miles regularly ?

[Sara1000]

Either outside or on a treadmill - do you do it every day or take rest days - and do you do lower body exercises in addition?

What are your issues or concerns?

[sbh]

We got a new puppy about a year and a half ago. We started walking her every day as she is quite active. So we walk almost 3 miles everyday to drain her energy and avoid her developing bad behavior. I do the walk in addition to my 30 to 60 minutes of exercise (5 days a week). I look at the walk as a warmup to my fitness routine. It really helps to lubricate my joints before I workout.

[Sara1000]

That's awesome! I have been set back by a hip problem for a couple of years and am just building up to 2 miles. It still seems like a lot, but I usually do a short upper body workout later in the day.

I am limited in the type of lower body stuff I can do without aggravating my hip. Right now I am only doing squats and calf work, and that on the days I don't walk.

[wlorrie]

I walk about 4 miles a day from the commuter rail to work and back 5 days/week. I still do lower body weight work 3x/week since I don't want to loose muscle.
I do take one rest day during the week.
Lorrie

[Vantreesta]

I walk more than 3 miles every day with my dogs and never really consider it my workout. I count it as good for me and count the active minutes on my pedometer toward my workout minutes goal for the year but my walks don't keep me from doing any workout I want that day. Sometimes I do all their walks and then run after that.

[Mickey12]

When I first got my fitbit I was trying to reach 10,000 steps per day as many days of the week as I could. I walked quite regularly for about 8 months and then started developing knee pain. I backed off and did different types of aerobic work and more weight work and yoga.

It kind of made me mad because, after all, I was just walking. Just walking. How could that make my knees hurt? I'm 53 if that has anything to do with it.

Since I stopped trying to be so diligent in getting 10,000 steps a day my knees have not hurt nearly as much.

Kim

[Pratima]

Originally Posted by Mickey12

When I first got my fitbit I was trying to reach 10,000 steps per day as many days of the week as I could. I walked quite regularly for about 8 months and then started developing knee pain. I backed off and did different types of aerobic work and more weight work and yoga.

It kind of made me mad because, after all, I was just walking. Just walking. How could that make my knees hurt? I'm 53 if that has anything to do with it.

Since I stopped trying to be so diligent in getting 10,000 steps a day my knees have not hurt nearly as much.

Kim

My theory is that injuries are often caused by mechanical issues that may be anatomical. For example, I've always had issues with my right hip. I finally saw an ortho, who did an xray and said my hip cup is very shallow, almost dysplasia, and that causes the right hip to move in a way that results in all these issues (hip pain, hip flexor pain, low back pain).

I've basically learned poor patterns of movement to compensate. I think that's the case even without anatomical issues. Strength work helps, no matter what you're doing (walking, biking, whatever). The tough part is, of course figuring out what exactly you need.

[DCW]

I typically walk for lunch anywhere 2-3 miles 4 days a week. My issue is tight muscles from my feet through my hips. I use a treadmill more so in the fall and winter (too dark after work) but found out the hard way that raising the incline is not good for me for some mechanical reason. I find that Classical Stretch works out the kinks. I don’t really think about rest days for walking since my goal is 10,000 steps. I like walking to get outdoors and relieve my stress levels. On the treadmill, I watch mindless comedies tv shows or HGTV/cooking shows. My regular workouts consists of daily Classical Stretch/Essentrics in the morning with sit-ups and push-ups and 2x week boot camp classes.

Pratima - My aches and kinks in my feet and hips are mechanical. I can do specific Essentrics workouts that addresses them.

[sheepla]

Originally Posted by sbh

We got a new puppy about a year and a half ago. We started walking her every day as she is quite active. So we walk almost 3 miles everyday to drain her energy and avoid her developing bad behavior.

Exercise, discipline, affection in that order for dogs. We are big believers!!! Exercise cures almost every puppy behavior problem.

[Vantreesta]

Originally Posted by sheepla

Exercise, discipline, affection in that order for dogs. We are big believers!!! Exercise cures almost every puppy behavior problem.

It doesn't seem to help my 17 month old's leash reactivity. I'm trying to work on him but not much luck so far, even with a trainer's guidance. I know part of it is lack of time on my part to spend on his training when there are actually other dogs out. I try to be patient with him and with myself! (Sorry, don't mean to hijack the thread!)