What makes walking such a fabulous force for fitness? As the American Heart Association points out, it’s easy, safe, and requires no special equipment. Plus, every step brings real benefits. In fact, research shows that walking at an energetic pace for just 150 minutes each week can help you think, feel, and sleep better. It can also reduce your risk of serious disease, boost your bone health, and help you maintain a healthy weight. Still not convinced? Walking can also boost your mood and increase your energy, stamina, and memory. Of course, if walking sounds like the ideal workout, you don’t have to go it alone. Why not join a walking club?
Why You Should Join a Walking Club
Walking clubs are groups that meet periodically to walk together. They generally cover a planned route at a predetermined pace within a set time period. Some groups meet once a week; others meet multiple times a week. Some stick with the same route while others choose to switch things up. Although the exact approach may vary, the basic idea is that the group travels together. This offers several advantages over exercising alone.
Accountability to Help You Stick With It
When you exercise alone, it’s easy to make excuses. The weather is bad, an appointment runs long, or you’re feeling a little off, so you’ll put your walk off until tomorrow. Before you know it, you’ve gotten out of the habit of exercising. If you have a group of people who are expecting you, it’s harder to skip your walk. This positive peer pressure will help you stick with your exercise regimen.
Socializing Makes It More Fun
Walking with a group makes exercising more entertaining. Whether you love to chat or prefer to simply listen to the conversations that flow around you, sharing your walk with friends is fun. Some forms of exercise don’t lend themselves to socializing, but walking does. Sharing a walk with others often gives you a chance to see things that you might have missed without them along. Don’t be surprised if they point out sights that you would have overlooked if you’d been traveling alone.
More Walkers Means More Safety
Walking clubs offer a way to exercise more safely. After all, there’s safety in numbers. You have extra eyes to watch for threats. You also have help on hand in the event of an unexpected illness or injury.
Walking Together Increases Motivation
Walking clubs are a great source of motivation. For starters, they help galvanize you to show up for your promised workout. They also help you keep moving. Where you might have been tempted to slow down or stop, the desire to keep up with the group and finish out the planned route will often be enough to keep you moving along. While it’s always important not to overdo it and cause injury, a little push that motivates you to maintain your regimen and meet your fitness goals is generally a positive thing.
Celebrating Together Is More Fun
People who exercise often set goals. You may want to lose a certain amount of weight, walk a specific number of steps, or maintain your exercise routine for six months with no missed workouts. Whatever your goal, it’s easier to reach when you have a support system. It’s also much more enjoyable to celebrate reaching it when you have friends eager to join in the fun. Joining a walking club means that you’ll have a circle of people who are also interested in health and fitness, so they’ll be ready to cheer you on when you make advances on the road to a healthier you.
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When it comes to healthy activities, walking is a fantastic choice. You can do it alone, but turning it into a group activity just makes it better. That’s why walking clubs are steadily growing in popularity. AARP offers advice on how to start your own walking group, but residents of Springhouse Village will find that the work is already done. Our community has a walking club that meets every Saturday. Come join us, residents!
At Springhouse Village, we know how important it is to enjoy your retirement in a lively and welcoming environment. We make it easy for our residents to be active participants in our community. Whether that means encouraging residents to join an exercise class or assisting them in starting a garden club, we strive to help our residents thrive. To learn more about the amenities and services we offer, contact Springhouse Village today.