• Backward walking: “It works different muscle groups than forward walking. You’re going to work different parts of your shin. It’s going to help a lot with ankle mobility,” Dr. Rinker says.
  
  Try walking backward for a couple minutes on your walk. Keep safety in mind by avoiding trip hazards. Look for an even, non-crowded surface, like a sidewalk or track. Dr. Rinker doesn’t recommend it on a treadmill.
   
• The number six: There are a few workout variations that incorporate the number six. One encourages you to walk for 60 minutes at either 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. Another suggests a six-minute warmup and six-minute cool down, while others say six refers to getting active six days a week.
  
  “The 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. – what I love about that is it schedules the walking,” Dr. Rinker points out. “For some, the barrier to exercise becomes their life schedule. Things get in the way. You meant to exercise, but you look back on your day and realize you never did. Then a week goes by [with no exercise].”
   
• Farmer’s walking: This is where you walk with a heavy object in each hand for a defined distance. Think of a farmer carrying seed bags back to the barn. Dr. Rinker says this can help with balance, muscle growth and grip strength – all things proven to increase longevity.
   
• Rucking: This is walking with a weighted vest or backpack. Dr. Rinker says this came into the mainstream after people saw military members walking with all their gear. Like farmer’s walking, rucking burns fat and builds strength, including in your heart, without increasing speed.
  
  Dr. Rinker says it can be as simple as loading up a backpack with books or other household objects. Just start with a small amount, and work your way up.
  
  “It doesn’t take a lot of weight for you to really feel it within the first 10 to 20 minutes. You don’t want to be stuck far out with a heavy backpack,” Dr. Rinker warns.
   
• Japanese walking: This involves alternating between slow and fast walking. Dr. Rinker says to think of it as high intensity training but in a walking format. If you set out for a 30-minute walk, try switching from a brisk pace to a slow pace every three minutes. Dr. Rinker says this can be especially beneficial for people who are not well-conditioned. He says it can strengthen your heart.
  
  “For people who have a fear of exercise, this is a nice way to ease in,” Dr. Rinker says.

The bottom line

Dr. Rinker says any of these exercise variations is OK to try. Just know your limits, and find a routine that works with your body and schedule.

“It can be boring to do the same thing every day,” Dr. Rinker says. “Finding different variations often leads you to feel challenged, wanting to do more and wanting to try new things.”

Why it matters

Are you doubting that walking is for you?

“Walking is a wonderful way to improve cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, endurance and balance,” Dr. Rinker says. “In general, humans are meant to move. The more we’re moving our bodies, the healthier we’re going to be long term.

“Bed rest is good for no one. We need to be moving,” he adds with a smile. Walking is free and requires no equipment, Dr. Rinker adds.

The American Heart Association recommends adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. But Dr. Rinker says if your body can tolerate it, try for more.

Limitations

The ability to walk beyond daily tasks might be limited for some. A young person might have a chronic injury, or an older adult might simply have wear and tear on their body. 

Dr. Rinker stresses that if an exercise makes you hurt badly, stop it and seek guidance from a health care provider. But, there are ways you can still make walking a part of your routine.

“Change the timeframe or pace. Go for shorter distances,” Dr. Rinker suggests. “There are some people who, let’s say, have COPD and have trouble breathing. They feel short of breath, so they stop walking. We actually want them to walk and spend some time with some shortness of breath. They actually improve their exercise tolerance. Their breathing improves over time.”

Another approach: if you’re used to taking a 30 minute walk, break it up into five minute walks throughout the day.

Learn more

Read more about keeping your body in top shape on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

Related stories

Lifespan vs. health span
Get cozy: How to exercise at home
Cold, cold, go away: How to stay active in chilly weather
Walk this way
A shin-termission: Navigating lower leg pain
‘It shouldn’t be a barrier to play'
Keeping backs healthy in school

As spring approaches, more people will head outdoors to take a walk or run. One way to add to the intensity of your workout is by wearing a weighted vest.

Adding weight to a walk or run is nothing new. People have been using hand weights or wrists and ankle weights for years. But experts say wearing a vest across your upper body evenly distributes the added weight.

“I highly recommend it to most of my patients, because if you think about it, it adds to whatever kind of exercise you're doing,” says Faheem Ahmad, MD, a sports medicine physician with OSF HealthCare. “If you're doing cardio, it adds resistance or strength training. It adds more of a challenge to it.”

Many benefits 

Dr. Ahmad says the benefits include burning more calories, higher heart rate, improved posture, increased strength and gaining a stronger core.

Kicking up the intensity of your workout will make your heart work harder. And walking with a weighted vest works your leg muscles.

“There are many benefits,” he says. “Number one is your muscles. It makes your muscles stronger. It doesn't matter if you're doing cardio or resistance training, you're benefitting from it.”

Anyone can use a weighted vest unless you have experienced certain health conditions including dizziness, high blood pressure, osteoporosis or have recently suffered a heart attack. Added weight doesn’t help if you have arthritis in your hips or knees either.

The key to using a vest is to use caution and start slowly. Add distance and intensity as you get used to wearing the weighted vest.

Start gradually 

Dr. Ahmad recommends coming up with a game plan. Begin by using a vest that is 5% of your body weight. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, begin with a vest that weighs 7.5 pounds. And test your vest by taking a short walk around your neighborhood.

“Start by walking two to three times a week and then do 10 to 15 minutes of exercise per day,” he says. “If you want to push your resistance a little more, then slowly increase by 5% of your body weight every four to six weeks.”

And weighted vests aren’t just for walking or running.

“You can incorporate this into your weight training, your resistance training too, because it gives more resistance, and it gives a challenge to your core, in particular the back muscles,” he says.  Just make sure your form, balance and posture are good to avoid potential injury.

Lisa Crocker of Belvidere, Illinois, began using a 10-pound weighted vest last summer, when she read about the trend on TikTok. She started slowly, walking a mile at a time before working up to six miles. She has noticed a significant difference in her workouts.

“The main reasons I wanted one was to help improve my core and posture,” she says. “It’s really helped, and I burn more calories. Now I notice a big difference when I don’t wear it.” Crocker adds that three of her friends have now purchased weighted vests.

Do your homework 

Like Crocker, Dr. Ahmad says many of his patients are curious about the idea of wearing a weighted vest.  Most of the questions center on benefits and safety issues.

Dr. Ahmad says there is no shortage of weighted vests to choose from. Cost ranges from $30 to $300 and up.

But if wearing a vest isn’t your thing, don’t worry. Dr. Ahmad says what’s most important is getting in your daily steps or miles.  

“It doesn't matter what kind of exercise you do,” he says. “But if you incorporate those into your daily life, 150 minutes per week is beneficial for you.”

Always talk with your provider before starting any kind of workout program. 

Interview Clips