Walking is the easiest form of cardiovascular exercise for the able-bodied.
It elevates your heart rate, is gentle on the joints, and provides many physical and mental health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and blood sugar, and reducing stress.
The list of walking trends includes Japanese walking, Afghan walking, tai chi walking, hot girl walks, etc.
The latest: 6-6-6 walking.
No, it’s not the number of the beast and there’s little information on how it came about, but social media is abuzz with this walking workout because it is easy to remember and requires no equipment.
Basically, the walking style calls for a structured daily routine beginning at 6am or 6pm.
It consists of a six-minute warm-up, a 60-minute brisk walk and a six-minute cool-down, designed to improve fitness, mental health and overall well-being.
For early risers, morning walks can boost energy and build a habit, while for night owls like me, evening walks can help improve digestion and reduce stress after a hectic day.
Remembering a single number may be easy, but you don’t have to strictly adhere to the suggested start times – feel free to choose a time that fits your schedule.
But, in total, you should be spending 72 minutes exercising.
More importantly, you stay in Zone 2 cardio, which requires you to work at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate.
This is a comfortable, sustainable pace where fat is the dominant fuel source.
Due to the mild effort required, Zone 2 activities can be sustained for at least 30 minutes or longer, slowly building your aerobic capacity.
Pros and cons
Proponents claim the 6-6-6 format aligns with optimum exercise protocol: the six-minute warm-up provides just the right cardio boost to get the muscles warmed; the 60-minute block is sufficient for the body’s daily aerobic needs; and the six-minute cool-down allows for the body to return back to a relaxed state.
Depending on your stride and walking speed, 60 minutes of walking briskly roughly amounts to 5,500 to 7,000 steps.
Recent major studies published in journals like The Lancet Public Health show that the classic 10,000-step goal is more of a marketing myth than a strict medical requirement.
For most people, significant health gains happen well before that number.
ALSO READ: Good news, you only need to walk 7,000 steps daily, not 10,000
A question readers often ask is: Can walking help you lose weight?
For a beginner, perhaps yes, but if you’re a regular exerciser, I doubt you’ll see much difference, although you may see a drop in body fat levels.
Research from the US National Institutes of Health shows that six months or more of daily brisk walking can help people lose approximately 10% of their starting body weight when combined with modest dietary adjustments.
For general fitness and cardiovascular (heart) health, doing this three to five days per week is sufficient as you’ll hit the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week.
Because walking is low-impact, daily sessions are safe for most age groups – no rest days required.
For busy individuals, 72 minutes may be a lot of time to spare when some are chomping down meals while typing on the keyboard or driving.
But you can split the routine into half and still clock in 150 minutes of exercise.
Also, with no end in sight to the current hazy skies, walking outdoors is not advised so you might have to head to the mall to do this.
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and stay hydrated.
Listen to your body and take a day off if you experience unusual fatigue or joint discomfort.
Whatever walking method you choose, results can only be seen if you stick to it like adhesive glue.
Revathi Murugappan is a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
