Having chosen the best time to walk, choosing an ideal place or area for your walking is the next important parameter because it serves to keep you at it and not give it up, which is vital for long-term benefits.
The best place for your walking exercises should be such that it suits you by way of convenience and ambiance. You should look forward to going to that route every day.
Continuity without a holdup and enabling you to maintain your speed of walking for better results form an important part in choosing your walking route.
For example, a walk in the park will be tempting. While a walk on a busy street will put you off every time.
There can be several reasons why and how you could choose a walking or running route that will give you the maximum benefits to your health and body.
7 Tips to Choose the Best Place to Walk
Besides adopting the right way to walk, try to find a place that incorporates the properties of an ideal walking route described below.
1. Choose a walking area nearby
The walking route should be in the close vicinity of your house or office. This ensures convenience. This is important though you may not realize it because you have to plan your walking routine in a way that it stays a long-lasting affair. A place, which you reach by traveling long distances is just not going to work out long-term.
Try to find walking clubs or walking groups, which you can adapt to. It will make you more enthusiastic to visit your place every day. This will make walking an enjoyable exercise and will contribute immensely to keeping you at it daily.
2. Always walk on an even ground surface
An uneven surface will put an additional burden on certain leg muscles, which can cause muscle strain. There is also an extra unwanted strain on your foot and ankle, which can get sprained.
An uneven surface is the leading cause of injury to the foot and leg among walkers.
You lose time and concentration when you have to walk through an uneven unpredictable surface.
Secondly, you will not enjoy the exercise. Enjoying the walk is essential as it will keep you at it and will not let you abandon your walking exercise.
Therefore, choose uniform, cushioned surfaces such as grass or loose granular tracks to have your walking exercise.
3. Walking uphill or on a rising slope is not advised
If you have had a heart attack or a stroke, avoid walking uphill. If you are a senior-aged person, you should again not choose an uphill walking route.
Kids, however, can walk uphill regularly because you attain the exercise result more in a shorter period.
Try to avoid walking on a climb, especially after the age of 40 years or before, if you are prone to a heart disease. It causes extra load on the heart and can precipitate a heart attack especially if you are prone to it.
Moreover, it is not worth it, as the advantages of walking up a slope are not so great as to expose yourself to that risk. Remember that every 20 seconds a person in the U.S. has a heart attack and every 34 seconds a person dies of a heart attack in the U.S.
And we are taking up walking just not to be among that group
4. Choose a non-polluted area
Always choose a place that gives you relatively fresh and unpolluted air. A coast-to-coast walk along the seashore would be great for that cool, fresh non-polluted breeze coming in from the sea, or some such place, which is away from vehicular traffic and pollution.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the American Lung Association (ALA), and the American Heart Association (AHA) all agree that exposure to fine particles in polluted air impairs breathing and increases the risk of asthma attack, stroke, heart attack, and other serious illnesses.
This goes for children, adults, people already suffering from these ailments, and healthy people too.
5. Choose a natural scenic route
Choosing a walking route amongst nature may sound insignificant but can go a long way in making your walk enjoyable and long-lasting.
Research indicates that walking amongst nature has a positive effect on physical and mental health. It is a major factor to help you choose where to walk
According to John Muir, the American Environmentalist, born April 21, 1838, “In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks”.
Again, according to the Business Insider, “A brief walk in nature could be all it takes to chase away those negative thoughts”.
All these opinions are expressed as a result of studies conducted to choose an ideal walking place and not just off the cuff.
6. Safety
In your over-enthusiasm to choose a natural surrounding walking route, do not forget to consider safety, whether you are a man or a woman.
Choose a walking place, which has a fair amount of pedestrian walkers. On the other hand, you could even motivate some friends to be part of your daily walking routine.
7. Where to walk at night
Though most of us walk in the morning or in the evening, some of us may have to take up walking exercises at night due to time restraints. Safety becomes a prime concern at such times. Avoid walking in lonely places.
Form a group of similar people who have to take up walking at night. Even then, avoid lonely places and choose parks, which have substantial human traffic.
The bottom line
Choose an ideal place where to walk, one that you like with the right ambiance (preferably of nature), not crowded, with no air pollution, and with an even surface. This will make your walking exercise a long-time affair and keep you healthy.