If you’re getting back into walking workouts following some time off due to injury, or perhaps just a busy schedule, doing the right leg exercises can help you avoid injuries. Walking is a great workout, and over time, it can help build muscle and improve cardiovascular fitness; however, adding strength training to your routine alongside your walks can make them safer and more effective.
Similar to running, walking involves repetitive movement, which can put strain on your joints. Doing some simple strength training exercises can build up the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around your hips, knees, and ankles, making them more stable and reducing injuries like shin splints and knee pain.
It’s also very common to have a weaker side of the body. Strength training exercises can help address these weaknesses and improve your ability to walk with good form. Walking with good form will improve your walking performance, making it easier to tackle hills, uneven terrain, and longer trails.
If you’re looking for an easy exercise you can do from a chair or your desk, look no further — physical therapist Alyssa Kuhn has shared a simple move you can do sitting down. Kuhn is also an osteoarthritis specialist, so she is a great source of knowledge when it comes to improving your strength and mobility as you age. As we get older, we naturally lose muscle mass. Strength training is one of the most effective ways to combat this.
What is the exercise?
This seated hip abduction exercise mimics a move you might do using one of those strange-looking abduction machines in the gym. It strengthens the muscles along the outside of the hips and the glutes. According to Kuhn, “outside hip strength can directly impact how supported your knees and hips are when walking.”
To do the exercise, shift your body weight to the edge of a chair, so you can sit with your feet pressed flat into the floor. Make sure the chair you’re sitting on doesn’t have wheels and doesn’t move side to side like a typical office chair. Keeping your feet flat on the floor, push your knees out to the side, pausing for a few seconds, before bringing them back to your starting position. That’s one rep, aim for 10-20 reps.
Once you can do these easily, add one of the best resistance bands for extra resistance. Loop the band above your knees, on your thighs, to increase the intensity.
What are the benefits?
This exercise targets the muscles around the hips, which help support your hips and knees as you walk. This can help make you more stable as you walk, making you less prone to falls and injuries.
When getting back into walking after an extended break, you’re likely to find yourself feeling a little stiff after walks. Adding simple strength training exercises like this one to your routine can help your muscles adapt and become more resilient.
Walking is a fantastic form of exercise for all ages, but especially for seniors, as it can help build bone density. Strength training can take this a step further by putting controlled stress on the bones and stimulating new bone growth. Walking and strength training together can significantly reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
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