The pace or speed at which a person walks is contingent upon a variety of factors. These factors include gender, age, physical condition, as well as stride length, and the type of surface the fitness walking is being done on. When it comes to average walking speed there are some guidelines that are worth being aware of. Here we take a look at averages.

Women average about three miles per hour when they walk. This works out to be 20 minutes for every mile when they are walking on a flat surface such as pavement. For the average woman who walks with a friend she should be able to have a conversation without running out of breath, although her breathing will be slightly heaver than normal.

A man is able to walk at a slightly quicker pace- an average of 3.5 miles an hour. This is attributed to the fact that men have longer legs then women and therefore their stride is longer. Another reason is because men have more muscle which plays a role in the speediness with which they walk.

Regardless of whether you are male or female, if you walk at least three times a week for a period of 30 minutes or more, as time passes your personal average speed will increase. This increase is due to greater cardiovascular endurance which will in turn make your legs stronger. All of these things taken together will make you walk at a faster pace.

If it is your wish to increase the speed at which you walk, you should attempt to do so at a gradual pace. Do not be in a hurry to walk as fast as possible or you will tire your body very quickly. Here is something you can try- walk at your normal pace this week and add one minute to the pace at which you walk. For the weeks following that do your best to decrease your time until you reach the point at which you are fitness walking at a brisk pace (which is approximately 3.5 to 4.5 miles per hour). It is important however that you remain within the heart rate zone that is right for you.

If you were to begin taking 10,000 steps a day every day starting now, you would greatly increase your level of health. You would also be able to control your weight and your metabolism would increase. It is estimated that the average person only takes approximately 3,000 steps on a daily basis (Source: Walking off the Weight). In order to add 7,000 more steps to your daily routine you need to don your comfortable clothing (appropriate for the season), lace up your walking shoes and off you go!

If you want to start fitness walking but have lived a more or less sedentary life up to now then start slowly. Don’t push your body too hard. Even though walking is not a strenuous form of exercise, you need to give yourself time to get used to the new routine. Wear a pedometer in order to count how many steps you take on any given day. Work your way up to more and more steps as opposed to trying to walk 10,000 from the very beginning.

Suggestions to Help You Walk More Steps a Day

In order to walk more steps every day, here are some helpful suggestions:

-Make your health a top priority. Choose a time that is convenient for you to go for a walk and stick to it.
-Find someone you can walk with. This will make your walks more enjoyable because you will have company. Having a walking buddy also serves to keep you both motivated.
-If you must walk solo, bring along your IPod or MP3 player with all of your favorite tunes. Music is a mood boaster that will make your walks more pleasant. You will also probably find yourself walking faster in time to the faster songs! (Please note- safety should always be important when you walk alone. Never play your music so loud in your ears that you cannot hear traffic around you or become oblivious to your surroundings.)
-If you can, walk to work or school. If that is not possible then park further away from work then normal and walk the rest of the way. If you take the bus or subway to work, get off a stop or so before your usual stop and walk the remainder of the way.
-Wear your walking shoes to walk to work and then change into your work shoes. Or better yet, buy shoes that can double as both walking shoes and work shoes.
-Combine your errands with your walks on days when you have the time.
-Always choose the stairs over the elevator.
-Go fitness walking in parks. Parks provide plenty of interesting terrain and give you the opportunity to enjoy nature. Seek out trails for hiking near your home and hike as often as you can.

Fitness Walking has so many benefits to health and these should become more apparent to you the more often you walk. One of the greatest motivators to help keep you walking is to notice positive changes in yourself. Are your pants less snug around the waist since you started walking? Do you have more energy? Are you in a better frame of mind? Have your sleeping habits improved? If you are noticing the up side to walking then this is good news as the walking is paying off.

Everyone experiences moments when their enthusiasm for walking wanes a bit. Read on for some helpful tips to keep your motivation up where you need it to be:

-Always wear clothing that is comfortable and allows you to move freely. It is also important to wear clothing that is geared towards the season. In the summer time wear cotton clothing to keep you cool, and in the winter, dress in layers for warmth.
-Wear comfortable shoes and socks that are suitable for walking. Together they will cushion and protect your feet.
-Find someone to walk with or join a walking group. If there is no such thing in your area then start your own.
-When walking alone, bring your music player along for company. Music and motivation walk hand in hand!
-Don’t walk the same route all of the time as this can become boring. Mix it up a bit and try new routes. Exposure to new sights and sounds is an excellent motivator.
-Start a walking journal. Include in your journal how much you walk each day. You can also make note of your walking goals and the improvements you are seeing in yourself thanks to the walks you are taking.
-Buy a pedometer to chart your progress. Pedometers are small electronic exercise tools that track the steps you take. They are not expensive to buy and are very helpful in the motivation department!
-Sign up for a charity event that involves walking. Walking for a charity can help put purpose back into your walking routine while helping others in need at the same time.
-Always warm up before your walk. There is nothing like sore painful muscles or the potential for injury to put a dent in your motivation to walk! Cooling down with simple stretches after your walk is also a good idea but warm ups are essential.

Finding a proper walking shoe that cushions the foot as it is supposed to be cushioned is the first part of finding a proper pair of walking shoes. Bear in mind that all feet are not made alike and neither is all walking shoes. For example, people who have high arches need more cushioning than those who do not. As well, those with low arches or flat feet have special considerations.

Once you find a pair of shoes that you like, you then have to ensure that they fit properly. According to Tom Brunick, the director of The Athlete’s Foot Stores R & D in Naperville, Illinois the notion many people have that you must break in a shoe is incorrect. He says, “Shoes shouldn’t need to be broken in to feel comfortable. If a shoe is uncomfortable in the store, that discomfort will be compounded on the road.” (Source: http://www.cvshealthresources.com/topic/topic13905)

Tips for Getting the Best Fit Possible

Make sure that you buy the right shoe for your feet by following these good fit tips:

1.    When trying on a pair of walking shoes you should never buy ones that are too small. Make sure that there is a half an inch of space between the tip of your longest toe and the end of the shoe. See if you can comfortably wiggle your toes around inside the shoe. A too small shoe will wear the toe of the shoe out quicker and it will also lead to rubbing, blistering, calluses and plenty of unnecessary discomfort.

2.    It is essential that you try on both shoes, not just one. Most people are not perfectly symmetrical and have one foot that is slightly larger than the other.

3.    It is best to go shoe shopping in the late afternoon. This is because feet swell throughout the day and if you buy a pair of shoes in the morning they may end up too tight for you.

4.    The ball of your foot should fit comfortably and easily into the part of the shoe that is the widest. In the same way, if your heel slips around then the shoe is not the right size for you.

If you wish to burn as many calories as possible in order to promote weight loss then walking is an excellent way to make this happen. In order to make sure that you burn as many calories as possible during your fitness walking routines, read on for some helpful suggestions.

Walk as Fast as You Can

It may sound simple because it is! If you want to burn more calories then pick up your pace and walk faster. This helps get your heart pumping and working harder. It is best to quicken your pace and then take a short break by walking at a more relaxed pace and then quicken your pace again. In order to allow your body to get used to the new routine, go back and forth between the swifter pace and the slower more relaxed pace.

Up the Hill You Go!

It is more challenging to walk uphill than down but it has the added benefit of burning more calories. You don’t have to start with a gigantic hill but instead start with some hilly terrain. Even a small incline can help you in your goal to burn more calories. It is probably smarter to walk uphill at the start of your workout when you have more energy.

Weigh Yourself Down

Carrying weights is a very simple method of burning more calories because you are presenting your body with even more of a challenge than walking alone. The other advantage of weights is that it helps to tone the upper portion of your body as you walk. You can choose to buy hand weights or weights that you attach to your wrists or else you can just create your own weights. One basic option is to fill two small bottles with water and then carry them with you. You can stop and take breaks during your walk and drink the water as you get thirsty. This means that you will keep yourself well hydrated which is so important and your weights will get lighter the longer you are out fitness walking!

Regardless of whether you walk a little or a lot, you need a good pair of quality walking shoes that will help to prevent injuries from occurring. According to Mark Fenton, a former member of the US race walking team and author of the book “Pedometer Walking” (2006), there are three important elements you must look for when it comes to shopping for walking shoes. They are:

1.    A shoe that has a flexible forefoot that bends not at the arch of the foot, but at the ball of the foot.
2.    A heel that is round or bevelled which makes for ease of motion and a more natural roll from one end of the foot to the other.
3.    An upper that is as “forgiving” as possible. The upper is the portion of a walking shoe that covers the foot.

Walking shoes are not the exact same as running shoes. The most obvious difference is found in the midsoles which contains the cushioning layer of the shoe. Walkers do not pound their feet as hard on the ground as runners do and therefore do not require the same level of cushioning in their shoes.

Proper walking shoes are designed with a thinner midsole in order to make the roll of the foot from one end to the other as natural as possible (from heel to toes). A shoe with a thick heel wedge can cause pain and discomfort and can lead to shin soreness and sometimes shin splints due to the fact that the forefoot slaps down onto the ground in a harsh manner. A walking shoe has a more flexible outsole (which is the bottom of the shoe), whereas running shoes have stiffer outsoles.

In order to find the most appropriate pair of walking shoes for you, you should visit a sporting goods store (or a couple if necessary) and try on a variety of different pairs. Wear a pair of socks that you would ordinarily wear with the shoes and walk on the hard floor of the store as well as on the carpeting. What you need to aim for is a pair of walking shoes that feel stable when you walk around on the carpet while at the same time, help to soften the impact of walking on the hard floor.

If you are not a person who does much fitness walking then you might want to start. Walking is a low impact, low cost form of exercise that is easy on the joints and strengthens the bones as well as the back muscles. If you wish to burn calories, shape and tone your derriere and legs then walking can do this for you.

Walking is an enjoyable form of physical activity especially when it is done with somebody else. Walking with a friend or family member provides you both with company as you derive the health benefits from the activity. If you have no one to walk with then take along your Ipod or MP3 player as listening to music will put a spring in your step and will make your walking time that much more pleasurable!

Walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes or more, at least four to five days of the week can yield a tremendous amount of health benefits. You will decrease your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, a variety of types of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and osteoporosis.

Fitness Walking is not a vigorous form of exercise and therefore is suitable to almost anyone. People who walk on a regular basis experience less stress and tension in their lives (and are better able to cope when stress does arrive), and their overall mental health is better than those who do not walk. Walkers report lower rates of anxiety and depression and note that walking has a mood elevating quality that gives them a better outlook on their life in general.

Walking increase energy and stamina and helps supports a more restful night’s sleep. It also slims the waist and improves the muscle tone in the calves, thighs and shins. If your body is in good shape but could use a little fine tuning in terms of tone then put your sneakers on and get moving! Walking is beneficial to everyone and it is not a form of physical fitness that you need to learn. Walking comes naturally so just do it and start reaping the benefits.

If you have made the decision to start a fitness walking program then good for you. The only thing you need to get started is motivation, a good pair of walking shoes and comfortable clothing that allows your skin to breath and your body to move freely.

When you start your walking program, take it slow and go easy on yourself. Start with a short jaunt around the block that takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Do this every day for a whole week. The following week add five minutes to your daily walks and keep adding an extra five minutes until you are walking for approximately 30 minutes a day.

Make sure you keep yourself well hydrated. This means drink water before your walk, as well as during and afterwards. Always warm up before your walk with a series of stretches that prepares your muscles for what is to come. Then end your walking routine with a cool down. Stretching is extremely important as it helps to prevent injuries from taking place.

As you walk, pay attention to your posture and make sure that you are walking as tall as possible. Always hold your head up high and keep your eyes looking forward. Both your abdomen and your buttocks should be tightened to optimize your chances of getting the best results from your walking routine as possible. Keep your shoulders down and your back straight but try to be as natural and as comfortable as you can be.

One of the most difficult aspects of starting a walking program is developing a schedule that you will stick to. If your busy lifestyle allows you to walk on a daily basis (or close to a daily basis) then this is a good goal to aim for. You should be able to walk briskly but not to the point where you need to gasp to get your breath. If you choose to walk with another person you should not be walking so fast that you are unable to carry on a conversation. In other words, you should walk at what is called a “talking” pace.