Walking is an activity with a low chance of injuries. However, a warm-up is still important; you’ll need to warm up slowly particularly if you’ve not walked much previously. Completing a warm-up routine increases the effectiveness of the training. The body makes adrenaline and the oxygen uptake of the blood also increases. So don’t skip the warm-up.
Spend 5-10 minutes doing light activity such as gentle walking so that your muscles warm up and your heart rate increases. This stimulates circulation and improves the suppleness of the muscles. Shake the limbs loose and finish with a few small accelerations so that your muscles are ready for the exercise and stretching. Stretching should never be done at the start of the warm-up. The length of the warm-up routine depends on the weather. You’ll need more time when the weather is cold. Specific stretches can be found in the article ‘stretching exercises’.
