We all get into routines, and you may find yourself hitting your step goal in the same way every day by going about your business, on your commute or around the grocery store.
While all movement is good movement and this type of walking—called ambient walking—carries plenty of benefits, there’s a simple way to get more out of walking.
It’s recommended by NASM-certified personal trainer Baltazar Villanueva, who owns Relentless Spirit in Denver, Colorado.
Villanueva says that walking uphill on trails is a great way to increase the challenge without carrying extra weight or speeding up to a jog, and it can help develop your balance, too.
Walking uphill on trails is a great way to increase the challenge
It doesn’t have to be a particularly steep hill, but it gently increases the intensity of your walk without ramping up other factors like distance. It can also help you to burn more calories if you have a limited amount of time each day to walk each day.
“If you’re walking over uneven terrain and you’re going uphill, you’re certainly going to get stronger. It doesn’t have to be a steep hill, but it will mimic movements that you would be doing in the gym to build muscle.”
How walking off-road improves balance
Walking on different terrain also supports balance, stability and even focus. “As we get older, we need to work on different parts of our bodies to stay healthy and balanced as we walk,” says Villanueva. “When you walk on an uneven surface, you engage the deep muscles of the core, like your transverse abdominis.”
The transverse abdominis wraps around your torso like a corset, protecting your organs and keeping you upright and balanced. It’s a key postural muscle and is one that comes into play when you rotate your body in a twisting motion.
“If you happen to slip on some ice in the wintertime and catch yourself, that’s your internal weight belt [the transverse abdominis] activating to tighten your core and keep you stable,” Villanueva explains.
Much like spending time on a wobble board, walking on uneven ground helps your body to practice the mechanics of balance, and helps to improve your reactions and stability.
“This is something you can work on when you’re trail walking because you have to pay attention to where you’re walking and to make sure that if you step on something, that your feet are firm enough to be able to brace yourself to take another step,” says Villanueva.
