Do This Before Walking To Suffer Less (It Takes 30 Seconds)

This one’s for if you:

• find walking feels more tiring than it used to
• have difficulty keeping up with younger people
• experience back, hip, or knee pain while walking
• soon shuffle or feel weak when walking

Addressing the seat of the problem

One of the main causes of this is an age-related loss of mind-muscle connection, especially in the glutes.

That may sound a little mystical, but what it means is: when your brain tells your nerves to tell your muscles to do a certain thing, sometimes that signal gets lost along the way.

That’s a problem in this case because the gluteal muscles are needed for pelvic and leg alignment, so when they’re inactive, walking becomes slower and harder.

The solution: a 30-second “glute activation” exercise before walking can “wake up” the muscles and make walking easier and less tiring.

Three ways to do it:

• basic version (no equipment): stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly, stick your butt out, and walk sideways 4–5 steps in each direction in a mini squat position; do this for 30 seconds.
• band-resisted version (long band): attach a resistance band to a sturdy object; hold both ends, enter a mini squat, and take 2 slow sideways steps out and back, maintaining tension; repeat on both sides.
• loop band version: wrap a resistance loop just above your knees, get into a mini squat, and do the above-described slow crab walk to resist the band’s pull.

For more on each of these plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

How To Make Downhill Walking Easier On The Knees

Take care!