Stretching Exercises to do Before and After Walking

Stretching exercises should be performed before starting the walk, as these prepare the muscles and joints for physical activity and improve blood circulation. However, they should also be done after the walk because they help remove excess lactic acid from the muscles, reducing pain that may arise after physical exertion.

Stretching exercises for walking should be performed with large muscle groups such as legs, arms and neck, with a duration of at least 20 seconds each.

Exercise 1

Flex the body forward for 20 seconds, as shown in the image, without bending the knees. It is not necessary to touch the ground with your hands, but to reach the maximum point of flexion that the body allows.

Exercise 2

Remain in the position shown by the second image for 20 seconds. This exercise should be done with both legs.

Exercise 3

Remain in the position shown in image 3 for 20 seconds, feeling the calf stretch. Perform with both legs.

Recommendations for Walking

The recommendations for walking correctly are:

• Do these exercises before and after the walk;
• Whenever warming with one leg, do it with the other before moving on to another muscle group;
• When heating, you should not feel pain, only slight spasms in the muscle that is being stretched;
• Start walking slowly and after 5 minutes, increase the pace of the walk. In the last 10 minutes of the walk, slow down;
• Increase the time of the walk progressively.

Before starting to walk it is important to see a doctor, especially if you have heart disease.