Fitness Walking For Dummies

With the clever wit and good sense of Fitness for Dummies, exercise physiologist Liz Neporent covers everything you need to know to make walking a habit. You learn walking techniques, how to set up a program, a variety of walking routines, and tips for getting and staying motivated. Neporent breaks walking for fitness into four levels, with plenty of advice on who should do that level, proper form and technique, and routines:

• 1. Lifestyle walking (2.5 to 3.5 miles per hour)
• 2. Fitness walking (brisk: 3.5 to 4.3 miles per hour)
• 3. High-energy walking (intense: 4.4 to 6 miles per hour)
• 4. Walk-run (alternating running and walking intervals).

For those of us working on getting to level one, Neporent is gentle, explaining how to test endurance; set goals; choose the right clothing, shoes, socks, and sports bra; eat right; set up a routine; walk in different weather conditions; and stay safe. She also includes strength training exercises and stretches for walkers, tips for walking with a dog, common injuries, a treadmill guide, snazzy gadgets, and much more. This is a super book for the fitness walker, beginning or experienced, from an author who clearly is a walker herself. Highly recommended. --Joan Price