I’ve been intentionally looking to walk more. Walking more however can sound a little dumb. After all, most of us walk everyday. It’s become so programmed into our living that the idea of intentionally walking just sounds like adding more needless travel into our day.
Yet for me, I’m finding walking one of the most adapted and well-suited forms of exercise I’ve intentionally done.
If you’ve been following my writing, you may be aware that a few months ago I was having terrible back pain. For one reason or another, a short walk would cause enough agony that I could no longer really move. So simply being able to walk around uninhibited has already felt like a massive relief. Sometimes, losing the ability to do something we take for granted is the impetus for us to really value it.
Over the years, I’ve tried so many different exercise routines. None of them, unfortunately, have really stuck. That’s not for a lack of effort or discipline, but I found that I would eventually break down. Yoga was causing shoulder problems. My gym routine eventually led to an insurmountable body fatigue. Other exercise classes would wipe me out.
Yet with walking, I’ve seemingly found something that I can actually control properly. If I’m tired, I can have a rest without being scolded at by a teacher. Going on a solo trek also doesn’t lead to social embarrassment that my fitness is not as good as other people. Nor is there any big competitive element.
I’ve been intentionally going out to walk every day over the last few weeks. My minimum is to get my 5000 steps, but I’ve ended up regularly going far beyond that. Admittedly, this has been a pretty tough week to do a whole lot of physical activity. The hot weather has been extremely punishing, but at least I’ve ended up taking advantage of Brussels numerous forests and woods. The greenery is a great shelter from the sun, not to mention getting out of the city which absorbs heat so intensely.
But most fundamentally, I feel like I’m getting the more normal physical feedback from walking. I actually feel good after moving, and I’m noticing the positive effects on my body. This is a pretty great contrast compared to previous exercise classes. I would end up actually feeling terrible after them.
This brings me to the larger critique of modern fitness and wellness. Everything is about efficiency. Exercise classes are made to squeeze as much calorie burning in the shortest amount of time. There’s little time or effort placed on finding the right pace, or adapting it to an individual’s body. I feel like this actually makes exercise less accessible than it probably was in the past. If you’re not already a fitness freak, it’s very hard to actually get into it. Most regular people seem to go to such exercise classes out of a sense of obligation, rather than because they actually enjoy it.
It’s been quite frustrating personally having to navigate fitness professionals who would constantly push my body in ways that I felt like was doing it harm. I was for a long time convinced that my aches and pains were things to fight through. Unsurprisingly, my body would eventually break down.
Like many aspects of health, I’ve been looking into what Ayurvedic teachings say. Here, it makes clear that good exercise should be moderate. Going too intense burns through our ojas, or life energy. The idea of constantly pushing yourself is not actually healthy.
What is weird is that this is broadly understood, even in modern day contexts. Yet pretty much our whole exercise culture is built instead on speed and convenience. HIIT exercises for ‘optimisation’. 30 day beach body programmes. Yoga classes to look good in Lululemon leggings, whilst the spiritual and philosophical teachings are butchered.
The sad irony is that this only serves to further isolate and divide society. We’re in the midst of an obesity crisis, yet our health and fitness industry seems only to obsess ever more with fads and micro-optimisations. Getting valuable advice around our individual health and wellbeing has become paradoxically near-impossible.
But going back to walking is something that nearly all of us have the ability to do. It takes away so much of the noise. Instead of worrying about muscle groups or calorie burning optimisation, we can keep it very simple.
If the body wants to move, then move. If it wants to stop, then stop. Rinse and repeat each day.