It’s not how fast you walk but how far you go that counts when it comes to fitness over fifty.

Walking is good not only for your physical health but for your mental well being as well. Taking a nice leisurely stroll with a good friend or furry pal can do wonders for reducing stress and refreshing your mental clarity and has a way of putting emotional upheavals into perspective concerning life.

Walking is good exercise if you do it consistency. It can stimulate endorphins and help to get the blood flowing as it exercises your heart muscle. Walking plain “feels good”. It does require that you take good care of your feet. Proper footwear including socks is essential.

The walker over fifty needs fitness equipment for walking just like any other sport. Your walking equipment consists of proper walking shoes, comfortable socks, and a walking stick, and a cell phone.

The benefits of a walking stick:

• A walking stick will help you to maintain your balance as you walk on different terrains (flat, gentle inclines, steep slopes, uneven ground, off paths or on trails).
• The walking stick can assist when you cross creeks, rivers or streams. It can help you to manage hillsides. The stick can even assist you, when you are carrying a load along your walk.
• Best of all should you need to, you can rely on your walking stick to lean on if you need to rest a little.
• A walking stick can help you to maneuver across downed trees that you may find along the trail.
• Best of all should you start to lose your balance or misstep, a walking stick can break or even prevent you from falling.

A walking stick can help to reduce the stress on your back, feet, knees, and also your legs. It can provide that little bit of extra boost you need to get up that slight incline or help to dig in when you are climbing a hill.

A walking stick can help to absorb the shock to your knees when going downhill and also takes the pressure off your back and hips when you go uphill.

Once you reach your walking destination you can use your walking stick for non-walking tasks as well such as:

• Using as a pole for tarp
• To prop up your backpack
• Clearing away spider webs or light brush
• To use for self defense if need be against wild life or any other creatures you find out in the woods

Walking shoes and boots
Walking shoes must fit and give you good support in the arch area as well as for the heel and ball of the foot areas.

Hiking boots give your ankles the support you need if you will be walking along trails with inclines and rough terrain. You do not want to wear hiking boots when you are walking flat trails because boots are heavy and inflexible. Hiking boots are more for “off trails” or steep, rocky terrain.