The beauty of power walking is that you can do it anytime and anywhere, and the only essential piece of equipment that you will need is a good pair or walk specific shoes, which are designed to support and protect the vulnerable parts of your feet whilst power walking. 4 important points to look out for when buying shoes:

1. A good toe box, which is the area around the toes. Make sure it is rounded, roomy and deep enough to wiggle your toes easily, so that each time you push off from the back foot you have plenty of toe protection.

2. Low heel profile - the angle of a walker’s foot as it pushes off is much greater than that of a runner. Consequently look for a shoe with a low heel profile and avoid injuring you achilles tendon.

3. Flexibility - walking shoes must be flexible, supportive and well-cushioned underneath the ball of the foot and around the heel, both areas take a pounding!

4. The right width and the right length. Before you go shopping get to know your feet and make a few notes: are they a narrow or wide fitting, do you have a slim heel, which is your longest toe etc? It is important to make sure that your shoes are a good two-finger width longer than your longest toe. Also, try to find shoes that come in width fittings. This way you really have a good chance of having the perfect shoes for your feet!

1. Low impact on the body. This means that you have a much lower chance of causing injury to the body. Being one of the few sports that actually unses the whole of your body, the more you do the stronger your bones and joints will become and the more your muscles will tone.

2.Strong bones and weight bearing exercise. Bones need weight bearing exercise to keep them strong and healthy. Power Walking is the ideal sport: not only can it help prevent osteoporosis - it develops greater core stability and posture, essential for a healthy back.

3. Walking off the pounds! Gain muscle and energy - lose excess weight. Tests have shown that if you walk a minimum of 4 times a week for 45 minutes at a pace that increases your heart rate, you could lose up to 18lb in a year without even changing your diet. Mile for mile power walk at about 4.5 miles an hour and you will burn the same energy as a runner.

4. ody strength and toning! Being one of the few exercises that uses practically all of your body muscles, results come fast. Within a few weeks you will begin to see changes in your body profile. You will become more flexible, your bottom will lift, your abdomen will flatten and you will begin to achieve an all over muscular strength and body tone.

5. Detox while you walk. Regular walking improves your circulation and as a result flushes out toxins, allowing your skin to have a fresher and healthier glow.

6. Sleep well. The qulaity of our sleep can make a huge difference to our lives. A daily walk of 30-45 minutes especially if taken in the evening will release tensions of the day, helping you to sleep more soundly and improve your overall well being.

7. Walk away PMS. Not only will exercise such as walking minimise bloating, it will also release the ‘happy hormones’ our natural pain killers and will encourage that monster in all women to become more calm, reasonable and able to cope with mood swings.

8. Reduce stress and smarten up! Regular exercise triggers a rapid growth in the density of blood vessels in the brain. It also improves blood flow and therefore the oxygen supply, which supposedly increases our intelligence…..What is certain is that regular walking will reduce stress and leave you with a feeling of mental well-being and increased self-esteem.

9. Give your immune system a boost! Walking is a wonderful health protector - by walking regularly you can strengthen your immune system which in turn helps you to fight off coughs, colds and other ills.

10. Lifelong sport for all ages. Whatever your age or sex, you need to include exercise in your day. Keeping active and fit will help you to enjoy life to the full. Power walking is an ideal sport for all ages, which means you could still be going strong at 80 plus!

11. Start walking, make friends. Get a pal and make your training sessions a social event. Not only will it give you special time with your friends, it will also increase the chances that you will stick to your training programme. Arrange a weekly walk - same time, same place - you will be amazed at how quikly you begin to look forward to these sessions. The only dificult bit is learning how to walk fast and talk at the same time!

Why power walk?

Walking is the most natural and probably the most accessible sport you can do. It has been described by researchers as ‘the nearest activity to perfect exercise’. It is suitable for anybody of any age and best of all walking comes with a long list of benefits.

Why power walk?

Walking is the most natural and probably the most accessible sport you can do. It has been described by researchers as ‘the nearest activity to perfect exercise’. It is suitable for anybody of any age and best of all walking comes with a long list of benefits.