Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 19
TIP heat, use sun protection, and carry water.
In summer walk earlier or later to avoid the
The bene昀椀ts at a glance
• Time-e昀케cient & low-cost: No gear beyond comfy shoes.
• Stronger legs: Be琀琀er thigh strength for everyday movement.
• Brain & vessel health: Gains in cogni琀椀ve and arterial func琀椀on in older adults.
• Heart-smart: Lowers systolic blood pressure more than steady walking.
• Metabolic perks: Supports be琀琀er blood sugar control, par琀椀cularly useful
for type 2 diabetes.
• Fi琀琀er, faster: Improves 昀椀tness and walking speed.
Any downsides?
• It’s s琀椀ll “high-intensity” (for walking): If you’ve been sedentary, have
cardiovascular, metabolic or joint condi琀椀ons, check with your GP before
you start. Some HIIT formats may not suit people with unstable heart
disease or poorly controlled risk factors.
• Overdoing the “fast” bits: Sprin琀椀ng the brisk segments or turning them
into a jog can spike joint load — build up gradually.
• Heat & surfaces: Exercising in the summer heat and uneven paths can add
risk; choose shade, wear appropriate footwear, and mind your foo琀椀ng.
Make it your own
• New to it? Start with 2 minutes brisk / 3 minutes easy x4 rounds, then
add 琀椀me.
• On hills? Keep the e昀昀ort the same — shorten your stride uphill, don’t
chase speed.
• Tech-free? Use the “talk test” to gauge intensity; save music for the brisk
bouts and go podcast-easy on the recovery.
