Adopting walking as exercise of choice
By Doris Yaa Dartey. The WatchWoman Column. February 21, 2019
In my opinion, a human being is a walking machine. The arms, the legs, the torso—are together, designed for movement. Yet, I went through several years of walking only when I had to, as part of normal living. I never made a conscious effort to walk.
On days I did not have to move, I did not move. I laid in bed or couch and only lifted my body to eat or respond to nature’s periodic and inconvenient calls. I was dull, sluggish and lazy. I pondered over this situation and realized that it will get worse as I aged. Three years ago, I set out on a mission to change my worrying set of circumstances. Not exercising at all should not be an option.
I considered going to a gym to exercise. I stopped by one of such sites. The place intimidated me. The machines stared at me! The gym instructor looked so perfect, with hard sculpted well-built muscles! I realised that I did not belong in a gym.
TREADING THE MILL
So I tried the treadmill! That too did not suit me so I quickly abandoned it. A treadmill brings back my childhood memories of the cornmill. The forcefulness. The abruptness. The noise. The eagerness to chew anything put in its way. Anything that comes out of a cornmill is changed, mangled, is unrecognizable, and in a powdered form. The sheer power of a cornmill confounds me!
From time immemorial, corn, millet and grains have suffered in the bowels of the cornmill. They get broken down into tiny pieces and used as the basic raw material for some of our staple dishes: banku, kenkey, apkley, kpekple.
Similarly, using a treadmill unleashes such forceful power. The abrupt landing of the feet. The predictable movements. The absence of a scenery because it is stationary. So I quickly ruled out the treadmill because I do not desire to have a cornmill experience – although I had invested a good amount of money in purchasing the equipment.
ENTERS WALKING
So I decided to walk; just walk! To engage in the simple act of moving my body by regularly and intentionally moving my legs and arms from point A to B to Z. I began as if I was at the kindergarten—slowly and surely! Initially, I got tired easily. But now, I can walk for an hour before I feel tired.
The greatest challenge I faced in adopting walking as my exercise of choice was to find a convenient and safe place to walk. It was as difficult as cutting down an ancient baobab tree. I had assumed that walking meant walking in my general neighbourhood.
I live in an underdeveloped part of Accra where the streets have no sidewalks or shoulders. The road shoulders are infested with multiple bumpy, crude and wicked surfaces and edges. So there is truly no safe surface to walk on, rendering the feet landing during the walk rather abrupt and potentially injurious to the feet and knees. I quickly realized that I might slip and fall, and break a leg.
What makes walking in my neighbourhood even more dangerous are the wild motorists. I competed for walking space with the odd mix of tro-tro, taxis, trucks, private vehicles, gutters and bushes. I could not stand the maddening competition so gave up walking in the neighbourhood with full realization that I was risking my life. A vehicle could knock you down and out in the most freakish violent accident and kill you instantly.
So with this rude realization, I decided to explore walking inside the house. Since then, any space in my house has become a walking space. Regularly, and on a daily basis, I walk through the kitchen, hallway, bedroom, porch, the compound—anywhere! I go round and round at either fast or slow pace. I walk barefooted. Thirty minutes of walk comes so quickly. Determination comes in as a bonus virtue!
BENEFITS OF WALKING
Since I began actively walking, I have experienced the immense benefits of walking. The periodic pains I used to experience in my joints (signs of aging) have healed without any medicines. Walking is very gentle on my knees. I just have to consciously remember to swing, sway, raise and flex my arms and shoulders.
Whilst walking, I also intentionally straighten up my chest and body. I have benefited so much from such an awareness of my body that I cannot see myself abandoning walking. Walking also gives me much time to gather my thoughts. I write for a living. To my surprise, during my walks, complete ideas, paragraphs and even sentences are birthed during. Clearly, a vigorous body can create a vigorous mind!
DEFEATING PROCRASTINATIONS
Over the past three years, I have effectively defeated my own propensity to make excuses not to walk, and of my habits of procrastinating that keeps me in an unhealthy foetal position, and lazy. Over the period, I have determined that limited space is not an excuse not to walk. A rain downpour or the hot tropical sun present no reasons not to take a walk.
All I need to walk is the determination. The solution lies in the strength of my will, and of consistency. It is said that where there is a will, there is a way. For instance, being in a public space is not an excuse to just sit down and not walk about. So when I am in a public location and there are extensive periods of inactivity, I get up to stretch and as if I am joking, I walk. I refuse to allow shyness that people will stare at me for pacing up and down in a public space where everyone is seated to dissuade me, even at the risk of being perceived as crazy.
With a smart watch, I consciously keep track of my walk on a daily basis. I have now become a walker, regardless of where I am. I am walking to keep straight, and to generally keep healthy. All my life, I had never exercised regularly like I do now.
Through walking, I have learnt that we place unnecessary limitations on ourselves. Do not wait until you find the ideal place, the ideal time, the ideal clothing/gear, and the ideal partner before you embark on an exercise regimen. Take a decision to walk and just do it! It does not matter the location. Just walk even if all you have is a chamber and hall! Similarly, we can achieve anything we set our minds and hearts on despite the odds and challenges.
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