Transcript of
Walking groups
There was something at the back of my mind that made me think,
"I need to get out more, I need to do something."
I'm not really a gym person and I thought,
"I've got to look for different sorts of exercise."
I just looked around and found this group
and it has made such a difference
because it's places that I wouldn't normally go to, that I don't know about.
It's healthy because we're walking about eight or so miles. It's quite a way.
And also I do it just for the fresh air. And to see the beautiful scenery.
We're part of the Ramblers' Association
and we have lots of different walking groups over the country.
We all do weekend walks, evening walks, daytime walks.
It might be out in the countryside, in the city,
lot of different lengths of walks.
It might be climbing up mountains. A huge variety.
You don't have to book in advance,
you can turn up on the day and they'll always be running.
It's free and easy so if it's raining or you're hung over you don't have to go.
Walking is by far the best exercise. That's what we're designed for.
We've had a million years of evolution to make us walk properly
and it's what our body's really good at.
You don't have to spend money on gyms
because walking starts from your doorstep.
Once you step out of your front door you're exercising.
Walking can actually prevent diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Breast cancer and bowel cancer are both prevented if you do it regularly.
It not only strengthens the heart muscle but strengthens your bones
and the skeleton as well.
The other thing it can do is strengthen up your knees and your hips,
so people who have got arthritis in the family
or are afraid of getting arthritis and losing their independence,
the best thing in the world is to go walking.
These walks are a chance for me to get out
and to have a proper break at the weekend
and get some air into my lungs,
and I just feel recharged.
If you regularly walk and take exercise,
you're dropping your blood pressure constantly
and in fact your blood pressure stays lower.
Coming on these kind of walks has been really good
because it really does boost your metabolism and your energy levels
and it really does make a difference.
It's very relaxed and very nice to be outside
after working in an office all day.
Just a great antidote for city living.
It actually releases feelgood factor stuff,
the endorphins that make you feel really good.
You don't have to walk very far or fast to get that going.
30 minutes five days a week at least.
I do get out with my work but this is another kind of getting out.
It's green, the air's good and you just need that change of scene.
We can go quite fast sometimes and go up some quite big hills.
That's something you work your way up to.
It sure beats going to a gym any day of the week.
We've done work with mental health groups, children and families,
Age Concern and older people's groups,
and one of the things I've found which has been really encouraging
is that anyone can walk
and that these groups are so diverse
that we haven't found anybody who hasn't been able to build up their walking
and walk for up to an hour.
What's really good about a walking group
is you've got other people like you starting off right at the beginning.
It's something you can fit in as and when,
it doesn't need a lot of planning.
You can decide the night before, "I'm going to go."
It's really easy to fit in to the general week.
Walking is a lifelong investment,
so if you start early you'll invest more for the future.
But it's never too late to start.
Even if you're in your 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s,
it will all be beneficial.