Tracks can be a great place to get a walking workout in. They allow you to walk in a safe environment (well, watch out for those runners!) that is flat and predictable. In addition to being safe, unless you lose track of them number of laps you have done, tracks make it easy to keep track (pardon the pun) of your total walking distance. Also, if a track is made out of good material, it can also be less of a burden on your body.
One of the best things about indoor tracks is that you cannot use the weather as an excuse. Tracks might get a little monotonous to you, but it sure beats being on a treadmill that does not have a TV. Another great thing about tracks is that they allow you to choose your own speed. You can stroll, jog, run, racewalk, or speedwalk. The slower you are going, the further out you should be on lanes on the track. Some drawbacks of indoor tracks include circling in one direction, potential membership fees, and the lack of inclines.
There are plenty of different types of workouts you can do on the track. You should always start off with a warm-up lap or two. Then, do your workout, and end your exercise with a cool down lap. You have to decide what your workout is going to be; there are plenty of options out there for you!
One idea is to use different strides and challenge your body. This workout assumes that you are walking on a quarter mile track. Start by turning sideways so that your right foot is in the front. Then, sidestep around the curve. For the next 100 meters, walk backwards. For the next curve, put your left foot in front and continue with the sidestep. Lastly, walk forward for the final 100 meters. Do this for a few laps, and then head into your cool down!
Finding a track can be difficult, but if you live near a school, then you might be in luck! You should go to the track after school hours and after the schools have their track workouts. This might make timing a little more difficult for you, so do some research and see if there is a public track in the area. You may find that there is a grass track on the outside of your local soccer fields, or you could always use the soccer fields as your track! You could also look into joining a gym that has an indoor track. It might be smaller than a quarter of a mile long, but at least you can walk without worrying about obstacles. Indoor tracks can be found in private athletic clubs, public recreation facilities, school athletic facilities, workplace recreation facilities, and community recreation centers.
If you are someone who does not enjoy walking workouts because there are no safe sidewalks or trails around your home, then you might enjoy doing your workouts on a track. They are clean, safe, and allow you to keep track of your workouts with ease.
(Photo courtesy of Sanja Gjenero)
