Fall is my favorite time of year, and I love spending more time outdoors on the trails. It may sound a little funny, but this year I started training for walking. Yes, you read that right—training for walking! While moving more is great for keeping strong and preventing injuries, hiking or walking on uneven ground can increase the risk of accidents, especially as we age.
In fact, every fall I typically have one tumble over a hidden branch. But after a knee injury last year (as I mentioned in a previous blog), I decided to be proactive. This year, I’m building a buffer by focusing on functional mobility to avoid falls altogether.
Why train for walking?
Walking isn’t as simple as it seems. It’s a coordinated effort involving your whole body—feet, hips, spine, and shoulders—all working together. Every time you take a step, your joints move through all three planes of motion (forward-back, side-to-side, and rotation), while your muscles react to gravity and ground forces. It’s a lot of work!
Since the hips play a key role in this process, I’ve been focusing on hip stability. When we walk, the hips aren’t just moving forward and back—they’re also moving side to side and rotating, which is where a lot of our walking power comes from. Unfortunately, if we don’t regularly train these movements, we loose them over time, which can shorten our stride, affect our balance, and even cause pain in the back or knees.
Hip stability for walking
Let’s do a quick exercise to feel how the hips work while walking:
- Step your right foot forward and bend the knee.
- Feel how your pelvis tips and rotates slightly to the left as your weight shifts into the right hip.
- Now, push off with your trailing leg and step forward.
That side-to-side and rotational motion is crucial for walking, but it often gets overlooked in traditional exercise routines. That’s why I’ve made lateral hip training a priority.
Why lateral hip training?
Lateral hip motion (moving side to side) doesn’t get enough attention, but it’s essential for lengthening your stride and keeping your hips mobile. If you’re feeling stiff or noticing your steps getting shorter, a simple tune-up with lateral hip exercises could be just what you need.
Try this 3-minute hip routine for better mobility
This short, easy routine focuses on improving lateral hip strength and mobility. You’ll feel the difference not just in walking, but in how your whole body moves.
Step 1: Lateral weight shift and rock front to back
- Stand with feet wide apart.
- Shift your weight to the right and bend your knee slightly.
- Move your hips gently forward and back, finding a comfortable range.
Step 2: Side-to-side hips
- Gently slide your hips right and left.
- Keep the motion slow and steady.
Step 3: Rotation
- Slowly turn your hips right and left, keeping the range small and controlled.
Repeat these movements on both sides of the body. For an extra challenge, add small weights or even a jug of water in your hands. This will help you build both mobility and functional strength.
With consistency, you’ll not only improve your walking but also protect your hips, knees, and back from injury.
Ready to get stronger? Get dedicated workouts inside Wavemakers. We’re here to focus on your best movement for everyday life. Learn more here.
