The right technique prevents
fitness-walking injuries.

Posture Perfect

You know how to walk, but do you know the best way to walk? Stand up straight, keep your chin parallel to the ground, and move with a sense of purpose. Your ears should be directly over your shoulders, hips, knees, and feet. Arms should swing freely, and when you want to pick up the pace, bend your elbows to an 85-degree angle and keep them close to your body. Your hands should never rise above mid-chest level or fall past your hips, says Smith. "Your arms are like pistons -- boom, boom."

An easy way to remind yourself is to think RACES: R -- roll your foot to the ball of your foot; A -- arms swinging with purpose; C -- contract your tummy; E -- eyes straight ahead; and S -- shoulders back, down, and together.

To really work, lean your entire body slightly forward as if a rope is around your chest pulling you. Your steps move in closer, with one foot in front of the other as if you were walking a tightrope. But stick to the same pace.

To help keep your head up, scan the path by looking 15 feet ahead and lowering your eyes, not your chin. Keep your hands free by wearing your portable radio, heart monitor, or water bottle on a hip belt. Skip leg and hand weights, which throw off your gait and could hurt your back and shoulders.