The Reason Not to Move Your Arms While Walking is “Loss”

When walking, it is customary to alternately wave your arms forward and backward. Occasionally there are people who walk with a firm posture, not waving their arms, or holding a mobile phone in one hand and looking into it. It’s not bad for your health, but it’s your loss. You can walk effectively by swinging your arms back and forth.

If you swing your arms back and forth as you walk, the force is distributed throughout your body, making walking easier. According to a study from the University of Michigan in the US, if you walk without shaking your arms, you have to use 12% more force than when walking with shaking. Since most of the weight is on the lower body, the legs tire quickly. If you walk with your arms swinging, you can prevent your body from twisting in line with the movement of your legs. When one leg is extended forward to take a step, the pelvis connected to the leg rotates in that direction and the body shakes together. When the arms move with the legs, this rotational force is compensated, allowing the body to move in a stable manner.

From the point of view of the effect of exercise, it is beneficial to walk while swinging your arms. If you walk with your arms moving, your steps naturally speed up and your metabolism kicks in. Even if you walk for the same amount of time, you burn more calories than when you walk without shaking your arms. While swinging your arms, it is good to bend your elbows into an L or V shape to achieve the maximum effect of the exercise. There is a study from Harvard University that shows that walking with bent arms burns more calories than walking with outstretched arms. It is good to walk while swinging your arms to prevent falling. This is because the movement of the arms must be free so that even if you lose your balance while walking, you can quickly cope.

Other than that, there are many things to keep in mind in order to walk well. When walking, make sure that the heel of the foot, the center of the sole and the toes touch the floor in order. It is effective for strengthening the muscles of the lower body. When walking, keep your feet shoulder-width apart and walk in an 11-character step rather than an eight-legged step so as not to strain your ankles and spine. Also pay attention to your breathing. Breathe in and out deeply through your nose, not your mouth, to use your body’s energy sources effectively.