Now that we’re in the dog days of August, you’ve likely strategized to take your daily walks early in the morning or at dusk in the evening, to stay cool and comfortable while still getting in your steps. Those are good strategies, given how important walking is for your brain and body as you get older. There are so many reasons to recommend what CNN calls this “most underrated form of exercise:” from physical health benefits (such as reduction in risk for heart disease) to mind boosting factors (such as improved memory skills and cognitive capacity) And we’re not even talking about needing to walk many hours per day. A recent post from Wisconsin Public Radio, featuring an interview with NY Times Phys Ed Columnist Gretchen Reynolds, underscores that we don’t need to commit several hours a day or run miles at a time to get the health benefits of exercise. As Reynolds remarks, “Humans are exceptionally good at walking,” and as she makes clear, it’s the first 20 minutes of your walk that makes all the difference “…if your goal is to be healthy, (and) to have less risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia or obesity.”

So as the late days of August are upon us, what else can you do to maximize the value of your walks? As we’ve previously mentioned, the surface on which you walk makes a big difference in terms of strengthening your balance and makes a difference in your comfort and calorie burning. In fact, while you still can, experts recommend you consider walking along a beach. Both grass and sand apparently ease the pain of back and spine issues, putting less stress on your bones and joints. And the effort to walk on soft sand will not only help you burn more calories than a walk on pavement but will help strengthen your ankles and feet as well. One other source of summer walking to consider? Apparently, the trend is for more and more of us to forego the carts and instead stick to our own two feet on the golf course.  There’s apparently a movement afoot (pun intended!) to maximize the exercise value of golf by having golfers carry their bags and stroll the undulating courses, thereby getting in a good workout in addition to some fun recreation.

And some other strategies to maximize the value of your walk (and minimize the potential for injury)? Turns out your walking “form” can make a big difference. Experts suggest some intentional approaches to walking such as standing tall (as though someone was pulling you up from the top of your head), gazing straight ahead, relaxing your shoulders, and swinging your arms freely from your shoulders (not your elbows). And don’t forget a light touch- gently stride heel to toe rather than smacking your foot with a thud. What about things to avoid? No long strides (which will stress your legs) and don’t look down (which can place stress on your neck). For more recommendations for enhancing your walking form (and improving your walking posture), crank up a podcast and click here.