With the increasing awareness of the importance of watching one’s health, the average individual tends to look for the exercise programs that promise the most benefits. This may come in the form of club memberships at the neighborhood gym, or weekly tennis matches with other health-conscious friends, or perhaps even yoga or tai-chi classes.

The more unique a particular exercise is, the greater its appeal seems to be, as seen by the increasing interest in the lesser-known martial arts and dance programs. Walking, the very basic movement that every human being learns from his first year of age, has almost always been overlooked, usually being taken as a low-impact exercise only for the aged who can no longer jump and run. Therefore it is often misperceived to offer few benefits to the body. However, there are several important reasons why walking is actually among the best, if not the best, exercise choice:

1. Anyone can do it, even those with serious medical conditions. Since walking is second nature to every human being, this means everyone who can walk can do it as exercise. Everyone who thinks of starting an exercise program needs to consult a physician, and walking is among those that every doctor will recommend to just about anyone. It can be done in the capacity of the specific individual, and as long as he is capable of doing it.

2. Walking does not require any special equipment. There is no need to purchase expensive gear or tools, nor does it require any enrollment fees or membership premiums. Of course, good walking shoes are essential in order to lessen the impact of the steps, but other than that and perhaps a trusty, handy water bottle, anyone is good to go. Some serious walkers may make use of a pedometer, but that is just an added luxury, or sometimes a motivator for the walking fanatic.

3. It is an exercise that can be done anywhere. It does not matter if you live in the city of in the countryside, there will always be places where you can go walking. Urban brisk-walking is fast becoming a trend, with more and more health enthusiasts pumping their arms to the beat of music from iPods and mp3 players plugged to their ears. For those who prefer clean breathing space, the oval tracks at the local sports center are a good idea, and the rubber flooring provides a softer impact for sensitive feet.

4. Walking as a form of exercise is also good in the sense that it can be sustained for long periods of time, much longer than other more strenuous aerobic exercises. Health experts explain that there is a minimum time of increased heart rate that will produce the greatest benefit for the body, pegged to be between twenty and thirty minutes on the average. The low-impact effect of walking means even the most amateur exercise enthusiast will be able to keep at it for that minimum amount of time. The benefits that it gives to the body can sometimes be comparable to that of a shorter but harder running or jogging workout.

5. It can easily be slipped into just about anyone’s busy schedule. Yes, although there may be a minimum time limit for maximized effectiveness, experts also point out health benefits from sudden increase in activity. For example, from a slow pace of walking, sudden bursts of speed at some points trigger a response in the cardiovascular system. This makes it perfect for people with super-busy lifestyles, who have no time to go to the gym or attend aerobics classes that last at least an hour and a half. Walking is easy to incorporate, such as by parking at the farther parking space for an extra sauntering time dispersed throughout the day. The freedom to put in a five-second or ten-second sprint is totally in the person’s hand. In the long run, the added movement will spell incomparable improvements to the cardiovascular system and the entire body on the overall.

These are but a few of the interesting advantages that walking has over almost every exercise known to the human race. It appears then that nothing is standing in the way of anyone in terms of getting the body moving and receiving the healthy and fit figure that everyone seems to be dreaming of. It is quite within reach, thanks to the wonder called walking.