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Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Walk
- wolfhumble 6y ago“Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Everyday, I walk myself into a state of well-being & walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it. But by sitting still, & the more one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill. Thus if one just keeps on walking, everything will be all right.” ― Søren Kierkegaard http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/336809-above-all-do-not-lose-your-desire-to-walk-everyday http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/336809-above-all-do-not-lose...
- the-dude 6y agoHe died 42 yrs old, and collapsed on one of his walks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%B8ren_Kierkegaard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%B8ren_Kierkegaard
- dundarious 6y agoQuite funny in a way, but for balance, according to Wikipedia, the cause of death may well have been from complications from an old physical injury, or from an infection that's often lethal without medicine that was unavailable in his day. Kierkegaard died in Frederiks Hospital after over a month, possibly from complications from a fall from a tree in his youth. It has been suggested by professor Kaare Weismann and literature scientist Jens Staubrand that Kierkegaard died from Pott disease, a form of tuberculosis.
- the-dude 6y agoWell, your balance is all speculation and obviously the walking did not help.
- Jtsummers 6y agoIt's also not clear that it hurt. He could've collapsed standing at a kitchen counter that same day if he hadn't gone on the same walk. It's all speculation.
- the-dude 6y agoLook, dude claimed everything would be a-o.k. if you just walked. Well, apparently not.
- handoflixue 6y agoYou're being way too literal here. He said "I know of no THOUGHT so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it." He's not promising immortality, simply that walking is a good way to deal with things, especially heavy thoughts.
- the-dude 6y agothe more one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill
- kirgggle 6y agoThat seems like a bit of a facile perspective. I'm reminded of what a centenarian once said when they were asked about the secret to their health. "Just keep breathing. I can't think of anything else. I can give you all sorts of ideas and suggestions but if you're not breathing, they don't mean anything."
- tartoran 6y agoTaking that last walk wasn't really the cause but more part of his final episode in life, he died a month into the hospital. Which brings me to an old dilemma: "It is quite common for old people to suffer from osteoporosis and also to have falls resulting in fracture. The dilemma is do they fracture before the fall and the fall is a cause of an initial fracture and the fracture in turn a cause of osteoporosis?
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- FriedrichN 6y ago"A sedentary life is the real sin against the Holy Spirit. Only those thoughts that come by walking have any value." - Friedrich Nietzsche (Twilight of the Idols)
- imbnwa 6y ago"No great idea was ever conceived sitting down" - Nietzsche... probably
- tuckerpo 6y agoLindy.
- sandworm101 6y agoAir outside is -40. Windchill brings that to -57. My work is shutting down all activities that require being outside for more than a couple minutes. Forget the health benefits, until it warms up I am not going to walk anywhere other than to my car. Even that can be dangerous at these temperatures. https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/index_e.html https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/index_e.html
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- myself248 6y agoBut the Segway will revolutionize human transport! Because everyone lives where the weather is always nice! But cars are evil, because we should ride our bikes more! Because everyone lives where it's always nice! How dare you inhabit a piece of the planet other than southern California? The audacity! The hubris! The reality intruding on my bullshit platitudes!
- sandworm101 6y agoIf you look outside my office you will see 200+ cars in the parking lots. Each one of them has a cord plugging them into a dedicated outlet. But not one of them is charging. There is probably more electricity going into our parking lot outlets than to all of our computers and lights inside.
- tnorthcutt 6y agoSure, you can always find exceptions. But 1000 of 1200 kids ride their bikes to this school in Finland, in -17C weather: https://unofficialnetworks.com/2019/11/20/kids-in-finland-ride-their-bicycles-to-school-in-17c-weather https://unofficialnetworks.com/2019/11/20/kids-in-finland-ri... The people advocating for more biking aren't saying everyone everywhere at every time should ride bikes. They're saying more people, in more places, at more times, should.
- coyotespike 6y ago
- torcete 6y agoThis is maybe not the place for an out-of-my-chest comment, but some years ago I went trough a painful breakup, and I remember that walking was one of the few things that could alleviate the emotional pain.
- em-bee 6y agoi think this is absolutely the place for your comment. as the article suggests, perspective is one of the things you can get while walking. that's related to reflection and meditation. i am sorry for what you had to go through, but i am glad you found a way to deal with it and have the courage to share it here.
- JoeyJoJoJr 6y agoThis was the same for me during my first serious breakup. The only thing that made me feel marginally better was walking through my neighbourhood. If it weren’t for the hot Australian summer and risk of severe sunburn or heatstroke, I probably would have just walked nonstop every day.
- the_only_law 6y agoI really haven’t cared for most of the places I’ve lived, but they all have their positives and negatives. Overall I didn’t care for the last city I lived in, however one thing I miss was a river walk they had right outside downtown along with another park adjacent to the river a quick walk to downtown. I would often go there in the evening and just walk for several hours and think. The scenery of the river and the surrounding nature was very nice and enjoyable. After the sun went down and it was dark, it was a brief walk into town where I could grab something to eat and do whatever I want. I haven’t been happy or even content in many years, but those walks brought some sort of peace to my mind. Unfortunately there’s nothing really like that where I am now, at least nothing close enough for a casual afternoon trip. There’s a good bit of sidewalk around the neighborhood, but it really doesn’t feel the same. It’s in primarily residential area just off a busy road and the sound of cars zipping past you ,sirens from the nearby hospital along with the dim streetlight interrupted by shopping strips, etc. don’t exactly bring the same tranquility. Despite the parks from the city I used to live in being very close to urban areas, the river and more forested stretches gave a tranquil feeling and even the more open parts had a pleasant setting.
- gkop 6y agoGet a dog, be happy and healthy.
- waynesonfire 6y agoEveryday, twice day, 13.5 years and counting.
- OnACoffeeBreak 6y ago“William Wordsworth was said to have walked 180,000 miles in his lifetime. Charles Dickens captured the ecstasy of near-madness and insomnia in the essay “Night Walks” and once said, “The sum of the whole is this: Walk and be happy; Walk and be healthy.” Robert Louis Stevenson wrote of “the great fellowship of the Open Road” and the “brief but priceless meetings which only trampers know.” Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche said, “Only those thoughts that come by walking have any value.” More recently, writers who knew the benefits of striking out excoriated the apathetic public, over and over again, for its laziness. “Of course, people still walk,” wrote a journalist in Saturday Night magazine in 1912. “That is, they shuffle along on their own pins from the door to the street car or taxi-cab…. But real walking … is as extinct as the dodo.” “They say they haven’t time to walk—and wait fifteen minutes for a bus to carry them an eighth of a mile,” wrote Edmund Lester Pearson in 1925. “They pretend that they are rushed, very busy, very energetic; the fact is, they are lazy. A few quaint persons—boys chiefly—ride bicycles.” - Ben Montgomery, Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail This was one of the best books I've read in 2019 while attempting a thruhike of the Pacific Crest trail consumed by doubt, fear, excitement, anticipation, boredom, peace and stories of others wondering the trail.
- lethologica 6y agoWow, the fact that that was written in 1912 blows my mind. The exact same thing could be said today in 2021, especially "They pretend that they are rushed, very busy, very energetic; the fact is, they are lazy."
- LeSaucy 6y agoAt the beginning of the pandemic I picked up a laptop stand for my treadmill. I find its much easier to get 2-3 miles of walking in per day when I am deep in thought on a tough problem, or even just while "sitting" in meetings over Teams. Surprisingly my noise cancelling headphones don't pick up any background noise from walking 2.5mph and nobody is the wiser on calls.
- neilv 6y agoQuick tip to anyone inspired to walk today, but not very familiar with it: if it's snowy/icy where you are, watch out for surprise slick ice spots, especially on pavement. I've been a city committee for pedestrian issues (coincidentally, where the article was published), and winter ice slip hazards seemed the single biggest problem. They're a way that, in an instant, a habit of walking can turn life-changing in an undesirable way. When conditions are snowy/icy, I usually use some of those tiny carbide tip traction aids that strap onto of my shoes. Other people have found other measures that seem to work for them. Definitely walk, but be aware that surprise slick spots are a thing, and you can do something about it.
- samdixon 6y agoOne other important thing when walking in snow/ice is that even the smallest slip can potentially strain/pull a muscle just due to the rapid movement.
- luigibosco 6y agoCold weather people can checkout something like yaktrax - have found the ones with chains hold up longer, the ones with straps across the top of the foot stay on (if you lose one you will walk in circles!). No shame in using poles, coldweather facemasks either. Dogs are a great motivator and pretty good companions if you like them/can swing that...
- ghaff 6y agoYaktraks themselves are not great (at least the older ones don't really have spikes). Microspikes are probably the best compromise for general use. They're spiky enough to work even on glare ice so long as it's not too steep. (There are more aggressive ones but they're probably overkill for city streets.) A pole by itself is pretty useful though for occasional ice. It gives you that extra purchase and balance even if you're just in shoes.
- mordechai9000 6y ago
- d33lio 6y agoIt's incredible to me how much of a difference in incentive to walk, even as someone who loves walking, between living in a place like Austin and New York City. Sure, climate is a part of it, but in New York I never minded taking a walk on a refreshing cold day. However, since Austin is so hot all the time and most sidewalks are either covered in homeless people or just in neighborhoods with far less going on I found that going for a drive replaced going for a walk (especially on 100F + days). The health implications of this are also pretty interesting. Keep on walking folks!
- coyotespike 6y agoYeah, depending where you are here in Austin, I feel you. I'm fortunate to live next to a park, which is nice to walk in. I cycle into town rather than walk the 5 miles, though. This summer I'll try to get out and go for a walk before 8am, because like you I don't want to walk after that.
- throwaway81523 6y agoNobody else has trouble walking strenuously with a face mask on? I'm fine with the mask while standing around or short periods of not too vigorous walking, but with any sustained exertion it gets stifling, and after a little while it gets wet inside, and I've gotten sick from that all by itself.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- bittercynic 6y agoI think it depends on the mask. I agree with you for the tight-fitting cloth masks, but I take strenuous walks and even bike rides in a surgical mask and it doesn't bother me at all. Probably provides less protection, though.
- ssully 6y agoOnly thing I've learned is to brush my teeth before taking the dogs on their morning walk. Also my wife has to wear a mask all day at work and gets her 10,000+ steps in before she gets home. No problems in regards to feeling sick.
- throwaway81523 6y agoInteresting, I might make sure to brush teeth and gargle before going out in a mask. When I say I've gotten sick from walking with a mask, I don't mean "felt sick", I mean I've literally gotten respiratory infections, which I'd figured were from rebreathing exhalations with their germs. I was wearing surgical masks then but wear N95's now and there is still difficulty.
- alyx 6y agoI go for a 3 to 4 mile walk every day before work. Start off sleepy, end up excited to get to work. Much of the same benefits without the sweat of running.
- callumprentice 6y agoI love walking for multiple reasons including health benefits, exploring my neighborhood, having some alone time to think about things - the list goes on - but during the pandemic, I find myself just too despondent at all the people I see not wearing masks or social distancing where there are crowds. I realize of course that it's in my power to just ignore it and get on with my own business - believe me I've tried - but inevitably now when I return home, I have an overwhelming sadness that spoils everything. It's clear no one is going to change their behavior and I have explored ways for me to get past it but so far, nothing has worked.
- martian 6y agoThis reminds me: One of the best books about a long walk is Patrick Leigh Fermor's "Time of Gifts" (and the subsequent books). Memoirs of his time before WW2 literally walking from one side of Europe to the other. His cultural insights, historical perspective, and witty language are all exquisite.
- pjc50 6y agoThis is an amazing book and I can't recommend it enough.
- coyotespike 6y agoCompletely agree. Paddy Fermor wrote beautifully, and with a vocabulary informed by his polyglot abilities (he knew, at least, Greek, Latin, several dialects of German, and French, with smatterings of a few more). Because he took Greek at school (high school), he was sent to a Greek isle during WW2 where he wound up kidnapping a German general and spiriting him across the mountains to Allied control. He is perhaps best known for this exploit.
- throwaway123x2 6y agoGood luck trying to muster the courage up to walk in the midwest winters I live in. Summer is so amazing here and winter has got to be from the pits of hell. No wonder most people have seasonal affective disorder.
- qq4 6y agoI grew up in the midwest and I always have enjoyed running and cycling during frigid weather. No one else is out and usually on the coldest days the sun is shining.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- decafninja 6y agoVoice of dissent, but I hate walking - it's just so tedious. If I'm walking to explore somewhere new, it's great. If I'm just walking as part of my commute or to get groceries, or just for the sake of exercise, etc. I can't stand the tedium. I don't like running for the same reason - the boredom and mental tedium overcomes me earlier than the physical exhaustion. But at least running doesn't take too long to get the exercise benefits. I live next to the river with an amazing view of the NYC skyline, but even that gets old after the n'th time. Somewhat better: walking (or running) on a treadmill watching Netflix on my iPad.
- ghaff 6y agoI'm pretty much the opposite. I find exercise equipment tedious. I don't run but I do like walking. And, sure, variety is good but the past many months I've been fine with mostly taking the same forest/river trail that's next to my house because there's hardly anyone there.
- decafninja 6y agoIt's not like I enjoy the treadmill itself :). It's the Netflix (or Amazon Prime, or etc.) that really lets me get through the session. Plus I don't really have much time to consume movie/TVs these days, so it does let me combine both (exercise & entertainment).
- ghaff 6y agoWhen I use my rowing machine I do put something up on the TV which makes it more tolerable. But I'd honestly rather go outside for a walk if the weather is at all decent.
- dageshi 6y agoListen to podcasts? Or audiobooks?
- decafninja 6y agoTried both (as well as music of course). Doesn't seem to work for me. I guess I am a lot more geared towards visual stimuli, since Netflix + treadmill does work better for me than audio + outdoor scenery.
- cousin_it 6y agoI think part of the appeal of walking is that you're away from screens. You're in action (even if it's as simple as putting one foot in front of the other), not just passively receiving sensory data. As Baudrillard put it: "Travel was once a means of being elsewhere, or of being nowhere. Today it is the only way we have of feeling that we are somewhere. At home, surrounded by information, by screens, I am no longer anywhere, but rather everywhere in the world at once, in the midst of a universal banality - a banality that is the same in every country. To arrive in a new city, or in a new language, is suddenly to find oneself here and nowhere else. The body rediscovers how to look. Delivered from images, it rediscovers the imagination."
- unethical_ban 6y agoThat is a great observation. I have realized that I enjoy bike rides and driving because it forces me to be off my phone, unlike even walking, or of course sitting at home.
- carabiner 6y agoWalk the Pacific Crest Trail.
- 11thEarlOfMar 6y agoMy grandfather used to tell the story of getting bored in Valparaiso, Indiana one day during the depression and deciding to walk to Calgary. Alberta. Canada. He stopped at farm houses to ask for work, sometimes working for shoes. It took him most of a year to get there. Regrettably, I neglected to ask how he ever got back to Valparaiso.
- tehjoker 6y agoWho knew HBR was like the Style section of the NYT?
- CodeGlitch 6y agoI'm dreading when the pandemic is over. Having to drive 2 hours a day for the commute, being too tired to do anything when I get home. Working from home is utter bliss for me. Get to walk once or twice a day with my family, whilst still getting in 7-8 hours of work.
- pchal 6y agoWalking + podcasts is a great combination. I do like an hour everyday and have learned a ton of actually useful things.
- inglor_cz 6y agoAfter contracting and getting rid of Covid, I decided to walk 8 km (5 miles) every day. It is freezing here, -8 Celsius (17 F), but I am happy doing that. The body reacted surprisingly fast, I felt much stronger just a week into the routine. The only downside is that hard surfaces like pavements can be felt in the knees.
- revicon 6y agoInspired me to get up out of my chair and walk around the block just now, well worth it.
- RickJWagner 6y agoNice article. I was never a walker, but went to gyms for many years. Since covid I've skipped the gyms, but started walking. With a Fitbit and an iPhone full of podcasts, I find it very relaxing. It seems good for my body weight, too.