Try walking to work!

A lot of our most popular exercises, such as working out with weights or running long miles, may prove problematic for singers. We’re always wondering whether or not these activities are causing tension or siphoning away energy needed for the performance. Singers often carry extra weight on their frames and worry about repetitive stress on their limbs associated with running. So what to do to stay in shape? How do we start?

One thing that most medical authorities agree upon for everyone is that walking is good. It’s not a waste of time and is a particularly powerful a tool for losing weight.

So here’s today’s tip: Walk to work. If you work at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and walk from your apartment in Manhattan to the Met (as did bass, Paul Plishka every day when he was losing weight), you’ll be off to a good start.

If you live too far to walk, park at least a half a mile from your destination (depending on the neighborhood!) and walk the distance from your car to your rehearsal or performance. Another good tip is to always park your car at the far end of the parking lot when shopping . . . if it’s safe. (I prefer to do this during the day in places I know well). In my experience, any walking that is attached to regular activities, such as work or shopping, tends to get done more often than just planning to walk for exercise alone.

Use the pedometer included on your cell phone or on an app to keep track of your daily steps. Rule of thumb: 10,000 steps/day to maintain weight and 15,000 steps/day to lose weight. That’s not a guarantee, but certainly a ball park figure you could shoot for.

So get walking! And feel free to share your opinions.

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Please be sure to read the singerstickynotes MEDICAL DISCLAIMER before following the advice presented in this post.