Are you still looking for a good workout? Try lymphatic walking
Do you, like me, try every new workout trend in the hope that this will finally be the workout you can stick to? Maybe you tried the deep core method, but after two sessions you were already done. Or you gave in to the seven-minute workout, only to end up on the couch with a bag of chips the next evening. Then it’s time for a workout that is so simple that you can hardly think of an excuse to skip it. No complicated exercises, gym membership, or tight leggings needed: for lymphatic walking, you just need to step outside.
What is lymphatic walking and why is it good for you?
Lymphatic walking sounds like a complicated health technique that requires at least a special course, but it’s actually just conscious walking. You walk upright, breathe deeply, and let your arms relax and move with your body. The difference is that during your next walk to the supermarket, you’re not thinking about all those treats you want, but about your posture and breathing.
But okay. What’s the point of that, anyway? Well, apparently a lot. The goal of this trend (or well, trend. Actually, you’re just walking to the next level) is to support your lymphatic system. This system consists of lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes that drain excess fluid from your tissues. You can think of it as a bunch of little tubes connected to a bucket. Once you dump dirty mop water into the bucket, the tubes drain it away to the gutter. That’s what happens in your body, but since you have a body and aren’t a bucket, you need an organ to pump all that fluid around. After all, you can’t make a hole in your armpit to drain all that fluid. By combining walking with breathing and tensing your muscles, you stimulate your body to pump it around.
@marwahollic a walk a day keeps the puffy away😋 #fy
And no: it’s not the same as a lymphatic massage. Such a specialized massage is used, for example, to treat fluid retention in lymphedema. Walking cannot replace that treatment, but movement is one of the ways your body naturally supports lymph flow.
Here’s how to make your walk a lymphatic walk
Now you can walk three laps around the dog park, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a lymphatic walk. There’s a bit more to it. There are really a few things you need to keep in mind to make it the best lymphatic walk ever. Just watch:
1. Start with a few deep breaths
Before you start, stand firmly and take a few calm breaths from your belly. Breathe in through your nose and feel how not only your chest but especially your belly expands. Then slowly breathe out again. Continue to breathe calmly and deeply while walking, without it feeling forced.
2. Walk upright
You don’t have to march through the park with a perfectly straight back, but do try to lengthen yourself a bit. Keep your head above your shoulders, let your shoulders drop, and avoid looking down at your phone the whole walk.
3. Let your arms move
Put your phone in your pocket and let your arms swing naturally back and forth. You don’t need to make the movement exaggeratedly large. A natural arm swing and a slight twist from your upper body are enough to engage more parts of your body in the walk.
4. Choose a comfortable pace
A lymphatic walk doesn’t have to be a race. Walk at a rhythmic pace that you can maintain well and where you can still talk normally. The most important thing is that your body keeps moving, not that you’re out of breath after five minutes and decide this isn’t for you again.
5. Loosen your body occasionally
Do your shoulders or neck feel a bit stiff? Roll your shoulders back a few times or gently rotate your wrists. A small twist with your upper body or coming up on your toes can also help make your walk less stiff. Keep all movements calm and comfortable.
6. Don’t make it a complicated project
You don’t need a fixed number of minutes, a special walking path, or an extensive step-by-step plan. Take a walk during your lunch break, get off a stop earlier, or stroll around the neighborhood after dinner. Precisely because lymphatic walking is so accessible, you’re more likely to stick with it for more than two days.
And do you still end up on the couch with a bag of chips afterwards? At least you’ve made your walk first.
