Not All Uphill (benefits of walking the hills)

Fortunately, I live close to a hilly neighborhood in Austin, Texas. I've been walking those hills for several years now. The biggest problem in Austin is high temperatures. June heat arrives and you can forget walking the hills after sunrise. But the other 8-9 months usually provide great weather for walking and going up and down hills provides great advantages. I strive for about 2 1/2 miles on these walks and usually take 45-50 minutes to complete the workout. And it is a workout-- just read the comments from Greg Isaacs in his book 10,000 Steps a Day to Your Optimal Weight.

Walking hills is almost like a trip to the gym, but without the  bad music, stretchy workout garb, and puddles of sweat. Walking on an incline causes a resistance in your muscles of your legs, and to a lesser extent in your stomach and buttocks, much the same way that lifting weight does. If fact, you will actually build muscle and gain strength with repeated hill climbs. Naturally you also burn calories at a high rate, and your lungs and heart get a better cardiovascular workout. (p. 165)

Years ago I heard that walking uphill has different benefits from going downhill and Greg Isaacs explained the difference:

Incredibly, it is not just going up that provided this double-coupon of benefit. Walking downhill has its advantages as well. Doctors at the Voralberg Institute in Feldirch, Austria, examined two groups of people. One group walked up hills and took a tram to the bottom; the other took the tram up and walked down. The researchers were not expecting much from the downhill walking and were surprised to find that it significantly lowered blood sugar level, a risk factor for Type II adult-onset diabetes. Uphill walking lowered triglycerides-- fat in the blood, a risk factor for heart attacks-- but did not have the same sugar-lowering effect as downhill walking. Both groups experienced lowered cholesterol levels, the uphill group more than the downhill. Researchers concluded that the practice of downhill walking is a a good starting point for people who are new to exercise.

Take a look around your town, even if you don't live in the Swiss Alps, and find some hills. They may, or may not, be alive with music, but at least it won't be bad gym music. The health benefits will be music to your ears!