Mall walking: A fun way to get fit

If you normally walk outdoors, severe weather can put a damper on your exercise routine. When this happens, many people take to the malls to get their exercise in instead. In fact, mall walking is so popular, it is the second most popular area for walking besides your own neighborhood.

Some malls have even gotten into the idea themselves, and provide exercise stations where you can stop and perform stretches or other exercises to build muscles while you exercise, as well as posting the total distance one lap around the mall is.

Mall walking is very popular because it's free, accessible, has ready access to restrooms, and offers safer walking due to mall security and medical help available in case of accident. Best of all, you can scope out deals or shop if you feel like it all at the same time. Some merchants go as far as to offer discounts and other incentives for walkers, as encouraging walking groups can be good business for them.

Some local malls even have group walks available, so you can join others who want to get their walk in. A good mall walking routine is similar to that of a good walking routine elsewhere. You'll want to walk fast enough to get your heart rate up to a reasonable pace.

For your best health and safety, perform a proper warm up before starting your walk. Warm muscles are less prone to injury, and will give your joints ample time to produce synovial fluid to cushion your bones.

If your most common excuse for not exercising is the poor weather or safety concerns, mall walking is a great choice. You'll have no reason not to walk, and you might have fun people watching and window shopping as you walk.