When you’re out for your walk, turn up the heat by including hills. Doing hill workouts regularly strengthens the muscle groups that control speed and develops the muscles around your knees. If you’re ready for the challenge, keep these tips in mind:

• If you’re new to hill workouts, stick to a moderate slope with a relatively short distance
• Remember to warm up before charging uphill — cold muscles can be injured more easily
• Keep your upper body relaxed and lower your arms — let your legs do the work
• Use an exaggerated stride and knee lift, to the point that your quad muscle is almost parallel to the ground when going uphill (this is the secret to developing strength and speed)
• Push yourself all the way through the crest of the hill, then use the flat or down hill for recovery
• Be careful not to lose your form or go too fast on the way down — you can hurt yourself by pounding too hard.

Conquering hills can feel exhilarating… try adding them to your walks.