A couple of weeks ago, we bought some wrist weights for use in our outdoor walks.
We bought two sets — one 2-lb. weight set (each weight is 1 lb.), and one 5-lb. set
(2.5 lbs. each).
We started off trading the weights back and forth — Laurel would use the 2-lb. set
and I'd use the 5-lb. set one day, then we'd switch. I think it's still a good plan.
But we had some weirdness last week where Laurel was stuck to her desk a few times
while I went walking, and I ended up using the 5-lb. set each day.
Using those weights was weird for the first few days. I tried a few different "walking
styles" to get comfortable with them, and I think I've settled on a sort of "Rock 'em Sock 'em
Robot" method: bending my arms 90°, with my forearms level with the ground, and rocking
them back and forth at my sides with each step, keeping them straight like I'm holding ski poles or throwing punches
at the waist. Because the weights have flaps with thumb-holes, I find my ball my hands into
fists without thinking about it.
When I started with these weights, I couldn't keep the "Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots" form
for the entire walk. My shoulders would hurt, so I'd drop my arms for a while. But by last
Thursday, I was able to maintain "fighting form" for the entire walk, and have done so each
walk since.
I'm now over 80 days into my Move Streak. I like the addition of the weights, because I feel
like I'm working my shoulders and my abs more while walking, and I suspect it's translating
into a bigger calorie burn by some low percentage.
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