I’m passionate about power walking. It helped me lose and keep off 60 pounds! (Read: My Weight Loss Story)

But in my early days of walking, I wasn’t yet a fitness professional, and I made some rookie mistakes that led to a painful bout of plantar fasciitis and other issues. Those mistakes included a lack of proper physical preparation before my walking workouts, and not utilizing recovery techniques afterwards.

If you’re also a walker or runner, it’s important to prepare your body for exercise, to help you have a better workout and most importantly to prevent injury.

I also highly recommend using a foot roller before and after walking, running or any other exercise. This has made a big difference for me.

Here is a simple routine of stretches to help you warm up and cool down.