‘I could go on forever about the mental health benefits of walking’
Even as a professional rugby player Jonny Wilkinson would slow down for a walk before a game to help him stay grounded. Now, he’s giving parkwalk a go
Going for a mindful stroll probably wasn’t on your list of things that rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson was doing before a big game.
But, in fact, that’s exactly what he was up to.
Why, you ask?
Namely, to help him feel grounded ahead of a mentally and physically demanding 80 minutes on the rugby field.
“With walking, the relaxation is so important,” he says. “There’s the surroundings of nature, which brings you back to a slower tempo, a sense of calm and being, which is so much more powerful than getting lost in doing.”
Beyond that, Wilkinson says: “I could go on forever about the mental health benefits of walking.”
He lists a few of them as being out in the fresh air and simply moving your body and using it as a de-stressor.
“You come to experience a walk, not to do a walk.”
As an advocate for walking and its health benefits, Wilkinson took part in his first-ever walk at parkrun earlier this month to help Vitality and parkrun celebrate the relaunch of its walking initiative.
We followed him on his journey and you can too by watching the video below.
Related: Vitality helps parkrun smash walking record in historic weekend
Vitality members with health insurance and life insurance plans can earn activity points for running, walking and volunteering at a parkrun event.
Sign into your parkrun profile to link your Vitality account.
Recent articles
The fundamentals of sleep: Why quality rest is essential for your health
Sleep isn’t just ‘switching off’, it’s active recovery for your brain and body. New research drawing on more than 47 million nights of tracked sleep suggests that building consistent sleep habits could support long-term health in a big way. Here’s what quality sleep really means, why regularity matters as much as hours, and a few simple habits to help you wind down tonight
Why do we sleep? The science behind our need for rest
The truth behind why we sleep still baffles some scientists. However, with emerging research still shedding light on this after-dark phenomenon, new findings from Vitality have gone even further to show the physical and emotional benefits of a decent night’s kip
Power napping: Is it worth it (and how do you do it properly)?
Power nap or push through? A short snooze might be the reset your brain’s asking for – but only if you keep it brief. Here’s how to nap to boost energy (not grogginess), plus what Vitality’s latest sleep research says about why consistency matters
