Get your heart pumping on your walk

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. Walking is a great way to meet these goals and can count as either moderate or vigorous exercise, depending on your pace and intensity.

If you're looking to get more out of your walking routine, try these tips to boost your speed, elevate your heart rate, and maximize the benefits of each step.

Bend your arms. Like a pendulum, the shorter your arm is, the faster it swings. And since your body likes to be in sync, your legs will speed up to stay in step with your arms. Bend your elbows 85 to 90 degrees and swing your arms forward and back—not side to side or diagonally across your body. Your hands can be in relaxed fists or open, whatever is most comfortable to you as long as you are not clenching your fists. Bending your arms also prevents swelling caused by blood accumulating in your hands as you walk longer distances.

Land on your heel. As your leg swings forward, your heel should be the first part of your foot that makes contact with the pavement. Focus on keeping your toes up as you land. This facilitates the heel-to-toe walking motion that will carry you farther and faster than if your foot slaps down on the ground with each step. Roll from your heel to your toes as smoothly as possible. Finally, push off with your toes.

Push off strong. Focus on really pushing off the ground to propel yourself forward. For maximum power, bend at the ball of your foot, raising your heel as if you were trying to show the person behind you the sole of your shoe.

Take shorter, quicker steps. One of the most common mistakes people make when trying to walk faster is overstriding, taking longer steps than normal. Instead of speeding you along, big steps actually slow you down because it's harder to propel your body weight over an outstretched leg. In a sense, your leg acts as a brake, creating a choppy stride and increasing impact that may make you more susceptible to an injury. Instead, focus on shorter, quicker steps — placing your front leg almost right under you as you fall into your next step. This allows for a smoother, rolling stride that makes it easier for you to shift your body weight over your front leg and swing your back leg forward. The result: a faster walking speed.

Keep your front leg straight. From the time your foot lands on the ground until it is under your body, keep it straight, but not locked. This will prevent bouncing. You'll have a smoother stride and be able to propel yourself forward more easily.

Don't forget posture. As always, be sure to follow the body positioning tips under "For any type of walking:

• stand tall
• shoulders back, down, and relaxed
• swing from your shoulders
• maintain a neutral spine
• step lightly.

This may seem like a lot to think about, but you don't have to do it all at once. Start from the top of the list and focus on one tip at a time. Pay attention to this one element at the beginning of your walk, and then periodically check (don't constantly focus on it) to see if you are maintaining good form.

If not, simply readjust. Do this for about a week and then move on to the next tip. Some changes may happen quickly, while others may take some time to become a habit.

For more advice on how to walk even faster, and get your heart rate up, check out Walking for Health, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

Image: © RichLegg/Getty Images