By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture
LITTLE ROCK — As fall arrives and busy schedules resume for many families, it’s important to carve out time for exercise. Walk Across Arkansas, an eight-week, group-based exercise program supported by the Cooperative Extension Service, is designed to help Arkansans get active.
GET MOVING — Walk Across Arkansas encourages Arkansans to log their physical activity minutes during competitions in the spring and fall. (Division of Agriculture photo.)
The free program is offered each spring and fall by the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Participants record the total number of minutes spent being physically active each day. Any moderate to vigorous physical activity that boosts the heart rate counts – not just walking. Teams can register and log their exercise minutes at walk.uada.edu/walk/. Registration for the fall 2022 session opened Aug. 29. The competition begins on Sept. 12 and ends on Nov. 6.
Teams can consist of one person to 30 people. Heather Wingo, extension health program associate for the Division of Agriculture, suggested that teams consist of three to eight participants. Wingo said past Walk Across Arkansas participants have reported many health benefits from the program, including improved strength and stamina as well as lower stress levels.
“The benefits of participating in Walk Across Arkansas include not only improved physical health but also improved mental health,” Wingo said. “Program participants are encouraged to explore the Natural State while practicing healthy mind and body habits.”
In the Spring 2022 Walk Across Arkansas session, 87 teams, consisting of 359 people from 37 of the state’s 75 counties, participated. Together, they reported 776,360 physical activity minutes.
Anyone can participate in the Walk Across Arkansas program. Division of Agriculture employees must use a personal email address, not their work email address, to register. Visit walk.uada.edu/walk/ to learn more and register or talk to your local county extension agent.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.